2020 - Travel Unlike Year's Past

Our RV in the TEK CG

This was our fourth Great Alaskan RV Adventure over the past ten years.  Thanks to a connection made back in 2008, we've been able to  have some amazing vacations.

This year however there is a global pandemic, creating new challenges and requirements to travel.  With this trip being a year in the making, there was no way to know that in March of 2020, the world would be turned upside down, with "Safer At Home Orders" and travel restrictions including advance medical testing before being allowed to enter other states.

Alaska was one such state that had particularly onerous requirements largely because of the remoteness and limited medical facilities, personnel and supplies.  Prior to leaving Wisconsin, we had to be tested for the COVID-19 virus AND obtain written lab results indicated we were negative.  This Alaskan requirement to enter the state without subsequent mandatory quarantine, was very strict.  Fortunately we had no issues complying!

There were other challenges due to the pandemic, including how the National Park Service would be handling visitors if open at all.  We had pre-booked six days/five nights camping at our favorite place in Denali National Park, plus had a four day/three night trip to King Salmon in order to watch the bears at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park.

Planning continued to evolve as state health mandates from Alaska's Governor Dunleavey were updated and changed based on the COVID cases there.  For the most part, we were able to fully experience Alaska as we had hoped.  There were some hiccups along the way, which will be covered throughout this blog.

I will say here in my initial post, DO NOT USE Katmai Water Taxi for your transportation needs from King Salmon to Brooks Falls.  They have a very rigid, no exceptions policy . . . NO REFUNDS for any reason.  They decided in June not to operate this year, AND enforced their no refunds policy expecting prepaid guests to file claims for reimbursement from their travel insurance companies.

We are still fighting to get the $780 back that we paid back in November 2019.  We hope to prevail having refuted the charge with our credit card company, as well as filing complaints with the Alaska Attorney General's office (Consumer Protection Unit) and the Better Business Bureau.

In spite of the challenges created by the pandemic, we had a nice trip and enjoyed Alaska . . . AGAIN!