Maggie’s Planning a Road Trip to Alaska - Need Intel

Dog&Jeep

Dog&Jeep

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Minuteman
Mar 12, 2013
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Salinas, CA
#1
I'm getting itchy feet, so it's time to start planning a road trip. I want to see Alaska. It will be nearly 7000 miles roundtrip by the time I factor in excursions. I'm aiming for September. With any luck, this tariff situation will have settled down by then and all they'll hate me for is being Califorian. I'm used to that. There will be several challenges I can foresee.
  • My Akita, Shiloh will be coming with me. That means getting health certificates...etc.
  • My Driver's license is up for renewal in September, so I need to get that done as early as possible because I'll need the new license with me.
  • Carrying handguns across Canada ain't happening. Long guns might be possible, but it depends on a lot of "Things" I can't control. Best plan of action may be to just buy a Guide Gun or something similar at the first Alaskan town I reach. (Tok) It'll make a better souvenir than a t-shirt or coffee mug, am I right? On my return trip through Tok, I've already found a business that specializes in shipping guns back down to greater 48. In the meantime, I've already picked up a couple of big cans of bear spray.
  • I think my F-250 will be my best vehicle for the trip. I've already spoke with a localized and tamed Snow Mexican who's made this trip before, and she assures me that diesel will be easy to find going thru Canada. Looking on the map, average distance between communities stays below 300 miles. That's well within the range of my fuel tank. I'll carry extra tanks just in case. I also don't plan to go pass any community without tanking up first.
  • Being in Alaska on, or close to the Equinox will mean cold nights and maybe cold days. I can prepare for that. It will also mean less mosquitoes and a better chance of seeing Northern Lights.
Is there something else I should be planning for, doing or not doing? I've never been to Alaska before, and I'll be in some remote country with just my dog for backup.

I don't plan on hunting or fishing on this trip. But whatever I learn on this trip may well lead to a focused hunting/fishing trip in the future.

Any tips, cautions or suggestions appreciated.
Thanks
 
#4
Politics aside. I flew to Anchorage a few years back to drive my dad's truck down for him. Took one of my kids along and we had a blast. We were definitely in the shoulder season and had to use gas cans once to get us through a long stretch where nothing was open. I'm not sure on buying firearms out of state or traveling through Canada with them. I plan on doing that trip again when I can spend a couple weeks instead of a couple days.

Last I knew you can ship a firearm to yourself without a FFL involved. So sending it general delivery to an AK Post Office is what I'd do.

There are some pretty fun short hikes to hot springs while you travel through Canada and next time I'd like to take the east highway that travels through the Yukon north and coastal highway back. We took the Yukon hwy. Seen just about every animal imaginable. From wolves to bears to porcupine to goats etc.

Bring binoculars and a good spotting scope would be my reccomendation.
 
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#6
diverdon said:

Route Guide - Alaska Marine Highway System

See a map of the Alaska Marine Highway route to help you plan your trip to Alaska
dot.alaska.gov

I believe you can ferry from Washington and never set foot in a commie country.

The weather in Alaske often sucks. But September is much worse than July or August.
Click to expand...
If I wasn't bringing my dog Shiloh, I would love to take the ferry. But Shiloh would be stuck in the truck for over 30 hours on the first leg of the ride, with only very short breaks every 8 hours. That would be miserable for Shiloh and kinda nasty for my truck.
 
#7
No insight to give, but good luck and update this thread with pics during/when you get back please. I love AK and want to go back so badly
 
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#8
Have driven the ALCAN hwy twice. Once from San Diego to Homer. The other from Homer to Seattle. The most epic road trip, each time. Second being the favorite with a venture thru the Denali highway.
 
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#12
Dog&Jeep said:
But Shiloh would be stuck in the truck for over 30 hours
Click to expand...
Very considerate of you!
I took the ferry from Bellingham, Wa. to Whittier, Ak a few years ago, saw how the pets suffered
the trip.
There are some amazing views in Alaska, but if you visit when it is gray and raining for weeks on end, you will miss it all.
June is the "golden" month.
Great weather, and the fires have not started up.
Smoke from July forest fires obscured visibility, and made it difficult to breathe for me sometimes.
 
