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Travelling from Nevada to Alaska in the Middle of Winter

Pipsfc
Explorer
Explorer
Hello all!

New to this forum and quite excited! I did some searching of the internet in hopes of finding the answers I need and did find "some". At this point, I feel I just need to ask the experts.

My family and I will be moving back to Alaska from Nevada in February 2021. We have made the trip from Flordia to Alaska and Alaska to Nevada, but both times in mild conditions and both on the ALCAN. This will be our first time during the winter and with a travel trailer (Jayco Jay Flight 224BHW Baja Edition). We actually don't plan on staying in our trailer on the trip and instead plan on using any hotels/motels along the way. Also, I have never towed anything in the winter. I drive a 2018 3500HD Silverado (Diesel). Based on this information, here's what I need to figure out:

1) What are your recommendations for winterization (both trailer and truck)?

2) I have AT tires on the trailer - do you recommend changing them?

3) Do you recommend chains for the trailer and truck?

4) From those who have travelled the ALCAN with a trailer or RV during the winter months, what can we expect?

5) Anything else you can throw at me would be greatly apprecaited!
147 REPLIES 147

garyhaupt
Explorer
Explorer
Maybe new members that are here to pick the collective brains should be required to pay a deposit. Or leave1 their favourite dog as collateral.


Gary Haupt
I have a Blog..about stuff, some of which is RV'ing.

http://mrgwh.blogspot.ca/

MORSNOW
Navigator
Navigator
I was really hoping to hear how the trip went......
2014 Wolf Creek 850SB
2012 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD 7,220# Truck/10,400# Camper Fully Loaded

SideHillSoup
Explorer
Explorer
....Crickets....
2018 Northern Lite 8-11 EX Dry Bath
2017 Sierra SLE, 3500 HD / 4x4 / Duramax with a 6 speed Allison Trans
Torklift Super Hitch 20K, 48" Super Truss, front and rear frame mounted tie downs
Fast Gun Long Range SS Turnbuckles, Fast Gun locks

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
Alright Pip, make with the pics man!
We here keyboard mushers carried you all the way to AK, basically on our own backs.
We demand payment!!

LOL
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
AKsilvereagle wrote:
With no response from the OP for over a week, my conclusion is they are under mandatory quarantine measures, and then having to conduct in-processing protocols after that which also takes a lot to get settled in.


Mandatory quarantine involves taking away your phone and internet??
ROFL...
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

AKsilvereagle
Explorer II
Explorer II
With no response from the OP for over a week, my conclusion is they are under mandatory quarantine measures, and then having to conduct in-processing protocols after that which also takes a lot to get settled in.
1975 Ford F250 2WD Ranger XLT (Owned June 2013)
460 V8- C6 Trans- 3.73:1 (196K Total Mi)
2000 Fleetwood Angler 8ft Cabover
Air Lift 1000 (Front)
Hellwig 3500 lb Helper Springs (rear)
Hellwig Front and Rear Sway Bars
Goodyear G971 LT Series (siped)

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
I’m sure he made it fine. But hey buddy, where’s the pics??
We all helped you get ready and took the virtual trip with you. Cough em up!!
Lol.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

AKsilvereagle
Explorer II
Explorer II
I did not see any mishap or accident reports on the Whitehorse Star, Yukon News, or Alaska State Trooper Daily Dispatch - I am thinking they had made it to their destination at JBER as well, if not then they got stranded somewhere....

Just hoping the driver didn't try to push it too hard west of Whitehorse with all the frost heaves and high winds as of recent that I seen on the super weather map pattern in the Haines Junction and Kluane Lake area.

Haines Junction thru (the Tok Cutoff route which was pointed out) during the winter is not a stretch to try to make time on, especially towing something significant behind you....it is bad enough during the summer between Destruction Bay and Northway Junction.

It has been a pretty cold February here in the Alaska Interior this month.
1975 Ford F250 2WD Ranger XLT (Owned June 2013)
460 V8- C6 Trans- 3.73:1 (196K Total Mi)
2000 Fleetwood Angler 8ft Cabover
Air Lift 1000 (Front)
Hellwig 3500 lb Helper Springs (rear)
Hellwig Front and Rear Sway Bars
Goodyear G971 LT Series (siped)

MORSNOW
Navigator
Navigator
He should definitely be in Anchorage by now if all went well since his last post. He did the leg work ahead of time, he should be good no matter what pops up.
2014 Wolf Creek 850SB
2012 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD 7,220# Truck/10,400# Camper Fully Loaded

Flyboy320
Explorer
Explorer
Looking forward to hearing they arrived safely.

sljohnson1938
Explorer
Explorer
wonder if pipsfc got there yet? been 3 days since his last post.
sounds like it has been quite a trip.
1999 Dodge 3500 CTD dually
Ham radio - WU4S

StirCrazy
Nomad III
Nomad III
DrewE wrote:
StirCrazy wrote:


we dont have LSD in canada only ULSD. they totaly switched when the mandate came in.

Steve


To be overly pedantic, isn't all ULSD also LSD by definition? Less than 15 ppm sulfur is also less than 500 ppm sulphur....


we switched from regular diesel to LSD in 2007, then we switched to ULSD in 2010. its possible some stations never changed the stickers , or that it was a Petro Canada gas station that still calls ULSD LSD on there web page, even though there is only ULSD in Canada.

the point is for the original poster is don't worry you are only going to get ULSD in Canada no matter what the pump says.

Steve
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
2016 Cougar 330RBK
1991 Slumberqueen WS100

SideHillSoup
Explorer
Explorer
Hoping we get to see some great pictures!
Drive safe.
Soup.
2018 Northern Lite 8-11 EX Dry Bath
2017 Sierra SLE, 3500 HD / 4x4 / Duramax with a 6 speed Allison Trans
Torklift Super Hitch 20K, 48" Super Truss, front and rear frame mounted tie downs
Fast Gun Long Range SS Turnbuckles, Fast Gun locks

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
StirCrazy wrote:


we dont have LSD in canada only ULSD. they totaly switched when the mandate came in.

Steve


To be overly pedantic, isn't all ULSD also LSD by definition? Less than 15 ppm sulfur is also less than 500 ppm sulphur....