How would you outfit this custom LJ?
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
Expedition Leader
No camping on this trip, we've arranged lodging everywhere we need to stay.
WOW! Great write up and pics on your trip. As mentioned before, it's a bucket list adventure of mine and I'd guess for most of us way below the 48th. The only thing that comes close to being a deal killer is access cut off by the gas companies to the Artic, I'd love to spend a couple days and camp there, barring the entire shore line is almost un-American, can you get there on there on the Canadian side? Well, what makes up for that is the freedom to get off road along the way, that's a huge plus. Still a top buck list goal.
I have heard too that things are very expensive in AK, I'm sure I can afford the trip but what should folks plan on financially? Gas prices, hotels, food, camp grounds....do you have a high and low for those who might plan the trip?
I had also heard you should have a 450 mile range but you're saying gas stops are rather sufficient, do they close or are those stops 24 hour operations as along the interstates?
BTW, I got here from your Trail Top thread, great build! I've been meaning to "tent in" my fiberglass bed topper for awhile. I need new struts on the lid, another "round to it" thing.
I have heard too that things are very expensive in AK, I'm sure I can afford the trip but what should folks plan on financially? Gas prices, hotels, food, camp grounds....do you have a high and low for those who might plan the trip?
I had also heard you should have a 450 mile range but you're saying gas stops are rather sufficient, do they close or are those stops 24 hour operations as along the interstates?
BTW, I got here from your Trail Top thread, great build! I've been meaning to "tent in" my fiberglass bed topper for awhile. I need new struts on the lid, another "round to it" thing.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
A lot depends on whether you camp or use hotels, make your own meals or eat in restaurants, etc., but here's a few guidelines.
- Gas on the Alaska Highway in Canada is about $1.45/liter, although one place we stopped was charging $1.95/liter.
- Gas in Alaska is about $4.25/gallon right now, although on the Dalton it's over $5 per gallon.
- The longest distance between gas on the Alaska Highway I think was 90 miles; the longest distance on the Dalton is 239 miles. My Wrangler has about a 250 mile cruising range, so the only segment that was close was the last segment of the Dalton. That's why I carried the two extra jerry cans of fuel, although I didn't end up needing them.
- Food is more expensive, at the few restaurants on the Alaska Highway, a burger is about $12.00. There are no "chain" restaurants on the Alaska Highway north of Fort Nelson, actually very few restaurants of any type.
- There seem to be a lot of free camping opportunities, although since we aren't camping on this trip I didn't make note of them.
- If you're planning a trip like this, you want the current year's edition of "The Milepost", which has a mile-by-mile description of everything on the Alaska Highway, the Dalton, and a bunch of other northern roads.
- Hotel prices vary, check "The Milepost" to see if hotels are available where you want to stop. A room at Coldfoot Camp halfway up the Dalton is $200; rooms at Deadhorse are $200 in the Deadhorse Camp, or $260 in the Prudhoe Bay Hotel, which offers three free buffet meals, free internet, free laundry.
- As far as I know, the only way you can drive anywhere near close to the Arctic Ocean in North America is on the Dalton in Alaska. In Canada, the Dempster Highway takes you to Inuvic, but that's maybe 60 miles from the Arctic Ocean, and there are no roads going the rest of the way. So the only real option for getting close is the Dalton, which takes you to Deadhorse, 7 miles from the ocean. You can then get a tour shuttle through the oilfield to the ocean like we did. It's $59 per person for a 90-minute oilfield tour and stop at the water's edge (swimming optional
).- BTW there is no tent camping allowed in Deadhorse for safety reasons (polar bears). And anyway, after you drive around the place (15 minutes) and take the Arctic Ocean tour, there's absolutely nothing to do there so there's no point in camping up that far.
I hope that helps, if there's anything else I can answer, let me know.
BTW, I got here from your Trail Top thread, great build! I've been meaning to "tent in" my fiberglass bed topper for awhile. I need new struts on the lid, another "round to it" thing.
Thanks. I'm looking forward to getting back home and completing the sewing of the tilt-up canvas. For those who don't know about that thread, here it is: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...ot-modular-trailer-topper-building-components
jscherb
Expedition Leader
We arrived home this evening after doing just under 9,600 miles on this trip. We drove through 9 states and 4 Canadian provinces/territories, and drive as far north as you can drive on the North American continent. It was a fantastic trip.
