Every year moose routinely cause traffic crashes and traffic fatalities along Alaska's roads and highways. In 2007 moose accounted for six traffic fatalities and dozens of injury-related traffic crashes throughout the interior of Alaska, resulting in millions of dollars in medical bills and property damage.

While moose are happy to pose for a picture or two it is important to give them lots of room, especially when calves are nearby. But they generally ignore people and human activities. They're more interested in food. Moose don't eat meat, but many Alaskan animals find moose to be tasty; they're a favorite of bears, wolves and humans. Each year, hunters bag 6,000-8,000 Alaskan moose -- that's 3.5 million pounds of lean meat, and a single moose can feed a family of four all winter long.

In winter, finding food is difficult, and moose flood the low areas, often taking refuge in cities-Anchorage's wintertime moose population can triple, to just under 1,000. There, the moose live off the locals' landscaping efforts, eating mountain ash and birch trees. This also means that moose will be more likely to wander into the local roads and highways.

THE ALASKA HIGHWAY SAFETY OFFICE offers the following tips to help avoid a deadly confrontation with moose:

•Never feed a moose
•Give moose at least 50 feet. If it doesn't yield as you approach, give it the trail.
•If a moose lays its ears back or its hackles (the hairs on its hump) rise, it's angry or afraid and may charge.
•Moose kick with their front as well as hind feet so do not confront them directly.
•Don't corner moose into fences or houses.
•If a moose charges, there are few options available to you but it has been suggested by many others to simply get behind a tree. A theory stands that you can run around the trunk faster than the gangly moose.
•Never get between a cow and her calf.

Now travelers can visit Alaska’s national parks without leaving home. Thanks to a series of video podcasts available on iTunes and local National Park Service Web sites, viewers can catch a glimpse of what three of Alaska’s most popular national parks have to offer. By searching for the parks in the iTunes podcast store, visitors can learn about dinosaurs and more modern residents of Denali National Park, gain an in-depth look at science and research at Kenai Fjords National Park and watch bears in Katmai National Park.

The video podcasts began airing on iTunes last fall, and the newest videos premiered in October 2008. Both the iTunes and nps.com podcasts are available free of charge. For more information on the National Park Service podcasts or to plan a non-virtual park visit, go to www.nps.gov/state/ak.

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DVD: RVing Alaska
(with Joe and Vicki Kieva)
Learn everything you need to know about traveling by RV to and from Alaska via the Alaska Highway and the Alaska ferry. Essential viewing for Alaska-bound RVers. Learn more or order.

December 1, 2008 -- Advance shuttle bus and campground reservations are now being accepted for the 2009 visitor season at Alaska's Denali National Park.

Approximately 65 percent of the shuttle bus seats and 100 percent of the campsites in the Riley Creek, Savage River, Teklanika River and Wonder Lake campgrounds can be reserved in advance. Riley Creek, Savage River and Teklanika River are open to tents and RVs, but there is no RV camping at Wonder Lake. Hookups are not available in any of the park's campgrounds.

Phone reservations can be made nationwide at (800) 622-7275, or at (907) 272-7275 for international callers. Online reservations can be made at www.reservedenali.com.

About 1.7 million people visited Alaska over the just-completed tourist season, roughly the same as in the 2007 season. But fewer of them arrived in RVs, likely because of high gas prices. Trips on the Alaska Highway dropped to 60,000 this season compared to about 75,000 the year before.

Visits by foreign visitors were up about six to eight percent thanks to the weak value of the U.S. dollar relative to foreign currencies.

Cruise ships brought the largest number of tourists by far -- 1.03 million -- about the same as the year before.

Looking for a volunteer position next summer in Alaska?

The Alaska Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation 2009 Volunteer Program Catalog is now available. Alaska State Parks is looking for next summer's volunteers and is taking applications for all 2009 summer and winter positions.

Approximately 60 campground host positions are available across the state, from the Fairbanks area to Ketchikan. Another 80 volunteers are needed in a variety of positions such as archaeological assistant, ranger assistant, trail crew, natural history interpreter, and park caretaker. The duties of some positions can be used for college credit. Volunteers receive training, uniforms, and a small stipend. Campground hosts also receive a free campsite for their RV or rustic housing. Most positions require a minimum commitment of four weeks. Applicants must be over 18 years old and a U.S. Citizen. The 2009 Volunteer Catalog describes the volunteer program, lists available positions and includes application forms. Request a free copy from the Volunteer Coordinator, Alaska State Parks, 550 West 7th Ave, Suite 1380, Anchorage, AK 99501-3561, (907) 269-8708, fax (907) 269-8907. The catalog is also available on the Internet at http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/vip.

