Driving from NC to Alaska!

[c03camson]

One other fluid you might want to change out and that is the power steering fluid. You can change it out to synthetic and it will help with the colder temps up there as well as the extreme heat you might be getting into driving there from here in NC. What base in NC are you stationed at?

 

 

Never really thought about power steering fluid..gives me a good reason to put another amsoil order in though! I am in the Coast Guard at Air Station Elizabeth City. (Please no jokes about the coast guard haha)

[sams819]

dont forget a basic survival kit . and a small shovel and an ax. and you might wont to have onstar and the phone minutes. you will be in some remote areas.

[johnnyelohssa]

Finding 93 octane through out your trip could be tough, so you might want to think about changing your tune. A friend of mine that transferred from Bangor, Washington to Norfolk, Virginia could only find 85 octane in some areas.

 

Also a secondary spare for both the truck and the trailer might be something to look into. I went camping with a friend one time that was towing a camper, about 10 miles into the 100 mile drive he got a flat on his camper then had to make the rest of the trip without a spare. A can or two of fix-a-flat or slime might be a good back up plan too.

 

When I go on long trips into northern New Hampshire or Maine I like to bring along a spare for the spare just in case something happens in the middle of nowhere.

[Black02Silverado]

I know the roads have improved over the past 20 yrs but I have hear several that have left from Seymour Johnson AFB here in NC and drove up to Elmendorf and they had to replace their windshield when they got up there. Not to much you can do about that I guess. One guy even wrapped his gas tank to keep from it getting punctured. Again this was back in the late 80's and some of the roads were not in great shape back then. Taking an extra spare isn't a bad idea.

[latreille89]

Make sure you hae something to keep you awake if you're going through the prairies... That is one of the worst drives I can remember. The rockies are fun though!

[gmtech4]

wow busy topic lol,

 

yes ,divided 4 lane ,its a good drive ,from Montana border to fort st john is 12 hrs with not trl,

 

,watch for assholes on hwy 2 between Calgary and sec hwy 19 lolololol ( the Edm-Calgary 500 )

 

pm me if any questions about the route ,it is the only way up there ,trust me ,we can chat on the phone if ya like ,im 2hrs east of Edm

 

print my route and sit with google for a bit lol

 

hwy 2 in the northern states takes off nicely westbound to shelby Montana (interstate 15 )and zip north to Alberta

 

i dont know what sales tax you have down there but Alberta only has Federal sales tax( GST),goods and services tax)) (5%) and NO provincial so when in Grand praire ,stop and shop your butt off as BC has PST also and who knows what Alaska has lol

[gmtech4]

Make sure you hae something to keep you awake if you're going through the prairies... That is one of the worst drives I can remember. The rockies are fun though!

 

 

 

northern Montana on hwy 2 is nasty !!!!! lol

[AlaskanSilverado07]

I made the trip down from Anchorage to Houston in August 2011 with a 2009 Silverado 1500 4x4 Crew Cab and the worst part of the trip was through godforsaken northern Canada. The worst thing about Canada (Yukon and northern BC) was the fact it was all two lane road with no four lane highway. It was 99% asphalt which was much better than when I was a kid as back then in the 70's it was a miserable trip with much of it on gravel. No offense to the Canadiens on here but the fuel prices were out of sight, roads were narrow, no fuel after 11:00 p.m. at night as many stations were closed, and the prices for a room were ridiculous.

 

Southern BC was a different story but Yukon was rather desolate and when you see road signs warning of animals be sure to pay close attention and slow down as they were always spot on. Watch for the truckers and buy a Milepost (go to Amazon.com) as it will help you find fuel, food and rooms. They've been publishing them since I was a kid and are worth their weight in gold as they publish a new one every year with up to date road info for each milepost along the way to Alaska regarless of what route you take.

 

And no, I didn't have any problems with a broken windshield, no chips, no paint chips, no leaks, nothing as the road was good but the fuel was very high. Like I said, the roads are not bad but hte fuel is very expensive...bring lots of cash.

 

And yes, the red Chevy in the pic below made it all the way down from Alaska before a red light running moron decided he wanted to see if his Ford could survive the apocalypse...guess what, it went to the junk yard!

[tyhuck]

Holy crap!!! Ive personally never driven far enough to require me to have my oil changed mid trip. Crazy to think about that far of a drive. Stay safe.

 

Actually, Ide love to make that trip as a vacation over a couple of months.

