Traveling the ALCAN in Winter
My wife and I have traveled the ALCAN several times in the summer and twice by auto in the winter, but never in an RV in the winter. Our plan is to leave Alaska in early October and return in January...
Forum Discussion
After Action Report - - 5 months on the road in the winter
27 February 2015
First, I want to thank all contributors for their most helpful suggestions. You have contributed greatly to our planning that resulted in a great winter RV experience and safe travels these past 5 months.
I thought I might give you all a run-down on our winter trip, what worked and what didn't work for us, and the changes/upgrades we are planning.
After considering all of your recommendations and suggestions, before departing in October, we modified a 2013 Chalet Class C that we bought from Great Alaskan Holidays in Anchorage. The unit was a 26QR, 27’ 11’’ long, rear queen size bed and dinette slide-out on a Ford E450 chassis with a Triton 10 cyl 6.8 liter gasoline engine. I glued aluminum-sided bubble insulation to the basement walls and ceiling beneath the bedroom, cut panels from the same material to fit all windows, and installed insulated inserts into the two air vents (bathroom and overhead bunk areas). I also had an engine block heater installed and the 25 foot shoreline power cable replaced with 40 feet of 10 gauge Arctic Flex cable from Polar Wire in Anchorage. I had a full service oil change (blended synthetic) and lube done also before we left. I purchased and used a window/windshield cover which kept the blowing snow and frost that we encounter at Laird Hot Springs over night off the windshield and cab door windows. We winterized the fresh and grey water systems and carried water in two 3-gallon containers stored in the shower area which provided all water needs for the dog and our coffee and personal requirements. We used paper plates/bowls and plasticware to avoid the need for washing dishes. We installed a mattress heating pad to the bed and turned it on for thirty minutes on the cold nights before retiring. Also, I installed a small room dehumidifier to remove moisture when stationary. We carried an additional 1500 watt AC space heater for additional heat when generator was on or plugged in to shore power source to conserve propane requirements of the furnace. On our way home, we stopped at the factory in Indiana and had an Onspot Automatic Chain system installed on the RV…. not cheap, but the most effective and useful tire chain system I have ever used. The chains deploy with compressed air and are retracted by spring tension. It is the same system used by our school district and emergency vehicles here in the Mat Su Valley.
We also added a few upgrades not related to the winter season: a small Keurig coffee maker, a 12 volt DC flat screen TV with DVD play in the bedroom, a ScanGauge attached to the engine code reader socket, and a very loud bully horn. In every location we parked in a town or city, we were able to pick up direct digital tv stations varying in number from one to more than 15 in the larger cities. The ScanGauge allowed me to set and monitor 4 of 24 engine measurements simultaneously. This device let me monitor outside air temp (actually, air inlet temp to the engine), engine water temps, fuel consumption rates and particularly helpful, kilometers per hour while in Canada. The large air compressor that is installed with the Onspot Chain system also provides air for the bully horn and a quick disconnect extension fitting for an additional hose for servicing all tires, RV and trailer when towing.
The trip went well with minor issues. First event was the loss of all radiator fluid 50 miles north of Ft. St. John on the way south. The ScanGauge showed the temp rise well before the “check engine light” came on. A faulty gasket pinched during the installation of the block heater gave out. Thanks to a couple of Canadians with a cell phone booster in their truck, we were able to contact AAA and got towed into Fort Motors in Ft. St. John for repairs. We were back on the trail south two days later after block heater replacement at the Ford dealer. During a fuel stop on the way home in February, I noticed the left rear outboard tire was low, but hadn’t yet purchased the extra air hose to service it. A short stop and inspection at a truck tire service facility in South Dakota revealed a loose valve extension. Simple and quick fix. Later that day and settling in for the night, we noticed that the furnace was no longer providing heat. Checking the troubleshooting guide, I suspected that we were demanding heat faster than the recently filled tank could vaporize due to the negative 5 degree temps. So I cranked down the thermostat. These attempts provided no relief so we preheated the mattress, cranked up the space heater, added two more quilts and spent the night with relative comfort at temps above zero. Water in the dog dish froze that night. In the morning, I began to wonder if the guy who filled the propane tank the day before had not re-opened the valve to the appliances. Sure enough…. the valve was closed. Surprise.. Surprise… back comes the furnace heat as soon as I opened the valve! Wish I had thought of that the night before! We arrived in Dawson Creek a couple of days before the temperatures warmed up and could not dump our black water tank, the only one not winterized. We flushed with -50 degree RV antifreeze, but this did not prevent the dump valve from freezing,,. it wouldn’t budge. The manager at Tubby’s RV Park suggested we add a box or two of common table salt to the tank, drive around a bit and try again. Tubby’s has a truck and RV indoor wash station, so I sprayed the dump valve with warm water for 10 minutes to help the thaw. Back to the camping spot and another try to dump the tank was successful. We added two boxes of salt and a gallon of RV antifreeze to the empty tank and had no additional problems with that system in spite of the low outside temperatures.
