Driving to Anchorage in December? good or bad idea? (Haines: buy, store)

[north2AK]

Looks like the ferry across the gulf has a limited a limited schedule. I'm trying to get to Anchorage, either late Nov. or early Dec.. Is it a bad idea to try and drive to AK, from "down south" that time of year?

I have an 8-year-old subaru AWD wagon (130k+ miles) with all-season tires and I'd make sure it got a thorough check-up before heading north. Of course I'd take appropriate gear with me in the car (food, water, zero-degree sleeping bag and such) if I had a breakdown. Actually, I'll have everything I own with me.

I know it's a loooong drive....I'd rather take the ferry, but I might not have a choice due to job start date.

I could take the ferry as far as Haines, and then drive the rest of the way, rather than take long drive through B.C. (I've driven that route in the fall before, going south from SE AK to Las Vegas....took forever.)

at any rate...how is the highway in winter? thanks.

[gobrien]

Check out this thread by our resident Alaska Highway expert:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/alask...an-winter.html

[AADAD]

somewhat unpredictable. there can always be the sudden storm, however both in Canada and the US the road is plowed after about 0800. That said you will want to plan well for either route. Make reservations. Carry food and water and ways to stay warm. I would carry a SAT phone. If you are an experience winter driver it should not be a problem. Just pay attention to the weather ahead of you...finally you may not enter Canada with hand guns or if you have any criminal record including DUI.

[trlhiker]

Instead of a zero bag you may want to get a -40 bag.

[Bob Blockus]

If the highway conditions are too worse Canada boarder would stop individuals and ask more questions on the preparedness. think it's best to telephone Canada boarder crossing same week as your going. the money saved on the ferry and time would be worth the slow driving speed on the mountain passes. I did the drive in May and October 2009. front wheel drive saved the day on the snow storm on top of mountain passes through Canada. always drive slow and fallow trucks. drive longer hours before storms sets in the areas. highways are meant to be driven so yes be ok and always talk to fellow drivers on road at gas stations for compairing notes. people always say buy chains for the tires.

[havhon]

I just did the drive from Haines to ANC earlier this fall. IIRC, it was around the 28th of Sept. For the most part the roads were good. However, about 45 minutes south of TOK the roads got snowy and icy. The snow and ice lasted for about 3 hours worth of driving. The roads were fine from the Glenn cut-off all the way to ANC.

First off, I would highly recommend taking the ferry to Whittier if you can. I highly suspect the ALCAN to be crappy. I dont know how bad the Haines Hwy will be. All I know is the ALCAN from Tok to the Glenn cut-off was crappy....and that was a month ago. I had a couple serious white knuckle moments on my drive. So why risk the drive?? The less time you are on the road the less chance you have for getting in wreck, the more time on the road, the greater your chance for an accident. From Whittier you are about a 1.5 hour drive to ANC. You wont get the scenery as you would if you drove from Haines, but you get some extra safety!!! In my opinion, take the boat as far as you can.

If you have to drive from Haines, it's a two day drive. If the roads are crap, expect 6-8 hours of driving each day. Your enemy of the stretch from Tok to ANC is ice, not snow. Again, even though it's only 750 miles from Haines to ANC, it WILL take two days....plan on it!! Tok is your halfway point. In Tok, Fast Eddy's is the place to eat and the Young's Inn is the place to stay. The Young's Inn can fill up quick....might not be a bad idea to call ahead and make a reservation. When I did my drive, I stayed the night in Haines, then started my drive to ANC.

No matter where you end you up driving from, start off with a new battery for your car (and maybe a set of studded tires). Although people up here are divided on studs -vs- no studs, I would recommend them (esp. if you end up driving from Haines). You can get the tires from the tirerack.com. Buy then already mounted. That way, if you get off in Haines, you can easily swap them over once you get off the boat (just make sure you have a decent car jack). If you get off the boat in Whittier, studded tires might not be that big of a deal. Its your call then. Again, if you will be driving from Haines, get studs!!!!