First order of business for the LJ is to wash all of the Dalton Highway mud off it/out of it, including the engine compartment.
And sometime in the next week or so I'll put it in the garage and remove all of the front clip sheet metal (hood, fenders, grille), and swap on my CJ Grille Kit. I didn't want to subject the nice new paint job on those parts to the abuse of the Dalton, but now that we're back it's time to finally get the CJ grille installed.
First order of business for the LJ is to wash all of the Dalton Highway mud off it/out of it, including the engine compartment.
And sometime in the next week or so I'll put it in the garage and remove all of the front clip sheet metal (hood, fenders, grille), and swap on my CJ Grille Kit. I didn't want to subject the nice new paint job on those parts to the abuse of the Dalton, but now that we're back it's time to finally get the CJ grille installed.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
A few years ago, did a little testing to see what it would take to make the Safari Cab side panels swing-up:
It turns out it would be a fairly easy thing to do, although I never implemented it.
At the time, I drew but never posted this camper concept based on swing-up side panels:
The idea was that a sleeping platform would go across the tub and into the pop-outs, giving an 8' long sleeping area.
The other day the October issue of Land Rover Owner International magazine arrived in the mail, and in it was a Land Rover with a similar idea:
It turns out it would be a fairly easy thing to do, although I never implemented it.
At the time, I drew but never posted this camper concept based on swing-up side panels:
The idea was that a sleeping platform would go across the tub and into the pop-outs, giving an 8' long sleeping area.
The other day the October issue of Land Rover Owner International magazine arrived in the mail, and in it was a Land Rover with a similar idea:
Reboot11133
Observer
Very cool! It looks like the LR does it all with a soft top which would result in a lower centre of gravity, better for mountain trails in my area.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Question for the forum moderators/administrators: This thread was started in the Jeep section because it's about outfitting a Jeep, and it's been in that section for 4 years. Now it seems to have been moved to the Roof Top Tents and Awnings section of the forum. It is off-topic for the Roof Top Tents section and really belongs in the Jeep section. Can it be moved back please?
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jscherb
Expedition Leader
Those of you who have been following this thread for any length of time will probably recall that I drove the LJ Safari up the Alaska Highway and then the Dalton Highway all the way to the Arctic Ocean this July. The Dalton, of course is one of the routes featured on the TV show Ice Road Truckers.
I'm at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas all week, and so is Alex Debogorski, one of the Ice Road Truckers. He's putting on a snow driving exhibition and meeting people. Here are some photos, they've put about two feet of snow in a parking lot next to the convention center and given Alex a JK to drive:
We spent some time talking to Alex; we told him about our trip in the Jeep and showed him our photo book from the trip. I told him I had done something he hadn't done (swam in the Arctic Ocean) and his reply was that he had done something I hadn't - drive on it! He got me there.
He was very nice and signed our photo book on the page with the photos of the Jeep crossing Atigun Pass on the Dalton.
I'm at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas all week, and so is Alex Debogorski, one of the Ice Road Truckers. He's putting on a snow driving exhibition and meeting people. Here are some photos, they've put about two feet of snow in a parking lot next to the convention center and given Alex a JK to drive:
We spent some time talking to Alex; we told him about our trip in the Jeep and showed him our photo book from the trip. I told him I had done something he hadn't done (swam in the Arctic Ocean) and his reply was that he had done something I hadn't - drive on it! He got me there
.
He was very nice and signed our photo book on the page with the photos of the Jeep crossing Atigun Pass on the Dalton.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
I told him I had done something he hadn't done (swam in the Arctic Ocean) and his reply was that he had done something I hadn't - drive on it! He got me there
LOL
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Elmira Auto Paint, the local automotive paint and body supplies dealer does a t-shirt every year to give to their good customers. This year they decided to feature my two Jeeps instead of their typical muscle car or hot rod theme. I gave them some photos and artwork a couple of months ago, and this morning they called to tell me the shirts were in and I should come down to the store to pick up a few. Here's your truly modeling the shirt in my workshop:
A close-up of the back of the shirt:
A close-up of the back of the shirt: