Getting Into and out of Alaska

[Coughing Prophet]

Found a thread about getting into Canada, but nothing about wanting to come back out on the other side. So here goes.

My options are pretty slim, so I come for guidance. I've got hopping a train (if that is even an option at this point), Stowing away on a barge, jumping the Canadian border, or hitching across. All very risky, all with a very low chance of success.

I've got no ID, no birth certificate, no social security card, and no money to my name. I've got a friend who lives in Ontario, probably the biggest shining beacon in my list of options.

If I have to get to the states by traveling through Canada, I will. I just hate the notion of hopping the border twice. It would definitely suck if my getaway from Alaska turned out to be a gateway into the slammer.

 

[Coughing Prophet]

That sounds fucking amazing, and never came to thought. I'll have to look into it.

 

[Coughing Prophet]

Thanks a lot Arrow, you've been a ton of help. If you ever end up with anything that you think I could find useful, just PM away. Any bit of extra info/detail counts.

 

[Coughing Prophet]

So I've found a travel partner, but the thing is he won't be able to leave simultaneously with me until March. So I bide my time until then. In the meantime, I gotta do what I can to survive this winter. Time to start plannin'.

 

[TheUndeadPhoenix]

So, does anybody know ways to get into Alaska without either A.) Hopping the border (I have no passport) or B.) Taking a plane? I'd like to hear anything, like ships that go back and forth, land routes, etc. Thanks in advance.

 

[iamwhatiam]

There is NO land route to Alaska other than thru Canada. Your cheapest bet is to find a web special from seattle to anchorage....they have them quite often actually. However, the more funner option is to take the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry out of bellingham. It will take 3 days to get to the first port city Ketchikan (my hometown), and then another 4 or 5 days or so to make it to whittier - where its an easy and very beautiful hitchhike to skanchorage. Its gonna cost more to ride a ferry, however - but you can camp outside on the ferry and pitch a tent, or just find a bench inside to crash and most of the time theres lots of musician hippy types on board getting stoned and partyin...it can be a fun ride at times Ferry food is expensive so pack your own and some kind of entertainment - video games, computer, whatever.....its a long ass ride. You WILL need a gov issued i.d. to ride tho. Your other bet is maybe finding some fishing boats out of seattle/bellingham headed up that way for the fishing season you can hitch a ride with. If you do decide on riding the ferry to mainland Alaska, PM and I'll explain how to save a few hundred bucks on your ticket

 

[iamwhatiam]

oh yea...here's the ferry site: http://akmhs.com/

 

[Earth]

Two friends of mine* went from NYC to Alaska in a truck back in say 1993 or so.
*REVS and COST (although I could be wrong about Cost, might have been somebody else....)

Far as I know, it was no big deal for them to do.

 

[TheUndeadPhoenix]

You WILL need a gov issued i.d. to ride tho. Your other bet is maybe finding some fishing boats out of seattle/bellingham headed up that way for the fishing season you can hitch a ride with. If you do decide on riding the ferry to mainland Alaska, PM and I'll explain how to save a few hundred bucks on your ticket

Have one
And that's what I was thinking, I thought maybe somebody knew some people that fished. I'll follow you so I remember you.

 

[iamwhatiam]

no prob brother.....i've done the ketchikan/bellingham/other route maybe 10 times now and every time i've ridden it have been awed by the beauty of the inside passage. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth IMO

 

[fateoficarus]

Yeah dude, take the ferry from Bellingham. I don't know how the ferry pricing there works, but I know in Europe when they take on cars, they charge people by car, not per person. So some people are cool enough to let you "hitch" with them in their car for free. You should look into it. Alaska is a beautiful place, but Anchorage is a boring fucking city in my opinion. I used to live in Anchorage, so I've got friends there if you want to meet people to hang out with

 

[Alaska]

Yeah dude, take the ferry from Bellingham. I don't know how the ferry pricing there works, but I know in Europe when they take on cars, they charge people by car, not per person. So some people are cool enough to let you "hitch" with them in their car for free. You should look into it. Alaska is a beautiful place, but Anchorage is a boring fucking city in my opinion. I used to live in Anchorage, so I've got friends there if you want to meet people to hang out with

Agreed, Anchorage is one of the worst cities in the U.S. I fucking despise it.

And yeah, just listen to IamwhatIam. It's the best way to get to Alaska, although it is pretty fucking pricey.

 

[scatwomb]

Agreed, Anchorage is one of the worst cities in the U.S. I fucking despise it.

And yeah, just listen to IamwhatIam. It's the best way to get to Alaska, although it is pretty fucking pricey.

What don't you like about Anchorage? I am currently looking for work in AK, and, Anchorage is a place that keeps popping up.

What are your favorite cities in AK?

 

[TheUndeadPhoenix]

I was thinking of just hanging out in one of the southern towns anyway. What's the spanging like?

 

[fateoficarus]

What don't you like about Anchorage? I am currently looking for work in AK, and, Anchorage is a place that keeps popping up.

What are your favorite cities in AK?

First thing I hate about Anchorage: the rampant racism against Inuit populations. Second thing I hate about Anchorage: the fucking awful music scene. Those alone are enough to turn me off pretty seriously. Granted, Anchorage has a wicked kung fu school

 

[fateoficarus]

I was thinking of just hanging out in one of the southern towns anyway. What's the spanging like?

I was living off student loans there so I only spanged once, but I got about $10 in ten minutes spanging at the bus station

 

[iamwhatiam]

Anchorage is pretty boring. Lots of fucking tweeker/drunk homebums, especially who hang out at the seedy bus station all day. The only reason I'd ever go there again is passing thru, on my way to Girdwood (good weed, beautiful scenery, friendly people, nice little music fest in the summer).
Oh and there's only really a couple spots you can get away with busking there in anchorage which sucks, cause they willl run ya off.

 

[iamwhatiam]

I

I was thinking of just hanging out in one of the southern towns anyway. What's the spanging like?

Southern as in Southeast Alaska? or Southern mainland? Southeast Alaska is Full of Old Yuppy Tourists in the summer who migrate there on cruise ships. And most of them are pretty stingy with their money, so good luck spanging off them. If you play guitar - learn Johnny Cash songs. The natives there love Johnny Cash for some reason. I always get requested to play some - but if you do, they will LOVE you and share lots of booze with ya. Oh yea, yer gut's gonna hurt after spending a season drinkin in alaska lol. we have the most alcoholics
----------------------------------

What are your favorite cities in AK?

Fairbanks: THE BEST dumpster diving period, also a college town. All of Southeast Alaska: It's soooo beautiful, good fishing, thousands of little islands to explore, and its where i grew up. Homer: Cool little town with cool people and a groovy little bar down on the spit, altho i don't remember much of it cause i was so drunk my entire stay there. Trapper Creek: for the MOST amazing music festival hands down, in all of Alaska........that's just a few of my fav cities. . . but theres so many more...alaska is a huge state

 

[TheUndeadPhoenix]

Southern Alaska. I might go to Fairbanks if its that good for dumpstering. And if its a college town, I'll back a fuckton of money

 

[iamwhatiam]

Fairbanks has numerous transfer sites all over the city where people dump their trash and/or leave recycleable items for other people. If a dumpster diver were to die and go to heaven, well....they'd wake up in Fairbanks lol it's that unbelievably good. College town area used to be a lot cooler, the best busking spot is no more and is starting to get invaded by more homebums. However there is some good music there, and lots of friendly squatteresque like people. You can even find cabins to squat in there for the summer if you look good enuff