Moving to Alaska

[Ishisube]

Another idea that’s probably already been mentioned. Buy a trailer drive up with whatever fits. Ship anything that’s prohibited in Canada. Sell the trailer when you get here. You could probably sell the trailer for a profit. The roads through Canada aren’t nearly as bad as the roads in Alaska.

Trailers always sell well in Alaska and that's how most of them arrive. Roads in Alaska aren't bad as long as you stay off of Goldstream and Farmers Loop!

 

[Carr5vols]

Carson just sale all bigitems, furniture and vehicles, ship the few things up you all want. Then buy new everything. May be money ahead...

 

[kwackkillncrew]

When we drove from Haines to south central getting into canada was easy. The usa patrol was a dik to get back in.

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[HoneyDew]

Did this trip last year in early May so I’ll share my experience maybe it’s informational. My fiancée sold her sedan and I bought a 7x14’ enclosed trailer. Packed our stuff that we wanted to keep until I hit the towing limits of my Tahoe. She stayed behind with my firearms, ammo, and the dog. I drove and the border experience was both smooth and rough. It was during COVID but I think it really comes down to the border agent you’re dealing with. The first one immediately gave me a bad time. Even though I had spent months trying to figure out the information so I could do everything correctly he didn’t like my answers. Told him my guns and dog were with her. Wanted to FaceTime her so she could show him that what I said was true. The COVID rules didn’t help. Ultimately turned me away saying I had arrived too late to start my first day and that I’d have to come back in the morning. Slept in my truck and tried again the next morning new guy let me through without issue.

Beautiful drive but it was a grind to make it in the 3 night schedule I had to provide the border agent. Brought 10 gallons of extra gas, spare for my vehicle and the trailer, chains, tools, plug kit, compressor etc but luckily never needed any of it. Hit a spring snow storm outside Whitehorse and it got a little dicey wasn’t sure I’d make it without getting stuck. Probably 4” when I started in the morning and 12” at the worst part of it. Multiple cars and pickups did but I just did the whole 4x4 slow and steady with lots of space.

Made it on schedule. Dropped the trailer and vehicle and flew back to grab the lady, dog, and firearms. Turned around and flew all that back. Needed a second round trip to get the remaining ammo up on Alaska airlines. But I had to go back and forth a couple times for work so used one of those to max the baggage out.

My take away is it’s a doable and beautiful drive. But I will never try to cross with a living animal or anything firearm related. Like all people in positions of authority some of the agents just like making things more complicated than they need to be. Can’t help you on taxidermy or if you have significantly more stuff than we did (didn’t bring much furniture just best pieces and TV etc). Just my recent experience hopefully it’s helpful. Feel free to PM if you have specific questions.

 

[Ishisube]

When we drove from Haines to south central getting into canada was easy. The usa patrol was a dik to get back in.

Crossing the borders are a roll of the dice every time and I've been given an endless hassle by both sides, only to be let right through by both at different times, but my worst experiences ever have been at the hands of the Canadians. Blaine, Beaver Creek, Prince Rupert being the only ones who have ever held me there for hours. Not fun, but always feels worth it once you can get back to driving again.

 

[HuntInWild88]

Just moved up here in August. All of my mounts were crated and shipped. The company didn't need any specific paperwork.

Ammo- it is 50k to transfer through canada but the vehicle that contains the ammo has to be "supervised/secure" at all times. It's 5k to import. There's a huge difference there's.

I've heard of people having issues with certain ammo. There's a list of prohibited ammo. (Armor piercing/tracers) I know are on the list.

I did not declare my ammo as it's not a prohibited item and zero issues.
I've heard horror stories of people telling the guard they had ammo and getting all of there stuff torn through to find the firearm even though they provided shipping documents for the firearms.
If you take firearms just make sure you have your documents before you get to the boarder.(un-signed) you have to certify the documents with the border patrol.

I didn't take the ferry because I have dogs. The dogs have to stay in the vehicle the whole time. They only allow you to go down to the vehicles to let them out and feed them every 8 hours. The vehicle bays are heated or Airconditioned. Just a heads up on the ferry..also you typically need to book your tickets 6 months in advance and this year they are down 2 ferries. The only one making the trip drops you off in in Haines leaving you to still have to drive through Canada..

 

[Bbddalton]

I flew from Florida to Fairbanks with 10 firearms in various pelican cases with 50lbs of ammo and now one batted an eye.

 

[carsonkeys]

Figured I should update this thread.

My wife and I did the drive starting 6/23 and got into town 6/27. Thankfully, we had absolutely zero issues. Saw tons of bear, some stone sheep, and a moose. Total driving miles was ~3,800 and 65 hours of drive time.