[AlaskanSilverado07]

And be sure to take GORP, water, and other food with you for the trip as there will be stretches when you won't find a restaurant or they will be closed. Do not take any guns with you as they are not allowed through. Have your certifications from the vet for your dog or cat, and don't screw around with the customs agents as they mean business.

 

P.S. My 2009 was bone stock and performed flawlessly towing a 12' trailer that was overloaded. No need to add anything with your rig as it is set up to do the job perfectly.

[gmtech4]

like i said ,north on 43 to Grand Praire is alittle lacking in services but is not empty,north of FSJ IS i believe and is 600km to fort nelson,the GM store in Fort St John is where i worked for 3 yrs as a tranny guy ,04-07 ,they still remember me lol,casino and hotel next to it ,great place to chill,have a beer and get your truck looked at ,

 

tell them Rob said hi !!!!

 

its on the hwy leaving FSJ ,cant miss it

[johnnyelohssa]

I was a boy scout when I was younger, then I spent about 4 1/2 years on a submarine so I'm quite aware of Mr. Murphy and his wonderful law. From those experiences I've become kinda paranoid and carry around tons of extra stuff. Here is a list. Some of it is just my paranoia/awareness showing but I like to talk about it so here it goes.

 

Passport or other form of spare Identification.

 

When I'm traveling long distances I keep a small tool box with basic hand tools in truck, and maybe hose clamps, hoses, a spare serpentine belt, ETC. Try to keep it secure so that if you have an accident it won't become a projectile. Along with any other large or heavy objects.

 

Well you're a Coastie so you know "stow for sea" or no "gear adrift".

 

Check your jack and tire chocks to make sure they will work if needed.

 

Jumper cables, tow ropes and other recovery equipment.

 

Fire extinguisher!! Maybe even a spare.

 

A bag with a quality knife, MagLite, spare batteries, first aid kit, emergency whistle. Maybe even a spare knife and flash light.

 

Cell phone car charger.

I even carry a spare cell phone. It's not activated but all cell phones can call 911. At least in the US.

 

Remember two is one and one is none.

If possible try and tow a whole spare truck and trailer complete with said paranoia list of essentials just in case(ok I'm just being silly with that one)

 

Energy bars and other snacks. Water or some other sort of fluid that will hydrate you. Soda and coffee will help you stay awake but they will dehydrate you.

 

I know this borders on illegal in some places but pepper spray or some other kind of non-lethal personal protection for those poorly lit rest areas that you will have to stop at in the middle of the night.

 

Use EXTREME CAUTION with rest areas and gas station at all hours of the day. LOOK and LISTEN when going into what appears to be and empty restroom. you never know who is waiting. Park and walk in well lit areas, ETC.

I used to take leave from Norfolk and travel back home to Massachusetts. No matter what state I was in or time of day it was, there was always some shady person creeping around just looking for unsuspecting travelers. Again maybe I'm just paranoid (I like to think I'm aware) but you never know.

 

If you're traveling with a wife or anyone else talk and plan for emergencies.

 

If you're carrying a large amount of cash keep the bulk of it hidden deep in the truck.

 

 

Legal disclaimer: Some of the items mention in this list maybe illegal to posses in some areas.Just sayin'.

 

Good luck on your trip and good luck at your new command!

[gmtech4]

you dont need to drag any trailer with the military ,they will move your stuff for you and you just drive the truck,,,i say this cuz driving in manual 3rd (1-1) will eat the fuel milage and some hills are ....rather long up and down,,get the army to put the toys on a trailer and drag it up there thru a moving company

 

even your truck on a moving trailer and fly up there ,...done easy

[c03camson]

I love all the replys. This has definitely got me thinking about what I need to do. To respond to a few of the comments.. I am pretty sure I can bring a shotgun into Canada as long as I tell them at the entry point and I have to fill out a form and pay $50. If not, bear spray and a nice knife will have to do.

 

The military only ships trailers up to 12 feet in length and they would ship my dirtbike but not side by side. Its gonna cost a lot to tow that stuff but its on the govts dime.

 

My truck has the tow package with the trans cooler so should be good there. All this talk makes me want to leave now! not leavin til June so have a little time to prepare. Thanks again for the replys keep em comin!

[gmtech4]

they pay the dime i know ,,,15 yrs military myself ,but they dont pay wear and tear lol;

 

PM me in May please ,we can chat lol