Alaska trip 2018

[caseyhoward]

We are planning our driving trip to Alaska in 2018.
I have a question for my experienced Alaskan Travellers From the lower 48.
We are departing Houston Texas the mileage round trip will be 7000 plus. We have a 25 ft Nash weighing in at 6800 lbs. I have a 2009 Silverado with the Duramax with 150,000 miles on it now. I have a maintained at meticulously and it runs like a top. Have any of you pulled from the lower 48 up to Alaska with that mileage on your truck?
Thank you for your response. Happy birthday America.

[Grit_dog]

To the original question, if you'd be comfortable driving x country in the L48 with it, then there's no reason you shouldn't have the same comfort level going north.
Yes the miles are getting up there which means the law of averages is getting less in your favor regarding peripheral stuff. That would be my only concern.
What I've done in the past is read all the Internet forum drivel about my truck and one can get an idea of things that may be suspect. Water pump or hoses or alternator etc.
if you see some common failures around your mileage of particular things, maybe pre emptively replace or at least have the part(s) on hand with you.

[PA12DRVR]

There are others who have taken the road more recently who can chime in, but a couple of comments:

- 287 from Texas to Montana sounds pretty good
- I was born and raised in Alaska but spent the better part of 2004 - 2016 in Ewe-stun....couldn't wait to get out and the even the drive from Houston-Dallas-Amarillo-Denver looked pretty good with some vertical relief in front of me and Ewe-stun behind me. The Rockies were a sight for sore eyes.
- 287 is a good route out of Texas, but (having driven from Seattle or Montana to Alaska more than 20 times), I have to say that I really really like going through BC as a start on the journey North......moreso than coming Northwest from Montana.
- In any case, if you can take the time, go slow through at least the Alaska Highway portions of Canada....that is almost, almost, as scenic as Alaska. Especially Kluane, Destruction Bay, etc.

[caseyhoward]

Thank for all the feedback....

[Traveler7]

Next Summer I may be going on the Alaskan Hwy to Fairbanks and then on to Prudhoe Bay on AK 11 driving my 1977 Dodge B200 Sportsman Campervan with 80,000 miles on it. I've been fixing stuff and remodeling it for almost 3 years now though, so I expect it will do just fine! 😉

[stickdog]

fanrgs wrote:

stickdog wrote:
1977 F150 . . . had replaced the 300 6 banger with a rebuilt 352 windsor.

Interesting swap, since the last year of the 352 was 1966. That engine was old before the truck was even built! Our first car after we got married was a 1964 Ford Galaxy with a 352. Sturdy engines, but really heavy for the HP they put out.

We towed our first trailer to Alaska with a 19-gallon gas tank and no extra 5 gallon cans. Made it fine, but filled up every time we neared 1/2 empty and saw a gas station. Averaged just under 13 MPG over the entire 10,000-mile trip. Most expensive gas on the trip was on the BC part of the Alaska Highway at Muncho Lake.

My mistake 351

[fanrgs]

stickdog wrote:
1977 F150 . . . had replaced the 300 6 banger with a rebuilt 352 windsor.

Interesting swap, since the last year of the 352 was 1966. That engine was old before the truck was even built! Our first car after we got married was a 1964 Ford Galaxy with a 352. Sturdy engines, but really heavy for the HP they put out.

We towed our first trailer to Alaska with a 19-gallon gas tank and no extra 5 gallon cans. Made it fine, but filled up every time we neared 1/2 empty and saw a gas station. Averaged just under 13 MPG over the entire 10,000-mile trip. Most expensive gas on the trip was on the BC part of the Alaska Highway at Muncho Lake.

[caseyhoward]

Definitely will be bringing 3 fuel filters and thinking 4 Five gallon jugs of diesel fuel in the back my truck along with 5 gallons of gas for the generator . Two spare tires for the travel trailer.

[stickdog]

When we were volunteers at the Tetlin NWR visitor center we had a couple good old boys from Arkansas come through with a 1977 F150 pulling 24' cattle trailer with their gear and as a bear proof shelter. Did say they had replaced the 300 6 banger with a rebuilt 352 windsor.

[TxGearhead]

^^^^you're forcing me to tell you the "back" story about 287. LOL
In the 1980's we were driving through Yellowstone. Got stuck in a traffic jam. Sitting there bored and noticed the highway sign: US 287. I asked the wife...I wonder if that is the same as the 287 through Texas? Naaa probably not. (I know, how could there be 2 highways labelled the same.) She looked on the map...yep it's the same one. Well where does it start and finish? Starts in Beaumont or Port Arthur and goes into Montana almost to Canada. You know someday baby I want to drive the whole length of it.
We have driven the worst section in Texas several times....Ft. Worth to Amarillo. Been up and down it in Beaumont and Port Arthur.
So next year is "my 287 trip", just me and Bigfoot. I'll drive about 30 minutes over to Beaumont and point it north.

[fanrgs]

TxGearhead wrote:
I'm thinking about just driving US287 to Choteau MT. Then up through Banff. Wave if you see me.

Good idea. It will take you from southeast Texas to a few miles east of Rocky Mountain National Park, right through Grand Teton and Yellowstone NPs, and to the East Glacier entrance to Glacier NP.

I have been on the Denver to Ft. Worth segment more times than I can count! And I've been on every mile of the rest of it, just not all in one trip. The southern half is pretty desolate (eastern Colorado, Oklahoma Panhandle, southern Wyoming), some is 4-lane (Texas), and some is spectacular (from Lander, WY, north). So, I guess you have to "go through hell to get to heaven."

[TxGearhead]

Might carry an extra fuel filter with you but I would do it.
I'm on the other side of Houston and am wanting to do it in 2018. I'm thinking about just driving US287 to Choteau MT. Then up through Banff. Wave if you see me.

[PA12DRVR]

"Have any of you pulled from the lower 48 up to Alaska with that mileage on your truck?"

My 2009 Silverado with Duramax has just about 100,000 on it. Murphy's law apparently means that all sorts of sensors fail or begin to fail at 100,000. Never had any problem with the iron, just the computer gizmo's.

I drove this truck from Katy to Anchorage in 2011 with circa 75,000 miles on it (limited use since then obviously) and in November of last year pulled from Seattle to Los Anchorage with a 5500# boat behind it. Recently pulled an equipment trailer with circa 10,000#'s from Los Anchorage to McCarthy and back (circa 700 miles only, but a pretty tough road). No problems making either trip....just sensor's needing to be replaced in between.

[Tee_Jay]

Had a Nash about that weight. Got under 7mpg with gas, 13 with diesel.

[CA_Traveler]

Common sense is what makes it a great trip. Meet a camper in Dawson Creek on his 19th day getting his bent 5er hitch repaired. Another dropped one of his TT axles on the road.

Tire condition is likely a bigger concern than mileage.