Travel restrictions during covid

[BdlP]

I was wondering if anyone has tried to travel to Canada this month. We planned to drive from california to anchorage Alaska august 1st but looks like we won’t be able to get across the border onto the AlCan....

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Apparently there was a loophole that allowed travel through Canada to AK. People were abusing it so I'm not sure of the current situation:
B.C. premier concerned about Americans using 'Alaska loophole' to visit province

 

[Kajtek1]

Those days situation can change every day, but call the authorities for precise answer.
We did Alaska last year, what was summer of Century with 72F.
Great views, but wife was scared walking small dogs becouse of bears.
We counted about 30 of them spotted on the highways.
I love swimming and snorkeling, but not in those temperatures.

 

[borabora]

I was planning my 5th Alaska trip this year and as far as I know Canada will not let you in. Only several weeks ago even if you had made it through the international border you were not supposed to enter the Yukon now BC residents are allowed. I don't expect the international border to open before fall -- if it opens this year.
You should be able to take the ferry from Washington to Alaska. Of course, that can be quite pricy and usually reservations are scarce by the summer but this year might be different.

 

[glasseye]

Canada Customs and Immigration are on to this Alaska scam. Several groups of Americans, including whole families, attempted to use the "We're only going to Alaska!" loophole and were charged and fined after they were seen in parking lots in Banff, Alberta - a thousand miles off course for AK.

Idiots. Did they think nobody would notice? Cost them over a grand each and it's on their border-crossing record, IIRC.

That's what we get for being neighbourly.

 

[autostaretx]

As you probably know, Canada has extended the border crossing ban for another 30 days.
Their covid "new case" rate is low and holding steady, ours is going up.

--dick

 

[Stewswain]

I was planning my 5th Alaska trip this year and as far as I know Canada will not let you in. Only several weeks ago even if you had made it through the international border you were not supposed to enter the Yukon now BC residents are allowed. I don't expect the international border to open before fall -- if it opens this year.
You should be able to take the ferry from Washington to Alaska. Of course, that can be quite pricy and usually reservations are scarce by the summer but this year might be different.

 

[Mein Sprinter]

As you probably know, Canada has extended the border crossing ban for another 30 days.
Their covid "new case" rate is low and holding steady, ours is going up.

--dick

Right, ... Canada does not want us ignorant, undisciplined, arrogant folks crossing their borders...don't blame them!! Were currently on travel: Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming...not yet Colorado. States like Montana and Wyoming don't seem very lackadaisical in mask wearings. Other than that there are absolutely no restrictions regarding State crossings. No one checks your license plates even from "hot" States. Plenty of RV's/ 5th wheelers/ trucks and Vans on the roads just like a normal summer. Lots of traffic.

cheers...

 

[tinman]

"Non-discretionary" travel through Canada to Alaska by the most direct route is permitted. I don't know how rigid they are on non-discretionary. It includes Alaskan residents returning home, business travel, etc. but other than that may be at the whim of the border agents. As Glasseye mentioned there have been some cheaters. Besides what he referred to I've heard of US residents at resort hotels. If you are thinking of giving it a try, I'd phone the CBSA office at the planned border crossing and see how they are applying the rules. You should also be aware that Yukon Territory has a limit of 24 hours to pass through their real estate on the way to or from Alaska. The US-Canada border closure applies both ways, btw, by mutual agreement. Canadians are restricted from ground travel into the US. Our Covid situation isn't by and large as bad as in the US, but the case numbers are growing again since the bars opened.

 

[Kajtek1]

I wonder how Yukon plan to enforce the law? Driving both ways about 5 days, only once I saw police cruiser and Alaskan highway zigzags between Yukon and BC, so you have to enter it couple of times.

 

[tinman]

I believe they have set up border checkpoints, probably at the last entry point after the zig zag. They are pretty serious about it as they've had very few cases, all from outside.

 

[OrioN]

ATTENTION COVIDIOTS!

Coronavirus: Feds crack down on Americans using ‘Alaska loophole’ to enter Canada | Globalnews.ca

As of July 31, the Canada Border Services Agency will require additional entry conditions and only allow such travellers to enter at five crossings.

globalnews.ca

Canada cracking down on Americans entering country to get to Alaska

Canada has announced new restrictions against Americans entering the country in an attempt to crack down on the so-called 'Alaska loophole.'

www.ctvnews.ca

 

[Dashing]

I drove from anchorage to Washington about 2 weeks ago with my girlfriend. Border agents entering Canada were not the most pleasant... we got stopped and searched and harassed for a couple hours but basically if you can prove you're traveling through Canada for an essential reason, they will let you through. But they were definitely hard*sses about it. Maybe this was just one specific border agent and maybe I only got through because of how remote the Alaska border crossing is (9 hours from anchorage) but plenty of my friends have done the same thing as myself without too much trouble. They gave us 24 hours to get through YT and told us we needed to stop at a "COVID checkpoint" in whitehorse but we just drove right on through and had no issues reentering the US. They gave us 4 days to get through BC but they are pretty serious about travelers not stopping to hike or anything like that. That said, we literally only saw 2 cops in all of Canada. This is just my experience and there's a chance it may be different going from the lower 48 to AK but I'm not totally sure. Seemed to me that if you could prove your travel was essential, it wasn't too big aa deal. My girlfriend and I used written job offers from her grandparents in Washington but plenty of my friends drove down with only a lease to prove their travel was essential. I called Canada before my trip and was told basically that as well. Hope this helps someone

 

[tinman]

Glad to hear it went OK for you. Unfortunately a few folks have been caught gaming the system, using the Alaska loophole to get into Canada and then doing normal tourist stuff. Some of the instances have been widely publicized, so that may result in some attitude on the part of the border personnel. Yukon is particularly sensitive. They have strict rules on quarantine by outsiders, and they've so far had very few cases. There are also a few whackos who go nuts when they see strange license plates where they don't think they should be, and this has resulted in some unpleasantness in parts of BC.