Alaska’s Dalton Highway in a JLURD: Bucket List Material

[BDinTX]

Oh also, regarding the Aux battery. not sure if you've seen this thread, there is a fuse that will bypass it.
(1) Jumperless Aux Battery Bypass | Jeep Wrangler Forums (JL / JLU) - Rubicon, Sahara, Sport, 4xe, 392 - JLwranglerforums.com

Sponsored

 

[dswift09]

I just got back from a trip to Deadhorse from Minneapolis in my '21 JLUR. I took a similar list to the one you're thinking of with a few additions and subtractions. We took more than we thought we'd ever need but were really glad we had it when we got a flat tire on the Atigun Pass. Our KO2s had only 15k miles on them but they were no match for a small piece of metal that likely fell from an oil truck. The additions:

• a jack with a stable base. A hi-lift is nice if you have the room but you probably don't need it. The factory scissor lift probably won't cut it. I took a bottle jack with an axle "saddle" kit and some stackable jack pads (like the kind you'd use to drive onto to level an RV). Also took a collapsable camp shovel.
• Some type of ground cloth. If you get a flat tire or some type of mechanical issue, dealing with it on a muddy road is way better if you have something to work on. If you're taking camping gear you'll likely have this covered.
• Windshield cleaner. Buy a gallon at a Canadian gas station and stuff it in your Jeep. The Canadian stuff seems to work much better than anything I've bought in the US. When things got really muddy/buggy for us we just poured it straight from the bottle onto the windshield.
• Bear spray. If you break down, assume there are bear and moose near by. Bear spray works on moose too, which are way more plentiful and at least as dangerous.
• Personal Locator Beacon. We used a Zoleo. Worked great and gave my wife some peace of mind that we hadn't become bear food.
• Car repair stuff. Serpentine belt, fuses, zip ties and gorilla tape. Basic tools (ratchet set, pliers, wrenches, etc.).

Things we didn't take:

• Traction boards. There's enough traffic on the Dalton that we figured it would be easy to get a pull back onto the road if needed. The Dempster might be a different story and if you have the room they can't hurt.
• Windshield kit: didn't take one and not sure what would have worked. We got three cracks. Two were small but one grew to about 18". A lot of the trucks and cars we saw on the Dalton had cracks but none were shattered.

Hope you have a great trip. I'm envious.

 

[Orangecrush9]

Recently relocated to Eagle River, AK from Philly. My Nacho handled the cross-continental trip well. Am hoping to maybe squeeze this drive in this week, otherwise may have to wait until the thaw next year!

 

[BigMaCro]

Recently relocated to Eagle River, AK from Philly. My Nacho handled the cross-continental trip well. Am hoping to maybe squeeze this drive in this week, otherwise may have to wait until the thaw next year!

Welcome to Alaska! Just in time for snow!

 

[Left Field]

Planning an AK / Yukon trip this coming May and have found your suggestions of 'additions' to be helpful. Noticed the CB antenna on your Jeep; wondered if you found it useful?
Thx,
LF

I just got back from a trip to Deadhorse from Minneapolis in my '21 JLUR. I took a similar list to the one you're thinking of with a few additions and subtractions. We took more than we thought we'd ever need but were really glad we had it when we got a flat tire on the Atigun Pass. Our KO2s had only 15k miles on them but they were no match for a small piece of metal that likely fell from an oil truck. The additions:

• a jack with a stable base. A hi-lift is nice if you have the room but you probably don't need it. The factory scissor lift probably won't cut it. I took a bottle jack with an axle "saddle" kit and some stackable jack pads (like the kind you'd use to drive onto to level an RV). Also took a collapsable camp shovel.
• Some type of ground cloth. If you get a flat tire or some type of mechanical issue, dealing with it on a muddy road is way better if you have something to work on. If you're taking camping gear you'll likely have this covered.
• Windshield cleaner. Buy a gallon at a Canadian gas station and stuff it in your Jeep. The Canadian stuff seems to work much better than anything I've bought in the US. When things got really muddy/buggy for us we just poured it straight from the bottle onto the windshield.
• Bear spray. If you break down, assume there are bear and moose near by. Bear spray works on moose too, which are way more plentiful and at least as dangerous.
• Personal Locator Beacon. We used a Zoleo. Worked great and gave my wife some peace of mind that we hadn't become bear food.
• Car repair stuff. Serpentine belt, fuses, zip ties and gorilla tape. Basic tools (ratchet set, pliers, wrenches, etc.).

Things we didn't take:

• Traction boards. There's enough traffic on the Dalton that we figured it would be easy to get a pull back onto the road if needed. The Dempster might be a different story and if you have the room they can't hurt.
• Windshield kit: didn't take one and not sure what would have worked. We got three cracks. Two were small but one grew to about 18". A lot of the trucks and cars we saw on the Dalton had cracks but none were shattered.

