This text could comprise affiliate hyperlinks the place I make a small fee for purchases you make from hyperlinks that you just click on from this text. By buying by these hyperlinks, you help me at no further value to you. Thanks in your help.
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 automobile. Little did I do know that the foundations of the street for winter driving in Alaska could possibly be so totally different from driving in my hometown of Denver. Nonetheless, I liked having wheels and freedom to discover—at occasions, with white knuckles.
Although I reside in Colorado, I’m not a fan of driving in snow. So, I listened carefully as a workers member with Discover Fairbanks shared tips 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 assumed to myself. “Don’t brake?”
I realized quickly sufficient that not braking is nice recommendation. It’s finest to not use your brakes to decelerate, or you can slide. Take your foot off the fuel, and also you’ll steadily decelerate.
Rule quantity two: “Don’t below 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 needed to search out myself. It’s distant, dangerous, and finest 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, they usually don’t prefer to be crowded.”
Geiger went over just a few extra of the commonsense fundamentals, resembling having further meals, water, and blankets, and added that cellphone service could possibly be sketchy in sure areas outdoors 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 have been staying at Pikes Waterfront Lodge, we made our option to Alaska Auto Rental, the place workers handed out maps to the a number of of us renting autos. He additionally had just a few extra ideas: “Observe the tracks in entrance of you and drive along with your headlights on, day or evening.” Then, a workers member turned over the keys to a shiny new Nissan Rogue.
I liked the automobile however quickly found that my Sorels, excellent for strolling on snow and ice, have been clumsy when driving. I couldn’t “really feel” the pedals. Later, I realized 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 subject. I couldn’t appear to tell apart the place the medians have been. Therefore, I drove a lot slower than all the opposite visitors.
To the credit score of each driver on the street—at the least 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 record 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 depart the town limits. With solely 24 hours to discover, I didn’t need the stress of heading down the freeway, not realizing the place or when the subsequent exit was. I’ve a horrible sense of course, and even with my telephone’s GPS, I didn’t wish to find yourself wherever close to the Ice Street.
It’s important to 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 parking zone, I requested her to remind me once we returned to plug within the automobile. She quizzed with a smile, “Now we have a Tesla?”
As a Californian, she had even much less expertise than I did driving in snowy circumstances. However collectively, we had the very best time maneuvering city, along with her navigating and me gripping the wheel on the 10:00 and a pair of:00 positions, as I realized in highschool drivers’ ed.
However neither of us had ever plugged in a automobile. Plugging in your automobile in Alaska is a part of life. It’s to stop the engine from freezing. Seeing energy cables protruding the hood of autos can be an on a regular basis sight. You plug the twine right into a block heater, which is in public locations, lodges, and a few companies.
Roads should not salted in Alaska
One other tidbit I realized is that the town doesn’t use salt (in the event that they do, it’s sparingly) on streets. The salt could make its method into native creeks and streams and hurt wildlife. Sand appears to be the higher possibility.
Whereas I couldn’t verify this, I’m unsure they plow a lot, both. As my pal and I drove on the lookout for sights to {photograph}, I mentioned, “Let’s go down this little road. Do you suppose they plow the facet streets?”
“What do you imply?” she replied. “They don’t plow the primary 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 fuel costs, Uber and Lyft drivers could be few and much between.
Learn my article about 29 Issues to Do in Fairbanks, Alaska Summer time 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 pal and me a trip when he heard me on the telephone making an attempt to rearrange a taxi. That’s small-town kindness at its finest.
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, they usually gladly did.
Plugging within the automobile was simple sufficient. However I did make an observation to myself that evening: Keep in mind to unplug the automobile earlier than driving away the subsequent morning.
Driving Distances Past Fairbanks
Temperatures can fall nicely under zero, and guests should take all the pieces about winter driving in Alaska severely. The Alaska Division of Transportation recommends to test the street circumstances earlier than you go.
Although I made a decision to not enterprise outdoors the town limits, a few of my colleagues did and had a superb expertise. Listed here are some choices to contemplate if you wish to discover past Fairbanks:
Chena Scorching Springs
Chena Scorching Springs is about 60 miles from Fairbanks on a paved, maintained street; nonetheless, the freeway could be icy, and cell service is unpredictable. The excellent news is there’s an amazing likelihood to see moose, and the drive by the forest is attractive. (I made the journey in a van with a dozen of my colleagues and a neighborhood driver.) It’s also possible to guide a shuttle with Chena Scorching Springs Resort.
Dalton Freeway
The Dalton Freeway takes a number of days should you drive all the best way to the North Slope, and also you’ll be driving on the gravel a part of the best way. Verify with the automobile rental firm first to ensure they help you take the automobile on this journey. It is likely to be clever to contemplate this one for summer time journey, however everytime you go, you’ll have wonderful views and visits to cities stuffed 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 of 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 help equipment. And since fuel stations are generally far aside, make sure you all the time have sufficient fuel and don’t lower it shut.
You’ll come throughout the Lodge at Black Rapids as you journey on the Richardson Freeway. This can be a tremendous place to cease and benefit from the landscapes round you. You’ll be able to study extra concerning the Lodge at Black Rapids on this article.
Parks Freeway
The George Parks Freeway, often known as the Parks Freeway, connects Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska. This drive is stuffed 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 individuals go to. Really – it’s partially open. The primary street within the park is open so far as the Park Customer Middle. There, you’ll discover rangers to speak to, and you may even borrow…sure, borrow snowshoes and poles to go discover Denali Nationwide Park coated in snow! It’s a magical time to go to Denali, and also you’ll really feel like you might have it fully for your self!
Find out how to Lease a Automotive in Fairbanks for the Winter
The simplest method is to easily hire a automobile on the airport. In the event you don’t wish to drive after a flight that arrives at midnight or later (which many do), some rental corporations will ship a automobile to your lodge.
The entire automobile leases in Alaska can have winter tires, in order that’s a bonus. However if you’re actually hesitant or apprehensive about driving on salt-free, icy roads, then reserve a automobile with studded tires. These will present the very best traction; nonetheless, it would additionally value extra to hire.
Ensure you know the way to use the automobile plugin characteristic, as that is one thing you’ll more than likely want to make use of. Additionally, earlier than you’re 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 fuel.
- Don’t put on clunky boots; have an additional pair of driving footwear inside your automobile.
- Give individuals loads of house
- Lease a automobile with studs for further security
- Plug in your automobile if it’s under zero
- Plan forward and ensure you have a full take of fuel
- Drive along with your headlights on day or evening
- Take a paper map with you as a result of cell connections are unreliable
- It’s all the time a good suggestion to let somebody know the place you’re going and if you count on to be again
- Pack further meals, water, matches, and a blanket
- Guarantee you might 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 counsel corporations who will help 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.
