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Winter in Alaska is magical. Suppose Aurora Borealis, strolling with reindeer, ice sculpting competitions, and canine sledding. After which there’s the winter driving in Alaska.
I used to be in Fairbanks, Alaska, final February for a convention and rented a car. Little did I do know that the principles of the street for winter driving in Alaska might be so totally different from driving in my hometown of Denver. Nonetheless, I cherished having wheels and freedom to discover—at instances, with white knuckles.
Although I stay in Colorado, I’m not a fan of driving in snow. So, I listened intently as a employees member with Discover Fairbanks shared recommendations on motoring round earlier than I picked up my rented 2020 Nissan Rogue.
Ideas and recommendation for winter driving in Alaska
“Rule primary: Don’t brake,” suggested Amy Geiger, director of Communications with Discover Fairbanks.
“What?” I believed to myself. “Don’t brake?”
I discovered quickly sufficient that not braking is sweet recommendation. It’s greatest to not use your brakes to decelerate, or you can slide. Take your foot off the gasoline, and also you’ll regularly decelerate.
Rule quantity two: “Don’t beneath any circumstances go previous a city named Livengood, about 60 miles north of Fairbanks,” Geiger continued. “You’ll find yourself on the Ice Street.”
Suppose Ice Street Truckers, the fact present the place truckers drive their rigs on routes that embody frozen lakes and rivers. The present provides me nightmares, and that’s the final place I wished to search out myself. It’s distant, dangerous, and greatest left to the professionals.
I circled the city of Livengood on the map and marked it with a large X.
Rule quantity three: “Don’t merge too shortly. Folks listed here are used to a lot of house, and so they don’t prefer to be crowded.”
Geiger went over a number of extra of the commonsense fundamentals, resembling having additional meals, water, and blankets, and added that cellphone service might be sketchy in sure areas exterior of city.
“That’s about it,” Geiger mentioned with a smile. “Watch out, and have enjoyable.”
Winter Driving in Alaska
From our convention room, the place we had been staying at Pikes Waterfront Lodge, we made our approach to Alaska Auto Rental, the place employees handed out maps to the a number of of us renting autos. He additionally had a number of extra ideas: “Observe the tracks in entrance of you and drive together with your headlights on, day or night time.” Then, a employees member turned over the keys to a shiny new Nissan Rogue.
I cherished the car however quickly found that my Sorels, good for strolling on snow and ice, had been clumsy when driving. I couldn’t “really feel” the pedals. Later, I discovered a tip from a neighborhood to produce other footwear or boots helpful which can be much less awkward when driving.
I struggled as soon as I spotted that on wintery, cloudy days, snow-covered streets blended in with the colorless sky; there was no depth of discipline. I couldn’t appear to differentiate the place the medians had been. Therefore, I drove a lot slower than all the opposite site visitors.
To the credit score of each driver on the street—not less than the day I used to be behind the wheel—not one particular person honked and even gave me the stink eye as they handed.
Try my Alaska winter packing checklist for excessive temperatures.
What’s it prefer to drive in Alaska in winter?
Fairbanks is a straightforward city to navigate, even with its many one-way streets. Nonetheless, I made the choice to not go away the town limits. With solely 24 hours to discover, I didn’t need the stress of heading down the freeway, not understanding the place or when the following exit was. I’ve a horrible sense of course, and even with my telephone’s GPS, I didn’t need to find yourself anyplace close to the Ice Street.
You must plug in your automobile
After a few hours alone, I recruited one other convention attendee to hitch me in exploring the city. Within the foyer of our lodge, earlier than we walked to the car parking zone, I requested her to remind me after we returned to plug within the automobile. She quizzed with a smile, “We have now a Tesla?”
As a Californian, she had even much less expertise than I did driving in snowy situations. However collectively, we had one of the best time maneuvering city, together with her navigating and me gripping the wheel on the 10:00 and a couple of:00 positions, as I discovered in highschool drivers’ ed.
However neither of us had ever plugged in a automobile. Plugging in your car in Alaska is a part of life. It’s to forestall the engine from freezing. Seeing energy cables protruding the hood of autos can be an on a regular basis sight. You plug the wire right into a block heater, which is in public locations, inns, and a few companies.
Roads usually are not salted in Alaska
One other tidbit I discovered is that the town doesn’t use salt (in the event that they do, it’s sparingly) on streets. The salt could make its approach into native creeks and streams and hurt wildlife. Sand appears to be the higher possibility.
Whereas I couldn’t affirm this, I’m undecided they plow a lot, both. As my buddy and I drove on the lookout for sights to {photograph}, I mentioned, “Let’s go down this little road. Do you assume they plow the aspect streets?”
“What do you imply?” she replied. “They don’t plow the essential streets?”
She was proper, and we each giggled as we continued our seek for a breakfast place and a parking place. We discovered each. (The Crepery serves wonderful salmon crepes and espresso. Parking in a close-by lot was simple.)
Earlier than I arrived in Fairbanks, I assumed getting an Uber was the best choice. Not so. With staffing shortages and hovering gasoline costs, Uber and Lyft drivers will be few and much between.
Learn my article about 29 Issues to Do in Fairbanks Alaska Summer season and Winter
Depend on native rides as an alternative of Uber
The excellent news is that each particular person in Fairbanks we met was pleasant and useful. One small enterprise proprietor even provided to shut the store and provides my buddy and me a journey when he heard me on the telephone making an attempt to rearrange a taxi. That’s small-town kindness at its greatest.
