Drive to Arctic Circle in “high miles” 4th Gen 4Runner

[tlrols]

Ok…in 2023 I aim to drive to the Arctic Circle/Arctic Ocean in a 2004 V8 4Runner with 160K miles. Am I nuts? Part of it will be on a ferry from Bellingham to Ketchikan. The rest will be driving. Round trip looks to be 6,000 miles. The timing belt has been replaced with the water pump and radiator. Fluid swapped on the transmission. Tires are at 90% and I will do the brakes before I go. I have some new bumpers going on to hold the extra fuel I need to haul steel bumpers around…

Thoughts?

 

[MOAK]

You’re good to go- ( see my post about LC with 350,000 miles ) Assuming everything else has been well maintained.

 

[Over The Silent Planet]

Sounds like you’ll be in Canada? People who do this in Alaska on the Dalton Hwy generally suggest heavy duty LT tires and taking no less than two full-size spares. I would make sure you have tools and emergency gear. It’s certainly doable; you just need to be prepared. I’d start researching others’ trips and what they prepared for.

Good luck. Sounds like an awesome trip.

 

[aknightinak]

...Part of it will be on a ferry from Bellingham to Ketchikan. The rest will be driving....
Thoughts?

You're going to need a very tall snorkel to drive anywhere from Ketchikan.

 

[tlrols]

Lol…right! That’s the long haul ferry ride. We will take a short haul ferry ride to get to where we can drive.

 

[tlrols]

You're going to need a very tall snorkel to drive anywhere from Ketchikan.

Looks like Haines or Skagway will be where we set forth on the long drive. Flip a coin? Is one route markedly better than the other?

 

[aknightinak]

Looks like Haines or Skagway will be where we set forth on the long drive. Flip a coin? Is one route markedly better than the other?

I was going to add---Ketch is the short haul. The trip up the panhandle will be amazing, though.

I personally like Haines better than Skagway. I feel like Haines relies on remaining relevant while Skagway relies on being historic, and I've come to find the whole gold rush, good time girls thing to be a little tired. I've never actually driven either route, only cruised into Skagway and flown into Haines, but the local highways are marked fine, same big green and white "next right/left" directional warnings as anywhere else; you're just not following Interstate shields. It takes work to get lost following main roads up here. There are only so many.

Prep-wise, your vehicle should be fine. I drove a T100 up half a lifetime ago. That was the last time I rallied around here in anything with fewer than 100,000 miles. I don't tend to be kind to them, either. Not listed, at 160k before a long or expectedly hard trip, I'd want to inspect my wheel bearings, steering gear, and the ujoints in the driveshaft, something you can do alongside brakes when you do them, and the chance is better than not they're still in perfectly serviceable shape.

 

[Hopeless Diamond]

The only way you can drive to the Arctic Ocean is going up to Tuktoyaktuk in NW Territories, Canada. It's an all season road from Inuvik now so you'd be good to go. In AK you can drive to Deadhorse, and then I think there's tours that would take you up to the coast. Skagway if you're going to Dawson/Tuk, Haines of you're going to AK. Either way they both connect to the AK Hwy, it's just a matter of where along the route.

As aknightinak said, it's pretty hard to get lost up there, there's only so many roads. Summer time will be dusty and probably a lot of RV traffic to contend with. It's just a long way in between anything. Probably a "few" potholes to contend with, and every one's favorite flying gravel in places. Roads are probably smoother in wintertime, as everything is filled in with snow and ice. Little cooler though...

PS, there's a saying for travel in the Arctic - Never pass gas...

 

[tacollie]

I wouldn't worry about it. If you're going in the summer I would make sure your AC is in good working order. I would consider replacing the battery if it's long in the tooth.

 

[tlrols]

Tuk is the goal. Last time I saw the Arctic Ocean it was in an attack submarine and involved a festival of fun at the North Pole. Six times I have been there. Much rather drive this time.

I think I will hit the 4Runner with some preventative maintenance where parts and garages are handy. in advance.

Looking at Haines vs Skagway it seems a foot traffic ferry is available so I can try both.

I am thinking the suggestion of u-joints and the like is a great plan. It’s the Dempster highway which isn’t awful but it’s hundreds of miles of washboard roads. Best get my fillings checked!

 

[tlrols]

 

[NoDak]

I crossed the continental US and back in my old 4th gen 4Runner with 210,000 miles on it without a second thought.

Make sure its baselined on maintenance and send it.

 

[4runnerteq]

160k wouldn’t bother me at all if even halfway taken care of. Ours has 220k on it and drive it anywhere right now. 4.7 is about bullet proof. Might not be a bad idea to lock the center diff just to make sure it works, and maybe even lock in the 4low. They tend to stick sometimes. Don’t do it during the trip though unless you confirmed proper operation beforehand.

 

[mep1811]

Looks like Haines or Skagway will be where we set forth on the long drive. Flip a coin? Is one route markedly better than the other?

You save a lot of time and miles by starting at Haines.

 

[mep1811]

Here is a link to a three part article I wrote for TCT Magazine of my 1918 Arctic Circle trip in a 1985 FJ60. I hope for find this informative.
One thing to keep in mind, can you afford to be broke down for a week? Get a tow , wait in a hotel while waiting for parts ?

Arctic Adventures in a Vintage Land Cruiser

During the summer of 2018, my wife and I embarked on an Alaska trip. We thought we’d be gone about four weeks. 92 days, two trips to the Arctic Ocean and 13,000 miles later we made it home …

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