Subscribe and be the first to know about our new weekly videos! It’s absolutely free and guarantees you won't miss our new video each Thursday. urlgeni.us/youtube/channel/KVJA If you enjoy this video, then you are going to love our favorites…we PROMISE! Check them out here urlgeni.us/youtube/playlist/HEHBEST
Hi guys, being a Canadian living out west. Here is an alternative route you might want to take. For future American travelers who want to save some fuel money and drive the most scenic road in Canada, enter Canada at Sweetgrass Montana and head towards Banff, Lake Louise and take the Columbia Icefield Parkway towards Jasper, then head west to the Alaska highway from there. Fuel is about 25 to 35% cheaper in Alberta than BC.
Currently driving back from Alaska to Michigan by way of Montana and taking that exact route. Having passed though Tok to Destruction Bay a couple days ago, I can say that it is WAY better then last year, they filled most of the massive frost heaves and potholes with gravel and it appears to be recent. Between Tok and the border crossing however has been the worst of the roads so far, by a long ways.
Yeah and the people are rig pigs and cowboys too no environmental conscience in alberta its not allowed lol their govt has been in oils pocket for decades Oklahoma north almost literally 😊
Just a note about camping in “Canada”. Every province is different and It is important to note that in Southern BC getting a site without a reservation is next to impossible and often book out within minutes of being released 3 months in advance. In the North, where you were, things are very remote and not like the rest of the province. Happy travels !!!
Agree and rest of Canada! I suggested watching you tube overlanding sophia. They did the maritimes. Then down to states. Also an American couple are doing NS and great accurate videos as I am in Nova Scotia. They are keep your daydream.
To get those “fancy” extras you most likely will have to go to a private campground. We do have those fancy RV park(ing lot) places & KOAs. As @janetzathureczky said, in areas where there’s a large population or popular provincial & national campgrounds, reservations are needed. Even up in northern Alberta! There is a first come first served campground along the Icefields Parkway, it is a no services place, with central water taps, & pit toilets. We love it!
Came to say exactly this. Also, BC and Alberta are, in my experience, the most expensive provinces for camping fees - especially BC. As you go east, the campgrounds get cheaper.
Yeah, I don't camp but from what I understand from friends who do and family who worked for the parks, that with the Ontario parks, good luck finding a spot if you didn't book right when things opened months in advance. And any walk-in spots a park might have gets filled up right as they can start booking them that day. Sometimes even with a line of people waiting for them to start accepting people for a walk-in spots.
As an American living in Canada, and also being a full-time RVer snowbird, I cross the border 2x per year with my RV. I have found exactly as you say - be polite, be upfront, don't hedge, don't lie. I have had my trailer searched 2x in 5 years, and it doesn't matter if it is a large or small border crossing. We arrive at the border with a list (on paper) that we hand to the Border Control officer of all the alcohol we carry. The last time I crossed the border I was searched, and they had the list in hand and checked my stock against the list. So, it does happen. They were really nice about it, especially when the list matched what we had.... I guess I am fortunate that since I live in Canada (my wife is Canadian) we have bank accounts in both countries, and try to use the appropriate account in country. Some rest stops have dump stations! That is awesome! They are 2 big, beautiful countries worth exploring.
As Canadians, we would like to point out that the Cassier Highway is one of the most remote areas in BC/Canada. Your experience travelling there does not apply to all of Canada in regards to fuel costs/availability, campgrounds & services. We love the beauty & remoteness of YK and NWT etc. Other provinces may be more like your U.S.A. experience. Just saying'. 🇨🇦
You really can't generalize rving in BC & the Yukon with the rest of the country.. The RV parks on the way north in BC are definitely different from the rest of the country.
Province to province things are different. Don’t generalize all of Canada each province and territory is different. All the stuff you said Canadian campgrounds don’t have we have all of in abundance in Ontario!
I upgraded the 28 gallon tank on my F350 to a 60 gallon. That and the 12 volt fridge in our camper are the 2 biggest and best upgrades we've done. Solar is next.
