Houston TX to Anchorage, AK!

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If it were me taking a vehicle to Alaska, I would be taking a very serious look at what can be done to winterize that vehicle for extremely cold conditions.

I would be sure it has a 0W-30 oil in the sump, the largest highest CCA new battery (some battery manufacturers make batteries with less acid in the electrolyte for hot climates like Texas, so you might want to purchase the new battery in Alaska to insure it has the highest possible concentration of acid in the electrolyte). Add a plug in engine block heater, and a plug in battery heater (both connected to the same plug on the front of the vehicle), (though you might have to wait until it is in Alaska to find a local retailer who stocks and installs the heaters).

You should buy some denatured alcohol from a hardware store and make up a mix of denatured alcohol, and winter washer fluid, to make up a mix that is good below -60 Fahrenheit. Empty the windshield washer tank and run the washer until it is dry. Fill the windshield washer bottle with that mix, then run the windshield washer to get the fluid through the system.

You probably want a lighter gear oil in the rear end so it will not turn into waxes with the consistency of tar when it gets really cold. I would even look into what trany fluid is good in the extreme cold temperatures. A couple of weeks ago there was a thread here on BITOG about a trany fluid that was good in extremely cold temperatures. I am not sure, but I think it was Valvoline Max-Life ATF. You probably should also change the power steering fluid to an ATF that is good in extremely cold temperatures. You might even look into what brake fluid is good in the extreme cold.

I have never been to Alaska, but from what I have seen on a TV show about trucks in Alaska, there are some serious winterizing things to consider when you want a vehicle to be reliable in those kind of extremely cold temperatures.

Your local NAPA store can order a set of winter chains that fit the tire size of your vehicle.

Don't forget to include some ice and snow scrapers to clear the windows.
 
Great replies, all. King Cove is a small town but her apartment would be an almost 20 minute walk. The school district specifically warns incoming teachers in their welcome guide to NOT try and walk it; the weather is one thing but bears are the real danger.

Yes, she plans on teaching there 2-3 years then selling the Crown Vic. We might have to drive it to Seattle to save money. From Houston its a long haul, and the time factor works against us since my work schedule is so busy.

BTW, she is real excited about meeting the Alaskan men. Seems there are 166 men for every 100 females, LOL.
 
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
If it were me taking a vehicle to Alaska, I would be taking a very serious look at what can be done to winterize that vehicle for extremely cold conditions.

While a few things are fairly reasonable, this place is in the Aleutiens and not Fairbanks. I found an FAA webcam of the airport, and the ground is pretty clear of snow. It's close to sea level in town. I looked at the averages, and it it's close to maybe what I would expect for temps in Lake Tahoe - certainly freezing but rarely subzero.

The block heater isn't a bad idea. but not strictly necessary.
 
PS: you probably want to put a set (all 4) of serious winter tires on it like Bridgestone Blizzaks. Also a similar full size spare tire on a full size rim.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
BTW, she is real excited about meeting the Alaskan men. Seems there are 166 men for every 100 females, LOL.

She may have a different opinion on that once she finds out they smell like fish. It's a lot of Alaskan natives, and I'm guessing most of the kids she'll be teaching are that.

It will definitely be an adventure. I don't think the ferry runs that often, so you're kind of stuck there unless you call for an air taxi. If there's a medical emergency it's a long ride to Anchorage.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots...vironmentalists
 
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
PS: you probably want to put a set (all 4) of serious winter tires on it like Bridgestone Blizzaks. Also a similar full size spare tire on a full size rim.

It doesn't sound like this area is that bad. Might be able to get away with good all seasons, but something like the Nokian WRG3 could be a good compromise. It's not as if there's a whole lot of driving, so I doubt she puts on a lot of miles on the car.
 
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
If it were me taking a vehicle to Alaska, I would be taking a very serious look at what can be done to winterize that vehicle for extremely cold conditions.



Here's a graph of the average temperatures; it really is pretty moderate there compared to the interior:

daily_high_and_low_temperature_temperature_f.png
 
Alaska does have areas of extreme cold, but Anchorage is not one of them. I would expect the islands west of there to be similar. It is much colder in, say, North Dakota, Minnesota, even Chicago, than Anchorage.
 
As far as driving there, it is a long trip. The Alaska Highway is decent 2-lane blacktop but remote with long distances between fuel stops. Never ... and I mean never ... fail to fill up at every opportunity, even if you are only part tank down. In the winter months, many fuel stops are closed, and don't expect anything to be open after dark. Do expect to see lots of wildlife.