PLANNING A TRIP TO ALASKA? Find the best selection of books and DVDs at RVbookstore.com.

The Dalton Highway is the road to take if you simply want to drive as far north as possible in Alaska. Unfortunately for RVers, it's a bumpy, washboard, gravel highway that many may find too rough to travel comfortably. Still. . . for some RVers, it may be worth it -- but only in summer.

From its starting point at the Elliott Highway, it continues for more than 400 miles until nearly reaching the shores of the Arctic Ocean in Deadhorse after crossing the Arctic Circle. Deadhorse is the village that serves the North Slope oilfield, with several hotels, a store and gas station. The community is a superlative of sorts: it is as far north as you can go on Alaska's primary road system, and it is worth exploring, especially if your goal is to dip your toe in the Arctic Ocean.

THE DALTON HIGHWAY BEGINS 85 miles north of Fairbanks and is perhaps one of the roughest roads in Alaska. It was constructed in the mid-1970s to haul freight to and from construction camps and workers building the 800-mile long trans-Alaska oil pipeline that stretches from Prudhoe Bay in the north all the way to the ice-free port of Valdez in Prince William Sound. The road offers relatively little in the way of modern conveniences. The washboards are many, the grades can be steep (as much as 10 and 12 percent in some places) and the big rigs delivering to Prudhoe Bay along the "haul road," as it's called by the locals, can make for uncomfortable traveling companions.

Not all car and RV rental companies allow their vehicles on the Dalton, so check ahead of time and be prepared for this road trip. Carry two spare tires, a jack, tool kit, emergency flares, extra gasoline, oil, wiper fluid and a first aid kit. Bring drinking water and plenty of food. A CB radio is also not a bad idea (monitor channel 19). Travel services are almost nonexistent. The 244-mile stretch north of Coldfoot is the longest service-free stretch of highway in North America.

So, why go to all this bother? Consider the scenery, which includes views of the mighty Yukon River, Atigun Pass (at the crest of the Continental Divide), the caribou of the north slope tundra, 375-million year-old limestone-filled Sukakpak Mountain (elevation 4,459 feet at Mile 203.5) and any number of sweeping mountain vistas opening into the Brooks Range, Gates of the Arctic National Park or Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Another trip highlight is crossing the Arctic Circle just past mile 115.

Deadhorse is a company town and not much else. It's several miles from the Arctic Ocean. An oil company road leads north from town, but permits are required to travel on the road. A better way to go is to sign up for a guided tour of the oil fields and the Arctic Coast. They are available in Deadhorse from Tour Arctic at (907-659-2368).

In Deadhorse, a good place to stay is at the Arctic Caribou Inn and RV camp.

PLANNING A TRIP TO ALASKA? Find the best selection of books and DVDs at RVbookstore.com.

RV enthusiasts looking for a memorable Christmas experience might want to hop aboard a sled and head up to North Pole, Alaska. While New York City may have its tree-lighting ceremony, only in North Pole, Alaska does the holiday season kick off with the lighting of a giant frozen turkey sculpture. The ice-sculpture bird, standing over eight feet tall, will be illuminated on Thanksgiving Day to officially start the second annual "North Pole Christmas in Ice" festival and sculpting competition.

Residents are still ebullient about the success of last year's event, which sold more than 3,700 tickets and welcomed 24 ice artists from Alaska and China dueling to carve the winning Christmas-themed sculpture from a single block of ice.

This holiday season, ice artists will again transform the venue at Santa Land RV Park in North Pole into a winter wonderland of ice sculptures and children's play park. The competitors will face off Thursday, December 4, and the venue will be open to the public every day until the end of the month.

North Pole, Alaska, population 2,000, is ten miles southeast of Fairbanks. You really don't need a sled to get there: a car or RV will do just fine.

Headed to Alaska? If you'll be doing so with an RV, then you'll need to know where to stay. Maybe this will help.

Federal and State campgrounds are available throughout Alaska. A few even have electrical hookups and dumping stations. For fee information contact the Alaska Public Lands Information Center at (907) 271-2737 or click here.

Private campgrounds are also available throughout the state. Visiting the Food & Lodging section of the website for private campgrounds. You can also contact the Alaska Campground Owner's Association, PO Box 111005, Anchorage, AK 99511-1005 or by visiting this website.

Alaska State Parks depends on volunteers to help manage and maintain its parks. For many RVers, the most sought-after positions are as camp hosts. Applications are now being accepted for the 2009 summer season.