As far as gear goes, not much is needed if you are driving from Whitter as civilization is not that far away. You should have cell phone service all the way from Whittier to ANC (minus the stretch in the Whittier tunnel). Just make sure you have have a warm coat, over pants, gloves, etc just in case you do break down or wreck. You dont need to get too extreme as the temps near ANC are nowhere near extreme as they are in the interior part of the state....think Minneapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee....prepare for weather like that. I would prob keep some light snacks on hand "just in case"....but I would go no further than that. I would imagine "worst case scenario" for a road rescue on the drive from Whittier would be no more than a 24 hour wait. Again, that's a worst case scenario. So plan for that if you drive from Whittier.

If you drive from Haines, there are stretches of that drive where civilization seems to be nowhere in sight....esp in BC and the Yukon. My cell did not work in either territory and was spotty in most of AK. I do not know if a 911 would have gone through?? If I were to do the drive again and knowing what I know now, I would look at getting a sat-phone. I could think of nothing more frightening than being stranded up here w/o cell phone service (and waiting for someone to drive by for help). In my opinion, better safe than sorry. Also, if you plan on doing any sort of hunting, snow sledding, or an any other sort of outdoor rec; having a sat-phone is a good idea. I know a good number of guys who say they carry one when the go one remote hunts and snow sled trips. At least that makes a sat-phone purchase a tad more justified. Additionally, make sure you have some real good cold weather gear if you drive this route. The interior part of the state gets waaayy colder than the ANC area. As a previous poster mentioned, plan for sub-zero weather. The average temp for Tok, AK in December is 0 thru -20. Make sure your gear can get you through a night in that kind of weather. I imagine a rescue could take anywhere 1-2 days depending on weather and road conditions. Keep enough food on hand for 1-2 days.

As far as gas goes, it depend on your cars gas mileage?? Leave Haines, AK on a full tank, then you can gas at Haines Junction (149 miles from Haines, AK....290 miles to Tok, AK). I know the milepost showed gas in spots between Haines Jnct and Tok, however a good number of places seemed bordered up. Make sure you have the range to go from Haines Junction to Tok. If not, you might want to carry some gas with you. For your second leg, leave Tok on a full tank, then you can gas in Glennallen, AK (140 miles from Tok.....180 miles to ANC). Whatever you do, make sure you car is full before you board the ferry. Gas in CAN and AK is expensive...esp. in CAN!!! Also, if you carry extra gas with you; make sure they are easily accessible as you will have to surrender them when you board the ferry. They store them in a flamm locker for the trip. They give the cans back to you when you de-board the ship.

Good luck.

PS - edit, DO NOT follow trucks as a previous poster mentioned unless you want a cracked windshield or want to drive in a snow filled haze. Following a semi truck is not safe.

[stiffnecked]

I drove the entire Alcan in March which is probably one of the worst months. The Canadian portions of the highway are plowed regularly. For the most part so were the Alaska portions but maybe a little less agressively. Make sure you car is in good repair and just slow down. Most peoples problems come from simply driving way to fast for the conditions.

[north2AK]

thanks all, for the great advice. theoretically, my car gets over 350 miles per tank. I think if I put my fleece liner, inside my +20F degree bag, inside my 0 degree bag, that makes it sort of a -35F bag. Better yet, I think if the job can wait, I'll wait for the cross-gulf ferry to resume service. As much I have no problem being the "be prepared" guy...I could do without the extra hassle and worry. thanks again.

[stiffnecked]

You'll get there faster driving then waiting on the ferry plus you'll save a whole ton of money. I've taken the ferry but never the cross gulf trip. Just couldn't justify the expense.

[warptman]

Don't let your tank go below half, fill up no matter where your are. I prefer the winter drive over the summer, no RV's in the way. There are plenty of gas stations open year round. You have Wonowon, Buckinhorse Lodge, stations in Fort Nelson, Toad River Lodge, Muncho Lake Wilderness, Liard River Lodge, stations in Watson Lake, Teslin, Jake's Corner, and Whitehorse. Further up from there you have Haines Junction, Talbot Arms in Destruction Bay, a station or two in Beaver Creek, and of course Tok. From there you have Mentasta Lodge, and Glennallen. I'd say just drive.