Underway, fuel- and road-conscious

Hope, British Columbia

Hope lies at the confluence of two rivers, the Fraser and Coquihalla, 96 miles and 154 kilometers east of Vancouver.  The town, surrounded by towering lush green sheer mountainsides, has been a popular film location, with local mountains even taking the role of the Himalayas.

Waiting for road work is often required

About fuel and fuel prices

The guideline we relied on was the Traveler’s Guide to Alaskan Camping by Mike & Terri Church. In their book, the Churches give examples of fuel prices at various sites along the Alaska Highway. As an example, the Churches note that the price of gasoline and diesel is about the same in Anchorage as it is in Seattle. Using Seattle as a benchmark, the Churches’ formula served as a reliable guideline. The percentage of increase in varying locations along the highway matched well. We tried to fuel up especially at stations that were busy and appeared to move a lot fuel. We tried to always drive on the “top of the tank” and never let fuel get too low.

Summer is the season for highway repair

Road conditions—road work

To a small degree on our northbound journey and to a greater extent on our return trip in August, road work all along the Alaska Highway was in full swing. It is important to remember that in deeply cold climates, summer is the only time for highway repairs and maintenance. Flagmen and women and pilot cars are the order of the day. Be prepared to wait.