Alaska roadmeet ever?

[oscar]

If this is in four years, I'll have to renew my passport (it's been expired for a couple years now) and drive there. I won't have money to fly.

Driving is pretty expensive, unless you do it with a group to split expenses and/or do a lot of camping to cut down on overnight lodging costs. Flying is probably cheaper.

Also,  would your parents even allow you to take this BIG of a road trip by yourself???

Canada Border Services might also not be crazy about letting an unaccompanied minor cross their country, especially through the less-developed areas of northern Canada (not as hard as it used to be, but not a piece of cake either).

[noelbotevera]

If this is in four years, I'll have to renew my passport (it's been expired for a couple years now) and drive there. I won't have money to fly.

Driving is pretty expensive, unless you do it with a group to split expenses and/or do a lot of camping to cut down on overnight lodging costs. Flying is probably cheaper.

Also,  would your parents even allow you to take this BIG of a road trip by yourself??? I would love to do this, I have enough vacation time to make it work but I still doubt, but not completely ruling it out.

Well, I have to prove myself I can take care of myself for two weeks, then maybe my parents would say yes. Besides, this is a good thing to get me into long distance driving like most of the other members of the forum do.

[1995hoo]

If your passport has been expired for a couple of years, I believe you have to re-apply, rather than renew.

Cross-border travel by a minor who isn't accompanied by both parents requires a notarized statement from the one who isn't accompanying the minor, even if the other parent is present at the border, this in response to the various stories of one parent absconding with a child. I have no idea how border control personnel would react to an unaccompanied minor, though I would not be surprised to see them refuse said person entry.

Edited to add: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/minors.asp

[vdeane]

I could probably do a carpool, but I don't see doing the hotel costs and additional time (I would only do 8 hours of drive time if I didn't have someone to share that task) for driving up on my own.

And no, I don't fly.

In any case, sounds like fun... trip of a lifetime, really.

My thought would be driving (with hopefully three other people) from Michigan to Alaska and back... taking a different route each way. I already considered where I might want to stay each night:

First night - Twin Cities (MN) area
Second night - Winnipeg
Third night - Calgary or Edmonton
Fourth night - Fort Nelson BC
Fifth night - Whitehorse YT
Sixth night - maybe Anchorage
And then drive up to Fairbanks on seventh day maybe.

Driving back I'd probably want to spend more time in the States... especially Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota. Of course, there would have to be some compromises to make everyone happy if I had three people with me (possibly taking turns driving, experimenting with different route options, etc.).

That was similar to my thoughts... Canada one way, US the other, probably clinch Alaska's interstates while there.  I do have ambitions of clinching I-90 and the TCH, but I always envisioned them as separate trips, not part of the trip to/from Alaska.

If this is in four years, I'll have to renew my passport (it's been expired for a couple years now) and drive there. I won't have money to fly.

Driving is pretty expensive, unless you do it with a group to split expenses and/or do a lot of camping to cut down on overnight lodging costs. Flying is probably cheaper.

Also,  would your parents even allow you to take this BIG of a road trip by yourself??? I would love to do this, I have enough vacation time to make it work but I still doubt, but not completely ruling it out.

Well, I have to prove myself I can take care of myself for two weeks, then maybe my parents would say yes. Besides, this is a good thing to get me into long distance driving like most of the other members of the forum do.

Long distance driving is something I'd say that one would want to build up over time, rather than take a two week trip from the get-go.

Also: it's gonna be a while before you get going on anything really long even after you turn 16.  It takes time to get a full licence, and many hotels have minimum check-in ages.
https://www.dot.state.pa.us/Public/DVSPubsForms/BDL/BDL%20Fact%20Sheets/fs-wy.pdf

[yanksfan6129]

If I were to do this, I'd probably just fly into Anchorage and drive from there. Driving to Fairbanks and then on to Prudhoe Bay would be more than enough for me. I like driving but not sure how I would do with endless days of it for more than a week.

[cl94]

I remember from something in the past that Canada will only let a minor in without their parents if they are supervised by a person with a notarized consent letter signed by all who have custody of the child and there is an organized trip by an established organization (school, church, or similar). Most other countries are similar. Hell, I remember how much of a PITA it was for my dad to take a couple of my siblings to Canada without my mom.

