I am planning a trip to McCarthy AK area this July/August, from SLC. First time to AK or over the US/Canada border.

I would like to fly the coast either going or coming. Primary plan is to cross at Oroville/Penticton.

I'm looking for comments about crossing Port Angeles/Nanaimo if the weather cooperated. VFR only.

I have been advised that Penticton is user friendly.

Any advice about Port Angeles/Nanaimo?

Thanks, paul

My preference is to always use airports on the Canadian side that are small, and far from land border crossing stations. Doing so means that in almost all cases, no one will come meet you in person. You will just call CANPASS on the phone when you land, and they will tell you to go merrily on your way. Fast, easy, friendly.

Here is a list of such airports for B.C.:

Comox Valley
Cranbrook
Campbell River
Castelgar
Kamloops
Kelowna
Penticton

Eckharts is another option. It’s actually right on the border, and is called Port Hills (1S1) on the U.S. side. This one is an in-person place. You land, taxi to parking, then walk up to the road crossing station either Canadian or U.S. customs depending on which way you are going.

Before using any of these, call CANPASS to confirm that it is still an approved point of entry.

Paul,
I echo Andy's sentiment. I've used Campbell River and have had good results (though on floats, I assume the land side would be the same).
Make sure to brush up on the Canadian requirements for comms around airports, their MF (mandatory frequency) is a little different than the US side.
Also, PM me your email address and I'll send you an electric copy of the Alaska Airmen's guide for flying to Alaska. Its a bit dated but has a lot of useful info..
I live in Juneau and would be happy to show you around if you have time, assuming I'm in town when you come through. Feel free to give me a call a few days before if you're interested 907-617-9568....

James

One of these days I'll make the Alaska trip in my Maule. Captnkirk and I have been talking about a caravan for a couple of years. I think Rick Geiger recommended crossing at Cutbank if we want to use the Alaskan Highway route since we are coming from the Eastern USA. What Canadian airports would folks recommend on that route?

We used White Horse, Fort Nelson, and Edson during our trip south along the Highway. We also cleared at Cutbank.

Thanks for all the replies!
This gives me some more data for planning.
paul

I cleared Canadian customs at Nanaimo this last November. It was a simple land, wait ten minutes in the customs hold area, nobody showed, called can pass and was told to proceed on our way. Blasted off 30 seconds later enroute to port hardy. From there to prince Rupert. Then on to Ketchikan for US customs. And ultimately into anchorage. It was a fabulous route, although there was lots of bad weather and lots of open water. Didn’t hurt that I was in a turbo beaver on amphibis. Doing this route on wheels would have a little more pucker factor, but absolutely doable.

Thanks UP-M5

I am thinking that I will plan my trip from SLC to Bellingham and get a motel that night.
I can check out the weather and if the coast looks terrible for several days, I can head for Penticton the next day.
Or wait a day and then go, one way or the other.
If the weather looks OK, likely going to Campbell River to clear customs and refuel before heading on north.
Likely refuel in Port Hardy so that fuel is not a constraining factor.
The M7 has 80+ gallon capacity.
And just keep going on north as the weather allows.
I am not in a hurry.
Lots of good weather cams along the way in addition to weather briefings.
Clear back into US at Ketchikan or Wrangell.
Then on to Yakutat/Cordova/McCarthy area which is my destination.
Thanks to all for advice regarding my question. Paul

If you’re going the coast route, let me add a few tidbits of info that you might or might not find useful:

1. Consider East Sound, on Orcas Island, as an alternative to Bellingham. It has a nice little airport with free camping (if you’re inclined to camp) and a nice walking path for the very short stroll into the picturesque waterfront village itself. Friendly folks, chill atmosphere, good food, good views, and it’s a shorter hop northward from there. They have always had fuel in the past; I assume they still do.

2. Bella Bella is a good place to plunk down and wait out weather etc if needed. It’s half way up that long stretch between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert. Nice big paved runway, which is quite welcome when clouds are low and visibility is down to 1/2 mile in hard rain. Used to be avgas there years ago, when Pacific Coastal was still running Beavers and Gooses out of there, but not sure there is anymore. Bella Coola, a bit inland, might have gas still.

3. Prince Rupert does not have avgas; plan accordingly. In a pinch, you can hitch a ride over to the seaplane base and possibly bum some there. It’s been done before...

4. There are a handful escape routes you can use, when faced with deteriorating weather, to retreat from the coast to typically drier weather inland. Or vice verse. These follow rivers, and believe it or not, some allow you to stay down at just a few thousand feet as you pass through the mountains, which is handy when the ceiling is low. The valley that Bella Coola is in is one. The Skeena River, just south of Rupert, is an obvious one. A bit further north is the Nass River. The Iskut, by Wrangell, is a great one. Good camping at Bob Quinn Lake (on the Cassiar Highway) at the other end. The Cassiar, by the way, is a great inland route if you go that way. Lastly, up by Juneau, you can follow the Taku River up to the Inklin River, then up the Nahlin River to its head, then past the Tachilta Lakes, down the Tuya River a bit, and up the Tanzilla River into Dease Lake (also on the Cassiar, usually has avgas). I’ve used that last one in both directions; once when the inland route was clouds to the ground north of Dease, but the coast was reporting good weather.

Excellent!
Thanks, Andy.
Particularly the tips about contingencies. That info is hard to come by.
paul