Just a Snow Storm Away

Holding back as the next round of white flakes completes it's journey to the roads between us and Alaska, we are holding for a break in the weather when we will roll through British Columbia in route to the colder and dryer weather in the Yukon and Alaska. Weather predictions are for snow in northern B.C. for the weekend and into the first few days of the week. These snows can be supper slippery in the mountain passes when the temperatures are at or just below freezing.
Our Chevy Silverado is equipped with a set of 285/70/17 Cooper ST Maxx tires that have proven themselves quite capable in winter driving conditions. We tried both the ST Maxx and the Cooper AT3 but have preferred the ST Maxx when the going gets severe or the snow gets deep. The choice of snow tires is limited by vehicle but these have been pretty good in past experiences on the full sized Silverado.
Once again we will keep you apprised on our journey to Drive to Alaska during the dead winter month of December and on the wrath of darkness as the winter solstice approaches at the end of the month.

Driving North To Alaska for Christmas 2012

Holly Cow we're doing it again. Thought we were free of the cold temperatures for awhile but it wasn't meant to be. Uncle Sam can't seem to find the amended copy of our tax returns so we're headed back up to send them a new copy and will spend Christmas with family while there.

Driving the Alaska Highway in the winter typically isn't as bad as it sounds. The road crews have the potholes filled in and they are absolutely incredible at keeping the roads clear and safe for drivers. We will be driving the new Chevy Silverado so even if the weather does go sour it would be no problem for such a capable truck. It will be the trucks fourth trip over the Alcan in just over a year. Two in the winters and two in the summer.

Really had planned on heading to the Caribbean for the winter but somethings are just not meant to be. Had set up a trip with Carnival to visit the Southern Caribbean and then an Eastern Caribbean shot two weeks later but later changed our plans and booked with Disney Cruises. Tomorrow when we have the dates set for the Alaska trip I am going to have to reschedule these trips to a date in most likely mid February. We'll keep you up on the when and where as the days pass.

Back to the Alaska Trip. We will be leaving Spokane Washington some time after the Eastern Washington Eagles next home playoff game. The Eagles have really been playing good football so it would be a shame not to make it to this home field playoff game. Shortly after that we will head for the Canadian Border and British Columbia. We will pick up the Trans Canada Highway 1 and shoot over to 97 than head north for Prince George. At that point the weather will dictate if it will be on to Dawson Creek or west for the Cassiar. Both have their advantages but hopefully the weather will be good and we can utilize the Cassiar and bypass all the oil fields and construction traffic of the first part of the Alaska Highway.

Got caught in the muck of the construction and commercial traffic once already and it wasn't fun. Semi tractor-trailer rigs doing over 100 miles per hour and passing in precarious situations. It was about a thousand miles of white knuckle driving every time we approached an oncoming rig. We were not along as other drivers, mainly tourists in RV's, were complaining at every stop. So if we can go around most of this shale oil and natural gas construction were game for the challenge; Cassiar Highway it will be.

Well back to packing and getting the motor home ready for the storage yard. Still need to schedule the winterizing so it will be ready to go when I return in the spring. That's about it for now. Stop back over Christmas break and see how the trip goes.