kwyeewyk
Well-known member
Been hunting with @Derek44 since we were kids, but started hunting with him again in 2019 and since 2020 we decided to get serious about expanding our efforts beyond Washington to explore the Rocky Mountain states. We also set our sights on Alaska, and this year it finally came together with a moose float hunt.
Of course we both ended up on fire assignments through the end of summer leading up to our trip, which made prepping a little more complicated, including deciding that I would drive the Alcan alone and he would fly and meet me up there.
He spent a couple years in logging camps around Afognak Island, but this would be my first and long anticipated trip to AK. I replaced my tires, gave my truck some TLC and packed up to head out on the long journey.
I was surprised at how many towns and services there were in the southern BC portion of the drive the first day, until I got to Hwy 37 the second day, that's when the drive gets truly remote.
Fuel is far and few between, and there's no shoulder and few pull outs so broken down vehicles get parked in the lane, and wrecked vehicles lay in the ditch for days. Saw at least 4 totaled vehicles in the ditch, some wheels still in the air, and several parked in the road.
As I got to the worst of it and my navigation told me only 18 more hours, a sense of anxiety set in, realizing how far out I was and not knowing the road to come. The first rule I developed was fill up at half tank, which quickly evolved into if there's gas fill up. Wished I'd have remembered a spare can.
As I pulled in to fill up around the middle of Hwy 37, I heard a clacking noise coming from the rear of the truck. Looked underneath hoping for something obvious, but didn't notice anything unusual. Pulling out didn't hear it, but once rolling it started coming back. It would stop if I accelerated or breaked but otherwise seemed to be getting worse.
Now I started to get really worried, could be days to get anything fixed out here. I pressed on hoping i could at least make the next town and try again to diagnose. Then it started to feel like it was dog tracking, something very wrong, feels like a wheel is coming off! Could they have forgotten to torque it down? Luckily there was a pull out right there, hopped out and sure enough the rear driver wheel was damn near off the hub, 1 lug nut already gone and broke the stud, the other nuts about to fly.
Adrenaline and a sense of relief rushed through me, another 100 yards probably would have been utter disaster. Jacked it up and got it torqued down with 5 of 6 lugs, holy shit that was close!
Pressed on and made it to the Yukon, favorite part of the drive. Hit the Alcan border around midnight the second day. Alaska greeted me with some northern lights for the drive.
Had to sleep a couple hours when I hit 25 hours driving, then made it to the motel to meet Derek. He got upgraded to first class for his flight and was lounging around waiting for me. I'll let @Derek44 update with his travel pics/story.
Of course we both ended up on fire assignments through the end of summer leading up to our trip, which made prepping a little more complicated, including deciding that I would drive the Alcan alone and he would fly and meet me up there.
He spent a couple years in logging camps around Afognak Island, but this would be my first and long anticipated trip to AK. I replaced my tires, gave my truck some TLC and packed up to head out on the long journey.
I was surprised at how many towns and services there were in the southern BC portion of the drive the first day, until I got to Hwy 37 the second day, that's when the drive gets truly remote.
Fuel is far and few between, and there's no shoulder and few pull outs so broken down vehicles get parked in the lane, and wrecked vehicles lay in the ditch for days. Saw at least 4 totaled vehicles in the ditch, some wheels still in the air, and several parked in the road.
As I got to the worst of it and my navigation told me only 18 more hours, a sense of anxiety set in, realizing how far out I was and not knowing the road to come. The first rule I developed was fill up at half tank, which quickly evolved into if there's gas fill up. Wished I'd have remembered a spare can.
As I pulled in to fill up around the middle of Hwy 37, I heard a clacking noise coming from the rear of the truck. Looked underneath hoping for something obvious, but didn't notice anything unusual. Pulling out didn't hear it, but once rolling it started coming back. It would stop if I accelerated or breaked but otherwise seemed to be getting worse.
Now I started to get really worried, could be days to get anything fixed out here. I pressed on hoping i could at least make the next town and try again to diagnose. Then it started to feel like it was dog tracking, something very wrong, feels like a wheel is coming off! Could they have forgotten to torque it down? Luckily there was a pull out right there, hopped out and sure enough the rear driver wheel was damn near off the hub, 1 lug nut already gone and broke the stud, the other nuts about to fly.
Adrenaline and a sense of relief rushed through me, another 100 yards probably would have been utter disaster. Jacked it up and got it torqued down with 5 of 6 lugs, holy shit that was close!
Pressed on and made it to the Yukon, favorite part of the drive. Hit the Alcan border around midnight the second day. Alaska greeted me with some northern lights for the drive.
Had to sleep a couple hours when I hit 25 hours driving, then made it to the motel to meet Derek. He got upgraded to first class for his flight and was lounging around waiting for me. I'll let @Derek44 update with his travel pics/story.