 

[dswift09]

Planning an AK / Yukon trip this coming May and have found your suggestions of 'additions' to be helpful. Noticed the CB antenna on your Jeep; wondered if you found it useful?
Thx,
LF

The CB was extremely useful on the Dalton Highway and I’d recommend getting one if possible. On the Dalton the oil field trucks, which are the primary traffic there, use CB to communicate with each other about road conditions and traffic. There are many blind corners, blind hill toppings and other road hazards on the Highway. The oil trucks are big, drive fast, and throwup a lot of gravel. The CB lets them announce when they are entering one of those blind spots. The Milepost guide book has a good list of where To announce which was helpful for us as rookies. Also, the state police monitor the CB and if you got into some type of emergency that would be helpful.

One of the highlights of our trip came on the Atigun Pass when a Southbound truck alerted us that he had seen a grizzly near the road about three miles North of us. That allowed us to be on the lookout and get the camera ready to see this guy:

So, yes, if you can get a CB I highly recommend it.

 

[Left Field]

Thanks David, great info, and will get going on my installation. I had a CB in my last Jeep but had been dragging my feet on the JL installation. This seals the deal
LF

The CB was extremely useful on the Dalton Highway and I’d recommend getting one if possible. On the Dalton the oil field trucks, which are the primary traffic there, use CB to communicate with each other about road conditions and traffic. There are many blind corners, blind hill toppings and other road hazards on the Highway. The oil trucks are big, drive fast, and throwup a lot of gravel. The CB lets them announce when they are entering one of those blind spots. The Milepost guide book has a good list of where To announce which was helpful for us as rookies. Also, the state police monitor the CB and if you got into some type of emergency that would be helpful.

So, yes, if you can get a CB I highly recommend it.

 

[Chugiakguy]

Recently relocated to Eagle River, AK from Philly. My Nacho handled the cross-continental trip well. Am hoping to maybe squeeze this drive in this week, otherwise may have to wait until the thaw next year!

Hey OrangeCrush, welcome to Alaska, from one of your neighbors in Chugiak!

 

[willcasp]

Where do you mount the 2nd spare?

Having done it, get a roof rack and put the spare tire up there! I put it in the back of my JLU. I had to fold the back seats down, as a 35" is just a little too large for the back. I also had motorcycle tires stacked on top. Attached are the before trip....

and mid trip...

That being said, I did not use either of the spare tires. Better to bring them and not need them, than need them and not have them!

 

[JLURD]

Recently relocated to Eagle River, AK from Philly. My Nacho handled the cross-continental trip well. Am hoping to maybe squeeze this drive in this week, otherwise may have to wait until the thaw next year!

We swapped coasts. I’m out in NH now. You can make that trip in the winter too. I was up on the Dalton at -34F on the same weekend some savage in a mustang decided it would be fun to see if tempting fate on a run to Deadhorse in a RWD vehicle with a horse name might earn a Darwin Award. Turns out he hit -60F in Atigun and didn’t kill the car or himself. At any rate, if you go when there’s daylight, the Arctic in winter is incredible.

 

[JLURD]

I just got back from a trip to Deadhorse from Minneapolis in my '21 JLUR. I took a similar list to the one you're thinking of with a few additions and subtractions. We took more than we thought we'd ever need but were really glad we had it when we got a flat tire on the Atigun Pass. Our KO2s had only 15k miles on them but they were no match for a small piece of metal that likely fell from an oil truck. The additions:

• a jack with a stable base. A hi-lift is nice if you have the room but you probably don't need it. The factory scissor lift probably won't cut it. I took a bottle jack with an axle "saddle" kit and some stackable jack pads (like the kind you'd use to drive onto to level an RV). Also took a collapsable camp shovel.
• Some type of ground cloth. If you get a flat tire or some type of mechanical issue, dealing with it on a muddy road is way better if you have something to work on. If you're taking camping gear you'll likely have this covered.
• Windshield cleaner. Buy a gallon at a Canadian gas station and stuff it in your Jeep. The Canadian stuff seems to work much better than anything I've bought in the US. When things got really muddy/buggy for us we just poured it straight from the bottle onto the windshield.
• Bear spray. If you break down, assume there are bear and moose near by. Bear spray works on moose too, which are way more plentiful and at least as dangerous.
• Personal Locator Beacon. We used a Zoleo. Worked great and gave my wife some peace of mind that we hadn't become bear food.
• Car repair stuff. Serpentine belt, fuses, zip ties and gorilla tape. Basic tools (ratchet set, pliers, wrenches, etc.).