What Do Campground Hosts Do?
Hosts are on‑site representatives of Alaska State Parks. They welcome campers, acquaint them with park facilities and regulations, answer questions on local and statewide attractions, and help visitors plan their trips. Hosts help the park rangers with the day‑to‑day operation and maintenance of campgrounds; this includes litter pickup, light janitorial maintenance, and repairs. Special park projects can be designed based on a host's skills and interests. All hosts must have enthusiasm for working with the public, a willingness to learn about Alaska, and the desire to accept new challenges.

What is a Campground Host's Season?
The camping season in Alaska is generally from mid May through mid September. Some campgrounds are open year round or have extended seasons. Hosts are requested to volunteer 30 to 40 hours per week for at least four to six weeks. Hosts may stay the entire season and some areas may rotate hosts among campgrounds for a broader experience.

Where Do Hosts Live?
Volunteer hosts live in their own motorhome, trailer or other RV at a special campsite. Because campground hosts are the "ambassadors" for Alaska State Parks, their "residence" must be neat and well‑maintained. Alaska State Park campgrounds are rustic, but clean and beautiful. Each campsite has a parking pad, a picnic table, and a fire pit. Each campground has water, latrines, and trash containers. Some host locations have access to telephone and electricity. Nearby communities and lodges have sanitary dump stations and most other services. Generally, the campgrounds are near recreation attractions -- lakes, streams, mountains, fishing, and wonderful views. A few campgrounds have a small frame cottage or log cabin for the hosts to stay in. This is noted under the category of Amenities listed with each position description.


What Will Hosts Receive?
Campground hosts stay free in an Alaska State Park campground and have free use of all facilities. Each host or host couple will be trained by the ranger staff and will receive a volunteer uniform. In addition, a subsistence payment may be available for longer commitments, ranging from $100 to $500 a month.

Learn more about being a camp host or other volunteer at Alaska State Parks.

Here are some ideas for good places to visit in Alaska with an RV. The website Campgrounds-Alaska.com polled its readers about their favorite destinations in the state. Here, with favorites listed from top down, are the places and attractions they liked best.

• Eagle Alaska and the Yukon Charley Rivers National Preserve
• Glacier Bay Tours from Skagway, Alaska
• Haines Alaska
• Hyder Alaska - Accessed from the Cassiar Highway in British Columbia.
• Iliamna Alaska - Location of the future Pebble Copper and Gold Strip Mine
• Independence Mine State Historical Park
• Katmai National Park
• Denali Park and Mount McKinley
• Kodiak Island
• McCarthy Alaska
• Misty Fjords National Monument
• Prince of Wales Island
• Prince William Sound and Whittier Alaska.
• Wrangell Saint Elias National Park

(SEPT 1, 2008) -- After 16 years in business, Suzanne Spanjer has closed her Chena Marina RV Park in Fairbanks for good -- visitors just aren’t showing up. Vehicle crossings from Canada are down nearly 20 percent this year when compared with the same year-to-date period in 2007. According the Fairbanks News-Miner, as of Friday, Aug. 29, 7,050 vehicles with 16,000 people had crossed into Alaska in 2008, compared to 8,747 vehicles with 19,668 passengers for the same time period last year.

And there are far fewer motorhomes. And those that do come are often European vacationers who fly into Whitehorse, Yukon, rent RVs, and tour the roads of Yukon and Alaska before boarding a flight home from Anchorage or Fairbanks.

At milepost 1083 of the Alaska Highway, about halfway between Tok and Whitehorse, Loren Maluorno owns and operates Destruction Bay RV Lodge on the shores of Kluane Lake. Despite the scenery, vacationers are passing the place by, Maluorno said. His business is down at least 30 percent this year, and he hears plenty of talk from other operators who are closing down early.

High fuel prices are the reason. “People are still coming, but they’re not driving up the road,” Spanjer said. “Nobody is out on the roads. They’re gone.”

SOURCE: FAIRBANKS NEWS-MINER

Howard Hawkins Jr. of Anchorage was driving to get an early morning cup of coffee, and the next thing he knew he had slammed into a 15-year-old Grizzly bear that was running across the highway near an RV park. "I didn't have time to react. I wasn't even able to hit my brakes or anything," he explained.

According to news reports, the bear was in a lot of pain after being hit, with a broken leg. It was stumbling around, roaring and growling, After calling 911, Hawkins got out of his car to wait for police, who arrived within minutes and promptly told him to get back into his car.

The grizzly charged the police at one point, then scurried back into the woods, where officers found it and killed it.

Grizzlies come into Anchorage in the summer to feed on salmon and moose, said a Fish and Game research biologist who said there were at least 20 of the bears in the city.