26 – Some advice for people considering RVing in Alaska – Phil and Carolynn's travel adventures

Drinking water needs consideration. We are travelling with five gallon jugs which we are careful about where we fill. Almost everywhere the well water is unfiltered and the colouration can be off putting even though the water is perfectly safe. I’ve seen a few RVs owners who attach a filter with a pressure regulator and will invest in one if we ever do this again.
Propane refill is a challenge because aside from weighing the tanks there is no way of knowing how much is left until the pressure dies. If you have an unseasonably cold patch and run the heater a lot then assume you will need to refill a tank every week. The RV hire company told us not to swap canisters and refill is available at most major gas stations.
A ‘cab over’ vehicle with new tyres and plenty of power like the one we have rented makes a difference. This Ford Superduty F350 is an absolute beast. It’s not possible to completely slow down in time to avoid some potholes. The types of RVs you see in places like Soldotna and Denali which are basically second houses on wheels are very different from what you see here in the areas to the east towards Wrangel St Elias.
Have a plastic tablecloth, tennis racket type bug zapper and some type of carpet to put down behind the stairs. It’s impossible otherwise to keep the grit out and you will find yourself sweeping the floor all the time.
When choosing a camping pitch look out for people with generators which are annoying. We had a bozo next to us in Teklanika with two Honda generators so we got the disturbance in stereo. If the weather is cold, pick a spot east facing so you get the morning sun.