My wife and I are planning a trip from Iowa to Prudhoe Bay Alaska. It's a roughly 3900 mile trip. I'm wondering what mods people would do to their 200 series. I have a 2018 that is stock other then an ARB summit bumper.
Mods for trip to Prudhoe bay
- Thread starter 80seriesnut
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You may want to consider some sort of PPF/rhino hide stuff for your hood/front bumper. IIRC, the Alcan highway has a lot of bigrigs pulling all sorts of loads on gravel roads and kick all sorts of sh*t up in transit. If you don't care, maybe just make sure your insurance covers new windshields.
Otherwise, you're set!
Credit card and condoms is all anyone needs.
This guy road trips!
Never made this drive but have read up on it and it sounds like it’s hell on earth for windshields.
Not quite dead horse but this dude did Houston to Fairbanks a few years ago.
When will you be going? After mid September some of the shops/gas stations close down. It can snow during practically any month of the year, and there was a bit of snow in the Arctic a couple days ago. However, true winter conditions aren't likely to persist until October. I suggest no mods, provided the 200 can go 240 miles on a tank of gas.
They’re just rock chips. And craters. The windshields on most cars driven outside of SE or Anchorage, including my 60 and 100, have decades of craters but they survive.
Ive seen people tape cardboard all over their vehicles for the trip.
I usually carry a 5 gallon fuel bladder i bought off Amazon as a little piece of mind.
This. I drove a stock F150 up there without issue. This F150 was a Prudhoe Bay fleet vehicle with over 50,000 slope miles on it.
No really a mod but from everyone I read they all say bring at least 2 spare tires
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Exactly as others have said. I would just make sure you have 5 solid tires, comfort/familiarity changing a flat off a paved road, and a once over from your shop of choice.
In addition I personally would pack my usual stuff:
In addition I personally would pack my usual stuff:
- Water/food (for me that’s a minimum of 2 gallons of water and some protein bars or something)
- Garmin inreach or equivalent, plus GMRS, and ideally paper maps of where you’re headed, if it’s even vaguely remote
- Maxtrax, tow strap, shackles (probably soft)
- Portable jump pack, with additional cords to charge it and your ideally to charge your phone if your car battery dies
- Basic tools, shovel, headlamp
- Sturdy backpack, real gloves, real boots
- Cash
That used to be the truth when tires were crap. But now, one spare and a patch kit will work, especially if your tire is a weird size.
My wife and I began a couple of months ago discussing making this trip to Deadhorse (Prudhoe) next year. It will be 3900+ miles one way. We will have about 30 days for the trip. I have been doing some research on what is necessary so I find this thread very helpful.
I wish I had an aftermarket rear bumper for an extra spare and to hang some fuel cans on. Also researching windshield, headlamp and front protection. Many years ago, one could get a screen made out of 1/4 inch wire mesh that would fit over the windshield. Haven't seen that for years. I do have the Heritage roof rack thingy, which will help.
The big problem is the wife only wants to stay in a motel / hotel, no camping. Well, that might be a problem. It's not like the Dalton is lined with Holiday Inns and Denny's. I'm also a bit leery of the crossing into Canada. Some people I know say it's no problem, where others have told me it is a nightmare. Thing is, there are some places along the way I really want to visit. Last time I was in Canada was 1986. Show up at the border, show identification and you were on your way. Everybody I met were as nice as they could be.
A friend told me the best time of year is maybe to last week of August into September as the bugs are not as bad and it can get dark enough at night to get some sleep. Three years ago when we were in Fairbanks, (July) it didn't get that dark and the skeeters were awful.
Need to update my copy of the Milepost.
I wish I had an aftermarket rear bumper for an extra spare and to hang some fuel cans on. Also researching windshield, headlamp and front protection. Many years ago, one could get a screen made out of 1/4 inch wire mesh that would fit over the windshield. Haven't seen that for years. I do have the Heritage roof rack thingy, which will help.
The big problem is the wife only wants to stay in a motel / hotel, no camping. Well, that might be a problem. It's not like the Dalton is lined with Holiday Inns and Denny's. I'm also a bit leery of the crossing into Canada. Some people I know say it's no problem, where others have told me it is a nightmare. Thing is, there are some places along the way I really want to visit. Last time I was in Canada was 1986. Show up at the border, show identification and you were on your way. Everybody I met were as nice as they could be.
A friend told me the best time of year is maybe to last week of August into September as the bugs are not as bad and it can get dark enough at night to get some sleep. Three years ago when we were in Fairbanks, (July) it didn't get that dark and the skeeters were awful.
Need to update my copy of the Milepost.
I drive back and forth to Canada all the time. Never once have I had an issue. Just don't take any handguns, beef products, or recreational drugs and you should be good.
Our friends cross the border on trips a few times a year and don't have many issues.
The last time I crossed the border on a trip the US border crossing also didn't allow certain foods (vegetables, fruits, chicken, etc.) and having a mud covered vehicle can be a problem (we hit the carwash and sprayed off as much as we could). People were saying because it may carry invasive species? I don't know.
The one thing any 200 needs for long trips is more gas. I have the small LRA (12.5) and frequently wish I had bought the 24 gallon one. I can't speak to the Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay, but I've been on a trip where I used the stock tank, the LRA and two jerry cans between gas stations (Swisha Loop) - and needed every drop of it.
The last time I crossed the border on a trip the US border crossing also didn't allow certain foods (vegetables, fruits, chicken, etc.) and having a mud covered vehicle can be a problem (we hit the carwash and sprayed off as much as we could). People were saying because it may carry invasive species? I don't know.
The one thing any 200 needs for long trips is more gas. I have the small LRA (12.5) and frequently wish I had bought the 24 gallon one. I can't speak to the Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay, but I've been on a trip where I used the stock tank, the LRA and two jerry cans between gas stations (Swisha Loop) - and needed every drop of it.
One thing that we discovered is that the “up the Alcan Highway and down the Stewart-Cassiar” circuit offers better views on the Stewart-Cassiar than the other way around. The cinnamon rolls at Tetsa River Campground are the world’s best and get gas at Toad River rather than Muncho Lake. The Beringa Museum in Whitehorse is a must see.
You really don't need to update Milepost. I've always been fine with an older one. If you're staying indoors then that timeframe would probably be advisable. Outdoors it can get kinda chilly. I remember experiencing freezing temps while camping near Fairbanks in mid August.
I'd prioritize visiting other places in Canada and Alaska over Prudhoe. If you end up with enough time for that trip then go for it.