Some random observations as a Canadian in BC.. I live just 5km (3miles) from the Sumas border. We have a holiday trailer in Washington near Mt.Baker. As such, I cross the border 35-40 times a year each way so I found the segment about your border escapades entertaining and amusing. For sure our provincial parks are not as swanky as state parks but consider population density. Something like 85-90% of our population lives within an hour of the US border, and our total population is about 1/10 that of the US. Where you were makes backwoods Montana look like an urban center! As such, there are not as many tax dollars per unit area for things like provincial parks so they can be pretty.....rustic.. $200CAD per day sounds pretty reasonable; especially when half of that was fuel. Not bad IMO. I have found this adventure very entertaining. Consider the other route back so you can report on the difference.
You should specify Northern Canada. All of the limitations you had to cope with are very specific to Northern Canada's campgrounds and pretty much all of what you had to adapt to. Travelling to the North IS a complicated thing, not much related to what you will encounter in the Southern part of the country.
So we would highly recommend the transfer flow 50 gallon tank. They did the install at their Chico California facility. In and out in a day. Best thing we ever did! We had an original Ford tank, which only held 26 gallons and I felt like I was spending most of our days hunting for the next fuel stop. Doubling the tank size gave us so much more freedom and flexibility, and really did not decrease our fuel mileage that much. Completely worth it! And highly recommend transfer flow.
I've installed auxiliary fuel tanks in my diesel trucks for the past 25 years and never had any inspections. Also, you can get an aluminum RDS 100 gallon fuel tank, and it only weighs around 75 lbs. Make sure you buy the installation kit for your vehicle.
@@dontwantnospam full. Over 700lb in fuel alone, then add weight of tank and hardware. 1k is a but high, but for total full weight which is what matters 75 is way to low
For those that think of Canada as a solid monolith, please note there are provinces (what we would call "states" in the US.) So, there's Federal (Canadian) rules and parks and there are States (province) rules and parks. Just Think of all the variations in laws, costs, and campsites available from state to state in the US and apply that same variety to your thoughts about Canada. When I refer to laws, I'm mostly referring to sales tax here as once you cross the border, that's the next thing you'll encounter (besides currency exchange rates.) Québec has a whopping 14.975% sales tax. There are sin taxes in Canada, as well. Think flat rate fees added to purchases such as alcohol or tobacco, and shopping bags (the big meanie shopping bags.)
@@juniperdog5523 Agreed. It's a pet-peeve of mine when watching some RU-vid videos of some American RVers driving the "Long Canadian Speed-Bump to Alaska." I think the "Drive from the lower-48 through Canada to Alaska" is a special kind of international travel, where it's easy for people to not have a regular "rest of the world" attitude about doing international travel. It's international travel that people maybe aren't approaching like other international travel, where you embrace being in a different land and culture and system. I think because people are driving/towing their homes with them, it makes it easy to remain in an at-home mindset. In any case, watching RU-vid videos of Americans driving to Alaska is an interesting social study. :)
A good rule of thumb for liquid weights: Gasoline- 6 lbs/gal, Diesel/Kerosene/Jet fuel- 7 lbs/gal, Oil- 8 lbs/gal and Water- 9 lbs/gal. These will keep you in the ballpark and are easy to remember
So happy to see Canadians chime in about some of your questions or remarks. We love our country and so excited to see you come for a visit but want to a make sure you have good info. Btw, I go over the border via car a lot with our dog. All they need is a rabies for a healthy dog. The only time they have asked for it was while flying and they asked every time. Hopefully, Going through parts of BC has wet your whistle to visit the other provinces as well. I have made it a goal to see all our provinces (only one more to go) and each of them is quite beautiful. From coast to coast. Cheers!
As a Nova Scotian I have been to 7 provinces, lived in three, but have not been up north. We have an extraordinarily beautiful country, diverse in geography and cultures!
Adding a 50gal Transfer Flow fuel tank to my F350 was one of the best purchases ever. F350 only has a 26gal tank so this has made a huge difference! We average 10mpg towing our 38' fifth wheel. Made the trip to Alaska four years ago and we were able to drive the Casiar without fueling up. Consequently we were able to be choosy about when and where to fuel up. We do a lot of 4,000+ miles trips out West where fuel can be much more expensive in isolated areas. Made a huge difference on the trip to Alaska. With a 760 mile range never have to stop for fuel on a driving day.