On the finish of the day, when it got here time to plug in (the corporate suggests plugging in if temperatures fall under zero), I requested somebody at Pikes Waterfront Lodge to assist, and so they gladly did.
Plugging within the automobile was simple sufficient. However I did make a remark to myself that night time: Keep in mind to unplug the automobile earlier than driving away the following morning.
Driving Distances Past Fairbanks
Temperatures can fall nicely under zero, and guests should take the whole lot about winter driving in Alaska critically. The Alaska Division of Transportation recommends to test the street situations earlier than you go.
Although I made a decision to not enterprise exterior the town limits, a few of my colleagues did and had a wonderful expertise. Listed below are some choices to think about if you wish to discover past Fairbanks:
Chena Scorching Springs
Chena Scorching Springs is about 60 miles from Fairbanks on a paved, maintained street; nevertheless, the freeway will be icy, and cell service is unpredictable. The excellent news is there’s an excellent likelihood to see moose, and the drive via the forest is attractive. (I made the journey in a van with a dozen of my colleagues and a neighborhood driver.) You may also guide a shuttle with Chena Scorching Springs Resort.
Dalton Freeway
The Dalton Freeway takes a number of days when you drive all the way in which to the North Slope, and also you’ll be driving on the gravel a part of the way in which. Test with the automobile rental firm first to ensure they will let you take the car on this journey. It could be clever to think about this one for summer time journey, however everytime you go, you’ll have superb views and visits to cities filled with character and historical past, together with Coldfoot, Deadhorse, and Prudhoe Bay.
Richardson Freeway
As Alaska’s oldest freeway, the Richardson Freeway connects Fairbanks to Valdez and takes you thru Keystone Canyon to Worthington Glacier. You’ll be capable to view the Alaska pipeline subsequent to the freeway as you drive from Valdez to Delta Junction. This journey takes planning and preparation, which suggests greater than packing an additional power bar. Locals pack gear for surprising (or intentional) tenting and cooking in a single day: spare tires, heat clothes, water, and a primary assist package. And since gasoline stations are generally far aside, make sure you at all times have sufficient gasoline and don’t minimize it shut.
You’ll come throughout the Lodge at Black Rapids as you journey on the Richardson Freeway. It is a tremendous place to cease and benefit from the landscapes round you. You may study extra concerning the Lodge at Black Rapids on this article.
Parks Freeway
The George Parks Freeway, also referred to as the Parks Freeway, connects Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska. This drive is filled with gorgeous surroundings and views of Denali and wildlife; it’s an epic Alaska street journey. The Parks Freeway is well-traveled and maintained, even within the winter. If you wish to go to Denali Nationwide Park within the winter, you’ll take this route. Denali Nationwide Park is open within the winter – but only a few folks go to. Really – it’s partially open. The primary street within the park is open so far as the Park Customer Heart. There, you’ll discover rangers to speak to, and you may even borrow…sure, borrow snowshoes and poles to go discover Denali Nationwide Park lined in snow! It’s a magical time to go to Denali, and also you’ll really feel like you may have it totally for your self!
Hire a Automobile in Fairbanks for the Winter
The simplest approach is to easily lease a automobile on the airport. If you happen to don’t need to drive after a flight that arrives at midnight or later (which many do), some rental corporations will ship a car to your lodge.
All the automobile leases in Alaska may have winter tires, in order that’s a bonus. However in case you are actually hesitant or anxious about driving on salt-free, icy roads, then reserve a automobile with studded tires. These will present one of the best traction; nevertheless, it’ll additionally value extra to lease.
Ensure you know learn how to use the automobile plugin function, as that is one thing you’ll probably want to make use of. Additionally, earlier than you are taking off from the airport, be sure that your rental has a heavy-duty ice/snow scraper. A tiny one gained’t do!
Recap of Alaska Winter Driving Ideas
- Don’t brake; as an alternative, take your foot off the gasoline.
- Don’t put on clunky boots; have an additional pair of driving footwear inside your automobile.
- Give folks loads of house
- Hire a automobile with studs for additional security
- Plug in your automobile if it’s under zero
- Plan forward and be sure to have a full take of gasoline
- Drive together with your headlights on day or night time
- Take a paper map with you as a result of cell connections are unreliable
- It’s at all times a good suggestion to let somebody know the place you’re going and once you anticipate to be again
- Pack additional meals, water, matches, and a blanket
- Guarantee you may have an ice scraper in your rental automobile.
The place to Keep If You Go to Fairbanks, Alaska, in Winter
Pikes Waterfront Lodge is the place to remain in Fairbanks. The lodge is a five-minute drive from the airport and provides a 24-hour shuttle service. Employees will recommend corporations who can assist in your quest to see the Northern Lights and can even place a name on to your room if there’s a sighting.
Extra Fairbanks, Alaska Winter Journey Ideas
To name a taxi, attempt Eagle & Yellow Cab at 907.455.5555 (about $15 from the Pikes Waterfront Lodge to downtown Fairbanks), Moose Taxi at 907.452.7000, or Pioneer Taxi at 907.987.0471.
Go to Discover Fairbanks for extra details about planning your journey to Fairbanks.
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