If I went, I'd fly to Anchorage and drive as well. Actually a one-stop flight from Boston on JetBlue. For people doing the driving on the Dalton, we'd have to make sure we get rentals that allow travel on the Dalton, as several don't allow it.

[kkt]

Yes, notarized consent from all parents or guardians who are not present at the border, the consent form to include an itinerary with contacts along the way.

[noelbotevera]

Yes, notarized consent from all parents or guardians who are not present at the border, the consent form to include an itinerary with contacts along the way.

That should be easy to clear. Just simply write on a post it that my parents allow me to travel across Canada.

[1995hoo]

See the link I posted further up the thread: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/minors.asp

A Post-It Note won't do the job.

[jeffandnicole]

How about a text message? We're in the electronic age now. Surely a text message would be perfectly acceptable. Or maybe a tweet. Keeps the permission short and to the point.

[noelbotevera]

See the link I posted further up the thread: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/minors.asp

A Post-It Note won't do the job.

Oof. Nah, no relatives live in Canada for me. However, my backup plan is to drive across the U.S. to Washington, take the carferry there to Juneau, Alaska, and drive to Fairbanks. I could also ask my brother/sister to come with me and they can say that they'll take care of me while in Canada.

[corco]

I'm definitely interested - I want to do it in the next year or two while my Jeep Liberty is still in good enough shape to make the trip. I'd certainly drive up. I don't have a big trip figured out for next year or 2018 yet - so if this can get firmed up before I come up with something else (likely in the next six months), I can start to make those arrangements.

I'd likely make it a week and a half trip - leaving Tuesday night to arrive at a roadmeet on Saturday morning, assume the meet goes Saturday/Sunday, then spend a few days in Alaska before heading back down on Thursday or so.

[1995hoo]

It's worth noting that, as has been mentioned by one person further up the thread, there is a total solar eclipse in August 2017. It's on a Monday, I believe (August 21). I suspect many of us here may be interested in seeing that even though it isn't road-related. Just worth bearing in mind in terms of thinking about travel schedules for next year.

Hmm, that makes me think that weekend would be the ideal one if someone along the eclipse route (St. Louis or Kansas City are two possibilities) wanted to host a meet, though the host might need to host a bunch of people at home if hotels fill up as early as they're likely to do....

[jpi]

If it would be next year then I am out since I am planning on going out west next year. Also Alex, (Noel) you are one ambitious kid

[Duke87]

I'm already logicking Eclipse viewing and anyone attempting to host a road meet that weekend is unlikely to get me in attendance simply because it complicates matters. That excursion will use as little vacation time as I can manage to preserve it for Alaska.

That said, my previous desire to time Alaska for aurora viewing becomes irrelevant if I see them when I go to Iceland in a few months. If so, midnight sun becomes preferred since I won't have that this year.

[oscar]

Oof. Nah, no relatives live in Canada for me. However, my backup plan is to drive across the U.S. to Washington, take the carferry there to Juneau, Alaska, and drive to Fairbanks. I could also ask my brother/sister to come with me and they can say that they'll take care of me while in Canada.

No point in getting off in Juneau. You'd need to catch another ferry, and the northbound ferries out of Juneau to Haines or Skagway would still require you cross through Canada to get to Fairbanks. I think you have in mind the multi-day ferry ride from Washington state to Whittier (Anchorage's ferry port), which bypasses Canada except a customs-free passage through Canadian waters. As with all ferries to Alaska from Washington state in the high season, book really early. The day AMHS starts taking reservations for those sailings would not be too soon.

Of course, you will have to deal with the Alaska Marine Highway System's policies on unaccompanied minors, which are less restrictive than Canada's entry requirements.

[SSOWorld]

I'd be interested but my schedule is pretty constrained.  My teen daughter isn't quite old enough to leave her alone for a week at a time and we're committed to a trip for next summer's eclipse of the sun already.

Yes - Something to consider when planning.

[noelbotevera]

Oof. Nah, no relatives live in Canada for me. However, my backup plan is to drive across the U.S. to Washington, take the carferry there to Juneau, Alaska, and drive to Fairbanks. I could also ask my brother/sister to come with me and they can say that they'll take care of me while in Canada.

No point in getting off in Juneau. You'd need to catch another ferry, and the northbound ferries out of Juneau to Haines or Skagway would still require you cross through Canada to get to Fairbanks. I think you have in mind the multi-day ferry ride from Washington state to Whittier (Anchorage's ferry port), which bypasses Canada except a customs-free passage through Canadian waters. As with all ferries to Alaska from Washington state in the high season, book really early. The day AMHS starts taking reservations for those sailings would not be too soon.