Agree 100%, I added a 51 gallon auxiliary fuel transfer tank/tool box to our F250 to support the stock 28 gallon tank. We now have extended our range to around 700 miles pulling our 31' toy hauler / travel trailer. A lot less worries about finding fuel nowadays. And, as you stated, we can take advantage when we see the better fuel prices. We have a back flip tonneau cover, so you can't even see it, and it takes up less space than you'd think. We still have plenty of bed space available. One of the best purchases ever made. Also note: you can install this tank easily yourself if you're a DIYer or handy with tools. Don from Florida
Gasoline weighs LESS than Diesel at just over 6 lbs for gas. If you do a Midship fuel tank replacement (like replacing the stock tank with a 60 gal tank), then you can DIY the replacement without any legal issues. Also, there are some US Credit cards (like Capital One) that have no Foreign exchange fees. Also, it's usually cheaper to use an ATM to get your Canadian currency since Currency exchange locations and even US banks will give you a worse exchange rate than just using an ATM in Canada.
Also, depending on Province, you must have a driver's license and insurance for your vehicle and trailer. No insurance can get you a 5k ticket, depending again on the province.
As a Canadian and frequent RV traveller I cross the US Canada border around 7 times a year with the trailer. Be polite, open your passports to the picture page, have other documents ready if needed but remember to only answer asked questions. Ask and answer and you will be fine.
Your 13 days in Canada is a cost as would be expected. FYI : It is an EQUAL amount of MILES (travel) from the US border going north to Whitehorse, Yukon, as is the distance from that same border (BC/WA) to the Mexico border to the south. Approx 1400 miles for either direction of driving. The cost of fuel in Canada is slightly higher but offset with the 25-30% exchange rate savings for US travellers. Hope you can use another highway on the return south, through more National Parks, waterfalls, hot springs and glacier landscapes in the rocky mountains.
I guessed it pretty close. It depends on your means, but to me, in this day and age of insane prices, travelling through some of the highest prices in North America, 2k seems like a pretty good deal for such an epic 2-week adventure. You guys did very well. Of course, the accountants would say you also have to add in the depreciation on your truck and fifth wheel, but screw the accountants.
Travel through Alberta there is no provincial tax on fuel.I would grab a couple jerry cans for fuel in case you run short. In Ontario fuel up at native gas stations you will find it cheaper.
Just got back from British Columbia, Vancouver Island, Alberta Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. 10000 Miles. I only had 2- 5 gallon diesel fuel containers and only need to use in northern Saskatchewan. Always carry extra fuel and gas for the generator
I had one installed it myself. 60 gallon fit perfectly in my shortbox chevrolet. Was well worth the money came in so handy towing our camper. No inspection on it at all. Im in ny here
Just to emphasize the point made earlier, that anyone crossing an international border should have a credit card that does not charge transaction fees on foreign purchases. As a Canadian, I heartily endorse "Home Trust Visa." I expect you could find something similar in the USA. Great videos! Safe travels!
By way of comparison - I recently completed a solo round trip in the US through 34 states lasting 28 days & tracked miles, hours driving, MPG, food, lodging & fuel costs. From Alabama up east coast to NY then west to SD and back to AL. My only real concern was driving solo and getting "sleepy eyes" while driving (rest, power-nap, cold drink & snack... continue) Here ya go... Miles 5410 Hours 100 (avg 54 mph) MPG 10.8 (60-65 mph, '05 Silverado 1500, big engine, crew cab, "new" 2021, 22' travel trailer) Food $450 Camp $590 (avg $20/nt, includes mooch & boon docking) Fuel $1658 (gasoline) Total $2766 (includes some incidentals) Would I do it again - ABSOLUTELY, hopefully with a travel partner next time
Hi...I am from the east coast of Canada. I am planning on going south for the winter.I have a chev.Silverado and a 20' travel trailer. What advice would you like to give me? I haven't done this before. Some questions.....Are the camp sites expensive, can I pull over at rest areas for the night, what are places I should stay away from? Thanks. I enjoyed your videos! Stay safe!
PLAN and PLAN again. I spent a month in advance checking for prices and places to stay along my itinerary as well as expected fuel costs. I prefer state campgrounds to commercial properties. I did not use any rest areas but on three occasions Cracker Barrel - called in advance to obtain approval AND purchased breakfast at each one. I limited myself to 300 miles per day with a target speed of 60 mph. Longest active driving was about 7 hours. Use a tire pressure monitor and bring tools to change tire and other common maintenance chores. Brought enough frozen and refrigerated food for the month long trip - some left over. If you tire of driving - STOP, REST & REFRESH before continue - power-nap! AND ENJOY!
