Towing from Florida To Sagway,AK via Canada

Nobody has mentioned stopping. Pulling is not so hard, but stopping is more important.

OP there is a lot of good info coming out here.
Another possible issue with the ferry- they charge by the foot/length, and there have been cutbacks in service thanks to our new governor, so you may want to check on availability of service during the winter.
I haven’t towed much in the winter on the AlCan, mostly springtime, but it can be pretty crappy. 4wd with good tires and chains is key, the roads are decent, but get really rough from northern BC through the Yukon, and from Destruction Bay-Kluane Lake NP it can be like a paved motocross track keep you speed down- I mildly bent the tail of a carhauler trailer frame one spring hit some frost heaves and nearly sailed off into the weeds.
Mileage- first time trip, shoot for 300-400 on good clear roads, snowpack and icy-250-300 or less and it can be nerve wracking especially if you have limited winter driving experience. Semis passing you will create whiteout conditions sometimes that can last for 5-10 seconds- easily enough time to put you in the ditch. Extra fuel, at least 4 spare cans, and check in at each fill up to see what is open ahead.
It will be the experience of a lifetime, just take your time and bring plenty of warm gear, and a shovel.
Cheers

Thank you everyone for the feed back.
We are now looking at a bumper pull and will be going the southern route to Texas and then up to Las Vegas and then into Billingham,WA and take the ferry to Wrangell,AK. The trailer we are looking at now is GVWR of 8995 lbs and I will be getting Air bags to help and the ferry trip to Alaska is currently at $5500 for the truck and trailer for 2 people.

Where is Sagway, AK?

I would be careful of that weight, 8995lbs is not a trivial weight and with wind could push the truck and trailer around in the wind. Weight distribution hitch is key, check out You Tube for tips and people's reviews before you choose. etrailer.com is a great resource too.

If you have never towed before, I agree with others on here, be more conservative on the mileage you plan to make each day.

Also, read up on tips of traveling and where to stay overnight, and how to be respectful when using places like Walmart, Cabela's, etc.

I pull a 9000# fifth wheel when snow-birding, and have no problems. Got an average of 10 from Tuscon to central Washington with no complaints. However, with over 40 years experience towing, I will not tow on winter roads. A fifth wheel is by far easier to control in wind, rain, and poor road conditions, but icy snowy conditions would require bigger ones than I have. The ferry is cheap compared to any alternative and the resulting problems.
Enjoy and be safe.

@Randy Grant do you have a ram 1500 pulling your 5th wheel?

Scottieone12 said:

@Randy Grant do you have a ram 1500 pulling your 5th wheel?

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The one in my signature. Limited with the 5.7 and 3.92's

Scottieone12 said:

Hello ALL,
Yes you read that correct, we are moving to Alaska and we are getting a travel trailer or 5th wheel to live up there.
My question is from all you northern people towing in the cold/snow what kind of mileage would I get if the travel trailer weighing 9500 or 5th wheel the same weight.

I have a 2018 Ram 1500 with the 3.92 rear end and 5.7 liter 2 Wheel drive short bed and yes the 5th wheel will work its a Grand Design Reflection 150 model 260rd or a Grand Design Selection 300rbts regular trailer hitch.

Is is possible for me to drive 600-700 miles a day in the north country, in Canada I will be passing thru Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia then into Alaska.

Please be kind but helpful in your posts.

Click to expand...

i am from alaska, like the guy on jaws said you gonna need a bigger truck, but that is not the real problem, as alaskan i would advise you not to try and live in a camper you will die from the cold, campers are wonderful in summer and spring in the lower 48, but i can tell you when it gets below 15 degrees you better be ready to run and hide in a hotel or a well insulated home, 50 below 0 is nothing where i am from, so think about your family before you do such thing, i forgot the worse thing and that is the winds ,100mph is nothing and a camper will not be able to stay on the ground, if you try,i wish you the best of luck because you will need it, my job is now frozen out so we always come to nc for winter.
good luck