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#15
matthias said:
May want to check on getting a passport for easier border crossing .
Click to expand...

Have to have one now. Minimum is the card, but it's only a few $ different to have the full book.

Last time I was in Canada it was easier to get in than getting back to the US.



What's the truck look like? It's it 20 years old or 2?

Maintenance and fuel would be my concerns. Make sure it'll start in the cold (the old 7.3s were horrible for having glow plugs go out, usually the solenoids failed killing an entire bank).
Oil is easy to find but not necessarily filters. I'd have a stock of fuel filters and oil filters and know how to change them.

Keep a supply of food and water in case you end up nowhere for a few days broken down.
 
Last edited:
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#16
chevy_man said:
Have to have one now. Minimum is the card, but it's only a few $ different to have the full book.

Last time I was in Canada it was easier to get in than getting back to the US.



What's the truck look like? It's it 20 years old or 2?

Maintenance and fuel would be my concerns. Make sure it'll start in the cold (the old 7.3s were horrible for having glow plugs go out, usually the solenoids failed killing an entire bank).
Oil is easy to find but not necessarily filters. I'd have a stock of fuel filters and oil filters and know how to change them.

Keep a supply of food and water in case you end up nowhere for a few days broken down.
Click to expand...
The truck is a 2000 model with the 7.3. It looks like a work truck. It's in very good condition and runs very strong. your point about extra filters is well taken.
 
#18
Dog&Jeep said:
The truck is a 2000 model with the 7.3. It looks like a work truck. It's in very good condition and runs very strong. your point about extra filters is well taken.
Click to expand...

I'd make sure the starting system is in good order, as everyone I know had issues with the glow plugs on and off. Would suck to have a no-start on a random 15° morning.

Fresh fluids front to back (diffs, trans, transfer case).

I'd also make sure you have a couple spare tires, and the tires on the truck aren't old. (Old dry tires tend to separate and toss the caps even if they look good. DOT date codes are easy to check).
 
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#19
9B30077B-AA79-4812-864B-342B151F8EB6_1_105_c.jpeg
04751C8E-DD98-49C9-AA38-6B11D50454FA_1_105_c.jpeg


I cannot name a more beautiful place to see the grandness and raw beauty of earth than the Denali highway in Alaska. East(Paxson) to west(Cantwell)or west(Cantwell) to east(Paxson)Whichever way taken....It's a road trip WELL worth taking and camping and enjoying some self target LR shooting, if so desired. Car camping is perfect too.
 
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#22
I don't know if fuel cost is an issue. My Coast Guad Son drove his 2001 1 ton Dodge with a Cummins towing his 18' fishing boat from Sacramento to Kodiak Island and total trip cost over 5 grand. He did take the ferry's and the one from Homer to Kodiak was a large portion of that. The Coast Guard footed the bills fortunately. I would recommend running white bottle Power Service brand fuel treatment regardless of temps but defiantly if you're going to see temps in the 20"s. I found it helped with milage and I thought a bit more power when I had a diesel. On a side note, he made the trip with 3 dogs, a cat, and an 8 1/2-month pregnant wife. My Granddaughter can claim she's an Alaskan; she was born there, and they still are on Kodiak.
 
#23
chevy_man said:
Have to have one now. Minimum is the card, but it's only a few $ different to have the full book.

Last time I was in Canada it was easier to get in than getting back to the US.



What's the truck look like? It's it 20 years old or 2?

Maintenance and fuel would be my concerns. Make sure it'll start in the cold (the old 7.3s were horrible for having glow plugs go out, usually the solenoids failed killing an entire bank).
Oil is easy to find but not necessarily filters. I'd have a stock of fuel filters and oil filters and know how to change them.

Keep a supply of food and water in case you end up nowhere for a few days broken down.
Click to expand...

Your comment about being easier to get into Canada than come back is right on. I used to cross almost daily in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan in my Semi. Never had any issue with Canadian Customs but the US guys often acted like they were pissed I went over there. lol
 
#24
What an amazing drive, I drove in 2002 from Bellingham, Washington all the way through to Alaska. It was still winter(late March) when I did it. Have your ducks in a row and it will fine. Extra gas, tires, cold weather gear, etc. I made the trip in a 99 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4.0
 
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