There are many provincial parks in Canada with 50A service, full service, pools, and many many other amenities, it all depends on where you are as each one is different. Also, nightly rates are different at provincial parks from province to province, and Canadian national parks are different again.
Where? I’ve never seen a Provincial Park with any power or water. We always go to a private campground if we need power or city water. Lived in BC my whole life.
@@shannonchadwick8534 I didnt say in BC specifically said "provincial parks in Canada" as this video is about Canada in general not just BC. I have experience with parks in AB, SK, and MB with several that offer water/sewer/pool.
@shannonchadwick8534 alice Lake and porta cove are 2 provincial parks in bc with full hook up, also manning park just opened a full service this year. those are the only 3 in bc I know of. My friends in Ontario tell me there are lots there, it's the norm.
We have a 45 gallon auxiliary diesel tank, with the 35 gallon regular tank. Professional installation, it has DOT labels and tags for inspection. From my understanding having a check valve between the tanks and a shutoff switch are required. We've had it for 3 years now on a 2015 ram 2500 cummins. ( also full delete and then some) 17mpg towing 41ft toyhauler fifth wheel
I think that you should have taken the route through Prince George, Chetwynd, Fort St John, Dawson Creek and onto the Alaska Highway. It is far less desolate and the roads are much better - all paved.
On extra fuel tank about every farm pickup has one in back. Just go farm supply store throw in ithe back. No inspections no double lined used in my area of USA. I live in rural Great Plains.
I'm not sure about BC, but I do know that the campground west of Rocky Mountain House in Alberta has 50 amp plug ins, as does the Rendez-Vous Rv park in Peace River! Allstays will give a pretty accurate list of campgrounds with 50 amp!
Did that exact drive right at the beginning of the pandemic. It was the best drive ever. Crossed the border in Washington. The border agent said “do not go to any stores, gas pumps only, stop and camp at any rest area.” It was such a great trip. Absolutely no one on the roads, think we saw 15 bears. It was the most relaxing road trip ever.
Love your videos. The tanks come DOT rated when you buy them. I have a dually and tow a SOlitude 380. I purchased a 60 gallon aux tank, and I installed it myself. It gives me round about 108 total gallons. Now, the tank will never empty completely out, but it sure does lower stress levels for us. In the US it gives me the ability to purchase fuel at lower prices. Also, I think my tank was around $360. Mine was made by RDS. My wife originally thought it was a waste of money. After 2 years with it she tells people it was the best upgrade we have done since RVing FT. Not towing I have gone 1500 miles between fill ups. Towing I have pushed it to 900, but I do not like to push it any further. Anyway, keep up the great content.
Howdy friends... Sarah and I got stopped and held when we crossed because we didn't have our pet vaccination records. They actually pulled us inside and wouldn't let us leave. Due to no cell service, they allowed us to leave. Wewe had to fax it to them, and they allowed us to cross the next day. On the way back, the US stopped us and couldn't understand that Sarah was a Travel Nurse in the US on assignment near the border and that we took a 3 day vacation in Canada. They were stuck on the theory that she worked in Canada, which she didn't and would not deviate from their story. They eventually let us pass but continued to think she worked in Canada. We managed and now have some stories to tell. Hope you're having a blast!
My wife and I are 5 or 6 times a year campers. Mostly within a couple hours from home. We couldn't do what you do with the long trips, so we live vicariously through you two. Thanks for the videos.
Nice recap. When we traveled from the USA thru Canada we did not exchange our USA cash. I don't like to carry much cash at all (~$100) . It was so much easier to just use our Visa & MC. The transaction cost were minimal if you factor in the cost of the cash exchange & connivence. We had no issue using U.S. $$ in most places as well. I carry a 5g can of gas for "just in case" & use in the generator. I've never used it in the truck & rarely use the generator. I do fill up when ever I had the opportunity if my tank was below 3/4 & wasn't real sure of the next stop.. Your fuel cost was actually less than I would have thought. I would have guessed about 25-35% more. THANK you for the info...
As for Aux tanks, yes they cost in both cash and weight and you can make it without them but what's all the stress relief worth to ya? Our heat runs off diesel in addition to our engine. We had our tank professionally installed and we have never had anything said about it or asked about any kind of inspection. But, we are registered in SC. Brand is Agile offroad. Love the video.
