ALCAN Drive 2011

I've only used 4 Hi once, and that was to get out of a parking lot. Honestly, I've seen several people with 2WD sedans driving just as fast as me. I don't think that having 4WD is a necessity - although common sense, and not driving beyond your vehicle's capabilities is required.

Just my .02

 

Spending Christmas in beautiful Tok, Alaska...

Crossed back into the US around 18:30, Alaska Time.

Good drive today, although similar to what some other posters said; the last hundred miles or so of Canadian road was not very nice. I slowly began to grow an utter hatred for those minuscule orange flags alongside the road, that supposedly marked frost heaves. I said "supposedly". Usually the worst heaves weren't marked. Pretty sure I hit my bump stops in the rear a few times. However, all in all - the roads are maintained extraordinarily well - considering that there is over 3,000 miles of it.

I'm would not consider myself to be an outwardly religious person - I have never attended church. Yet, the stretch of road outside of Haines Junction is truly awe inspiring. After experiencing this country today, I gained a true perspective of who I am in the overall grand scheme of the universe. Pittance. In a good way! The sheer scale of this landscape is utterly immense; you cannot help to be dwarfed in comparison. This land has remained so entirely unmolested for thousands, if not millions of years. Albeit, there is a tiny little road through the middle of it. Not to get all deep on everyone!

Road started to get pretty nasty about 150 miles from the border. Frost heaves a plenty, with fresh snow on the ground. Oh, and probably saw about 5 vehicles for 250 miles today. Managed to get gas in Beaver Creek just as the owner was closing up for Christmas Eve - lucky. The whole gravity of the situation - the fact that very few people were traveling during the holiday - started to set in about half way through the final stretch of road. The inevitable, "What ifs"...Wasn't fun.

I've tried my best to illustrate through writing how my day went. I'll let the photographs speak for themselves.

Merry (Holidays) Christmas, thanks to everyone for continuing to follow me and my journey.

Standing by,
jake

 

Back to the raven encounter.....that was pretty cool.
I know that some native Americans consider the raven sacred and they believe that ravens are fallen ancestors.

Maybe someone was/is guiding your way ?

Safe travels, Merry Christmas.

 

See, 2WDs do drive the Alcan!

 

Started to feel a bit "small"...

 

Great pictures, except the first one where your fly is down. I would love to take a road trip like that, but I'm no where close to being ready for it!

 

...Just caught that, thanks!

*Fixed.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

OP-did you have trouble finding open gas stations along the way? I'm making the trip next month and plan on carrying 10 gallons of emergency fuel.

Awesome pics btw, I can't wait to start the journey...

 

I have 5 Gallons in a plastic Jerry can for an emergency, although I haven't had to use it. Highly recommend, (stress) that you fill your tank at every opportunity. Especially with the holidays, many stations closed early tonight.

And don't bother trying to skip a station in hopes that it'll be cheaper somewhere else. It won't be, and there probably isn't going to be another station.

I would say anything over 10 gallons is somewhat overkill - unless you have a dedicated long-range tank.

In all reality, my 5 gallons of reserve gas probably isn't enough to get me to the next station. It is enough, however to keep the truck running overnight to stay warm.

 

Awesome pics!

 

I'm not trying to get up on a soapbox - I'm not even done with the drive yet. Just some recommendations to anyone considering the drive.

Alternative means of communications: Cell service is non-existent for the better part of the drive North of Vancouver. I had service in Watson Lake/Upper YT - but my phone did not work. Don't know if this is unique to Verizon?

I've got a PLB, beacon that operates on the 406 Mhz. COSPAS/SARSAT system. Pretty cool. I carry it when I am fishing as well. Keep in mind, this is an absolutely LAST RESORT. "Use only if you are in grave danger of losing life and limb"...

Snatch Strap - Used mine already to recover a vehicle that had gone off the road. Wreckers charge $.50/LB for recovery/tow. It's outrageous.

Warm clothing/sleeping bag/shelter. I'm moving - so I have all of my clothing with me. It's cold up here. You're hands will go numb within a few seconds of being exposed. It's about 0 degrees F outside right now.

Food/Water

The basics that have already been covered in other threads...

 

So what's gas goin for up there?

 

I'd say average was 140.9 cents/liter in Canada...

So with 3.785 Liters to 1 Gallon, that's 140.9 x 3.785 = 533.30 / 100 =

Get ready...$5.33/Gal.

$4.36 in Tok.

 

I like to MTB at night in cold weather, near civilization, I was at Mt St Helens not too long ago, wanted to go MTB but scratched the idea because I didn't have enough gear to spend the night lost in freezing rain. It's no BS. One big storm blows in and you might be in the truck for a day or worse before anyone finds you, and that's if you are still on the road.

 

OUCH! Death Valley was like that, man you are miles from nowhere!

 

DUDE AWESOME ADVENTURE ROAD TRIP AND I LOVE YOUR TRUCK!!!

 

op- drive safely and let us know when you get there.