Va to AK to Mexico and back

[BWSracing]

Hey guys, this is the first serious trip my wife and I are doing. First off how foolish am I to think we can do this trip in 7 weeks? We plan to leave Va in mid November and return to Va in early January. The wife and with the dogs have spent around 30 days in the camper in the last two years and I have spent another 70ish days in the last two year by myself. The longest trip we have done is 5 days. I am making some significant changes to our rig to support that kind of time away and hope to be able to stay “off grid” for 6-7 days limited by propane “winter months” we will take northern route to anchorage and then wander south to Baja and then a zigzag pattern back across the county home. We have no desire to do anything east of the Mississippi as that’s “home turf”

Advice, recommendations, concerns, must see’s and do’s/don’t welcome!

Here is the current set up.


New additions are a custom flat bed with tons of storage, front bumper with winch, onboard air, front LSD, new tires (same size), jerry can storage, CB radio, extra propane tanks, 270 awning, complete fluid/filter service and some items I’m forgetting.

Thanks all!

 

[shortbus4x4]

Get some good snow tires.

 

[BWSracing]

Get some good snow tires.

Ive been trying to figure that out. I know the Toyo R/Ts I currently have are not great and am looking at the Nitto ridge grapplers. I’m having trouble finding tires with appropriate weight rating in my size (37x12.50x20) I may be able to use a 37x13.5x20.

 

[BWSracing]

Looks like a shortened timeframe will most likely nix Mexico to just SoCal.

 

[BWSracing]

So we’re leaving November 20th and don’t have much of a route planed yet. “First” main destination is Girdwood AK, so we’re looking for a leisurely route there. Then down do San Francisco then back east.

 

[Desert Runner]

Plan for long long seat time. Leaving so late in the season means it will be hit or miss with weather. A couple of years ago, i did Canada and Alaska, then back. Started the first of December out of Michigan and up thru Sarnia Canada(port of entry). Snow everywhere, but roads clear. West on the 5? to Winnipeg then west . The next morning heard that a giant ice storm shutdown the city down the next day. Turned north in Alberta towards Calgary and North while a big storm was racing east from Vancouver and Seattle areas. No problem thru the Yukon and into Alaska. The countryside was snowy, but the roads were clear, but iced. BE CAREFUL - we only drove during the day (animal strikes at night-elk, caribou, and MOOSE)
We drove south to Vancouver and then east over the Canadian Rockies and back to the USA in western Montana the end of December . That drive east from Vancouver a giant storm was right on our tail. So we missed winter storms, but they were always a concern. You can't plan for smooth sailing. Most of the heavy duty weather starts in January...but don't think you can be so lucky.

 

[BWSracing]

Plan for long long seat time. Leaving so late in the season means it will be hit or miss with weather. A couple of years ago, i did Canada and Alaska, then back. Started the first of December out of Michigan and up thru Sarnia Canada(port of entry). Snow everywhere, but roads clear. West on the 5? to Winnipeg then west . The next morning heard that a giant ice storm shutdown the city down the next day. Turned north in Alberta towards Calgary and North while a big storm was racing east from Vancouver and Seattle areas. No problem thru the Yukon and into Alaska. The countryside was snowy, but the roads were clear, but iced. BE CAREFUL - we only drove during the day (animal strikes at night-elk, caribou, and MOOSE)
We drove south to Vancouver and then east over the Canadian Rockies and back to the USA in western Montana the end of December . That drive east from Vancouver a giant storm was right on our tail. So we missed winter storms, but they were always a concern. You can't plan for smooth sailing. Most of the heavy duty weather starts in January...but don't think you can be so lucky.

Wise words. We started our trip a few days behind but are currently in Iowa just north or a storm. We will head south a bit tomorrow/Monday after the storm is done and then over to CO. North bound after that and we will watch the weather constantly.

I'll update with pictures and information as we go. you can also follow us on instagram "bigberthasadventures"

 

[BWSracing]

Wise words. We started our trip a few days behind but are currently in Iowa just north or a storm. We will head south a bit tomorrow/Monday after the storm is done and then over to CO. North bound after that and we will watch the weather constantly.

I'll update with pictures and information as we go. you can also follow us on instagram "bigberthasadventures"

 

[BWSracing]

here is a picture of our first campsite

 

[smlobx]

Good luck with your adventure!
I hope you have a good heater. We spent a cold weekend at Expo East recently and was glad that we had plenty of propane.

 

[Desert Runner]

Good luck with your adventure!
I hope you have a good heater. We spent a cold weekend at Expo East recently and was glad that we had plenty of propane.

(plus this OP pic.)

I forgot to mention to add the following before you left, if you have not already done this.........A block heater, with a 50' extension cord, and a battery heater. Once you get down consistently to 10 degree mornings, your battery is going to be challenged every day. Up in Canada/Alaska, many hotels, motels, apt's, etc, have power poles in front of car stalls. A emergency jump box, kept charged and out of the cold, and accessible, is also good insurance.

Not sure what your split on roughening it/primitive camping vs motel sleeping on this trip will entail. My hats off to you for such a trip during this part of the year.

My biggest recommendation is DAY DRIVING.........No nighttime driving if at all possible. Plan to be-camped at your days end goal around dark. When you get further north....FUEL UP every place it is available, regardless if you think you need it or not. Keep the tank 'topped-off' when fuel is available. It is the off-season and many places are closed for the winter. Deer, than later Elk, Caribou, and Moose will be out. Saw all 4 in the early morning hours, plus the iced roads. In the Yukon, Buffalo are on the roads for the salt, and the slightly warmer road beds.

 

[BWSracing]

(plus this OP pic.)

I forgot to mention to add the following before you left, if you have not already done this.........A block heater, with a 50' extension cord, and a battery heater. Once you get down consistently to 10 degree mornings, your battery is going to be challenged every day. Up in Canada/Alaska, many hotels, motels, apt's, etc, have power poles in front of car stalls. A emergency jump box, kept charged and out of the cold, and accessible, is also good insurance.

Not sure what your split on roughening it/primitive camping vs motel sleeping on this trip will entail. My hats off to you for such a trip during this part of the year.

My biggest recommendation is DAY DRIVING.........No nighttime driving if at all possible. Plan to be-camped at your days end goal around dark. When you get further north....FUEL UP every place it is available, regardless if you think you need it or not. Keep the tank 'topped-off' when fuel is available. It is the off-season and many places are closed for the winter. Deer, than later Elk, Caribou, and Moose will be out. Saw all 4 in the early morning hours, plus the iced roads. In the Yukon, Buffalo are on the roads for the salt, and the slightly warmer road beds.

Thanks for the info. We will not if I at all possible stay in anything but the the camper. Partially because I’m stubborn and partially because our two dogs that are traveling with us won’t be let In most places.

We do have a large diesel tank as well as two emergency diesel cans, but I will make sure to keep her topped off.

I have a gasoline generator if it really gets cold. I can not only charge the batteries in the truck but could worst case pull a battery from the camper and use it to jump start. I do also have a lithium jump starter and will make sure if it’s super cold to plug in the block heater into the camper in the mornings before we start.

Main concern from the wife is the main water tank freezing, we keep the heater on as much as possible since we have have four propane tanks I’m ok being a little free with the propane consumption.

We do try to limit night driving, but so far we are still 1-2 hours past sunset most nights. Trying to work on that.

Here is our campsite from this morning jn CO