One tip that is key coming into Canada is to empty your fridge. America let me out with a fridge full of eggs and Canada would not let me in with eggs. I had to WALK across the border back to the US to throw out my eggs. I felt like a criminal. Some crossings might have a shared dumpster with the US to prevent this but this Montana crossing did not!
Let's not forget everything up there is way more expensive and not as abundant. I don't think it's fair to lump all of Canada in with the northwest of the country. We are huge and it might serve the audience better to talk about regions, not country. I'm a Canadian and where I live in southern BC is vastly different than the rest of the country ( except for the rocks, trees, and water)
Hi Hanks, as a proud Canadian I’m going to chime in as well. You travelled a very specific route and it’s unfair to lump all of Canada in your comparison. On your next trip to our beautiful Country, I would suggest you reach out to one of your loyal CDN subscribers to clarify your information before you leave. In regards to border crossing, we go through the exact same thing that you do when entering the US - we welcome all to experience the beauty across all of our provinces and you’ll find that some areas will cost significantly less. 😀🇨🇦😎
Totally agree with you….I live in the area of Northwest BC and have traveled the Cassiar Hiway multiple times all seasons…including the winter. In summer there are more opportunities to fuel up as in the winter some of the guide/tourist operations close and therefore you will not have the opportunity to fuel up. (By the way I drive a 1ton diesel with a camper) …However in the summer…..plenty, be smart….fuel up at the junction of Hiway 16 and the Cassiar Highway (Kitwanga) I always Fuel up at Meziaden ( junction of the Stewart Hiway and the Cassiar.) then if I feel that I should I have Bell 2 to fuel up, ( winter time hit and Miss for fuel here.) and /or Iskit Villiage, great small store with Coffee and Snack food and ready made sandwiches…(never had issues with them being out of fuel here summer or winter) …I always fuel up at Dease Lake, ( this summer they installed pay at the pump 24/7 service!) no more Watch checking hoping to arrive during business hours !!! Then again at the junction of Cassiar and Alaska Hiway….late fall and winter May have to travel into Watson Lake 40 km. As fuel may or may not be available at the junction. As for traveling through this northwest area…well yes it is more sparsely populated but that is the reason you should be travelling…seeing new spectacular scenery, wilderness animals, and lakes without hundreds of seadoo’s on them engines screaming… if you expect to pay the prices as you find in the lower parts of bc or us…then what are you thinking! It cost money, time, and equipment to travel up and deliver commodities to these sparsely populated areas. You want cheap prices, stay south in the heavily populated areas, … come north where the welcome is warm and the views are spectacular! (I have travelled most of the coastal and central US states..as well as Alaska…I always enjoy what they have to offer, and not worry about what they charge, I have my home on my truck…with full facilities. I use my own shower. And as for laundry…well it cost money for me to wash cloths at home also soooo……you folks have a beautiful huge rv trailor! Why are you spending money on showers, and taking motels, and eating out? … if I don’t use what I have, the next time it stays home…just saying! The road conditions in Alaska equal those of the Yukon as folks…you are traveling on roads built on permafrost…as it melts because of the roads..it becomes a never ending issue…allow yourself time to travel slower 70-8o km. Enjoy the scenery you will on average only be an extra hour on the road to your arrival area, and your equipment will thank you for it as well as your own sanity! Relax in the North you are in “Gods Country” Enjoy! And yes in BC rest areas you are okay to overnight, just do not stay longer than overnight…roughly 8 hours by the signage, however we would rather rv’s use the rest areas to rest so they are safe drivers on the road… NO multi night stay overs in rest stops, sleep wake and move on. Happy Travels!
I too, agree that Americans need to stop describing Canada based on your very very limited experience in 1x province and 1x territory. Come on! We have 3x territories and 10x very different provinces!!!
