Pulling Trailer and the Alcan (Kenai: hotels, travel, work)

[Nephler]

We are still weighing our options on how to move our stuff. Those of you that have moved from the Midwest area, or similar, that have pulled a 14 to 18 foot cargo trailer, how was the drive? My wife will be driving the pickup pulling the trailer mainly due to not liking my lifted Jeep (I'll be driving that ), she says the Jeep is scary. Nether of us have pulled a trailer for much of a distance before, not that size anyway. We will be taking US2 starting in Michigan to I-15 North in Montana to Galgary and so on to the Kenai area. We do plan to take our time driving, only about 300 or so miles per day so that we can enjoy the drive with lots of stops.

Anyway, what are any of your experiences in doing this, if any?

[stiffnecked]

I've done it quite a few times from Oklahoma. Stop for gas often. Slow down. Don't try to drive like you do in the lesser 48. Make sure everything is tip-top mechancially. Carry a few spares such as fan belts, and stuff to patch hoses with. In addition to my spare tire I also carry a small air compressor and fix-a-flat junk. Save your money and pack a gigantic lunch box. With the falling US Dollar exchange rate prices in Canada are getting higher.....

[Rance]

I pulled mine down and back. An 18 footer. Empty down and with a car coming back. Not one problem. Turns out my trailer spare had the wrong rim. Luckily I never needed it the entire trip. I had to show my trailer registration at the border. So make sure you've got that and current plates and tags. Trailer brakes will be handy also. I usually drove 16 to 18 hours a day and got a room in the no brand name hotels. It was cheaper and usually emptier parking lots so I could park next to my ground floor room. Grease them bearings daily before every trip, and check the air pressures in the tires. I carried 4...5 gallon jugs for spare fuel...but some of the bigger towns have brand name fuel stations open late. I usually stopped in the tiny farm towns and bought fuel. It was way cheaper, they had down to earth good eatin restraunts, and it helped the small town economy. Not to mention the friendly country folks.

[warptman]

I've never hauled a trailer on the Alcan, however, I've driven it 13 times now. The last one was in August. Here is something to keep in mind, Truck drivers know where there is good food. Wherever you see semis in front of a lodge in the middle of nowhere, they have good food. Always drive your trucks on the top half of the tank and try not to get it lower than that. Bring a few 5gal jerry cans in case you or any other motorist needs it. You are really never alone on the Alcan, no matter where I was if I saw a vehicle on the side of the road, I'd ask if they're ok.

[Glitch]

When I moved from California to Alaska in 1991 I drove a jeep (not lifted) hauling a one-ton trailer. My average speed was 35mph on the AlCan (counting in my stops). I lost the trailer off it's hitch twice (the chains kept it connected to the Jeep both times), and had to get the bumper on the Jeep welded at Whitehorse because it was beginning to rip loose. Once I got across the border into Alaska, I never had a problem.

[Nephler]

gez Glitch, thanks for the encouragement now you have my wife scared haha. ( she is laughing) We do plan on really taking our time and taking lots of spare parts. We don't want to rush the trip anyway. We want to enjoy the drive.

[Rance]

The road is in much better condition than it was 16 - 17 years ago. The worst road conditions I experienced was about 30 or 40 miles either side of the AK/Canadian border. HAd some pretty good frost heaves. But I drove to the same border this last August and the road was pretty good.

[warptman]

You can avoid all the traffic of the Calgary area by hopping into Canada in Saskatchewan and hitting Regina and then up Highway 11 to Saskatoon. From there take Highway 16 which is now a four lane highway 16 to Edmonton and take highway 43 to Dawson Creek and then you're on Highway 97, the Alaska Highway. This is the way we came up from Baker Montana back in August. This should shave a few miles off the trip.

This is the road reports for Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Travel Information - Highway and Road Conditions, Traffic and Transit
For Alberta... Alberta Travel Information - Highway and Road Conditions

For British Columbia...Drive BC they have weather cams there

Yukon Territory...Government of Yukon, Department of Highway and Public Works - Transportation - Road Report

All Highways in Alaska...Alaska Road Traveler Information Service

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Rance

The road is in much better condition than it was 16 - 17 years ago. The worst road conditions I experienced was about 30 or 40 miles either side of the AK/Canadian border. HAd some pretty good frost heaves. But I drove to the same border this last August and the road was pretty good.

I certainly hope Rance is right. 16 years ago the Canadian's idea of a "paved" road was a gravel road sprayed with oil. I didn't see asphalt from the time I left Saint George until I got to the Alaskan border.

[warptman]

They use chip seal on the highway, a step up from gravel. Chip seal is a little more forgiving than asphalt, it flexes on frost heaves and doesn't crack like asphalt does. Only gravel I ran into is a little 4 mile area right at the southern point of Kluane Lake. They are widening the highway there and straightening it up a bunch. I had no problem this summer driving down and back in my Ranger. They were working on the road between Kluane and the border and it'll be fine now.