If I were you, I'd reconsider your plan. Yes you can do it but like others have already expressed, you will not be happy going to Skagway with your current set-up. I lived in AK for 37 years, been to Skagway several times, driven the highway several times and will tell you that the road, although the best its ever been, is not going to make it fun if you plan on driving over 400 miles a day. The roads in that part of the land are full of frost heaves, so you won't make very good time. I'd at least sell the 2x and buy a 4x before going up there - much cheaper in the lower 48 and more to choose from. Skagway is a small town so you need to consider that you will be limited on services for any kind of vehicle including the 5th wheel. It's one road in, one road out and it's over a mountain pass that is often impassable in the winter. Think about where you're going to use the 5th wheel in Skagway as well. I wish you the best of luck though. Go online and take a look at the "MilePost" (https://www.themilepost.com) and pick up a hard copy on Amazon. It'll tell you a lot of what you're about to experience.

sac neal said:

i am from alaska, like the guy on jaws said you gonna need a bigger truck, but that is not the real problem, as alaskan i would advise you not to try and live in a camper you will die from the cold, campers are wonderful in summer and spring in the lower 48, but i can tell you when it gets below 15 degrees you better be ready to run and hide in a hotel or a well insulated home, 50 below 0 is nothing where i am from, so think about your family before you do such thing, i forgot the worse thing and that is the winds ,100mph is nothing and a camper will not be able to stay on the ground, if you try,i wish you the best of luck because you will need it, my job is now frozen out so we always come to nc for winter.
good luck

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True. Even during November hunting season in Montana most hunters do not put water in trailer water tanks, water lines, holding tanks, or grey water tanks if the temps are predicted to be sub zero....Unless they have a trailer like a Bigfoot that has a furnace with heat ducts to keep the ENCLOSED heat ducted holding tanks from freezing.

Even the good cold weather campers like Bigfoots will eat propane keeping heated, below zero the furnace will cycle rapidly until at about -25 with wind the furnace will run all the time and eat propane like it is going out of style. When camped where the trailer can not be plugged into 120V power the furnace will drain the 12V batteries rapidly so a generator is a must. If the onboard generator is propane like my Onan starting is a problem at -10 or below so I also have a remote start gasoline generator.

Also....Because of weight considerations most TTs are not designed for cold, unlike modern mobile homes that have 6" walls and insulation the walls actually have very little insulation. The windows even if double pane are not like home windows, if windows have aluminum frames they build up with frost on the inside at night then may melt during the day and run down the walls. In cold weather a lived in TT tends to build up moisture because they usually have a skin that does not breath like a home.

@sac neal what part of Alaska do you like in? We are thinking about going to Wrangell,ak and the trailer we are looking at has enclosed bottom and forced heated air by the holding tanks.

@sac neal fat fingers it what part of Alaska do you live in

I live in Southeast Alaska; if your final destination is Wrangell it just makes sense to leave via ferry from Bellingham rather than drive to Skagway. Plus you’ll avoid bad roads and Canadian customs. You might get a price quote on a barge service to move your stuff from Seattle but typically they are about the same price as the ferry. Try Alaska Marine Lines or Sampson Tug & Barge.

Don’t let a winter in a travel trailer scare you. It’s currently 42 in mid November around Wrangell. Sure it’ll get cold in January and February but Wrangell is comparatively temperate and wet due to the ocean. It typically stays between 20-40 in the winter.

Oh and the folks that chimedin about 2wd resale value in Alaska are spot on.

Good Luck and enjoy! Beautiful place. Sportsman’s paradise if you’re into hunting and fishing.

@Dombak I think that is the way we are going, leaving out of Bellingham,WA and take the ferry to Wrangell,AK and we are looking at Grand Design 2670RL travel trailer to live in and the under belly is sealed and has force hot air around the holding tanks. Im glad to hear it won't be to cold 20's are ok.