I didn’t hear anything rude about Canada. It was clear to me that they were giving their opinion on that “particular” journey and not the whole of Canada. There are pros and cons to every part of the United States, Europe and Asia, etc. Things of all sorts are just different everywhere you go as well as when you go. Example: I love checking out supermarkets every place I go. They’re different in every part of a country or state and I find it fascinating and fun to shop wherever I go. It’s a little challenging when you’re trying to figure out if you’re buying canned tuna, vs canned salmon or toothpaste vs hemorrhoid cream.😂 Obviously that happens in places where there’s multiple languages spoken. That’s part of the fun of traveling no matter where you go…it’s the experiences you have that makes it worth going. Sending love to Canada, to my Canadian friends and my other friends in other countries. Sending my best from America!🙏🏻💖🙏🏻 ❤🇺🇸❤️🇨🇦❤🇯🇵❤🇬🇧❤🇮🇹❤🇫🇷❤🇱🇺❤🇳🇱❤🇮🇷❤🇩🇪❤🇧🇪❤
Wow. I thought the Hanks were pretty clear about the route choice they took... that the specific stretch they traveled is desolate and takes time etc... I understand that they weren't making a generalization about Canada as a whole. It appears these "Proud Canadians" are a prickly folk. I've traveled Canada a fair bit, and in my experience they are very friendly, which definitely fits the stereotype most of the world has. A very nice demographic of people. You guys shouldn't feel the need to defend your beautiful country against a remark that was never made.
just a suggestion regarding your terminology. You make a lot of references and generalizations about 'Canada' when you should really be referring to the specific part of Canada where you had these experiences. For example, if you're discussing the lack of gas stations along your route to Alaska, you may want to say "Northern British Columbia' or 'Yukon'. Canada in general does not have a lack of gas stations. This doesn't make any more sense than making an observation about Alaska and then only referring to 'America'.
Extra fuel--even a well secured Jerry can ride you through. The issue that crops up is supply issues to remote places. I am glad you didn't run into any issues!
I replaced my 32 gallon stock fuel tank with a 60 gallon on my 3500 Ram and it only adds couple extra hundred pounds, like about 220lbs with the larger tank when loaded with fuel. It gives you extra range with out all that extra weight. I don't know if that is an option on your Duramax, that larger tank fit in the same spot as my original tank. Kinda the middle ground in range increasing options. But it was just as expensive and needed to be professionally installed. Love the videos guys, your info is going to be super helpful when the wife and I head up there hopefully soon.
The first time I was working up in the Yukon, I got time off to drive to Dawson City, a distance of 580 km. I took the company truck, a big Suburban, and made the run (on gravel roads mind you) in about 4-5 hours. Including stops. It was pedal to the metal the whole way. The big Suburban was excellent at keeping stable when busting through the berm of gravel that builds up between lanes and the heavy duty suspension soaked up the small potholes easily. We had picked up a German tourist who was hitch hiking outside Carmacks and gave him a ride to Dawson. He told me later that in all of his hitch hiking in North America, I was the first person he met who drove like a European. :). Of course it's different towing a 5th wheel, but gravel roads don't have to be that slow.
Guys love your recap. We are on the return of our 4 month trip through Canada and Alaska. It has been fantastic. Slow down and take your time. Go back the ice fields parkway. The most beautiful scenery we have seen. Can’t wait to follow the rest of your journey and start seeing your adventure. Not just Carl in the truck. 😂😂. Sorry we missed your meet up we were in Tok about to head back.
You went thru the most expensive province when it comes to fuel camping along the Alaska hwy there are many good areas for boon docking and it it is safe .you can install an aluminum fuel tank and electric pump to. add 50or 60 gal fairly reasonable
Hi, great video. I am from Ontario and most Provincial Parks have 50 amp and 30 amp service. Very few except the St-Lawrence Parks have 3 service available. Booking is a must, but most parks here have a space available for those that just show up as they are just passing through. Normally every provincial parks have washers and dryers. Enjoy your videos and really we are pretty much the same Canada/USA.
Hi Hanks😊, just one big comment. When you're speaking about canadian campgrounds, that's unfair because you only did one province and one territory. It's like if I would camp in Maine and Vermont and think that all campgrounds across the USA are like the one I've been in those 2 states. By the way, I love your channel from one of your Canadian fans (east part of Canada)😁
Thank you for saying what I was thinking. I’m also on the east coast and if you don’t reserve provincial parks here in early April, you haven’t got much of a chance of getting a site for the whole season.
