Planning trip to Alaska and have a question about comms

[khildebr]

Wasn’t sure which place to put this. So if there’s a better forum or subforum for the question please advise me and I’ll repost there or if the moderators want to move it, please do.

As I said in the title, the wife and I are planning a trip to Alaska next year and will be driving the Raptor. Given the issues that have happened this year with outages for both cell and internet service along the Alcan Hwy along with the remoteness of some of the locations we’re thinking of going to, I’m trying to suss out the best comms to either equip the truck with or take along short of a satellite phone (which might be the best option) in case of issues. We’ll have two Garmin devices with InReach in case things really go off the rails and I’m guessing having a CB would be of some value but am not sure about if a VHF or UHF radio would be useful. So I’m open to folks thoughts on what would be a reasonable approach. Thanks in advance.

 

[Pikser]

We spent 5 weeks driving everywhere we could have in Alaska.
Satellite phone I feel is absolutely necessary.
We also took a Starlink Roam system with us
Both worked great.
Also good idea besides your normal off-road equipment.
Extra gasoline ! We carried 25 gallons.

 

[khildebr]

Thanks, very helpful. Sounds like time to look into those two items. I do have the usual assortment of recovery and emergency gear in the Raptor already including the obligatory extra spare which I may need to shift to an external mount for the sake of luggage/gear but the volume of gasoline you carried was more than I had anticipated. Time to do a rethink on that one

 

[2slo4u]

We spent 5 weeks driving everywhere we could have in Alaska.
Satellite phone I feel is absolutely necessary.
We also took a Starlink Roam system with us
Both worked great.
Also good idea besides your normal off-road equipment.
Extra gasoline ! We carried 25 gallons.

Did you ever need an additional 25 gallons?

 

[MDJAK]

We did Alaska but flew there and rented a car. Truly amazing trip. It was over 10 years ago. Outside Anchorage is a great pizza place. Owner from Brooklyn NY. lol.

We were just talking about it. We were in a huge sporting goods store and I wanted to buy bear spray. My wife (who has no memory of this or claims not to lol) said don’t buy it, it’s a waste of money.

We then hiked a trail called the North Face. It has a cable car to the top we could’ve taken. We were just lucky on this hike with lots of switchbacks that we didn’t run into any bears.

Be sure to post pics. I’d love to go back there one day.

 

[Pikser]

Yes, all 25 gallons on trip to Prudhoe Bay. Two stations we stopped at only had diesel.

 

[khildebr]

Yes, all 25 gallons on trip to Prudhoe Bay. Two stations we stopped at only had diesel.

Fuel types and availability the further you go north was a concern. However, if we do visit Prudhoe Bay, it will be via aircraft no matter how tempting driving there might be.

 

[khildebr]

We did Alaska but flew there and rented a car. Truly amazing trip. It was over 10 years ago. Outside Anchorage is a great pizza place. Owner from Brooklyn NY. lol.

We were just talking about it. We were in a huge sporting goods store and I wanted to buy bear spray. My wife (who has no memory of this or claims not to lol) said don’t buy it, it’s a waste of money.

We then hiked a trail called the North Face. It has a cable car to the top we could’ve taken. We were just lucky on this hike with lots of switchbacks that we didn’t run into any bears.

Be sure to post pics. I’d love to go back there one day.

Yeah bear spray is one of those things that you don’t think you’ll need until you do. Have a friend who when he lived in Alaska said he’d rather run into a bear than a moose. Me, I’d rather not be face to face with either.

The trip won’t be for a while but I’ll definitely post some pictures once we get back.

 

[gobluejd]

We did Alaska but flew there and rented a car. Truly amazing trip. It was over 10 years ago. Outside Anchorage is a great pizza place. Owner from Brooklyn NY. lol.

I believe that Guy Fieri was there on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives S38 E9.

 

[Pikser]

Everyone told us bear spray was useless, just makes a bear madder.
But we did have 2 pistols and one rifle with us.
But keep in mind you cannot drive through Canada with them.