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Old 11-26-2010, 03:19 PM
 
Location: Big Island- Hawaii, AK, WA where the whales are!
1,490 posts, read 4,162,183 times
Reputation: 796

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Yes call ahead to see if services are open. Again cell only works in major towns.. even radio goes out 10 miles or so from towns. Bring lots of tuna then. Again stressed do not drive Ft Nelson to Watson Lake at night. Too many animals and twisty roads. Just to let you know it is a nice drive to miss it in the dark also. You actually will be leaving 911 service area on this trip - although their isn't cell anyway so it doesn't really matter. Good idea of the camper shell. I do this - was amazed at all the crap I had in the truck! I fold up a used futon for dog bed and I am short- my bed- in front of the pickup bed. I was able to take out of my short box extended cab... all camping gear needed.. two coolers (which will freeze by the way- including anything in it) fishing gear, 5 20gallon storage containers, plus a bunch of more stuff. You will be amazed at organized packing what you can fit.

Another to keep in mind.. 24/7 driving means your wife that is concerned you are making her drive where it sounds like she isn't comfortable. You will have a good assessment of yourselves as drivers by the time to get to Seattle. That will determine also your/and her comfort level for the driving. Really an overnight break makes a cranky just want this over trip into a trip you will appreciate!

And 100% MAKE YOURSELVES STOP even if only an hour at Laird Hot Springs for a break. I have passed it and finally stopped on way down this year. Was completly worth it. One of the best things on the Alcan and it is free!
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Old 11-26-2010, 03:53 PM
 
Location: Silicon Valley, California
1,255 posts, read 2,250,007 times
Reputation: 756
Quote:
Originally Posted by hc5831 View Post
So what about the 24/7 driving. As people have already mentioned, the extra hotel expenses would be painful for my pocket book. I am well prepared for this trip and could pay the extra money with no problems, but I'd rather save the money.
How about saving your life? (no, this is not a facetious remark)
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Old 11-26-2010, 03:59 PM
 
Location: Anchorage
1,923 posts, read 4,691,205 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by notreesininceland View Post
How about saving your life? (no, this is not a facetious remark)

I agree. We have drove the AlCan a few time and tried to do tandem driving but you get so tired. It's very dangerous and I would NOT recommend it.
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Old 11-26-2010, 04:43 PM
 
69 posts, read 139,641 times
Reputation: 40
If we start getting tired we will stop somewhere. Improvise, adapt and overcome.

We definitely plan to stop at the hot springs!
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Old 11-26-2010, 05:06 PM
 
Location: Bethel, Alaska
21,368 posts, read 37,911,008 times
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Winter rates are lower on the Alcan, anywhere from $50-90CAD. DO NOT DRIVE BETWEEN FORT NELSON AND WATSON LAKE AT NIGHT. BISON, CARIBOU, MOOSE, ELK, AND SHEEP ON ROADWAY.
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Old 11-26-2010, 05:10 PM
 
69 posts, read 139,641 times
Reputation: 40
We will drive that stretch during the day. I have it noted. Sorry I didn't mention that excellent advice before.

Quote:
Originally Posted by warptman View Post
Winter rates are lower on the Alcan, anywhere from $50-90CAD. DO NOT DRIVE BETWEEN FORT NELSON AND WATSON LAKE AT NIGHT. BISON, CARIBOU, MOOSE, ELK, AND SHEEP ON ROADWAY.
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Old 11-26-2010, 05:14 PM
 
Location: Dangling from a mooses antlers
7,308 posts, read 14,601,004 times
Reputation: 6237
Those bison are impossible to see at night. Even during the day you gotta pay attention to them.





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Old 11-26-2010, 07:41 PM
 
Location: Valdez, Alaska
2,758 posts, read 5,252,544 times
Reputation: 2806
Quote:
Originally Posted by hc5831 View Post
If we start getting tired we will stop somewhere. Improvise, adapt and overcome.!
Make sure you get a copy of the Milepost and actually read through the route and see where the hotels/lodges are. Call some of them to find out what their winter/holiday hours are and write them down so you'll know in advance where you can stop. When you're up in northern BC and the Yukon you may have quite a ways to drive in order to find a place to sleep once you start getting tired, and you probably won't be able to call ahead while you're on the road. Just be prepared for services to be much further apart than you're used to. I grew up in north Texas, not too far from Louisiana, and I know what rural means there. This is a very different thing.
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Old 11-27-2010, 07:57 AM
 
Location: Lyon, France, Whidbey Island WA
20,830 posts, read 16,964,657 times
Reputation: 11532
Sounds like you believe in good luck. You might find it. Adapting at 30 below will get one only so far. But, in the final scientific analysis it's your butt not anyone else.
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Old 11-27-2010, 02:33 PM
 
Location: Big Island- Hawaii, AK, WA where the whales are!
1,490 posts, read 4,162,183 times
Reputation: 796
You will have to plan a route and call ahead to make sure it is open.. or ask here some of us do know what is open year round. Still ... I will give you an example of my winging it..

Fist trip - one the way back to WA drove up in the summer. Two coolers of fish in the back of the truck not really something I wanted to sleep next to with the company of bears. I drove the Cassier differnt route than your looking but..
So the plan was stay the night at Watson Lake. Well it was early and I wasn't tired. Figured I would drive to Dease Lake get a room. When I got to Dease Lake most places closed up for winter. What was available booked. This was around 6pm. I didn't want to pay the price at Bell but that was the next spot.. Pulled in there at 10:30pm closed at 10PM. Crap ok drive to Hyder get a room above the bar they should be open rihgt. Pulled in at 1:30am. Closed. So I got to sleeep in back of the truck with fish and dog very close to Brown Bear viewing. Nice..Couldn 't go any further because gas station you have to pay inside (very common in Canada) so have to wait till they open. And it was still warm . 35degrees not -35luckily.
When I got up there was a Brown Bear standing up smelling the air about 400yards from me in the road.
Fun night of winging it...

The other I thought I didn't need to keep the tank 1/2 full there was gas stations ahead. Yep there where there and closed. I limped in on fumes into Ft Nelson and ran out of gas at the pump. No more winging it. OK to pull over when it is warm and sleep in car.. another to pull over in cold cold. Nice thing you wont have to buy ice!!
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