We shipped 95% of our stuff, including guns, taxidermy (that I crated) and my wife’s car, with a moving company and then gave away or sold everything that wouldn’t fit in my pickup. I just got my final invoice for the move today and the difference between this option and a U-Haul box truck was ~$4k. Truthfully, it was very stress free financial decision for us. For about four years now, I had been saving up for a sheep hunt and happily burned that entire account to make the move. Money very well spent in our eyes, especially because I didn’t have to deal with the firearms and taxidermy, and my wife and I could carpool the entire way.

I also bought a 7’x14’ double-axle trailer and a four wheeler with a plow and towed that along.

For anyone traveling the Alcan this year: the road was very easy going up until Destruction Bay. From there to about Tok the road was rough with lots of construction that got us stuck behind a line of 20-ish RVs.

I was getting 10 MPG nearly the entire way and, winter travel notwithstanding, have no clue how people run out of gas on that highway.

The border on both sides was extremely easy, which based on previous experience relayed in this thread I was thankful for.

Finally, the very first thing I did on Wednesday morning was get my drivers license. The year-long wait has commenced!

Thanks for the tips from everyone in the thread. Hopefully in following years I can contribute to the Sheep Meatpoles!

 

[feanor]

Did you drive through Colorado Springs? I think I saw you. AK or bust ?

 

[carsonkeys]

Did you drive through Colorado Springs? I think I saw you. AK or bust ?

Lol no that was not me, but I did follow that fella all the way from the border to Tok.

 

[feanor]

Haha ok. He was from Texas too. Weird. Enjoy the change of scenery and life up there!

 

[Carr5vols]

Glad you made it ok...

 

[gabenzeke]

I'm jealous. Update us on your hunts!

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[waterfowlife]

Hope the duck hunting is good

 

[Appalaskan]

Figured I should update this thread.

My wife and I did the drive starting 6/23 and got into town 6/27. Thankfully, we had absolutely zero issues. Saw tons of bear, some stone sheep, and a moose. Total driving miles was ~3,800 and 65 hours of drive time.

We shipped 95% of our stuff, including guns, taxidermy (that I crated) and my wife’s car, with a moving company and then gave away or sold everything that wouldn’t fit in my pickup. I just got my final invoice for the move today and the difference between this option and a U-Haul box truck was ~$4k. Truthfully, it was very stress free financial decision for us. For about four years now, I had been saving up for a sheep hunt and happily burned that entire account to make the move. Money very well spent in our eyes, especially because I didn’t have to deal with the firearms and taxidermy, and my wife and I could carpool the entire way.

I also bought a 7’x14’ double-axle trailer and a four wheeler with a plow and towed that along.

For anyone traveling the Alcan this year: the road was very easy going up until Destruction Bay. From there to about Tok the road was rough with lots of construction that got us stuck behind a line of 20-ish RVs.

I was getting 10 MPG nearly the entire way and, winter travel notwithstanding, have no clue how people run out of gas on that highway.

The border on both sides was extremely easy, which based on previous experience relayed in this thread I was thankful for.

Finally, the very first thing I did on Wednesday morning was get my drivers license. The year-long wait has commenced!

Thanks for the tips from everyone in the thread. Hopefully in following years I can contribute to the Sheep Meatpoles!

What shipping company did you end up using? Did you ship from Texas or drive it to the port in Washington?

 

[carsonkeys]

What shipping company did you end up using? Did you ship from Texas or drive it to the port in Washington?

Royal Alaska Movers.

They grabbed everything from our house in Texas and then delivered to the house in AK.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Royal Alaska Movers.

They grabbed everything from our house in Texas and then delivered to the house in AK.

Did you end up shipping your forearms with them? And suppressor? Or did you use that ffl in tok?

 

[carsonkeys]

Did you end up shipping your forearms with them? And suppressor? Or did you use that ffl in tok?

I could never get a call back from that FFL in Tok, unfortunately.

They took all firearms, suppressors, and taxidermy - a HUGE load off my shoulders and worth every single penny.

 

[FutonOperator17hmr]

I could never get a call back from that FFL in Tok, unfortunately.

They took all firearms, suppressors, and taxidermy - a HUGE load off my shoulders and worth every single penny.

All your ammo arrived without anything "missing"?

 

[TaperPin]

When I lived on Kodiak, the slickest move was a couple from Atlanta who had a shipping container dropped off at their house - they loaded it to the gills and simply had it delivered in front of the new house in Kodiak. The cost didn’t seem like a lot, although I can’t remember - it might have been $5k or $10k.

A year later she was ready to move back to Atlanta. It’s often not cold weather, but remoteness. You can’t just jump in the car and drive to your mom’s house for the weekend, one or two states over. Your friends won’t visit.