Iditarod 2019 and the Alaska Highway! Deadhorse too? (Well, probably not.) (Anchorage: rental, hotel)

[echo7tango]

It's been a long dream of mine to drive the Alaska Highway. Fortunately for me, my wife doesn't think I'm crazy and she likes my dreams too. What a teammate and what a partner! I am a blessed man, yes. From San Francisco, Anchorage is 3,100 miles away (gMap), so it's a bit of a haul but I've driven longer road trips before. And I grew up in Upstate NY and the northeast so I'm not new to driving in snow and ice.

So my wife and I are thinking about doing this for next March. I'm just starting the planning stages -- mileages and distances and time required, followed by logistics and reservations and all that. We're setting up our Grand Cherokee to be a moving hotel, with gear on the roof, food and drinks inside, and our sleeping quarters inside in the back. Humble abode, to say the least. My wife is a trooper and we've traveled like this before, so it's not new on us.

Initial early ideas are to be in Anchorage for the ceremonial start, be in Willow for the start, and fly with a simple tour outfit to Nome for the finish. Maybe fly to Nome from Fairbanks instead of Anchorage, if that is possible. We want to see and do things while there, and we will go and do and explore according to what the March 2019 weather allows for. We'd love to tag Skagway and Juneau on the way up, if we can. We were there on a cruise and did the White Pass RR. Beautiful. And also Denali, of course, if weather permits.

And that is where Deadhorse comes in. My dream of driving the Alaska Hwy also included the Dalton Hwy, all the way to the Arctic Ocean, but my wife would really like to get a good Iditarod experience and I imagine March isn't the best time to do the Haul Road. So I'd be willing to bag on Deadhorse so she can experience the Iditarod -- meaning, it's either the Iditarod in March or the Dalton during more temperate months, but not both because we have at most 4 weeks. I figure Deadhorse in mid-March isn't possible. Or is it? As I said, I'm very early in my research and this trip is 11 months away. We're quasi-committed to this Alaska road trip, right now.

This is the route I'm considering, 7,300 miles total at least, and probably closer to 8,000 miles by the time we're done.

Anyway, any suggestions and opinions, especially from those that have gone or done or who live there or along the route, are most welcome. Thanks!

[Frostnip]

I've driven the Dalton Highway a few times, all the way to Deadhorse once. Just as a safety issue alone, I personally really wouldn't go in winter in a jeep alone (i.e. without a professional). It's a sufficiently challenging drive in beautiful summer weather. It wasn't built for personal vehicles and arctic winter is potentially deadly.

Honestly, it's a beautiful drive, but not a very enjoyable one on a moment-prominent basis, and offers not much (other than muskox) that you wouldn't see as well or better on the Glenn/Richardson Highway route from Delta (end of the Alaska highway) to Anchorage. Now that drive is IMO breathtaking, offers a better chance of seeing wildlife, and is actually maintained for regular drivers. I'd suggest just skipping the Dalton Highway, or maybe just going as far as the Arctic Circle marker to say that you have, if you visit Fairbanks

I can't open your map link, but you know Skagway and Juneau aren't on the road system, right?

If you're thinking of doing the Iditarod finish in Nome you'll need to book lodging super early and flights very early, just so you know.

[Music_Man]

Get a copy of the Milepost and get familiar with all the highways.

[AKStafford]

Your food and drink in the Jeep will freeze when the outside temperature in March through Canada is -20 degrees. And you'll freeze trying to sleep in the car...
I've done the drive in the winter and we've always driven it straight through, only stopping for gas.
I think you are severely underestimating just how cold it'll be.
In the winter, the park road at Denali National Park is only open for the first three miles: https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvis...activities.htm
I'd skip the drive and just fly up. It'll be cheaper. Save the drive for a summer trip.