Scottieone12 said:

Hello ALL,
Yes you read that correct, we are moving to Alaska and we are getting a travel trailer or 5th wheel to live up there.
My question is from all you northern people towing in the cold/snow what kind of mileage would I get if the travel trailer weighing 9500 or 5th wheel the same weight.

I have a 2018 Ram 1500 with the 3.92 rear end and 5.7 liter 2 Wheel drive short bed and yes the 5th wheel will work its a Grand Design Reflection 150 model 260rd or a Grand Design Selection 300rbts regular trailer hitch.

Is is possible for me to drive 600-700 miles a day in the north country, in Canada I will be passing thru Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia then into Alaska.

Please be kind but helpful in your posts.

Click to expand...

Scottieone12 said:

Hello ALL,
Yes you read that correct, we are moving to Alaska and we are getting a travel trailer or 5th wheel to live up there.
My question is from all you northern people towing in the cold/snow what kind of mileage would I get if the travel trailer weighing 9500 or 5th wheel the same weight.

I have a 2018 Ram 1500 with the 3.92 rear end and 5.7 liter 2 Wheel drive short bed and yes the 5th wheel will work its a Grand Design Reflection 150 model 260rd or a Grand Design Selection 300rbts regular trailer hitch.

Is is possible for me to drive 600-700 miles a day in the north country, in Canada I will be passing thru Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia then into Alaska.

Please be kind but helpful in your posts.

Click to expand...

this is warm
Mon 11/18
Tue 11/19
Wed 11/20
Thu 11/21
Fri 11/22
Sat 11/23
Sun 11/24
Mon 11/25
Tue 11/26
Wed 11/27
34° | 24°F
Snow
32° | 31°F
Snow
37° | 30°F
Rain/Wind
34° | 32°F
Rain/Snow
35° | 28°F
Rain/Snow
32° | 23°F
Snow Showers
28° | 19°F
Snow Showers
23° | 15°F
Snow Showers
17° | 11°F
AM Snow Showers
15° | 10°F
AM Snow Showers
4.4 in
4.1 in
-- in
-- in
4.2 in
3.5 in
2.6 in
1.8 in
-- in
-- in
0 F10 F20 F30 F40 F
Dew Point (°)
Feels Like (°F)
Temperature (°F)
27 °
22 °F
31 °F
0%25%50%75%100%29.3029.5029.7029.9030.10
Cloud Cover (%)
Chance of Precip. (%)
Chance of Snow (%)
Humidity (%)
Pressure. (in)
84%
42%
83%
29.81 in
0.00.51.0
Precip. Accum. Total (in)
Hourly Liquid Precip. (in)
0.01 in (4 AM:00-5 PM:00)
0510

I am in Sask., right now the snow we had is gone, drove for 50 y without 4wd, But pulling a trailer up that Dempster highway, it is the ***** in summer from what I hear, my sister dumped her jeep on blk. ice
I don't think your capacity would change from a 5 th wheel to a pumper pull.
trailer weight may be less
You will need a trailer that will with stand -40 or more in winter, Think about that.

To the OP I assume you wish to enjoy this trip you won't with a 2x2 1500 pulling a trailer and in fact trip could be deadly. Your posts seem to be looking for positive feedback but you won't find it here. Go if you must but don't endanger your loved ones. Please keep this group informed of your final decision. If you take offense by my telling you not to go then my apologies. Good luck.

To the OP I assume you wish to enjoy this trip you won't with a 2x2 1500 pulling a trailer and in fact trip could be deadly. Your posts seem to be looking for positive feedback but you won't find it here. Go if you must but don't endanger your loved ones. Please keep this group informed of your final decision. If you take offense by my telling you not to go then my apologies. Good luck.

Hd74ica said:

To the OP I assume you wish to enjoy this trip you won't with a 2x2 1500 pulling a trailer and in fact trip could be deadly. Your posts seem to be looking for positive feedback but you won't find it here. Go if you must but don't endanger your loved ones. Please keep this group informed of your final decision. If you take offense by my telling you not to go then my apologies. Good luck.

Click to expand...

Sorry for the double post.

David
Northern Michigan