In Canada, most anywhere you will make it to legally park your vehicle for free, including rest areas, you take for granted that you will be able to spend the night there, including suburban street sides, church parkings, shopping malls parkings, Walmart parkings. If ever that is not allowed, someone will tell you and the worst that could happen is the necessity to look for another spot where to sleep in the middle of the night. Why you may sleep in a rest area even if it is officially prohibited ? Well, they just don't want to encourage it since campgrounds would then complain of unfair competition from the government's highway department. But really cops just don't care to check which vehicles are parked there and how long have they been there, so, in most instances, it is really tolerated even if officially forbidden.
That small section of road they took north to Tok is the worst in the entire state. We are traveling all over AK this summer and most of the other main highways are good to great. Yes, watch for wavy lines...that indicates frost heaves or dips, watch for repaired patches or potential potholes here or there but if you stay alert, proceed slowly you have no issue! It's the jerks with huge rigs that fly at 70 mph that break their axels!
It’s a noun. e·quiv·a·lent /əˈkwiv(ə)lənt/ Learn to pronounce noun, plural noun: “equivalents” a person or thing that is equal to or corresponds with another in value, amount, function, meaning, etc. "the French equivalent of the FBI"
Provincial parks definitely do have reservations. Some of the busier ones fill up rather quickly and the only way to get spots is by reserving them. I'm guessing the more remote areas don't have to worry so much about crowds, hence the first-come-first-serve, but honestly it's the first time I've ever heard of one like that, and I'd consider it outside the norm.
Just a context thing… in Canada there are many many many campsites with full service hook ups and no charge for showers. There are some provincial parks in some provinces that have less services for sure. Crossing the boarder can be nerve racking but being honest always wins.
Great vid! i might suggest - when i went to Canada, the border crossing was packed, and the road was S shaped, and not wide. This meant a significant wait, but more importantly, lane selection was critical, largely because fifth wheels cut corners and you are specifically not allowed into the semi truck lanes.
yeah i made a comment saying to get 2-3 Jerry cans and just secure them in the box of your pick up. getting an aux tank is only needed if you regularly go into desolate places
As a Canadian Snowbird, your travel costs are in line with my costs to travel south. You put on a lot of miles (BC is a big province, almost as long as WA, OR, and most of California.) so the costs reflect that round trip distance. It is the same for us going south and returning. That is about 3k miles and my fuel costs are US$1600ish. We tend to dry camp when possible but your observations about the Canadian campgrounds is interesting. I hope you return, there's lots to see in Beautiful BC.
Installed a 40 gallon auxiliary diesel tank myself, was $400 on Amazon, on my last 2500hd 26 gallon truck. I then moved that same tank to my new 36 gallon 3500hd truck so I have 75 gallons. Weight of the tank is no problem and it only takes about 12 inches at the front of the bed and is below the bed rails. It gravity feeds thru an extra filter into the factory tank thru a shutoff valve. The extra tank is great being able to buy fuel without the trailer connected and always have enough to get to the camp and sometimes back home. Once home, I can buy fuel once a month wherever I see a good deal.
The auxiliary tank is not only for those times when you can’t find fuel but for me it’s to keep me from stopping to fuel up so much. I only have a 55 gal auxiliary tank but that’s huge to me not to have to stop. I think your truck is a 3/4 ton and if so your right about payload, you probably would be pushing it.
We just finished a tour of AK and on our way back thru BC. Half ton pickup and 24’ trailer. We used iOverlander a lot to find dry camping sites which we did 80% of the time.
Being a Canadian that has camped all over the country I'd appreciate it if you had made it clear your info was specific to your route. The way your video makes it sound is as if its ALL of Canada. I can assure you it is not.
JUST A HEADS UP ON FUEL TANK. THE POSSIBILITY AND POTENTIAL TO EXCEED GVWR ON YOUR TOW VEHICLE IS ALWAYS THE FIRST CONCERN. I HAVE OBSERVED MANY, I SAY AGAIN MANY, 3/4 TON PICKUPS TOWING 5TH WHEELS THAT RUN UP NEAR THE MAX OF THE TRUCK'S GVWR. WOULD YOU RATHER CARRY EXTRA FUEL OR EXTRA BEER???? TOUGH CHOICE, I KNOW😁
For a credit card to use while traveling outside of the US, we have a Bank of America credit card that has 0, that’s “zero”, foreign transaction fees. I’m sure there are other companies out there that have offers for similar cards, but we were already BOA customers on another credit card so adding a card with no foreign transaction fees was the way to go for us. All we did was contact our credit card company and they helped us find the right card for our foreign travels.