British Columbia has the highest gas prices in Canada.

DON'T SPEED in BC ... 30kmH over (20 MPH) and your car is impounded for 7 days. Note too that the Speed Limit changes often on BC highways so stay alert ... they like to put speed traps where it changes from 100 KmH to 60, and if you miss it, your car is gone for a week and you will be out about $700 for fines and impound fees, plus you will need to find somewhere to stay for a week.

Don't travel in BC without tire chains. They often will close or restrict highways due to snowfall and if you don't have chains, you won't be allowed to drive through.

I wouldn't hesitate to drive it again, but it might be too much adventure for a single female who hasn't travelled a lot by herself. You know your daughter, so I'll leave that judgement to you, but you need some smarts and common sense to pull off a trip like that.

I would suggest the ferry from Seattle to Anchorage; she can put the car on it, the Northwest Passage is stunningly beautiful from the ship, and take it from there as suggested by others in this thread.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad
Alaska does have areas of extreme cold, but Anchorage is not one of them. I would expect the islands west of there to be similar. It is much colder in, say, North Dakota, Minnesota, even Chicago, than Anchorage.

Yeah. Alaska is a big state, and this is pretty far south. The weather is probably tempered a bit by the surrounding water.

Sounds like a fun place. Still gets freezing temps every year, so maybe an ice scraper and windshield deicer are a good idea. However, a standard coolant mixture and 5W-20 motor is probably enough for the climate. A block heater might be useful, especially considering that there's basically only going to be short trip driving.

Maybe one or two restaurants and a single K-12 school. For that kind of place so far away from everything else, either you grew up there or you want to be there.
 
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad
Alaska does have areas of extreme cold, but Anchorage is not one of them. I would expect the islands west of there to be similar. It is much colder in, say, North Dakota, Minnesota, even Chicago, than Anchorage.

Yeah. Alaska is a big state, and this is pretty far south. The weather is probably tempered a bit by the surrounding water.

Sounds like a fun place. Still gets freezing temps every year, so maybe an ice scraper and windshield deicer are a good idea. However, a standard coolant mixture and 5W-20 motor is probably enough for the climate. A block heater might be useful, especially considering that there's basically only going to be short trip driving.

Maybe one or two restaurants and a single K-12 school. For that kind of place so far away from everything else, either you grew up there or you want to be there.


Yes, Block Heaters are installed in every vehicle sold in Canada, so I forget that you can buy a vehicle without one. Get one installed for sure.
 
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
If it were me taking a vehicle to Alaska, I would be taking a very serious look at what can be done to winterize that vehicle for extremely cold conditions.

I would be sure it has a 0W-30 oil in the sump, the largest highest CCA new battery (some battery manufacturers make batteries with less acid in the electrolyte for hot climates like Texas, so you might want to purchase the new battery in Alaska to insure it has the highest possible concentration of acid in the electrolyte). Add a plug in engine block heater, and a plug in battery heater (both connected to the same plug on the front of the vehicle), (though you might have to wait until it is in Alaska to find a local retailer who stocks and installs the heaters).

You should buy some denatured alcohol from a hardware store and make up a mix of denatured alcohol, and winter washer fluid, to make up a mix that is good below -60 Fahrenheit. Empty the windshield washer tank and run the washer until it is dry. Fill the windshield washer bottle with that mix, then run the windshield washer to get the fluid through the system.

You probably want a lighter gear oil in the rear end so it will not turn into waxes with the consistency of tar when it gets really cold. I would even look into what trany fluid is good in the extreme cold temperatures. A couple of weeks ago there was a thread here on BITOG about a trany fluid that was good in extremely cold temperatures. I am not sure, but I think it was Valvoline Max-Life ATF. You probably should also change the power steering fluid to an ATF that is good in extremely cold temperatures. You might even look into what brake fluid is good in the extreme cold.

I have never been to Alaska, but from what I have seen on a TV show about trucks in Alaska, there are some serious winterizing things to consider when you want a vehicle to be reliable in those kind of extremely cold temperatures.

Your local NAPA store can order a set of winter chains that fit the tire size of your vehicle.

Don't forget to include some ice and snow scrapers to clear the windows.


I was waiting for some recommendations for oil and other fluids. They sell new cars in Alaska. Do you think they have an Alaska specific fluid package? No. But great armchair advice.
 
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
PS: you probably want to put a set (all 4) of serious winter tires on it like Bridgestone Blizzaks. Also a similar full size spare tire on a full size rim.

