While on our venture to Alaska from Wisconsin we came across these in our travels. We are usually on the road by 6:30-ish so when we came across that car we wondered how long ago it happened...so we turned around and checked. Fortunately we didn't find anyone unless he got ejected and I didn't see them. Anyway Cellcom is clearly not the best in spite of what Coach McCarthy says...there is lots of nothing and especially no cell phone coverage. So how to folk contact emergency services up there? Spot devices?? Satelite phones.??? We came across about 20 vehicles quite a ways north of Jasper that were pulled over. Here is a guy on the side of the road covered up but his head and motorcycle down in the ditch. Emergency responders were just leaving Jasper when we got into town maybe an hour later That dude if he lived had to wait a very long time. So how do folk communicate up there?
dr bob

I also saw a couple of bad accidents on my trip up the Alaska Highway last summer. I just carried my cell phone. I have Verizon. I found that after I left Dawson Creek, I only had service in the towns and cities. When I do it next time, I will carry a satellite phone. It's a long way between towns.

As a sidebar, I have been asked by the folks at Midwest Mountaineering to share, 'Traveling the Alaska Highway' at their Outdoor Adventure Expo November 17-19. I will be presenting on Saturday, November 18, at 4:45 pm in Hanson Hall, Room 104. I hope to see you there. The Alaska Highway is the last great road trip to the Great Land. Part of my presentation will cover road trips around Alaska. If Alaska is on your bucket list, you don't want to miss out.

quote old_salt: "I also saw a couple of bad accidents on my trip up the Alaska Highway last summer. I just carried my cell phone. I have Verizon. I found that after I left Dawson Creek, I only had service in the towns and cities. When I do it next time, I will carry a satellite phone. It's a long way between towns.


As a sidebar, I have been asked by the folks at Midwest Mountaineering to share, 'Traveling the Alaska Highway' at their Outdoor Adventure Expo November 17-19. I will be presenting on Saturday, November 18, at 4:45 pm in Hanson Hall, Room 104. I hope to see you there. The Alaska Highway is the last great road trip to the Great Land. Part of my presentation will cover road trips around Alaska. If Alaska is on your bucket list, you don't want to miss out."

The Alaska Highway is 'interesting'...there are some spots where you have to slow down to nothing...the 24' box would really rock ...even after putting new shocks on when I first bought it this summer. Canadian drivers are nuts... those solid yellow lines mean nothing to them....saw plenty of scary passing in front of me.

If I ever attempted something crazy like that again....I would just stay in Canada... There is so much pretty stuff to see. The Yukon parks are very nice and very reasonable.

My wife won't fly but to me the best way is to fly to Anchortown and rent a class C home from there are go on your own. There are Walmarts there and Fairbanks and you can stock up there.... and go at your own pace. It was fun having a canoe on top the RV...that took some head scratching to engineer.

dr bob

Part of our motivation is that our daughter, sil, and 4 grandkids live in the Mat-Su valley. We usually fly to Anchorage. This time I took a load of their stuff in our small trailer. I've wanted to make the drive for many years and I finally had my excuse. Coincidentally, it was while I was driving up that I was contacted by MM. I would do it again when I retire in a year or so, but would go west to Glacier NP, then head north to Banff & Jasper, to Grande Prairie and Dawson Creek. It's a great wilderness drive.

Our son and 1 yr old grandson live in CDL Idaho so we went there first for a few days. Was very smokey by Banff...in fact the highway had been closed the day before. We stopped at St Mary's in Glacier NP on the way back from Alaska for a couple days... smokey there as well. (don't get me started on 'letting fires burn because they need to burn'...not when it is so dry...they re trying to determine if the chalet can be rebuilt...at least stabilize the walls before winter)... Anyway several people mentioned the Cassier HY (spelling?) and we took that on the way back... that is a way pretty drive..put that on your list as well..seemed like less bad roads that way as well.

dr bob

Been using a PLB (NOAA registered beacon, not a Spot/Inreach sat com device), for years. Since retiring my wife and I travel often. It is kept in the car for emergency. Not a communication device (that is for the cell phones), but has a much better chance of summoning emergency help if the need arises.

butthead

In Alaska on the road system AT&T works pretty good, in any of the remote towns off the road system it's solely GCI.

After that it's a sat phone, and what we use for firefighting.

quote butthead: "Been using a PLB (NOAA registered beacon, not a Spot/Inreach sat com device), for years. Since retiring my wife and I travel often. It is kept in the car for emergency. Not a communication device (that is for the cell phones), but has a much better chance of summoning emergency help if the need arises.


butthead
"

Which Model Model

did you pick...looks like a good Christmas present to ourselves..
thanks

dr bob

quote DrBobDg: "

quote butthead: "Been using a PLB (NOAA registered beacon, not a Spot/Inreach sat com device), for years. Since retiring my wife and I travel often. It is kept in the car for emergency. Not a communication device (that is for the cell phones), but has a much better chance of summoning emergency help if the need arises.



butthead
"

Which Model Model


did you pick...looks like a good Christmas present to ourselves..
thanks


dr bob"

ResQLink No subscription, emergency beacon only. It has 10X the transmitting power of commercial sat com like Spot of Inreach, is waterproof and has a sealed battery meeting several government (international), specification for emergency transmitting beacons.

butthead

that will be the one... Looks like has good reviews.
Christmas shopping off to a good start.

appreciate it

dr bob

Ordered and received ACR ResQLink. $265.... Sent in the paperwork to register it. II hope I never have to use it but if we are in the boonies with no cell phone coverage we have an option if someone or us is in serious trouble. Thanks for recommending this...looks like it will fit the bill,

dr bob

When I rolled my car on 105, about 1.5 hour south of Red Lake, folks stood on top of their pickup cab. They held their phones up and got a signal. Thanks to them help arrived from Ear Falls within about 45 minutes.
We were all strapped in and had only the most minor cuts and bruises.

I wouldn’t count on that working most places.

Yeah, I know.
We were lucky in many ways that day.

quote DrBobDerrig: "Ordered and received ACR ResQLink. $265.... Sent in the paperwork to register it. II hope I never have to use it but if we are in the boonies with no cell phone coverage we have an option if someone or us is in serious trouble. Thanks for recommending this...looks like it will fit the bill,


dr bob"

You should also check out the NOAA Beacon Registration . It will allow registration, updates to phone#, and has a section for detailed trip description or extra information. I update mine with current info each trip.

butthead

quote butthead: "

quote DrBobDerrig: "Ordered and received ACR ResQLink. $265.... Sent in the paperwork to register it. II hope I never have to use it but if we are in the boonies with no cell phone coverage we have an option if someone or us is in serious trouble. Thanks for recommending this...looks like it will fit the bill,



dr bob"

You should also check out the NOAA Beacon Registration . It will allow registration, updates to phone#, and has a section for detailed trip description or extra information. I update mine with current info each trip.


butthead"

that I will do...registration paperwork sent it
. thanks

dr bob