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Agreed. My experience is only in summer but I saw sedans in the locals hands. It was a cool trip but honestly the lower 48 has much more 4WD opportunities. Roads are very, very purpose focused up north.

So…Sprinters are on the lot right now and being sold at MSRP. Both 144” and 170” in 2WD and AWD. Ford Transit Trails not so much. I saw one long wheel base Transit with a dealer mark up on it. I bought the Benz 144” with the 2.0 liter boosted diesel. It’s new, it performs well, and it’s...

********…this is the best prose I have read in years! Well done sir, well done.

Well…van prices have fallen to MSRP at least. They still seem a bit hard to come by but at least the scarcity mark ups are gone. They are a fad for a reason. An expensive fad if you want to do it right.

Well…I just put a Sprinter into the mix. I aim to hit the Dalton Highway this summer. Slap an Amazon Prime wrap on it and I am totally stealth. 😁 Oddly I never realized just how tall these things are. This adventure focus is a disease. The only downside I see with this is money…

Quoting…”You can pull over anywhere…and sleep.” So huge! In fact, it was so important to me that I sprung for a new 144” Sprinter in AWD. It has 9 speeds so it has some good low speed crawl. It isn’t my 4.7 liter 4Runner but wow, vans are popular for a reason. Any forest service road of...

I did roll with the “see a road take it” approach. It worked wonderfully. I drove along several rivers on glacial till that was totally road like with low water. I admit I was worried about heavy rains though! I brought a Garmin In-Reach along which served as a talisman against evil… I do...

I think I will give the Dalton Highway a go next year just to say I have done them both. It is worth stating for folks that dispersed camping and off pavement exploration is not readily available in the far north. The roads there are sparse and serve a singular purpose. Pull outs and gravel pits...

Yes. My home along with around 300 others burned down. Weirdly liberating experience honestly! Crazy I know. I am pondering some very different life choices right now.

We all made it out fine. 13,000 acres burned. Crazy randomness with fire burning some places and not others.

So fires visited me after I returned.

It’s worth stating the obvious that weather can make all the difference. Hope for clear skies! The difference between a rainy/cloudy day and clear skies is incredible. Also, fires are a thing. I suspect August/September is a more optimal time to do this sort of journey.

Nice spots! I did find that the old school method of see a road take it was the best way to explore.

Sure can. The only tricky part might be if you want to stay in Tuk. Not many places to stay in Tuk. You will be limited in how flexible you can be. Also, staying in campgrounds or dispersed will get you out in some lovely places.

RAV4? I roll with 4Runners but my girlfriends RAV4 is legit. I installed a Northwoods lift kit in it and it’s up for north Idaho’s waterbar filled state forest roads. The federal roads are in better shape. Her 2012 Rav has a V6 with VVTI in it. VERY powerful. By the seat of my pants it is about...

Wow…it’s crazy expensive but that truck never looked that good even on the factory floor. Show class rig meant to be trailered places.

Chinese diesel heaters might work for you. It IS another fuel but they chug along (outside) and work well

Final analysis on this is do it! It is expensive but you are, after all, driving thousands of miles. You DO NOT need some sort of beast 4WD to make this drive. I never once used low range…my rig is always in 4-Hi since it’s a V8 4th Gen 4Runner. I have a modest lift which was some what useful...

Bellingham and home.

Sigh…farewell to this adventure…