It doesn't sound like this area is that bad. Might be able to get away with good all seasons, but something like the Nokian WRG3 could be a good compromise. It's not as if there's a whole lot of driving, so I doubt she puts on a lot of miles on the car.


Yea the climate there is very mild. He heard Alaska and turned that into extreme cold, your gear oil is going to turn into wax, better get some Blizzaks and keep a minimum of 3 MRE's in the vehicle at all times for those treacherous trips around the two mile island.

But really, I wouldn't ship a car there. Its too expensive, and then are you going to ship it back? She won't be driving very far, and these communities have their fair share of beaters in the boneyard that can be had for cheap. And they're already acclimated to the extreme cold and include the Alaska fluid package.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad
I would suggest the ferry from Seattle to Anchorage; she can put the car on it, the Northwest Passage is stunningly beautiful from the ship, and take it from there as suggested by others in this thread.

We did that when I was a little kid, albeit from BC. It was pretty amazing.
 
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
BTW, she is real excited about meeting the Alaskan men. Seems there are 166 men for every 100 females, LOL.

She may have a different opinion on that once she finds out they smell like fish. It's a lot of Alaskan natives, and I'm guessing most of the kids she'll be teaching are that.



also, (at least up in St.Marys) basically EVERYONE has some form of VD.....
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad

I wouldn't hesitate to drive it again, but it might be too much adventure for a single female who hasn't traveled a lot by herself. You know your daughter, so I'll leave that judgement to you, but you need some smarts and common sense to pull off a trip like that.


She travels really well. Before she turned 18, she had spent weeks in Wales, Germany, Romania, and even spent the whole summer in Japan while just 16. All this was youth missions.

We only have to ship the car one way. She will sell it after 2-3 years, and probably get a great price for it. We would love to drive it to Seattle or Anchorage, but time constraints due to my work schedule pretty much prevents us from helping her do that, ad she does not want to try that long of a drive alone.

As mentioned, King Cove is actually quite temperate. Switching to 0w-20 instead of 5w-20, and maybe putting snow tires on the Crown Vic is about all the prep thats necessary. Again thank you all for the great replies!
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Johnny2Bad said:
We only have to ship the car one way. She will sell it after 2-3 years, and probably get a great price for it. We would love to drive it to Seattle or Anchorage, but time constraints due to my work schedule pretty much prevents us from helping her do that, ad she does not want to try that long of a drive alone.


Yup this!

Co-worker lived in Girdwood in the early 80s. Had a VW bug! Biggest problems for him were ice buildup on the pedals (they went through the floor) making the car unshiftable/ undriveable. Then he got mud in his generator which interfered with the brushes... he beat on it with his shoe and got it working!

I would first imagine ATVs being the vehicle of choice on a 2 mile island, but they don't sound bear-proof, LOL.

I am sure the school dept looks out for their new hires "from away" and schedules their August arrivals for the week of summertime so they can get acclimated and meet the town before school starts.

PS I would fit the car with a remote start. Snow may be light but you stand a chance of getting more freezing rain/ fog than you've ever seen. It's hard on the doors to yank them open through a layer of ice, so have some way of pre-heating from inside out.
Click to expand...
 
A place with a population of 938? Your daughter will be insane within 3 months.

I'll bet there's no culture of any kind there. She's going to find that the kids are just consumers with television scripts for brains.

I think she's going to a prison without walls.

Phone ahead and see what they're driving on that little spec of land. She might not find any buyer for a sedan in bear and garbage country.
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
As mentioned, King Cove is actually quite temperate. Switching to 0w-20 instead of 5w-20, and maybe putting snow tires on the Crown Vic is about all the prep thats necessary. Again thank you all for the great replies!

Temperate is of course relative. I'm not even sure that 0W-20 is needed since it's not likely to be subzero. A new battery and a battery charger (because of all the short trips) might be a good idea even if a block heater is used. Maybe charge it once a week just to make sure it gets to full charge. A battery warmer might be going too far, but it won't hurt.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
A place with a population of 938? Your daughter will be insane within 3 months.

I'll bet there's no culture of any kind there. She's going to find that the kids are just consumers with television scripts for brains.

I think she's going to a prison without walls.

Phone ahead and see what they're driving on that little spec of land. She might not find any buyer for a sedan in bear and garbage country.

i got curious and apparently the school has sports teams. The travel sounds rather brutal, along with time missed from school. It's also a single pre-K through 12 school, so I'd expect the few teachers they have are expected to teach multiple grade levels.
 
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