To drive or fly?

[406RoadToad]

Starting to plan a Caribou hunt and am trying to decide if I should fly or drive to Alaska.

I can get a 17 day stretch of PTO and am looking at doing a haul road or air taxi type hunt.

A big part for considering driving is I don’t want to deal with the hassle of renting a car, picking what I can and can’t bring, dealing with shipping meat, and just adding in another layer of things that could go wrong.

It is 44 hours from my house to Fairbanks and figure I could split the trip into 3 days 1 way.

I should also mention that either way I get there it will probably be a solo hunt and I’d like to keep costs lower if possible.

Thoughts or recommendations?

Thanks!

 

[Voyageur]

A buddy and I drove 72 hrs non-stop, one way in 2017 to hunt caribou on the North Slope. My 5 other AK hunts I have flown to either Fairbanks or Anchorage. I much prefer flying. Far fewer hassles and worries in my opinion.
Hope this helps.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Fly without a doubt

 

[Blockcaver]

Retired....drive. Working....fly.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I think you are adding more layers of things can go wrong with driving. Traffic, idiot drivers, truck trouble, break ins at hotel parking lots or trail heads...but most important to me would be that you are adding an entire week to the trip just for travel time. Time is something I don't have much of, so I always fly.

Would it be a cool experience to drive to AK, sure....but getting there the same day and drinking a beer while flying in a straight line at 500 miles per hour is pretty cool too.

If I lived in Montana, and was single and owned my own business or retired.....yeah, I might drive. But I'm not any of those things

 

[Kevin Dill]

44 hrs x 2 = 88 hrs of driving.

Cost per hr (up there) for fuel?
6 days driving or 4 extra days in Alaska?
Additional road travel costs like camping, hotels, restaurants, etc?
Hauling a gun through Canada?
Customs checks x 2 if driving.
How many extra mounted tires are recommended?

All the above in mind...If you want to drive because you like driving and seeing the sights along the way, then absolutely do it. Road trips are their own adventure.

 

[william schmaltz]

Add in a freezer and generator to keep meat cool to Kevin's list above.

Only an extra $200 to check a cooler of caribou meat and antlers on a flight home.

 

[Ono]

Fly AK air.

 

[Mojave]

I have driven the ALCAN twice. Nice drive, if you have no place to be in any speedy time.

Just fly!

 

[FLATHEAD]

That far I would def. fly.

 

[dtrkyman]

That is a lot of driving!

 

[VernAK]

If you have time and $$$$, drive it! Take your time once you leave Fort Nelson and keep bino handy. Run on your schedule not on some airline's half-assed, ever-changing schedule. Stop and pee when you want. Make a cup of coffee on the tailgate. Get a cinnamon roll at Johnson's Crossing. Visit the museum in Teslin. Tour the paddle wheel boat in Whitehorse.

Customs is no worse than TSA.

I've RTd the Alcan several dozen times and never tire of it.

 

[keller]

I've driven it but took 6 weeks to do it would do it again in a heartbeat.but 17 days doing it solo driving and hunting would be a little tight for my liking.

 

[VernAK]

I like the six weeks idea. Never get in a hurry to get to Anchorage or Fairbanks as that crap can be found elsewhere. The back roads of the Yukon are very interesting.....Robert Campbell Highway.....North Canol Road....Klondike Highway.....Top-of-the-world etc.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I enjoy the long drives, stopping in different places and have a ton of different playlists on my phone. i like having everything with me and hauling my meat home in ice chests.

 

[mtnkid85]

Im in a similar situation and have had the same debate for a haul road hunt. It would be fun to drive, just for the drive itself. I think Id plan on doing a two week trip, 8ish days to hunt/spend time up there.

 

[b.purcell]

I drove up there in 2017 and did a fly in caribou hunt. Was nice to have an awesome camping trip before the hunt without getting added expense of getting a rental car. That being said, renting a uhaul van is pretty cheap and flying up there is really fast. If you do a fly in hunt the transporter might be able to swoop you up from the airport The drive is pretty bad ass but just depends on how much windshield time vs hunting time you want

 

[MNBill]

My brother and I drove in 2019. Towed a Ranger. Minnesota to Chicken. A lot of beautiful country between point A and point B! We took 5 days each way, didn’t get in a hurry and saw some sights. Took different routes going up and coming home. According to the accounting department, it was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime!

Going back in August to try to get a caribou. Driving again, no Ranger. Headed up the Dalton.

If I were still working, I would probably fly to maximize hunt time, but my partners and I are retired…so…driving again!

 

[JBWinter]

I am looking at doing the drive as well, and am working stiff. I can get a similar timeframe of about 16 or 17 days. My hope was to be able to get 9 or 10 days of hunting and driving the rest. We have done the paperwork for firearms in Canada before and its no issue really. If you have a clean record etc. We are planning to drive, because of cost compared to flights , vehicle rental and availability, and meat and rack transport. Also the ability to bring all the gear we need or think we need. A vehicle we have maintained and trust, our tires and spares etc. That to me feels worth it. I have driven to and from Alaska in the past on a similar timeline and it wasn't horrible and the sites and adventure of the job is great too. Solo is a different story though, with no other drivers to take some of the load.