Hitching To Alaska

[jsteazy]

Hey Everyone

I am currently working a construction job in philly. I started my journey in Boulder Colorado. When I graduated from college I quit my job and burned up all of my identification. I left for Salt Lake City, and camped out in the Wasatch National Park for a week. Things between me and my lady were not going so well so I decided to go solo on the road. I left there and got about five rides over two days and ended up in Grand Rapids Michigan. I stayed with a friendly ride who showed me and awesome time over the fourth of July. I left on the fifth and caught another five rides into Philadelphia Pa. I am leaving in three weeks for Rhode Island to spend time with family, and hope to eventually end up in Maine. In Maine I am purchasing a German Shepherd puppy and moving into the wilderness to raise the dog in the wild.

Now, in 6 months when the weather turns cold I desire to go into Alaska with my dog to start a new life. The dog will be about 8months to a year old. I need to get to Alaska and would prefer to hitch there, but I have no passport, and no ID, birth certificate, social security card, and I even burned up my bank and credit cards. There is no way I can just enter Canada, and then again in Alaska. Is it possible to hitch from here to Alaska with no identification. If anyone has I would greatly appreciate any advice. Best of luck to the rest of you on the road out there.

Jsteazy

[jsteazy]

sorry for all the typos I typed all that on my phone at work

[Sawman]

It sounds like you have read Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild" and/or saw the movie "Into the Wild". I hope you have read a good book on survival in the wilderness. We don't want you to end up like Chris McCandless.

Here is an excellent survival blog:

Tomahawks Adventure Travel and Survival

http://tomahawksadventuretravel.blogspot.com/

[RangerChris]

It would only be possible on a non stop flight or a boat staying outside canadian waters. You have to be able to prove who you are to enter a country. How much experience do you have in the woods? Do not run off to Alaska like "Into the Wild" expecting to live off the land, it can take a lifetime to attain the skills needed.

[jsteazy]

My Journey to Alaska has nothing to do with going into the wild. I only wish to spend maybe two to three months in the wild in Maine and then head south to RI and spend time working on a horse farm my friend works on saving money. Come spring I will head to Alaska and hope to land a job farming or fishing. I will then breed the dog with a Malamute and build a sled dog team with the litter. The shepherd will keep them intelligent while the Malamute keeps them warm. I do enjoy krakauer's book but I have no intention of following in Chris's footsteps. It has always been my dream to get into dog sledding and now that college is over I hope to follow that dream while I am young and adventurous not supporting a family. I have plenty of of wilderness experience but I enjoy the company of females too much to drop out of society like that. My main concern is getting to Alaska with no police contact. Flying is out of the question because I have erased my old identity.

thanks for the input and the concerns

[redford]

I'm in Alaska. Block away from the dog mushing museum and race point on the Yukon Quest. So I can tell you that raising a dog team is an expensive sport.
As to crossing the border with no I.D. well let's be logical for a second. 1000's of brown people cross a much smaller border each year and blend into the mass. So you could theoretically follow the trails north and find yourself on a road headed cross canada. The choke point comes around Ste. Marie/ Wawa / Thunder Bay.
I've hitched across Canada a few times and this is the only area I consistently run into a need for I.D.
Entering Alaska without I.D. would probably get you detained until they could verify who you are and if anybody wanted you. If not then your stuck in Alaska doing community service and probated not to leave for an amount of time. That's what you wanted right?

[jsteazy]

hey red thanks for the reply thats exactly what I was looking for. As for expensive sport I understand and have been raising dogs for a long time used to breed them to pay for school. I am really just interested in living out another adventure in the path of following one of my childhood dreams. Any suggestions on the best point of entry into alaska without running into leos?

[redford]

Don't try thru Haines. Although by water would be the best bet. Russian smugglers on the island of Sitka had some good vodka. Over the mountain pass and thru bear country around Boundary, AK would be epic.
Really the attitude in Alaska is that every one here is either on the run from the law or crazy so don't worry to much about the cops.

[jsteazy]

thanks redford you are a great help. I picked my point of entry into canada I am going to go through Northern Cascades National Park and hike up to highway three I think it is about a 3 day hike thru some gnarly mountains. From there I will continue into British Columbia. Why is it that many people on the run from the law go into Alaska? Just because it is desolate or is it that many states cant afford to extradite from so far away? Whatever it is maybe I will meet a runner who can get me in safely in or around the BC area. When I get there I'll get in touch with you and we can go out for a drink or something. Is there anyway I can give karma or thumbs ups or anything for your help?


steazy

[redford]

If you make it and it's a good story than that is thanks enuff.
I talked to a guy who did the Pacific Crest trail with his girlfriend last year. he said they had to send in their passports and apply for a visa to enter Canada but when they were on the trail they just came to a sign saying
'Now entering Canada, next road 10 miles.'

As for the mythos about Alaska ... some of it is exagerated but some of it is real. Imagine a place where you need your sunglasses at 9 pm. or can go jet skiing down the river right through the center of town. And really a lot of people are crazy here, just saying.