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The cruise is very scenic, if you like cruises.
My preference is driving the Alaska Highway, starting from Mile 0 in Dawson Creek, BC. Look up the history of the road, basically a WW2 defence project that was long maintained by the US Army. It is now pretty much an all-weather road, but it still winds all over the place, lots of dips and frost heaves. It isn't paved as much as it is cold-sealed, so windshields get taken out pretty frequently.
From Dawson Creek, we went to Fort St John, Fort Nelson, Watson Lake, Whitehorse, and then used Whitehorse (Yukon Territory) as a base for a few days. Down to Skagway (Alaska), take a look at the railway and the Chilkoot Pass. From Whitehorse, through Destruction Bay and Beaver Creek, and into Alaska. Follow the road all the way to Anchorage. On the way back, head north over the Top of the World Highway through Chicken (they couldn't spell Ptarmigan), to Dawson City, home of the Gold Rush. Down south through Carmacks to Whitehorse.
While an X5 may be fun on a long trip, it isn't the vehicle for the Yukon or Alaska, IMO. Explorers, Expeditions, and Tahoes are more suited. We took an Explorer, with two kids, and covered 7000 km (over 4000 miles) in two weeks. That is measured from Mile 0 in Dawson Creek, and return, not counting staging to Dawson Creek.
If you fly in from Vancouver to Whitehorse, you can do pretty much the same circle trip, and fly back out of Whitehorse.
Best weather is July. I have done much of the same road in winter, but I wouldn't call it fun. It can be an adventure, but it isn't relaxing. Depends on what you are looking for. Whitehorse was -46 last time I was there in winter. The plug-ins were not dependable in the hotel, so we just idled the vehicles all night.
The scenery shots you enclosed are pretty much standard fare, all along the route (in summer).
If you need recommendations for where to stay, etc, just PM me.
Jeff
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2007 X3 3.0si, 6 MT, Premium, White
Retired:
2008 535i, 6 MT, M Sport, Premium, Space Grey
2003 X5 3.0 Steptronic, Premium, Titanium Silver
2002 325xi 5 MT, Steel Grey
2004 Z4 3.0 Premium, Sport, SMG, Maldives Blue
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