Want to plan a trip from NY to AK. Don't know where to start, need help finding resources.

So I half joking suggested to my wife that this summer we take an epic trip of our lives and drive to Alaska, thinking she would tell me I was crazy. Turns out she's totally into the idea and we are really looking forward to this idea. We are both teachers so we have roughly nine weeks off from the last week of June to the day after Labor Day. We have no kids at the moment and would like to capitalize on our time while we are young and have the ability to do so. Our trip would take us from NY to AK, and then we were thinking through some of the national parks in the lower 48 on the return if time allowed.


I have no idea where to start researching what I will need, where to go, and I know there are tons of other things I know I don't know. Over the next few months I will be lifting 2", installing skids and sliders when the Black Friday sales come out in a few weeks, regardless of if this trip does come to fruition or not. In addition if we did this trip I would like to install a RTT using KB Voodo bars over my Diamondback cover. What other major vehicle additions am I going to need? I'd like to avoid a winch and bumper for both costs and MPG considerations. I'd like to think any off roading we did on the trip wouldn't be tough enough to warrant this, but then again I could be totally wrong. Other recovery gear like MaxTraxs and shovels and such I know of. Obviously most of the trip will be on paved roads and dirt roads, but I would like the possibility of spending a chunk of time really exploring the backcountry with our rig if possible. I am very experienced when it comes to being in the backcountry as a backpacker and hunter, but hardly any using a vehicle as my mode of transport.


I know I have a ton to learn, but to me half the fun of a trip is planning -even if it never comes to be. Can someone point me in the right direction of where to look to start accumulating some knowledge and researching?

 

Start with a copy of “The Milepost”. It is the guide to the Alcan highway.

 

Looks like a good place to start, thank you. Just ordered the 2018 version and will look at that until the 2019 edition comes out in February.

 

That book is incredibly helpful. I mapped out all of our gas stops with it when we drove from SoCal to Alaska. It's a super easy, and safe drive, but you can still get stranded in the middle of BFE and not see anybody for a long time. We filled up every time we passed a gas station at half a tank and still came super close to running on empty when we were going through northern BC.

 

Yeah I've heard a few people say that about gas - never running out but coming close. I plan on using a KB Voodo rack to attach a RTT, so with that I'll prob through a few gallons of gas on the side just in case for extra peace of mind.

 

For your planned event, a few things come to mind, fresh set of 5 tires, plug kit and air compressor, like the Viair 450? Lots of long remote gravel roads.

Fuel-get your extra fuel cans at Canadian Tire, you can buy simple Spectre fuel cans with out the carb vent stuff.

Maybe a screen tent or if you go RTT, a screened in area under the tent, you are going to experience mosquitoes more intensely than you ever have. It can rain quite a bit sometimes so figure on having some stand up space that you can hang out in out of the weather.
There are some off highway travel areas- seems like mostly mud and silty conditions. Lots of gravel roads in various conditions, lots of them washboards.