Need advice for driving Prius to Alaska, please.

Sounds like an awesome trip! Check this out. It's gotta be worth it, even if you only use it a couple of times. Home - Habitents

 

Watch out for moose, and never honk at them.

Oh, and take a case of mosquito repellant.

 

Yes there are several tents that attach to Prius liftback (see AutoAnything.com and Ebay ).
2009 Toyota Prius All Prius models Napier Sportz Dome to Go Tent, Car Tents, Hatchback Tents

They are not Grizzly bear resitstant, I don't think. This guy is famous does the magazines.
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My experience with traveling to Alaska in 2009 was that the AlCan was a nice road. There were a few frost heaves outside of Destruction Bay but there will be signs posted (normally) and you just need to slow down. I was on a motorcycle and found that what they call frost heaves I would call something else as I became airborne on the top and bottomed out the suspension in the dips.

The gravel areas will likely be construction zones and most of the time there will be a pilot car to guide you through at slow speeds. The construction may be finished as it is normally a summer deal with wintertime for creating the need for summer construction.

I camped almost the whole way up and back but found that there are a lot of small motels available, there is just a lot of distance between them.

I imagine that you might see snow and ice at this time of year. I went in June/July and still ran into snow and ice on a couple of days.

I found that the price of gas varied dramatically with my most expensive fill-up at over $7/gallon US.

 

I think it is on EBay

 

I rode a Suzuki V-Strom.

Yes I had more clearance than a Prius.

 

$89 i believe. There is also a video on youtube about how it works. No i havent tried it but I do recommend it from what I saw.

 

Hello Robert. Outside of the states and Canada, I can't think of a worse highway to travel in a prius. There is a reason there is a bumper-sticker that claims "I drove the Alaska Highway and survived". I haven't been on it for a few years now but it was terrible then. Going airborne in my 69 Bronco was common. The folks just drove up this summer from Haines and said it was its usual terrible self (mainly because of construction and frost heaves/trenches).

What time of the year? As mentioned, construction winds down when the snow falls. It is claimed that traveling in the winter is better since the road gets covered in a nice thick and level layer of snow/ice. I would rather have gravel than ice myself.

I would make sure you have two spare tires and lots of fix-a-flat and survival gear. Don't expect cell coverage or even sat coverage. Create a travel plan and let others know about it. Good luck!

Peter

p.s. you didn't teach in Sitka Alaska many years ago did you?

 

I drove cross country in a new car that was 1 year old. I took my time and had fun. The paint became dull and lost it new car shine. Evidently the dirt and sand just damages the clear coat. A body shop offered to repaint but I never did it and eventually sold the car

 

Just thinking out load. You may want to rent a satellite phone. You're guaranteed cell reception
As long as you have a clear path to the sky. Mostly used for cross ocean or where cell service is not available. May want to bring cases of water and some food. Perhaps an extra spare tire and tools. May want to get a gun permit and Have one just in case.

 

Not so up here. Sat phone is very spotty as well as GPS. The satellites are low on the horizon and add in tall mountains, makes for poor reception. In fact my father got rid of his sat phone and my brother simply didn't take his work-provided phone out in the field because it simply didn't work often enough.

 

Say, spiderman
What is the name of the travel book they have for the alcan hwy showing all the maps with roads and gas stops and all the tourist stops and such. It's about 1 1/2 thick has all the info you need? (Milepost Alaska I think!) It is a life saver really! A must have.

 

yup, The Milepost. Highly recommended.

 

Yellowstone anyone

 

Milepost

They have a book or an iPad application


The Milepost - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia