Moving to Alaska

[HuntInWild88]

Well it's official I'll be calling Alaska home for at least the next 4 years hopefully longer.
The overall excitement has cleared and now all the questions about logistics are setting in.
90% of my stuff will be moved for me. At no cost. However the more stuff I move of my own the more they will pay me. The issue is I will be shipping my Chevy traverse(family car) and driving my 2016 cherokee. (Crappy tow rating) it will be just myself Nd the dogs driving. The wife and kid are going to fly. I also have a 18ft aluminum bass boat that I have to try and decide if I want to haul up there or sell.
My other option is to sell jeep and a buy a new truck(if I can find one) and trailer. I don't really want to sell my jeep at it handles the dirt roads better than any truck I have ever owned. Any advise from those who have made this journey before would be greatly appreciated!

 

[jhm2023]

I would recommend a truck for a hunter wanting to reside in Alaska. I've seen what it looks like when someone tries to put 500 pounds of moose meat, rack, cape etc. in a cherokee and it's kind of funny to watch. Now imagine you and your hunting partner double up on moose or add in a bear or caribou. Not sure where in Alaska you're going but there won't but much use for a bass boat and good luck buying something more suitable when you get here. Last I heard jet units and hulls are several years backordered. I'm not much help with the driving through Canada part since I made that trip a decade ago and things have changed with covid and all, but I towed the biggest uhaul trailer with a half ton pickup when I did a partial dity move to pcs up here to Ft. Wainwright. It's a fun drive with a lot of nice scenery but don't forget to have extra gas on hand and a way to patch and air up tires.

 

[Brooks]

I’ve hauled heavy equipment up to Alaska from Texas a couple of times, once when the AlCan highway was all dirt and curves all the way up. Plenty of places to buy gas get food. Have a spare tire or two and go before winter. one trip I meet up with a guy and his wife who were in the army they were driving up and stayed ahead of me the whole way talking back and forth on the CB radio letting me know when a big truck was coming at us. Great trips.

 

[HuntInWild88]

I would recommend a truck for a hunter wanting to reside in Alaska. I've seen what it looks like when someone tries to put 500 pounds of moose meat, rack, cape etc. in a cherokee and it's kind of funny to watch. Now imagine you and your hunting partner double up on moose or add in a bear or caribou. Not sure where in Alaska you're going but there won't but much use for a bass boat and good luck buying something more suitable when you get here. Last I heard jet units and hulls are several years backordered. I'm not much help with the driving through Canada part since I made that trip a decade ago and things have changed with covid and all, but I towed the biggest uhaul trailer with a half ton pickup when I did a partial dity move to pcs up here to Ft. Wainwright. It's a fun drive with a lot of nice scenery but don't forget to have extra gas on hand and a way to patch and air up tires.

I'll be PCSing at the end of Aug beginning of Sept.
Packing meat in it would be rather funny. I already had to throw my elk on roof rack in game bags. Got some pretty funny looks coming through the gate.
As far as the boat I'll be in Anchorage and currently run it on the snake River here in Idaho. I don't bass fish with it at all. In fact I use it for just about every fishing/hunting activity I can. I know it's not ideal but it's an aluminium vhaul and will at least keep me on water.

 

[jhm2023]

It's doable. I have a buddy that regularly puts caribou in and on his little Chevy Cruze, even put a grizz in it last spring. As far as the boat, its not because there aren't bass here, more so the types of rivers we have are well suited for v-hulls and props. It will work, you just wont be getting as many places as everyone else on the rivers. Flat bottoms and tunnel hulls with jets are the norm, at least in the interior.

 

[Chaseum]

Where are you headed; Fairbanks or anchorage?

 

[HuntInWild88]

Where are you headed; Fairbanks or anchorage?

Anchorage

 

[blackdawg]

After moving up many years ago I would highly recommend dumping the bass boat and getting a boat that has a jet. The modern mud motors might work, not 100% sure on that, expensive though, without a boat and a wheeler, your trapped in the road zone = combat fishing and plenty of jack wagons hunting from what I saw 25 years ago. Find an old small sized wheeler 300 or less you can toss in the boat. An 17 ft boat would probably be a minimum for most of rivers in range of anchorage. The alwelds and lowe roughnecks seem to be inexpensive options.


