Not that long ago! We went once in about 83 or 84, both of us on a 550 Yamaha Maxim, 8000+ miles in 3 weeks. Then about 12 or so years ago me on a 1100 V Star and her on a 650 V Star Yamahas and 12,000 miles plus over a several (10 or 12???) weeks time. The last trip is where went as far as just north of Coldfoot up the Dalton Highway. We entered Alaska through the road going through Whitehorse and Dawson at the northern most US customs checkpoint. Crossed the Yukon there on a barge. Canadian road side was good gravel, US side in Alaska looked like a cow path. We were happy to see the gas station at Chicken. Also got Hyderized at Hyder along the west coast earlier in the trip. Only place in the US you can legally enter without going through customs (but have to go through Canadian customs coming back out). Went via Seattle on the way up and took the Alcan coming back home.
Our first trip all but about 50 or 100 miles was supposedly paved. Here is the thing about the AlCan hihway. They have about three months to do a years maintenence. So even though it is fully paved supposedly, in any given year, every year, there are major sections torn up. If you are lucky with foot deep loose gravel bypassing a bad section, or if unlucky 6" deep mud with a 75 year old retiree 6' behind you in a motorhome trying to help you along with encouragement for you to speed up. The second trip we just watched the weather reports and how much mud was on the oncoming traffic and just holed up for a day or two if it got too bad. We did not have to get back so fast on that trip so we wandered all around the state where there were paved roads and a few places not paved, the Dalton highway and the road to Chicken being a couple.
It was a trip. Fun times in our younger years. If we do it again it will be on 4 wheels all attached to a single vehicle.
