Some Tips On Driving To Alaska

First, there are two basic ways you can go – up through Montana, or up through Washington. If you go up through Montana there is a Duty Free right before the border crossing (you can’t miss it) where you can exchange your money for Canadian money. If it’s more than a thousand dollars, you have to fill out the terrorist form. If you go up through Washington, it’s a lot more beautiful – take Rt 99 for windy mountain roads (do not attempt this with a trailer unless your brakes and transmission are perfect), or take Rt 1 to get there faster and pass a bunch of sawmills and decimated forest.

Bring your passport, your drivers license, your vehicle registration and insurance, and a rabies certificate for any animals you have. Don’t bring alcohol, large amounts of fruit, illegal drugs, or ID’s in names that don’t match your passport.

Stuff to bring. Food and water. It’s expensive in Canada. A ninety nine cent jug of water is two or three dollars. Try to bring all the food and water you’ll need with you. Fill up on gas right before the border, too.

You’ll be driving through some remote, mountainous areas. Even if your vehicle has never leaked or burned any fluids, you need to be prepared. These are stressfull conditions for your transmission, brakes, and engine, and a quart of oil can go for as much as ten dollars along the Alaska highway. Bring oil, Lucas transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and antifreeze. Bring a jack, a lug wrench, a spare tire, a basic tool kit (metric and regular), some stop leak and some liquid weld. If you have shelves expect them to fall.

Gas prices in Canada are by the litre. There are approximately 4 litres in a gallon. Last year (2007) gas was $.99/litre ($3.96/gallon) in the southern cities of Canada, and $1.34/litre ($5.36/gallon) in the remote northerly parts. This year (2008), it was $1.30/litre in the southerly parts, and didn’t go any higher than $1.48/litre as I went north.

When you get there – Ladies and Gentlement, it ain’t a bathroom anymore. It’s a washroom now. Try saying warsh room, you’ll fit in better. You also need to know about blinking green lights. They apparently mean something different in every province, but part of what they mean is always go.

If you are driving through Vancouver or Edmonton stop and take a good hard look at your map. Take a deep breath, and watch very carefully for signs that’ll tell you to turn this way and that way to stay on whatever freeway you’re trying to be on.

Once you get north of the big cities stop and fill your tank in every town. I know places like Watson Lake, Whitehorse, Fort Nelson, don’t seem like big towns, but they’re as big as it gets, so get gas while you can. The good news is that once you get north of the big cities there is plentiful and good roadside boondocking.

Places to stop, assuming that you are like me and interested in what I am, are: Liard Hot Springs – it’s “free” and a lot less crowded at night. There is a big overnight parking area across the street, tho you can apparently also pay to park overnight in their parking lot if you’re into that. Watch for bears, and for expensive treats that rich people drop out of their RVs. Anywhere past Whitehorse – just stop on the side of the road. Watch the bears. Go for walks. If you have dogs who aren’t bear-smart leave them in the vehicle. Lake Kluane – Plan on spending a day or two. It’s just the most beautiful place on earth. And, again, watch for bears…