We are home and all is well. Three minor delays: lost all air in one rear tire in South Dakota turned out to be a loose valve extension, frozen dump valve, freezing rain when leaving Dawson Creek and couldn’t keep windshield clear so stopped for the day/night in Ft. Saint John, then the left trailer tire went flat in Beaver Creek just short of the Alaska border but got the spare mounted in twenty minutes. Most of the road was covered with ice and snow so we took it easy… five to ten mph under the limits. Got home Tues the 17th of February. That was 4 nights on the AllaskaHighway. …. Ft St John, Toad River, Whitehorse and Tok. Considering conditions, that’s not bad time at all. We monitored the weather at quite a few key locations and therefore were able to “scoot” up the Alaska Highway during a week when temps warmed above those frigid periods of negative temperatures.
There are a few things we’d like to add for convenience: a cell phone signal booster for the RV, a heated gate valve for the black water tank, an additional 110 AC outlet at the foot of the bed for the dehumidifier, a “keeper” for the dinette table latch which always released the table when we ran over those chuck holes and bumps we couldn’t avoid, 12 VDC Led light bulbs to replace the standard bulbs, and better mounting “shock” absorbers for the AC generator to dampen the sound and vibration when running. I am not sure the last modification is possible, but we did quite a bit of dry camping and we ran the generator all night (consuming about .5 gallons per hour). I had some difficulty falling asleep on those nights due to the din of the generator.
Would we do it again? Absolutely. Good planning, careful preparation, and common sense can provide an enjoyable and certainly memorable winter RV experience in Alaska ….. even on the ALCAN.
Bill & Peg
Wasilla, Alaska
27 February 2015
First, I want to thank all contributors for their most helpful suggestions. You have contributed greatly to our planning that resulted in a great winter RV experience and safe travels these past 5 months.
I thought I might give you all a run-down on our winter trip, what worked and what didn't work for us, and the changes/upgrades we are planning.
After considering all of your recommendations and suggestions, before departing in October, we modified a 2013 Chalet Class C that we bought from Great Alaskan Holidays in Anchorage. The unit was a 26QR, 27’ 11’’ long, rear queen size bed and dinette slide-out on a Ford E450 chassis with a Triton 10 cyl 6.8 liter gasoline engine. I glued aluminum-sided bubble insulation to the basement walls and ceiling beneath the bedroom, cut panels from the same material to fit all windows, and installed insulated inserts into the two air vents (bathroom and overhead bunk areas). I also had an engine block heater installed and the 25 foot shoreline power cable replaced with 40 feet of 10 gauge Arctic Flex cable from Polar Wire in Anchorage. I had a full service oil change (blended synthetic) and lube done also before we left. I purchased and used a window/windshield cover which kept the blowing snow and frost that we encounter at Laird Hot Springs over night off the windshield and cab door windows. We winterized the fresh and grey water systems and carried water in two 3-gallon containers stored in the shower area which provided all water needs for the dog and our coffee and personal requirements. We used paper plates/bowls and plasticware to avoid the need for washing dishes. We installed a mattress heating pad to the bed and turned it on for thirty minutes on the cold nights before retiring. Also, I installed a small room dehumidifier to remove moisture when stationary. We carried an additional 1500 watt AC space heater for additional heat when generator was on or plugged in to shore power source to conserve propane requirements of the furnace. On our way home, we stopped at the factory in Indiana and had an Onspot Automatic Chain system installed on the RV…. not cheap, but the most effective and useful tire chain system I have ever used. The chains deploy with compressed air and are retracted by spring tension. It is the same system used by our school district and emergency vehicles here in the Mat Su Valley.
