2007 Alaska Model T Ford Tour

This is a brief account of the 2007 Alaska Model T Ford Tour. This was a 27 day, 1,980 mile driving tour conducted by the Model T Club of Southern California in July & August 2007. We had cars from Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, Texas and Wisconson.

Thursday July 12 – 16: Bellingham – Skagway – Alaska Marine Highway via Ferry MV Columbia – Ketchikan departed Bellingham 6pm with cars from: Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, Texas and Wisconsin. We had stops at: Ketchikan, Wrangel, Petersburg, Juneau, Haines and arrived Skagway 4pm Monday July 16.

Tuesday July 17: Miles 151 Skagway – Whitehorse. 3 hour excursion on the Skagway White Pass Yukon RR out of Skagway. After lunch drove to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. (Westmark Klondike Inn).

Wednesday July : Miles 85 Whitehorse – Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada – (Alcan Motor Inn).

Thursday July 19: Miles 185 Haines Junction – Beaver Creek, Yukon, Canada – depart with a full tank of gas (Westmark Beaver Creek). Saw first bear along the road at 7:30am.

Friday July 20: Miles 130 Beaver Creek – Tok, Alaska, Junction of Alaska & Glenn Highways (Westmark Tok).

Saturday July 21: Miles 140 Tok – Glennallen – via Glenn Highway (Caribou Hotel).

Sunday July 22: Miles 56 Glennallen – 15 miles south of Paxson – via Richardson Highway (Meirs Lakeside Roadhouse Atwaters Motel 15).

Monday July 23: Miles 195 15 miles south of Paxson – Fairbanks. Lunch Big Delta State Historic Park Rika Roadhouse Packhouse Restaurant (Wedgewood Resort).

Tuesday Morning 8:45 – River Boat Discovery Cruise on the Chene & Tanana Rivers on Steamwheeler view: trapper’s cabin, log homes & bush pilot performance.

Tuesday Afternoon 3pm – A trip through Alaska’s gold mining history via Tanana Valley Railroad into gold fields. Visit permafrost tunnel and present day placer mining methods. Bought Model T parts from George Clayton Estate (parts collected during years of flying as a bush pilot to Northern Commercial Company locations who stocked the parts for miners and settlers in remote areas. Bought 3 New Old Stock 1926 / 1927 Touring, Tudor or Fordor rear fenders.. These fenders were delivered by Steam Ship and Paddle Wheel boat to Nome Alaska and then salvaged and flown out by George Clayton in the 1950’s.

Wednesday & Thursday July 25, 26: Miles 125 Fairbanks – via George Parks Highway Denali National Park (McKinley Village Lodge & McKinley Chalets includes “Cabin Night Theatre & Dinner”). 26th Backcountry Bus Adventure 12 ½ hours. Saw 15 bears, 8 Caribou, Fox & Moose.

Friday July 27: Miles 153 Denali National Park – Talkeetna via George Parks Highway (Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge). Flight seeing Mt. McKinley-Glacier Landing Mt. McKinley Flight Tours.

Saturday July 28: Miles 112 Talkeetna – Anchorage via Glenn Highway, lunch hosted by Art & Tamea Isham. (Inlet Towers & Suites Downtown Anchorage).

Sunday July 29: 145 Anchorage – Soldotna via Seward & Sterling Highway (Aspen Hotel continental breakfast provided).

Monday July 30 – 31: Miles 80 Soldotna – Homer via Sterling Highway, Visited Pratt Museum follow the bears (Lands End Resort located at the end of the Homer Spit) 31st 10am – 5pm Glacier Lake & Saddle Back Trail Hike.

Wednesday Aug 1: Miles 120 Homer – Coopers Landing, 2 – 6pm red salmon fishing with Phil and group salmon dinner on the trouble trailer hosted by Bill & Waldi Graham (Kenai Princess Lodge).

Thursday Aug 2: Miles 85 Seward – Whittier drive to Whittier Ferry via the longest tunnel in North America (2.8 miles 1 way railroad or vehicle traffic). Whittier – Juneau (Ferry M/V Kennicott (a certified rescue vessel) departs Whittier at 10 pm to cross Prince William Sound & Arrives Juneau 2:30pm Saturday Aug 4th) Change Ships and continue on Inside Passage.

Friday Aug 3: Yakutat via Alaska Marine Highway. Population of around 700. 1 boat visits every 2 weeks and the area has some of the highest precipitation in Alaska averaging 132 inches including 219 inches of snow. When a boat arrives it is a big treat for local residents who board the boat to eat its good food and have ice cream. The industry is fishing and tourists visit for hunting and fishing.

Saturday Aug 4 – 7: Juneau – Bellingham (Ferry M/V Malispena departs Juneau 5pm Arrives Bellingham 8am Tuesday Aug 7).

Tuesday Aug 7: Miles 140 Bellingham – Auburn warehouse location (20 miles south of Seattle).