[mitgreb]

After the start of the race you need a snowmachine or an Airplane.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Frostnip

I've driven the Dalton Highway a few times, all the way to Deadhorse once. Just as a safety issue alone, I personally really wouldn't go in winter in a jeep alone (i.e. without a professional). It's a sufficiently challenging drive in beautiful summer weather. It wasn't built for personal vehicles and arctic winter is potentially deadly.

Honestly, it's a beautiful drive, but not a very enjoyable one on a moment-prominent basis, and offers not much (other than muskox) that you wouldn't see as well or better on the Glenn/Richardson Highway route from Delta (end of the Alaska highway) to Anchorage. Now that drive is IMO breathtaking, offers a better chance of seeing wildlife, and is actually maintained for regular drivers. I'd suggest just skipping the Dalton Highway, or maybe just going as far as the Arctic Circle marker to say that you have, if you visit Fairbanks

I can't open your map link, but you know Skagway and Juneau aren't on the road system, right?

If you're thinking of doing the Iditarod finish in Nome you'll need to book lodging super early and flights very early, just so you know.

The Dalton is a beautiful but rough drive in SUMMER. I've driven it from Fairbanks to Deadhorse in late August. Apres bugs, timed for fall foliage and fat glossy cervids flaunting their new headgear. Once you get to Deadhorse there's not much to see other than the closed road entry to the BP oilfields. You could dabble a toe in the Beaufort Sea just to say you did it, but you won't feel the need to dawdle! Wouldn't drive it before May. In winter it will be dark, cold, almost colorless grey/dirt/white if there's a snowpack, blank ice fogs too. Slick if the weather is nice, downright clenched-knuckle frightening if its not. You won't be enjoying the scenery, you'll be staring at the road. Worrying about the big rigs seeing you, getting around you or vice versa, etc. If its wet in summer you'll be coated with mud and gravel. You'll need to prepare your vehicle well and it will bear the marks. There are rental companies in Fairbanks that offer outfitted vehicles for the drive if you care to spare yours. The Denali Highway has some nice scenery too, but depending on how long its been since the last grader passed quite tough on suspension and windshields.

I get it...to say you've been all the way is fun, but Frostnip is right....you'll see more iconic wildlife, forests, views of mountains, glaciers, and rivers on the Glenn/Richardson Hwy if that's what you are after. Actually, the southern portion of the Dalton north of Fairbanks, through Coldfoot and over Atigun Pass has some nice vistas. Once you get down on the coastal plain it gets somewhat...um...shall we say less inspiring? Except if you are lucky enough to spot muskox that is. Moody surly little beasts swishing their skirts.

[AlaskaErik]

The Iditarod is at the beginning of March. That means driving up late February and early March. That is not the time to be driving the highway and sleeping in your GC. Temps will still be below zero. Even now temps can still be in the single digits. You really need to rethink your plans. If seeing the Iditarod is important, stay in motels while driving up the highway. There are plenty that are open all year around. You might want to start making reservations for Nome right now, but don't be surprised if everything is booked up already. Even if you find a place, expect to pay a premium price for a room around the anticipated arrival time of the front runners. Don't try to go cheap in the winter. It could literally cost you your life.

[Frostnip]

I should clarify that the Al-Can winter drive is reasonably doable in a winterized jeep in good shape if you're not on a tight timetable - it's the Dalton that's a big nope in March IMO.

I agree with everyone else that you're not going to want to sleep in your vehicle, though. The amount you'd spend on gas letting it run to not freeze, you almost might as well get a room anyway, and then you don't have to worry about hypothermia or carbon monoxide.

Also, bear in mind that the days will still be on the short side, and night driving is inadvisable through much of the trip because of wildlife, so be sure you're allocating enough time to allow for that.

[Metlakatla]

Skagway is on the road system; it's a little over 100 miles from Whitehorse.

[Frostnip]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Skagway is on the road system; it's a little over 100 miles from Whitehorse.

Derp, I always mix up Skagway and Sitka. I think it's because I've only ever been to Skagway by boat.