The two RV Gypsies
entered Alaska at the Alcan - Beaver Creek Crossing
July 6, 2016

There are five (5) border crossings into Alaska. Not all of them are open 24 hours. The two RV Gypsies have entered Alaska via three of the five border crossings. They did drive to a closed border once.

• Poker Creek AK / Top of the World Highway: This port of entry of is open from 8am to 8pm during summer months.

• Alaska Highway / Beaver Creek Yukon: The only border crossing that is open 24 hours a day all year round.

• Dalton Cache / Haines Highway Yukon: This border crossing is open year round from 8am – midnight.

• Skagway AK / Fraser British Columbia: This port of entry has seasonal times to be aware of, from April to October it is open 24 hours, from November to March the border crossing is open 8am to Midnight.

• Hyder AK / Stewart British Columbia: The only USA border crossing that does not conduct border inspection entering from Stewart BC to Hyder Alaska. The Canadian border crossing is open 24 hours a day, year round.

The Alcan - Beaver Creek Border Crossing is on the Alaska Highway, which was built during World War II for the purpose of providing a road connection between the contiguous United States and Alaska. Beaver Creek is the western most community in Canada.

Until 1971, the US operated its border station at Tok, Alaska, nearly 90 miles from the Canada–US border. This station inspected traffic entering the US on both the Alaska Highway and the Top of the World Highway. In 1971, US border inspection stations were constructed near the border both at Alcan and at the Poker Creek - Little Gold Creek Border Crossing.

Canada initially provided border inspection services out of a log cabin in Beaver Creek, Yukon before upgrading it to a brick border station in the 1950s. The current steel Canadian border station was completed in 1981, 28.6 km / 17.8 miles away from the actual border, the furthest from the border crossing of any Canadian border station.

Below: These signs began the trip to the 49th State after leaving the beauty of Canada.

Below: Canada is on the left side of the International Boundary monument, and Alaska USA is on the right side. This is the second time the two RV Gypsies have entered Alaska here.

This post reminded the two RV Gypsies of the post at the International Peace Garden which is the divider line between North Dakota USA and Canada. The two RV Gypsies have also been at that boundary marker twice.

The two RV Gypsies drove on for 17.8 miles before coming to the actual border, the furthest from the border crossing of any Canadian border station. Good thing they didn't go through here with their RV. Their RV needs 13-ft clearance.

The Alaska Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting nine hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC−09:00). During daylight saving time its time offset is eight hours (UTC−08:00). The clock time in this zone is based on mean solar time at the 135th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory.

The zone includes nearly all of the U.S. state of Alaska and is one hour behind the Pacific Time Zone.

• standard time: Alaska Standard Time (AKST)

• daylight saving time: Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT)

This is not a linear site so visitors always have choices of how to navigate this website. There are three choices below, plus the main navigational buttons at the top of each page.

Continue the Alaska journey in the order of occurrence - Tetlin Wildlife Refuge and some wildlife.

OR

Return to the Alaska 2016 menu to continue the Alaska adventures in the order of your choice.

OR

IF you have seen all of the Alaska pages, please continue on to the return trip through Canada and then into the USA.