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[HuntInWild88]

After moving up many years ago I would highly recommend dumping the bass boat and getting a boat that has a jet. The modern mud motors might work, not 100% sure on that, expensive though, without a boat and a wheeler, your trapped in the road zone = combat fishing and plenty of jack wagons hunting from what I saw 25 years ago. Find an old small sized wheeler 300 or less you can toss in the boat. An 17 ft boat would probably be a minimum for most of rivers in range of anchorage. The alwelds and lowe roughnecks seem to be inexpensive options.


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I'm not seeing much of a difference between the roughneck haul and this haul. Unless your talking about the flat front John boat style. I don't mind ripping up the "bass boat" decking. I'm a fabricator by trade.
If yall really don't think it's worth hauling it up there I'm not against selling it. I know it might not be ideal. I'm just not sure what the boat market really looks like up there and I was once told any boat is better than no boat.

 

[Cheechako]

Unless you are moving to big lake i’d sell the boat down there. zero market for it here anywhere other then the valley and even then selling it might be a stretch.

If it has decent gas mileage you could maybe rip out the deck and put a yukon style plywood cabin on it and use it on the big rivers in the interior, but it’s on the small side for that.

 

[Marbles]

The drive is paved the entire way. It is easy, even in winter with proper equipment (I made it in January in a 4x4 Tacoma with winter tires). If driving it in winter, spend the money on a snow tire, a snow rated all terrain does not compare and is what I run as a summer tire. The roads are plowed, but not salted. This is from January and is representative of about 1,500 miles between Anchorage and Dawson Creek from my drive in January.

There are plenty of gas stops. Especially if you cross at Coutts, Albert. If you take the more western route, there is only one place to get gas in winter between Kitwanga, BC and Teslin, YT (at least as I remember it from end of September). Jade City might have gas they would sell you as they are open year round, but I would call before counting on that. I have never needed it, but I do carry 10 extra gallons of gas just in case the spot I expect to be open is not. Also have never needed the spare tire, compressor, jump pack, Etc. that I bring. But, it is some of the loneliest highway and not a place I would want to need help.

Personally I do not worry about having a second spare on that drive, but I would have a full sized spare.

Be sure and have the required paperwork for the dogs.

The Provencial Parks are nice, if taking your time I recommend camping in them for most of your overnight stays. Most of the time I'm just trying to make time and sleep in the truck at a pull out.

Feel free to PM me. I'll be making the drive heading north the end of this month.

 

[Marbles]

I flew to Idaho to buy my truck as even with flights and a 2,000 mile drive that was cheaper than buying in Alaska. Boats are also expensive up here. If you want a new boat, I would buy it in the lower 48, same for a new vehicle. Or, at least shop for what you want in AK and compare to the lower 48.

If I had the money, I would be buying a trailer before heading back up on this trip as that tends to be cheaper in the lower 48.

 

[tuffcity]

I guess if you're coming up from Idaho you'll be on the Alcan (we call it the Alaska Hwy). Did you say Aug/Sept? If so then fuel won't be an issue. The longest haul will be between Fort Nelson, BC and Watson Lake, YT and there are usually a few small gas stations still open along that stretch. If you're driving up this winter (yes, its still frickin' winter up here) don't do that leg in the dark. Bison are large and like to stand on the road.

 

[SAM55]

Yep - I definitely agree with an earlier post. You will be happier with a pickup than a Jeep Cherokee in Alaska - especially if you're a hunter. And typically cheaper to buy in the Lower 48 than Alaska, if you can find one. Not sure if there is better availability/deals these days in the new or used market. I recently had an old Chevy Tahoe that we didn't use much anymore and I got offers on it almost daily. One offer finally got high enough that I had to let it go. Enjoy your Alaskan adventure!!

 

[dutch_henry]

I've done the trip up and back multiple times, always in an big old SUV with the rear seats removed so it's more like a mini-pickup. Works great and love it for the awd and handling. Once there it was big enough that I could solo camp in the back and still haul gear + coolers of meat and fish. There've definitely times I would've preferred the larger volume & better towing of a full size pickup.

For boats, I run a copperhead on a big freighter canoe. Works great up there. Less maintenance, lighter, and more fuel efficient than a jet, but it's in the minority up there. A lot of the interior rivers can be pretty hard on v hulls and outboards.

If I knew I would be there for 4 years (I'm jealous), I'd seriously consider the pickup and a truck camper (would allow for towing a boat, extend your season + allow some family camping). Plus you already have an SUV in the Traverse.