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As to your question: it might be helpful if you stated what you like to do, see, or experience. Hunting? Fishing? Hiking? Wildlife viewing? Mountaineering? Museums? Gold panning? Shopping? Drinking to excess in roadhouse bars?
You're probably aware that late September is past the normal tourist season, and much will be closed. By October the weather will be closing in.
Furthermore, winter does not start at the end of August. The end of August and the first half of September correspond to autumn in most areas, with snowfall at higher elevations. It's a good time to visit, with cool temps, nice colors in the trees and tundra, and an absence of bugs and RV's. Real snow starts in late September or early October. Tourist stuff closes down, and winter then comes on quickly.
Mark
Short answer: Possible--it depends on the weather and your insistence on using the camper van to drive. Wise--it depends on your experience with moose, ice, and snow. We keep our wilderness wild in the U.S. Don't expect something like De Hoge Veluwe.
I was up there when I was 14 in late Sept, and the weather turned really fast for us, heavy snows and temps dropped fast, two nights in a cabin was even tough for the us with a guide, needed snow shoes a lot...
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2
You do realize that winter in Alaska starts around the end of August, yes?3
Alaska's not all that big if you're sticking to the highways. Anyplace you'd be likely to go is within a day's drive of Anchorage unless headed up the Haul Road...which you probably are not, given the time of year.As to your question: it might be helpful if you stated what you like to do, see, or experience. Hunting? Fishing? Hiking? Wildlife viewing? Mountaineering? Museums? Gold panning? Shopping? Drinking to excess in roadhouse bars?
You're probably aware that late September is past the normal tourist season, and much will be closed. By October the weather will be closing in.
4
I will be in Australia in June, rented a convertible for 3 weeks, any ideas where I should go?5
I'll repeat: almost everyplace there's a road in Alaska can be reached in a day's drive from Anchorage. In this respect it's nothing whatsoever like Australia. Of course, I exclude landlocked places, of which there are many (e.g., Barrow, Juneau, Sitka, Kotzebue, etc. etc. etc.). I also exclude winter roads, of which there are also plenty.Furthermore, winter does not start at the end of August. The end of August and the first half of September correspond to autumn in most areas, with snowfall at higher elevations. It's a good time to visit, with cool temps, nice colors in the trees and tundra, and an absence of bugs and RV's. Real snow starts in late September or early October. Tourist stuff closes down, and winter then comes on quickly.
Mark
7
It will be peaceful -- no crowds of tourists! Bears will be hibernating for the winter. Whales will have already left for Mexico and warmer climates. Moose will be in full rutting season -- males will be fighting over dominence and females. Walk along trails in Kincaide Park and Connors Bog next to airport to see moose. Walk along trails in Girdwood to see moose and other wildlife. The shuttlebuses in Denali National Park will have stopped operating. The lodges will have closed -- there is RV and tent-camping at Riley Creek Campground year-round. The salmon fishing season will have ended. There will still be large flocks of geese and some swans hanging out in Anchorage -- they will mostly be gone by October. One bird migration route is over Turnagain Arm and Portage Glacier southward. Another is seen from Gunshot Lookout along the Glenn Highway at about Milepost 110.9
OUr goal is to see as much nature as possible.
Take a look at Wildlife Viewing by Season and use it as a guide to expand your definition of "nature."
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Would it be at all wise and possbile tp go into denali np?
Start with this part of the official Denali site. Check the appropriate links, and check links from the side of the page as well. Dig deep. The National Park Service offers a great deal of information for people who spend the time to read their Web pages.Short answer: Possible--it depends on the weather and your insistence on using the camper van to drive. Wise--it depends on your experience with moose, ice, and snow. We keep our wilderness wild in the U.S. Don't expect something like De Hoge Veluwe.
13
Yes Mark I know its nothing like Australia, it the the generalized point of the broad question.I was up there when I was 14 in late Sept, and the weather turned really fast for us, heavy snows and temps dropped fast, two nights in a cabin was even tough for the us with a guide, needed snow shoes a lot...
