How is the Alcan in the month of April. I need to drive north and wondering what I am getting into?

Usually good but still subject to snow. Thaws should be taking most ice off the surface. Lotsa daylight!

Tourists are on the road yet.

Enjoy

OK, so I don't need to be too worried then.

The Alcan is a good road mostly paved. I've driven it many times and in all seasons without worry.
I don't care for January trips as it's a lot of dark hours. April should be good.....providing there's not
some weather event.

The Alcan has been straightened a lot over the decades and the really crooked part is an hour NW of
Fort Nelson but that 100 mile stretch also contains a great diversity of wildlife to enjoy. Watch out for bison
from Muncho to Watson lake.

The stretch from Kluane Lake to Beaver Creek is muskeg and permafrost so the surface will have
many frost heaves that require you slow down especially if pulling a trailer.

Towns are about 300 miles apart so fuel up frequently. Watson Lake has about 8 gas pumps but only two
are functional most times. Dining sux for the most part. Usually there's a decent breakfast at Toad River.

Decent rooms are available in Fort Nelson but Watson Lake is sketchy.

If you go downtown in Whitehorse watch out for the LBGQxyz folks.

Have a safe trip!

Oh......fuel is usually much cheaper in Tok than in Delta or Glenallen.

As Vern said, once outside ft Nelson headed to toad that road gets real curvy. When I went through in nov 2016 they were working on a section of it to straighten it out. Will also add toad river has great sandwiches for lunch.. Watson lake is an overpriced place, usually get fuel and hit the grocery store and roll out to Whitehorse.

Don't get the "chicken burger" at toad river.

Did it end of last march, got to the place April 9 I think maybe.

Since we hit ice in Ft Nelson and pulling a trailer and the studded tires I bought the rims didn't fit, we sat in town a few days to let it thaw. Other than that it was no big deal whatsoever. Ran up from TX over to NM, up through UT etc... crossed Alberta I don't recall where and headed on up.

Talked to a guy just came off the Cassiar and said same, a bit slow at times but no big deal.

PS if not for the heavy full slide in camper and pulling the airboat and it had a load in it, we would have just kept driving, slowly at times...

Get a cinnamon roll at Johnson's Crossing and you won't have to eat again until Fast Eddie's in Tok.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I just did it a month ago ...hains jct to tok is like riding a saw horse down a hill... the rest was good to go .

Typically one of the worst parts of the road IMO, unless there's road construction..

did they EVER finish the bridge on the Chistochina? I used to tell people it must be like "the Ghost and the Darkness" , where grizzlies instead of lions were eating the workers.

When did you leave Alaska 1979?

That is funny

Riding the TW 200?

No, but I'm hauling it up there!

Looks like I'll be headed north about the 15th or 16th

Wrenching for the summer again?

May-November

I drove it south in April, back in 1986! Total trip miles 3300, 3 1/2 days. Plowed and solid ice forever! Survived 3 days on a Fast Eddies pizza from Tok. The Mt. mcKinley.

It will be earlier than the worst conditions, but expect a lot of ice. Studs should be on when you cross the border. It is very good compared to the old days.

What are studs?

Metal inserts for tires to reduce slipping on ice...

What my wife calls me.

If you have good tread depth on all terrain tires and don’t drive like a maniac, you should be ok.

Link to pic

I really like his wife's seeing-eye-dog...

Studded tires! read this!
https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/studded-winter-tires

My question was a little tongue-in-cheek as I thought studs were kind of outdated technology.

More and more drivers are choosing Blizzaks or similar tires, but there are still a lot of studded tires sold every fall.

I have two sets of tires, studded and summer, for each vehicle.

When I lived in Fairbanks, there was very little ice “in the old days” and I thought studs were silly. On the KP I rely on studded tires in winter.

I have to make the drive from Fbks to Homer as well. I'm hoping ice will be most done on Kodiak by May 1st. Might just buy some high-end snow tires. I am having a heck of a time finding any though. This truck has 15" wheels. Very slim pickings for 31-10.5-15s. I am trying to get some Dodge Ram take-offs that are 17" with a much better selection of tires available.

You certainly will not need studs on Kodiak, but the trip up will be easier with studs. IMO&E studs are the best and by a serious margin.

I never needed them I driving that hwy in October, November and December and didn't have studded tires.. when he gets up here he will have to buy tires less than month later to swamp out the studded tires.. I think studded tires are a waste of money..

Studs can be pulled pretty easily...

That they can..

What is the worst month's to drive the Alcan?

December and January by far

Thanks. I just drove it two weeks ago and wondered how much worse it got because it really wasn't that bad.

I would add February as that is when I have experienced truly deep cold.

Some winters aren't that bad. Others can be no fun at all. Same as everywhere I suppose.

Temp lag says that should be coldest, but....

Then there is my friend Pierre hauling horses up the cassiar I November.

40 below was all the T-mometer could register and it was all of that. Left the truck to run, blanketed the horses, and had a buddy heater in the trailer.

Don’t think I’d have stopped.

Each month, each year is differenter. He’ll each week can be differenter.

I might prefer cold to dry, dusty, rough, behind a convoy of motorbikes!

I live on the Alcan. Worst month to travel is from late Oct through Nov. Once it gets cold its not bad. I drive it a LOT. Like Vern said, it is darker in midwinter. I try to drive the section from Ft St John, through Watson Lake in the daylight as there is more wildlife on that section. Beware of the bison along the Liard. Also if you are going to sleep in your truck.....pull off the road where you cant be seen, and sleep with one eye open. Lots of nutcases around now. There was a story on the news recently about a guy from Alaska that was almost ambushed by those two crazy killers we had traveling the Alcan last summer. Only his quick thinking saved his life...The Toad river country is heaven on earth so dont miss out on seeing it during the daylight. Cheapest gs on the highway is at Contact Creek. They are open every day of the week. Richard and Denny are great people and a lot of fun to visit with. My trapline/ fishing lodge is about 80-miles straight north of their gas station.

Agreed!

I always buy some gas at Contact Creek. They are about the last of the roadhouses to stay open so I give em my business.
Also gotta agree with Dave on the Toad River area as the diversity of big game is astonishing. Only lacking wild boars.