We also added a few upgrades not related to the winter season: a small Keurig coffee maker, a 12 volt DC flat screen TV with DVD play in the bedroom, a ScanGauge attached to the engine code reader socket, and a very loud bully horn. In every location we parked in a town or city, we were able to pick up direct digital tv stations varying in number from one to more than 15 in the larger cities. The ScanGauge allowed me to set and monitor 4 of 24 engine measurements simultaneously. This device let me monitor outside air temp (actually, air inlet temp to the engine), engine water temps, fuel consumption rates and particularly helpful, kilometers per hour while in Canada. The large air compressor that is installed with the Onspot Chain system also provides air for the bully horn and a quick disconnect extension fitting for an additional hose for servicing all tires, RV and trailer when towing.
The trip went well with minor issues. First event was the loss of all radiator fluid 50 miles north of Ft. St. John on the way south. The ScanGauge showed the temp rise well before the “check engine light” came on. A faulty gasket pinched during the installation of the block heater gave out. Thanks to a couple of Canadians with a cell phone booster in their truck, we were able to contact AAA and got towed into Fort Motors in Ft. St. John for repairs. We were back on the trail south two days later after block heater replacement at the Ford dealer. During a fuel stop on the way home in February, I noticed the left rear outboard tire was low, but hadn’t yet purchased the extra air hose to service it. A short stop and inspection at a truck tire service facility in South Dakota revealed a loose valve extension. Simple and quick fix. Later that day and settling in for the night, we noticed that the furnace was no longer providing heat. Checking the troubleshooting guide, I suspected that we were demanding heat faster than the recently filled tank could vaporize due to the negative 5 degree temps. So I cranked down the thermostat. These attempts provided no relief so we preheated the mattress, cranked up the space heater, added two more quilts and spent the night with relative comfort at temps above zero. Water in the dog dish froze that night. In the morning, I began to wonder if the guy who filled the propane tank the day before had not re-opened the valve to the appliances. Sure enough…. the valve was closed. Surprise.. Surprise… back comes the furnace heat as soon as I opened the valve! Wish I had thought of that the night before! We arrived in Dawson Creek a couple of days before the temperatures warmed up and could not dump our black water tank, the only one not winterized. We flushed with -50 degree RV antifreeze, but this did not prevent the dump valve from freezing,,. it wouldn’t budge. The manager at Tubby’s RV Park suggested we add a box or two of common table salt to the tank, drive around a bit and try again. Tubby’s has a truck and RV indoor wash station, so I sprayed the dump valve with warm water for 10 minutes to help the thaw. Back to the camping spot and another try to dump the tank was successful. We added two boxes of salt and a gallon of RV antifreeze to the empty tank and had no additional problems with that system in spite of the low outside temperatures.
We are home and all is well. Three minor delays: lost all air in one rear tire in South Dakota turned out to be a loose valve extension, frozen dump valve, freezing rain when leaving Dawson Creek and couldn’t keep windshield clear so stopped for the day/night in Ft. Saint John, then the left trailer tire went flat in Beaver Creek just short of the Alaska border but got the spare mounted in twenty minutes. Most of the road was covered with ice and snow so we took it easy… five to ten mph under the limits. Got home Tues the 17th of February. That was 4 nights on the AllaskaHighway. …. Ft St John, Toad River, Whitehorse and Tok. Considering conditions, that’s not bad time at all. We monitored the weather at quite a few key locations and therefore were able to “scoot” up the Alaska Highway during a week when temps warmed above those frigid periods of negative temperatures.
There are a few things we’d like to add for convenience: a cell phone signal booster for the RV, a heated gate valve for the black water tank, an additional 110 AC outlet at the foot of the bed for the dehumidifier, a “keeper” for the dinette table latch which always released the table when we ran over those chuck holes and bumps we couldn’t avoid, 12 VDC Led light bulbs to replace the standard bulbs, and better mounting “shock” absorbers for the AC generator to dampen the sound and vibration when running. I am not sure the last modification is possible, but we did quite a bit of dry camping and we ran the generator all night (consuming about .5 gallons per hour). I had some difficulty falling asleep on those nights due to the din of the generator.
Would we do it again? Absolutely. Good planning, careful preparation, and common sense can provide an enjoyable and certainly memorable winter RV experience in Alaska ….. even on the ALCAN.
Bill & Peg
Wasilla, Alaska