Went to Alberta last year, up to to Banff and Lake Louise, the roads were great. One thing threw me was knowing how many liters I wanted to buy to fill the tank at the gas station. We had no problems with phone calls, but problems with the GPS. Many campgrounds had electric fences around them to keep the bears out. A lot to do and see in Alberta with really nice people. Looking forward to going back.
We traveled through the Canadian border headed to Banff National Park. We stayed @ Lewis & Clark RV Park in Shelby MT. they have lockers to store fire-arms and what -evs… We crossed w/ 2 dogs- they never asked for vaccines, asked minimal questions AND my husband crossed (& returned) over the border w/ an expired passport. We were in and 2 minutes. Easy-peasy.
Just want to add that a lot of the provincial parks in the more southern parts of BC and Alberta are reservable, it is when you go further north on the Alaska highway that the campgrounds are not reservable. Also we do have full hook up campgrounds but again in the further northern part of the province this is not as common.
Each province in Canada has different camp ground booking systems. In Ontario you book your sites online. There is also provincial parks and conservation parks
If you're worried about auxiliary tanks, I'd recommend a larger factory tank. Ie the S&B tank for my truck(2015 f-350 CCLB) would take me stock 38 gallon tank up to 70 gallons. Almost double without adding a massive tank that has a huge weight penalty.
I had a tank build that was below my tonne cover and 6 inches from the bed both sides. Bolted it down so it won’t move. It isn’t connected to the fuel systems. I purchased a 12v pump that fits into the fuel opening/gas cap. If I need diesel I just filled up the tank or at least 15 to 20 gallons. When the trip is over I emptied the spare tank into the truck tank as much as possible. Then took the tank out. These tanks have drain plugs to finish what the pump cans get. Yes, it could be messy if you don’t take your time. The size of you tank doesn’t have to be 25 gallon’s. 10 to 15 gallons should get you to another gas station. At 9 miles to a gallon should 10-15 gallons should get you another 125 mile plus.
Hi Hanks, just weighing in on the foreign transaction fees, you can get credit cards that wave those, usually a paid CC, so it will depend on your frequency of use and whether it's worth it. Love your video's!
Pay by credit when it out country--never debit. Also, take some time, especially in dawson city! You motored through very fast! If you are going to travel this route, take your time!
As Canadians that go to the US in the winter we have a Canadian bank accounts in US dollars and affiliated Canadian bank in the US. You could get a Canadian US bank and a credit card in Canadian funds and get around all transaction fees.
A thought about two weeks total expenses: You guys would have spent at least 55% of that, staying at home, with routine activity around your home town, at work each day or eating, living in one place. Overall, the cost of this part of travel is very fair. Enjoy the view, the wildlife, and more hot springs.
Be careful when you say no reservations possible in provincial parks. This may be the case in British Columbia however every province is different. Provincial parks in Ontario, Quebec et New Brunswick and PEI (Prince Edward Island) you can make reservations. Other provinces I do not know I have not camped there yet. And yes 50 amp service is available in some campgrounds. In southern Canada you will find campgrounds with pools. Up north it is much cooler and you will not find any.
I had my factory fuel tank replaced before I started full timing. Went from 32 to 52 gallons. There are many companies that offer replacement tanks that fit in the stock location. Well worth the money to have it professionally installed.
On the foreign transaction fees for credit cards… the thing you do here is call your credit card companies and check up front if they have foreign transaction fees then use the one that doesn’t have them. I have 3 CCs and one just happened to not have them and it was a random Amazon card. If you don’t have one without foreign transaction fees see if you can adjust the type of card… it might be a free easy upgrade or swap of CC type.
Love you guys. We live in Wasilla Alaska and will be heading south the lower 48 next week. We just sold our house and moved into a 2023 39ft Thor Challenger. If you have any questions about Alaska let us know. Safe travels
You'll be very hard pressed to find 50AMP service in Provincial or National Parks in Canada. It's not unheard of but not common either. 30AMP is the standard. You won't generally find sites with water service either so you need to use your tanks. Again, sewer hookups are generally not available at the Provincial and National Parks either. If you want full hookups, you need to go Private. That said, my experiences with State Parks in the USA are similar. You get electric but nothing else!