Things we didn't take:

• Traction boards. There's enough traffic on the Dalton that we figured it would be easy to get a pull back onto the road if needed. The Dempster might be a different story and if you have the room they can't hurt.
• Windshield kit: didn't take one and not sure what would have worked. We got three cracks. Two were small but one grew to about 18". A lot of the trucks and cars we saw on the Dalton had cracks but none were shattered.

Hope you have a great trip. I'm envious.

I’m glad it was a successful trip! I think we were probably heading south out of AK around the same time. Saddest move of my life…Alaska is truly the most incredible place on earth.

Another helpful piece of kit for roadside repairs and camp activities. American Adventure Lab Versatable. Worth every cent.

 

[JLURD]

We are heading to AK on the 22nd in our JLURD. Planning to tour around most of AK. Just an fyi they just had a major washout on the Alcan between liard hot springs and Watson lake. I read they have a one lane detour open but I'd get in the Canadian highway site and double check if you are planning on taking the alcan.

How did it go?

 

[JLURD]

I am taking a trip from Seattle to Tuk on 7/17. Originally planned to do it on a motorcycle. Due to an unplanned surgery, I am taking the Jeep (2018 JLU Sport S) up. Thanks for the tips in the thread. I have a 2.5" lift, will bring two mounted spares, 4 x 2gal Rotopax.. will probably need them for the motorcycles that are going than for my Jeep. My 35" BF Goodrich All Terrain K02's have about 12K miles on them, and still appear to be in excellent shape.

Things I am bringing:
2 x mounted spares
4 x 2gal rotopax
1 x 2gal water rotopax
air inflator
hand held CB with external antenna
patch kit
extra AUX battery, just in case.
all my winch accessories, probably won't need any of it.
first aid kit
a bunch of motorcycle parts and spares (3 dual sport motorcycles to support)

Thinking of bringing (would like opinions)
2 x traction boards
some sort of kit to keep the windshield together in case of a crack. Was going to swing by Safelight to see what they recommend, or bring some packing tape.
Give the Jeep a good wash and wax before I go. May make it easier to clean it up on the other side.

How was the Dempster? That trip is at the top of my list because I missed an opportunity at it by one week when they closed the top of the world highway early in 2021.

 

[Adv_aw8s]

How did it go?

We had a great time. We were gone 23 days and covered 8900 miles. We avg 22mpg for the whole trip on 37's and 4.56's gears. We had our rooftop tent on top, fridge, and all our other camping and recovery gear. We went up the Alaskan highway and hit the ice fields parkway one the way up to see Banff, lake Louise, and some of the other sites. Once in Alaska we hit Tok, nabensa Rd, McCarthy, Anchorage, Seward, hatcher pass, Denali hwy, Roosevelt lake, Fairbanks, coldfoot, Brooks range, toolik lake, chicken, top of the world hwy to Dawson city. We decide not to go all the way to prudhoe bay and turn around at toolik lake. Everyone we talked to said that up and over the brooks range was the most scenic part and it was amazing. We camped the whole way and enjoyed every minute of it. I'd definitely recommend anyone who has it on their bucket list not to procrastinate to go. It wasn't a terrible expensive trip though we don't really eat out and dispersed camped or stayed in state campgrounds that weren't more than 15-20 bucks a night. We are already wanting to go back!

 

[JLURD]

We had a great time. We were gone 23 days and covered 8900 miles. We avg 22mpg for the whole trip on 37's and 4.56's gears. We had our rooftop tent on top, fridge, and all our other camping and recovery gear. We went up the Alaskan highway and hit the ice fields parkway one the way up to see Banff, lake Louise, and some of the other sites. Once in Alaska we hit Tok, nabensa Rd, McCarthy, Anchorage, Seward, hatcher pass, Denali hwy, Roosevelt lake, Fairbanks, coldfoot, Brooks range, toolik lake, chicken, top of the world hwy to Dawson city. We decide not to go all the way to prudhoe bay and turn around at toolik lake. Everyone we talked to said that up and over the brooks range was the most scenic part and it was amazing. We camped the whole way and enjoyed every minute of it. I'd definitely recommend anyone who has it on their bucket list not to procrastinate to go. It wasn't a terrible expensive trip though we don't really eat out and dispersed camped or stayed in state campgrounds that weren't more than 15-20 bucks a night. We are already wanting to go back!

I love it! Glad y’all got to put in the miles without major issues. That’s a solid list of destinations for one run. I went out wheeling/camping to Roosevelt Lake in June but end of July through end of August is really the best time to head back there when it’s not raining. Are you going to make more trips to the last frontier?

Here’s my favorite picture from the bridge over the susitna river at sunrise.

Sponsored