HOW TO DRIVE the Alaska Highway [Part 1 - Basics] presented by Yokohama Tire

I'm heading North to Alaska, and I'm taking you with me.
I've learned a thing or two after driving the road a dozen times. In this video I'll go over the basics you need to know before setting out on your own adventure to the most epic of all destinations.

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Checkout my books on Amazon:
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999 Days Around Africa: The Road Chose Me

The Road Chose Me Volume 1: Two years and 40,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina

Overland Travel Essentials: West Africa: Myths, Misconceptions and Misnomers

Work Less to Live Your Dreams: A practical guide to saving money and living your dreams

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#AlaskaHighway #HowToAlaskaHighway #YokohamaTire

[johnbee]

Nice journey. I spent 10 years living in Inuvik and did the Dempster, Klondike and Alaska Highways 30 or 40 times. It is a great adventure. One thing to note - you can take almost any vehicle up the highway as long as you can get 300 KM ish per tank of gas. Anything from exotic supercars to humongous motorhomes to pedal bikes and small motorcycles do that trip every year. Enjoy it!!

[jao]

I’ve driven it 3 times and this description and advice given here is exactly correct.

[mikes.]

Back in September 2006 my brother and I drove from Anchorage, Alaska to Chicago, Illinois. It was an incredible experience!

[cmoreoverland]

I am planning revisit after 40 years. Initially, I drove the Alcan 3 times in '81, '82, '83 in Datsun 310 GX. At the time we had no less than 900 miles of "japanese pavement", a mixture of oil, gravel and mud. It was awesome!

[MrDfbwa]

I am really looking forward to these videos of the Alaska Highway. Last time I drove it was in 1995 with a pickup, trailer, wife and 2 boys from Washington State. That was the best trip of our lives and I was ready to do the whole trip again, but my wallet was not. I had read a comment in a book of the highway that it was 'miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles'. So true! My boys gave up asking 'when will we get there' (Fairbanks, my home town), after a couple of days on the road. I remember one section of road northwest of Whitehorse where construction was going on and we actually looked forward to the gravel sections because the pavement was SO BAD that 10 mph was too fast, especially with a trailer in tow. Love your videos and keep up the great work!

[neacienation]

I did that trip with my mom and my big brother when I was a little kid in nineteen eighty six. My mom was driving on lincoln continental and the most of the roads were not paved back then. What an adventure❤ auburn wa to anchorage ak. The next year we drove all the way back but I remember, we took a ferry at some point. So amazing.

[markboettcher]

In 1978 my wife and I along with two other couples, drove from northern Wisconsin to Anchorage AK in 3.5 days. Alternating drivers, 4 hour shifts driving, two stops a day, 10 am and 4 pm for camp food.

[AvantionTour]

What a great series. Drove the Alcan back in 1996 and the memories are so vivid even after all these years. Thanks for sharing this. Wish you always a safe trip. Greetings from Germany.

[johnpye]

Dan, thanks for bringing back memories of my own Alaska highway trip (1980) in my 72 Chevy Nova rust bucket. Pretty much all gravel back then and somewhat narrower than the paved version your are on now. Looking forward to see your return leg on the Steward-Cassiar highway to see what it looks like now. Back then it had only been open for a few years and the conditions were abysmal to say the least. Mud and water is all I can remember and the fastest speed you could go was about 30 mph and that was pushing it. All in a 2 wheel drive vehicle as well. You would have loved it. Safe travels....

[scottbrown]

I made that trip in early June this year to start a new job at Eielson AFB, near Fairbanks. I found it to be the most beautiful drive I have ever been on! Took one week from Denver, CO to Fairbanks, AK driving 10 to 12 hours a day. I wished that I was not on a schedule so that I would have had time to stop and explore many of the places I came upon. Even though my Jeep only got 8-10 mpg while pulling trailer, I had no problem with fuel as long as I stopped to top off every chance I got. I would love to do it again as long as I had the time to explore.

[dr.froghopper]

I had the fortune of driving/riding the Alaskan Highway going both north and south in 1970. The road wasn’t paved much back then and we became very proficient at changing tires by the side of the road. With a better vehicle than we had back then, I’d love to do it again. I’m 100% disabled now so it’s probably never gonna happen again. But it happened the first time in my 14th summer of life. Laird Hot Springs saved our lives. A scheduled 2 day stay lasted a week, because we really needed a break!

[sailorf]

I like the format with the road going by and you chatting. It is like being on the road. Keep up the good information. Been to Dawson Creek many times - worked for forestry in northern BC and northern Alberta.

[thedanistan]

Great video as always. I love how you focus on the informative stuff, as oppose to many other people who make their videos into one long selfie, "Look at me! I'm doing something you're not!!"

I appreciate how realistic, safety minded and down to earth you are - and how simple you make things! A breath of fresh air amongst all those overlanders who feel they have to bring three types of grills, two showers and an espresso machine on the road.

You have been a great inspiration for me the past few months, and made me reevaluate a lot of things in my life, such as what actually makes me happy. Good stuff!

[jakeinvan]

I grew up in the Yukon in the 1970's and early '80s. I remember many trips along the highway when it was still mostly made of mud and gravel. I don't think there was a vehicle in the entire territory that didn't have rock chips on their windshields. It could be very dangerous at times. We had a a very bad crash in our motor home when I was about 7 years old; rolled it over down an embankment. I was thrown from the vehicle. We were very luck to all survive relatively unscathed. Something else I remember was all the old US Army vehicles along the side of the highway. During construction during the war, if something broke down, they would just push it off the road and leave it behind. Can't wait to the rest of these videos, I'm sure I will have some memories to share!

[Mini-Driver]

In 1998, I did a SOLO ride on my Honda CBR 1000F (Crotch Rocket) from Chesterfield, Virginia to Anchorage, Alaska and back in 14 days. I fell in love with that trip so much, my wife and I went back later in our 2004 Mini Cooper S and took 30 days. Been thinking about outfitting our Sprinter to do it again. Loved each trip.

[JSmooove]

just made this drive earlier this month. most beautiful trip i've ever made.

[brianjensen]

Just finished the trip a week and a half ago. Honestly something I will remember for the rest of my life. The sights are out of this world.

[xvdl]

Sep 1st is best time to go. tourists coming back. no mosquitoes. not too cold. Whitehorse and Skagway were my favorite cities

[juanarellanos]

Way back in the early 80's it was a besutiful drive I enjoy it very much

[MWAdams]

Can't believe how wide & paved it is now. My first trip was in 1981 in a 1976 VW Rabbit from Ketchikan, Ak (Alaska Marine Highway) to Haines, AK on my way to Anchorage, AK. Other trips like 1984 as a newly wed traveling from Eglin AFB, FL to Eielson AFB, AK with a U-Haul truck pulling a '55 Chevy, & again in 1988 with a 1978 Dodge Aspen wagon as a family of 4 heading to McChord AFB, WA. A very enjoyable trip everytime. Have been wanting to travel the Cassiar Highway, so am looking forward to your video on that particular leg South. Thanks Dan, for putting together all of these various videos, & looking forward to your future ones. Never did make any of those trips in the summer, the closest I got was early spring, or mid to late fall. Thanx again.