Alaska remote trip Prep

Yep, but it’s not hard to do for Americans going through Canada to Alaska. Just a few minutes of paperwork and a few to get the paperwork stamped.

 

Is there something special about the gravel roads in Alaska? I grew up in an area (rural Minnesota) where a majority of roads are gravel and no one worried about getting flats or holes in their radiators.

 

The problem with any/all gravel roads is that those drive too fast and do NOT drive slowly enough to evade bad road hazard. Have driven to Alaska three times and never had an issue. But, be aware and avoid bad situations.

 

This far north the word rural has a different meaning

 

My understanding is when talking roads like the Dalton they see more industrial travel which chews up road surfaces exposing sharp rocks and such that would normally be under the surface, and theres higher chances of sharp debris that falls off trucks and trailers.

 

Nah, it’s all exaggerated internet BS really. The roads are taken care of extremely well. In many cases the dirt/gravel sections of the Alaskan roads are smoother and better driving than the paved sections.

 

So in other words, it's from unprepared instagram chasers that probably had worn dry-rotted tires and were following too close to other vehicles catching rocks?

Doesn't surprise me.

 

& you gotta pass these Guy’s.. ha.. & his Convoy..

 

A friend drives the AlCan hwy from Seattle every summer to operate a boat for a lodge.
He told me he always takes a flare gun with him.

 

Some shot flares at bears but if you start a fire you pay all damages so not a good idea.

 

The camping portion of the trip has started. This is at Jasper National Park. Thank you all for your input, I'll post a trip summary when it's over.

 

Hit me up.. i got All the spots..

 

I just made the trip from NY to Deadhorse. I didn't take my Tacoma, I took my 2002 4Runner. The Dalton and the road to the Dalton are a mixed bag ranging from chewed-up pavement with giant potholes, gravel roads, dust, mud, and some nice sections. I had two full spares, all the normal camping gear and tools, and extra gas. I paid to take an oil company shuttle to the Arctic Ocean but only made it up to my knees. Surprisingly, nothing went wrong. No flats (I did air down) No mechanical problems except the power antenna stopped working. Saw a lot of bears, but i see bears all the time where I live, so I don't worry about them. As long as you don't surprise them or get between mama and her cubs, bears rarely are a problem. What is a problem is moose and elk darting out in front of you. Hit one and you might die too. I had a really close call in BC with a moose being chased by what appeared to be a wolf. I didn't even get a cracked windshield. I did 11500 miles in 4 weeks. I did change to oil behind the O'Reilly's auto parts in Fairbanks. I would do it again, maybe the Dempster next time. The scenery is jawdropping in Alaska, Yukon, and BC.

 

I did my weekend at the BC overland rally in Kelowna, then went to a friend's place for the night in Terrace. Went north on the stuart-cassiar and camped in Watson lake. I am at Carmacks right now and will go to Dawson city tomorrow morning, see a few sights and spend the night before starting up the Dempster on Friday.
So far everything is going to plan.

 

Seems odd but you mentioned bringing extra lightbulbs. Taillights apparently are more important to have than you would think. I was out in the bush with my '21 Taco and went into complete 'limp' mode. Couldn't go over 3mph. Tried everything to fix the 'glitch' but nothing worked. Turned out when the rear taillight burns out, the truck goes into 'limp' mode when you turn on the truck lights. Goofy

 

Sounds like an amazing trip. I went down via the Stuart-Cassiar hwy. Nice drive.

 

I just drove to California, up to Eureka, then down to Sacto, then back to East TN. Something no one thinks about is Eating the right foods.

Diet wise, I found that eating high protein and fat, and NO carbs was crucial to sustaining energy and alertness while driving 16+ hours a day. When i do eat carbs, I crash about 2 hours after I eat. So, i stay away from them.
You'll sleep better as well.
Jerky, hard boiled eggs, meats, cheeses, etc. Stay away form the cereals and breads and other grains, and fruit.

 

Great insight! You also produce much less solid "waste" on a predominantly protein diet versus one loaded with processed carbs.

 

Not a big concern, he was already planning to carry a shovel

 

The additional benefit is that since you are sitting for a great portion of your day, NOTHING will move though you. No need to stop while underway. You'll just go in a few weeks when you get there!
- Also, Passengers will not cause any trouble - they'll be quiet as they will pass out due to lack of oxygen in the cab!