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Winter Alcan
Posted by twodux on Dec 12 2005
I've done 15 Alcan trips now. Most from Nov. til April. The other posts I've read have some good advice. Here's what I've learned about winter driving on the Alcan.
#1 Have a good emergency kit. Carry chains with tighteners (studded tires are a plus), flashlight, flares, tools, snow suit, snow-pack boots such as Sorrels, insulated gloves, a warm sleeping bag (like rated -30 or better, a thermous filled with something warm, a good map (Mile-post is the best, but not essential), extra water and antifreeze (most sources of water will be froze up in remote areas), two spare tires, and something to eat if you're stuck in a snowbank for a long period.
#2 Extra gas is nice if you have a way to safely transport it. Make sure you have at least a 300 mile range as far as gas goes. I try to buy it in the bigger communities, but will take small amounts in the smaller ones just to have a safety cushion. I guarantee if you're stuck someplace remote in the middle of the night in -50 degrees, you'll want your heater on to stay warm.
#3 I usually go to a bank near the border and exchange $250 to $500 American money to Canadian money. Banks give a fair exchange rate, businesses along the way don't. And you can't blame them,they can't keep up on the daily exchange rates so they err on the side of themselves. Canadian banks offer a fair exchange rate too. Be sure you spend most of the Canadian money before you get back in the states or you'll lose a little more when you exchange it back. I think the difference is about 1%. Banks have to make a little money too. Credit cards are an easy way to go, but they do charge you a foreign exchange fee (look at your credit card bill. I think it's called an international transfer fee)Also, I was in Beaver Creek, Yukon Territories, a few years back and when I went to pay with my credit card, they told me it was refused which surprised me because I didn't have much on the card. Luckily I was able to call the help number and got a real live person. They said they put a hold on the card because they noticed it had been been used quite a few times over a couple days and 2,000 miles and they thought that maybe it had been stolen. Luckily I was able to get it activated again, but if you weren't able to get in touch with someone, you might have problems if you didn't carry some cash with you.
#3 When you cross the border into Canada you will need a valid drivers license, proof of insurance, papers for any guns, a current health certificate and proof of vacination for any pets, and they will run a check to see if you have any felonies on your record in which case you won't be allowed in. They especially look to see if you have any driving under the influence convictions. I know more than a few people who have been turned back at the border for DUI's even if they're off their record in the states. They'll also check to see if you have the funds to make the trip to Alaska. They will ask to see cash and credit cards sometimes to make sure you are telling the truth. They don't want anyone breaking down and getting stuck with no money to pay.
#4 Give yourself enough time to relax and enjoy the trip. I've made it from Seattle to Valdez in two days, but thats at least two drivers taking turns while the other one sleeps and just stopping to gas up and maybe eat. From Seattle a four day trip is the minimum to be safe and relaxed. And you never know when weather of some kind will close the road temporarily or make it risky to drive. Be prepared to stop for a day if need be. It doesn't pay to drive day and night and get exhausted. If you are driving in the dark you want to be alert as it's hard to stop on icy roads when a moose or caribou steps out in front of you and you're doing 50 or 60. Also there are areas where there are free range horses running around. All the big animals like the roadways when the snow gets deep as they can cover a lot of ground on a plowed road much easier than busting through the snow.
#4 I give the Canadians credit for keeping the roads in pretty good shape in the winter, but then they are the lifelines in the North. The last time I drove up the worst roads were from the time I crossed into Alaska, until Glennallen... we were driving on ice. The big trucks do own the road I think. They will hog the centerline and if there's loose snow, they will blind you when they pass. But for sheer terror, there nothing like trying to pass one in the snow. You'll come up behind one and finally get impatient and want to pass him as they throw up lots of snow. But when you start to pass, you'll realize you can't see anything from all the snow blowing around you. and you feel trapped between the truck and the snowbank on the side of the road. Then there are the places where a creek overflowed or snow melted during the day and it freezes into ice sheets on the road that you can hardly stand up on let alone drive on. The first time I drove the Alcan, we left Prince George late in the evening and a bus passed us as we headed into some hills. I was trying to sleep when we started spinning and banged off of two snowbanks. We were the lucky ones that night, the bus, and 18 wheeler and about ten cars and pick-ups were all over a steep embankment. A creek had overflowed and frozen the road. rescue crews were trying to get to people even as more cars were hitting the ice. Luckily no one was killed, but one guy had gone through his windshield and was cut up pretty badly.
#5 Enjoy the trip. Take time to stop and visit with the locals. Canadians in the North are a pretty friendly bunch and may have some good advise as far as traveling in their local area. A great stop along the way is Liard Hotsprings. make sure you have a towel and shorts. Stop in the parking area and walk a couple hundred yards up the boardwalk to the changing rooms and slide on in. I love laying in the hot water on a cold night and watching the Northern lights. The last time I stopped there, a road crew had driven down and was having a skinny dipping party. Another nice place to stop is the Tetsa River Lodge. They always have coffee on and serve the best Cinnamon rolls I've found on the highway.
Good Luck
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