Driving the Alcan in late December w/no snow experience (camper, eat)

[Lakester]

One example is if your in someones tracks and they pulled over or someone passed them you could find yourself going down the road sideways real quick, if your going to fast for the conditions your going for a ride you don't want. Your front tires might follow one set of tracks and your rear tires follow the other track, no biggie if you let it find the tracks it wants to be in, or if your not paying close attention you could find yourself following someone elses tracks right off the road if you can't get out of them soon enough. You say you've never driven in snow so saying you can drive at all hours and times does not apply in any way shape or form for this drive. Don't be over confident - it'll bite ya. This is why everyone is saying go slow, they know by feel how fast is safe when and where. You get a sixth sense that somethings not quite right or just more in tune with the tire noise or a little wiggle.

[hc5831]

Improvise, adapt and overcome does NOT mean wing it. I will not being winging anything on this trip. We could all die easily if not prepared. I understand that you all have no clue who I am. Just as I can tell you all are sincere in your concerns.

I do more research and planning than anyone else I know. My wife is constantly getting annoyed with all my planning and safety. I fully understand, appreciate, and am trying to plan for the dangers driving the ALCAN in December. It's always been this way.

It's clear some of you think it's "foolish/dangerous/insert your own word" to drive the ALCAN in winter at all. Even more so with no winter driving experience. That's not gonna change. It's also clear that some of you think it's fine, which is the group I agree with. That's not gonna change.

Look, everything in life is a it depends situation. That is the least valuable response I encounter all the time. Everything in life depends, everything.

Here are some videos. How fast should I drive here in my situation:

clear road, no hills (drive speed limit?):
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSeder...36/qfc2lixd4x4

some snow drifts on the highway (need to slow down at all?):
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSeder...35/JPFo3c_00yg

icy
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSeder...34/v1Ce2-sSESU

hills, no road
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSeder...33/QwNQrnyzoJ8

You have had to learn from experience that the wheels spin/slip/etc when going too fast in these situations. Slow down can mean anything from 1-infinity MPH. Are there tricks to see how grippy the road is? ie gas it a little and see how the tires react? sounds? feeling in the wheel?

Would it help if I changed the question to how fast to drive in some examples, which obviously need to be modified based on any changes?

[hc5831]

Exactly the stuff I'm looking for. Thank you.

Originally Posted by Lakester

One example is if your in someones tracks and they pulled over or someone passed them you could find yourself going down the road sideways real quick, if your going to fast for the conditions your going for a ride you don't want. Your front tires might follow one set of tracks and your rear tires follow the other track, no biggie if you let it find the tracks it wants to be in, or if your not paying close attention you could find yourself following someone elses tracks right off the road if you can't get out of them soon enough. You say you've never driven in snow so saying you can drive at all hours and times does not apply in any way shape or form for this drive. Don't be over confident - it'll bite ya. This is why everyone is saying go slow, they know by feel how fast is safe when and where. You get a sixth sense that somethings not quite right or just more in tune with the tire noise or a little wiggle.

[i4tas]

The good news is that you should receive some winter driving experience before you reach the ALCAN. If you have trouble in the Dakotas, then just turn around, if you make it to to Edmonton without trouble then you have passed the beginner course. Backup plan should be getting to and flying from Seattle or Minneapolis, you can always park your car/trailer and fly back down to drive up in May. FedEx freight is also affordable.

[hc5831]

lol, yeah I considered that could happen. Would suck, but you do what you gotta do. We'll be visiting my mom and her husband in a week for 5 days. We plan on driving north until we hit some good snow and learning how to drive in it.

Originally Posted by i4tas

The good news is that you should receive some winter driving experience before you reach the ALCAN. If you have trouble in the Dakotas, then just turn around, if you make it to to Edmonton without trouble then you have passed the beginner course. Backup plan should be getting to and flying from Seattle or Minneapolis, you can always park your car/trailer and fly back down to drive up in May. FedEx freight is also affordable.

[AADAD]

As many have stated the combination of dark and large animals with dark skin poses unique risks. I work in an ER and having seen many collisions between many size vehicles and large animals, typically the vehicle is a total loss and many passengers in the front seat (especially so) are killed. You may want to factor that in to your plans.

[hc5831]

I guess I haven't made it clear. We likely will not be driving at night from Edmonton/Fort Saint John on.

Originally Posted by AADAD

As many have stated the combination of dark and large animals with dark skin poses unique risks. I work in an ER and having seen many collisions between many size vehicles and large animals, typically the vehicle is a total loss and many passengers in the front seat (especially so) are killed. You may want to factor that in to your plans.

[warptman]

Keep in mind, you will have deer on the side of the roads all the way up the highway from the states to about half way up British Columbia along with moose.

[AADAD]

Here are some tips:

On an open road with no traffic approaching and wide shoulder put your brakes on see if you slide, skid or stop securely. I do this 1st thing every morning.

Can you lock your differential in your vehicle so that all four wheels spin together?

When you stop ask about the road ahead. Did it warm up then freeze then snow? If so that can be very slippery.

Find out when the plow leaves and follow them.

Make sure your windshield washer fluid is set for -40. You will need it.

When I have been on two lane highway I keep at 50 or below.

Practice turning in the direction of a skid. People typically overcorrect. You just need to nudge the wheel in the skid direction. Correcting a skid is a good skill to learn. Find a parking lot on your way up covered with snow/ice on an early sunday morning.

The roads on the videos can be very deceptive. You have to judge your vehicles stopping ability by testing it at intervals. If the road IS SHADED it is going to be more icy. Around corners be very careful.

[AADAD]

Originally Posted by hc5831

I guess I haven't made it clear. We likely will not be driving at night from Edmonton/Fort Saint John on.

Yes I knew that. In the Yukon and Alaska there are migration routes for Caribou and other animals not just the stretch of road you mentioned.