altitude along al can highway
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Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe
Touchdown! Greaser!
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Light and Sporty Guy
The road doesn't get over a few thousand feet (don't recall the exact numbers), but there are some tight spots in the passes just past Ft. Nelson. Airports are every two three hundred miles or so.
Edit: Got curious... 4250 feet.
Edit: Got curious... 4250 feet.
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They built the Alcan highway between Fort Nelson and Watson Lake in some lowish mountains rather than following a lower route along a river. A lot of pilots fly the lower route if it's low ceilings. It is north of the Alcan and follows a river.
There is another highway, the Cassiar highway to the west, aka Highway 37. Depends on the weather. Sometimes it is clear when the Alcan is cloudy. It joins the Alcan at Teslin, near Whitehorse so you still can fly the Alcan to Alaska, which is a nice part. Very far north feel and remote.
The prevailing winds are south to north up the coast and west to east down the Alcan, so seasoned travelers trying to fly the wind frequently go up the coast and down the Alcan.
There is an argument, for history's sake, up the Alcan and down the coast is the way to go and that is what I did the first time (actually went up the Cassiar because of better weather there, but its about the same). I went up the coast and down the Alcan the second time and it was quicker. The coast is RAINY and remote and over water.
You have to pass customs and there is mandatory flight plans in Canada, but its about the same as flying in the USA. They tend not to have courtesy cars at their airports. But I never had a hard time finding a hotel and camping at the smaller airports was allowed.
Best week for clear weather is first week in July. I went the first time in August and had a lot of rain. I went in first week of July second time and the weather was better. Still, I had some rough weather both times (July was substantially better). You are just about bound to hit a storm no matter how you do it and have to wait it out and/or divert.
There is another highway, the Cassiar highway to the west, aka Highway 37. Depends on the weather. Sometimes it is clear when the Alcan is cloudy. It joins the Alcan at Teslin, near Whitehorse so you still can fly the Alcan to Alaska, which is a nice part. Very far north feel and remote.
The prevailing winds are south to north up the coast and west to east down the Alcan, so seasoned travelers trying to fly the wind frequently go up the coast and down the Alcan.
There is an argument, for history's sake, up the Alcan and down the coast is the way to go and that is what I did the first time (actually went up the Cassiar because of better weather there, but its about the same). I went up the coast and down the Alcan the second time and it was quicker. The coast is RAINY and remote and over water.
You have to pass customs and there is mandatory flight plans in Canada, but its about the same as flying in the USA. They tend not to have courtesy cars at their airports. But I never had a hard time finding a hotel and camping at the smaller airports was allowed.
Best week for clear weather is first week in July. I went the first time in August and had a lot of rain. I went in first week of July second time and the weather was better. Still, I had some rough weather both times (July was substantially better). You are just about bound to hit a storm no matter how you do it and have to wait it out and/or divert.
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Silvaire
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There is also the "trench" from Mackenzie to Watson Lake if weather is good and you have the fuel capacity. It cuts some time and you don't have to cross the Rockies twice. Well, actually take that back, flying from East coast you wouldn't have to do that but depending on the weather the trench can still be advantageous.
Geico266
Touchdown! Greaser!
I flew up the inside passage. Cuts a bunch of time off and the views are spectacular. Don't even need to stop in Canada.
BillTIZ
Final Approach
Altitude is not a problem along the Al-Can hiway. I flew north to Bellingham WA, cleared Canadian customs at Abbotsford and then headed NE and north to Williams Lake and St George. The trench was not going to work so it was NE then N to Ft Nelson and due west to Watson Lake. Did not follow the ALCAN through the Muncho Mountains, went north of the mountains and picked up the hiway near Laird, then to Watson Lake.
Watson Lake to Whitehorse, clear US customs at Northway. No fuel at Northway, 15 min north is Tok for fuel. I was able to tanker fuel to get to Gulcana for fuel then Anchorage.
All major airports and fuel stops were 3 to 3.5 hrs apart, 125KTAS.
Enjoy the trip! Figure out US customs with eApis and Canadian CANPASS. Great weather service and flight plans with in Canada. Flight plans automatically open on proposed departure time and class D towers will close your VFR flight plans.
Watson Lake to Whitehorse, clear US customs at Northway. No fuel at Northway, 15 min north is Tok for fuel. I was able to tanker fuel to get to Gulcana for fuel then Anchorage.
All major airports and fuel stops were 3 to 3.5 hrs apart, 125KTAS.
Enjoy the trip! Figure out US customs with eApis and Canadian CANPASS. Great weather service and flight plans with in Canada. Flight plans automatically open on proposed departure time and class D towers will close your VFR flight plans.