Driving from Alaska to Mexico

[Andy008]

I would at some stage love to do this trip all down the west coast of North America, has anyone done a similiar trip?

I would be ineterested to know the best time of year to travel, and how to go about hiring cars etc.

Thanks.

[Clanad]

The Can-AM portion of the trip from Alaska through Canada is not for the faint of heart any time from late September through earlyJune. It's well maintained now, but the unpredicatable weather can change suddenly and severely. The drive along the west coast of the U.S. is probably one of the more beautiful trips in the entire western U.S., however be aware that the drive utilizing the Interstate system is not actually part of the continuing "CAN-
AM" system. That is actually U.S. Highway 85 and goes more through the Rocky Mountain states than the west coast.

The Mexican part of your journey enjoys good highways, usually. However, one needs to educate themselves concerning the very real dangers of bandits along the road, especially in the remote parts of northern Sonora...

Good travels!

[dzug]

Hiring 'a' car is going to be problematical. One way hires are difficult at the best of times, but no US hire company (or Canadian) is going to let you take a car into Mexico at all. You are going to need to do it in stages of some sort.

One possibility is to take the Alaskan Marine Highway to Bellingham in Washington State (probably in two legs), so you won't a car until you get there. It probably won't be too hard to get a one way hire to San Diego, cross the border by bus and start again.

Also watch out that you don't need a US visa and get one if you do. Visa waivers and one way trips don't work out.

Start off in Summer - once you get south it won't matter.