Of course, you will have to deal with the Alaska Marine Highway System's policies on unaccompanied minors, which are less restrictive than Canada's entry requirements.

Hmm, it depends on the date of the roadmeet. It only says that I have to be with someone who's 19+ years or older, if I'm 12-15. If this is in at least 2020, not only can I drive there, I can also be alone on the ferry.

Really I want to do this because my parents haven't done much long distance driving. We've only done two trips that are more than 300 miles.

[hbelkins]

How about a text message? We're in the electronic age now. Surely a text message would be perfectly acceptable. Or maybe a tweet. Keeps the permission short and to the point.

Hard to notarize or document the authenticity of a text message.

See the link I posted further up the thread: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/minors.asp

A Post-It Note won't do the job.

Yeah, the notary seal would take up the whole thing. 

[Duke87]

I remember from something in the past that Canada will only let a minor in without their parents if they are supervised by a person with a notarized consent letter signed by all who have custody of the child and there is an organized trip by an established organization (school, church, or similar).

For what it's worth, I once went to Canada with a cousin of mine who at the time was 17. We had signed and sealed letters from her parents granting permission for her to travel to Canada with me, but neither CBSA nor CBP asked to see them. Of course, your mileage may vary. The link above does state that you should have these documents simply because while customs may not ask to see them, if they do you had better have them or you're going to be denied entry.

All that said, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I would not want to be involved in supervising a minor whose parents I have never met and are thousands of miles away.

Noel, it's great that you have these travel ambitions but if your parents aren't willing/able to go with you you will likely have to wait until you are an adult to do such things. Alaska will still be there after you turn 18, so there's no need to rush now.

[kkt]

For what it's worth, I once went to Canada with a cousin of mine who at the time was 17. We had signed and sealed letters from her parents granting permission for her to travel to Canada with me, but neither CBSA nor CBP asked to see them. Of course, your mileage may vary. The link above does state that you should have these documents simply because while customs may not ask to see them, if they do you had better have them or you're going to be denied entry.

Many countries have gotten stricter in the last 5-10 years.  Kidnapping by the noncustodial parent and human trafficing have gotten to be greater isseus.

All that said, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I would not want to be involved in supervising a minor whose parents I have never met and are thousands of miles away.

No kidding, I don't even like to drive my daughter's friends around.  They tend to think I'm nuts by insisting I talk to a parent first, but if they needed to go to the ER, how am I going to know who to call?

Noel, it's great that you have these travel ambitions but if your parents aren't willing/able to go with you you will likely have to wait until you are an adult to do such things. Alaska will still be there after you turn 18, so there's no need to rush now.

Yes, well, if you have a close relationship with an adult friend or relative other than your parents, who wanted to take you on a road trip, maybe your parents would allow it.  I dunno.

[Duke87]

No kidding, I don't even like to drive my daughter's friends around.  They tend to think I'm nuts by insisting I talk to a parent first, but if they needed to go to the ER, how am I going to know who to call?

Clearly in such a circumstance you should call Ghostbusters.

[Alps]

There is no sunset in Fairbanks within 1 month of the summer solstice. I view that as a positive. YMMV?

[kkt]

Been in the polar regions when it was light all night?  It bothered me more than I expected.  Probably easier if you're in a house or hotel with blackout curtains, instead of camping, but still.  YMMV.

[SSOWorld]

I'd be interested but my schedule is pretty constrained.  My teen daughter isn't quite old enough to leave her alone for a week at a time and we're committed to a trip for next summer's eclipse of the sun already.

Yes - Something to consider when planning.

As mentioned on Facebook, I won't be attending any 2016 meets.  Many higher priorities came up both expectedly and - more so unexpectedly regarding local friends and especially family that resulted in me re-thinking my intents.  There is no guarantee for 2017 either, if an Alaska meet happens next year - I won't be there.  The eclipse is something I want to see since it's a rare event.  I will attend meets nearby me (whether it be a meet that Brandon or Kim organizes or if the chance that I organize one myself. I tend to be taking the opposing years of both)  I am planning a road trip toward Arizona for Christmas (My dad lives there) and the money must go that way.