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How you can get to Alaska for the first time
Decide what you want out of the trip before you go
Important things to know about Alaska
Final Word
 

How you can get to Alaska for the first time

When you travel to Alaska for the first time, you have a few choices when it comes to how you get there. You can fly there, drive there, or, depending on where you are traveling from, you can take a cruise or ferry there.

In order to take a ferry, there you will need to be in Washington. The Alaska Marine Highway (the Alaska ferry system) only stops in Bellingham, Washington and Alaska. If you want to take a cruise to Alaska, you will need to be on the northern part of the west coast. The majority of cruises to Alaska depart from Seattle and San Francisco.

Flying to Alaska is as simple as going online and buying a plane ticket from the area that you plan on traveling from.

Driving to Alaska would require that you have your passport because you will need to drive through Canada in order to get there. The distance that you end up driving will depend on where you are departing from. If you are driving from Seattle to Anchorage, Alaska it will be about 2,300 miles. So, it will take about three days of driving to get there.

We recommend that you fly there. If you do, you can always ship your car there with us so that you can start driving around shortly after you arrive there.
 

Decide what you want out of the trip before you go

There is much more to do In Alaska than most people initially think. Sight-seeing, for example, is a big activity that residents and tourists alike enjoy. However, you will likely not be able to see everything that Alaska has to offer until you travel there a few times, or you move there permanently.

So, the point is that you will need to plan out what you want to see before your time there starts. If you want to see the northern lights, you should figure out the arrangements before you even leave for Alaska.
 

Important things to know about Alaska

Before you trek to Alaska, check out the following tips:

• Be prepared for a dry climate – The climate in Alaska tends to be much drier than most places in the country. There just is not a frequent amount of precipitation in the state.
• Get ready for things to cost a bit more – Most items cost a bit more in Alaska because they need to be imported a great distance. So, expect a slightly higher expense when you buy things there.
• You won’t get great cell phone service – Be ready for your cell phone to have little to no service when you are traveling in Alaska. There are not that many cell phone towers in the more remote portions of the state, thus there is less cell service.
• Alaska is not all snow – The southern portion of Alaska only sees snow as frequently as many places in the rest of the United States. It is the northern portions of Alaska that are covered in snow year-round.
• Alaska is huge – Alaska is actually the biggest state in the United States and its not really close. Texas is half the size of Alaska and Alaska is one-fifth of the size of the lower forty-eight states.

Final Word

Alaska is a wonderful place to visit and/or move to. You just need to figure out what you want to do when you get there as well as how you plan on traveling there. The most sensible option is to fly there. If you do and you want to save on the expense of renting a car, you can always ship your own car there with us.

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Where you will find the most abandoned cars in Alaska
What to do if you find an abandoned car in Alaska
Laws to know about abandoned cars in Alaska
Conclusion
 

Where you will find the most abandoned cars in Alaska

Right now, you can find abandoned and junked vehicles scattered throughout Alaska. However, you can find a high concentration of them in Anchorage. Each year, the city of Anchorage ends up being responsible for the towing/removal of hundreds of these types of cars.

The city has now officially contracted a towing company to do all of the work. However, because of how many new requests they continue to get in addition to the backlog of abandoned cars in Anchorage, they expect it to take a while before they are caught up with all the removals.
 

What to do if you find an abandoned car in Alaska

If you find a vehicle that has not been moved in over three days, it can qualify for abandoned status. If there is a car that is parked on a public street that is inoperable, un-registered or visible stripped down, it can qualify for junk status.

If you come across one of these types of vehicles when you are in Alaska, report them by calling Alaska Police Department’s Junk Vehicle Hotline at 907-786-8830.

Now, it could be sometime before the cars actually end up getting removed. As we mentioned above, the backlog for the abandoned vehicles in Anchorage is quite large. APD wants to stress that once you report one of these vehicles, you should not report them again even if they do not get removed for several weeks.
 

Laws to know about abandoned cars in Alaska

There are several laws in Alaska regarding abandoned vehicles in Alaska:

• General laws about abandonment – You cannot abandon a car on any road, highway or area such as parking lots. You cannot abandon a car on private property without the permission of the property owner. If you do abandon a vehicle, you will be liable for the cost of its removal.
• The presumption of abandonment – This is how Alaska officially determines a vehicle is “abandoned.” When a vehicle is in the condition that would be considered “stripped wrecked or inoperable.” More specifically, if the car has at least two of the following, it can be considered abandoned:
  
  • missing tires or missing wheels
  • glass that is broken
  • missing parts
• The claim of ownership by a private property owner – If you leave what is considered to be an abandoned car on private property for at least six months, the owner of the private property can then claim the title of the vehicle if they so please.
• The removal of abandoned cars – The removal of abandoned cars from public areas such as highways and roads will happen under the guidance of someone authorized by the state. The removal of an abandoned vehicle from private property will be at the request (in writing) by the private property owner.
• The notice to owners – Within 30 days of the removal of the vehicle, the owners of the car that are on-record must be notified by the person or company who stores the car as to why it was removed from its former location and where it is being kept/impounded.
• Disposal of abandoned cars – Abandoned vehicles will be stored/discarded where the state deems it appropriate.

Conclusion

Abandoned cars are definitely an issue in Alaska, specifically Anchorage. If you see any cars that you think are abandoned, you can report it by calling the Junk Vehicle Hotline. If you need to dispose of a vehicle, you should consider selling it or getting it scrapped rather than just abandoning it.

Jump to section:
The importance of changing your car’s fluids
How the weather in Alaska will affect how often you need to change your car’s fluids
Advice for automotive fluid changes in Alaska
Final word
 

The importance of changing your car’s fluids

Getting your car’s fluids changed regularly is quite important to the health of your car’s engine. This includes the oil, wiper fluid, radiator fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and air conditioning coolant.

If you do not check the levels and conditions of these fluids, you could risk your car not running properly or even at all.
 

How the weather in Alaska will affect how often you need to change your car’s fluids

The cold weather in Alaska can affect how often you need to change some of these fluids. For example, your oil will need to work harder in colder conditions. You also likely drive places more often because walking somewhere in that sort of weather is never ideal.

When there are significant drops in the temperature the fluids in your engine such as the oil will have changes in their viscosity. This means the fluid will get thicker and will work a bit less efficiently. Other fluids such as transmission fluid will also thicken, consider getting a fluid like this changed to a full synthetic in order to help avoid any possible issues.
 

Advice for automotive fluid changes in Alaska

• Get any and all fluid changes taken care of before the cold weather hits – In the future, you should get your fluids checked and changed, if necessary, in October or November in Alaska. If you wait longer than that, you could be risking performance issues with your vehicle.
• Go synthetic whenever you can – Getting a synthetic version of whatever fluids you have the option to is a great way to maximize performance during the winter. This is because synthetic fluids tend to be more resistant to being slowed down by low-temperatures.
• Make sure your oil is not dirty – Going into the winter is not a good idea. This is due to the fact that dirty oil is much more susceptible to temperature changes. Thus, getting new oil put into your car with a new oil filter is a great way to maintain the oil’s performance during the winter.
• Drive slower for at least the first few miles – Driving more slowly for at least the first few miles of your drive will help the engine and fluids warm up to a point where performance will improve significantly.
• Skip the idling – We know this might sound counter-intuitive but, believe it or not, when many cars idle, they do not lubricate internal parts of the engine. So, you can possibly have a bunch of internal movement going on with no lubrication. This obviously causes damage to internal engine parts after a while.

Final word

The fluids in your car always need to be paid attention to. However, that is even more important when you have your car in Alaska. That is because the cold weather can cause the viscosity of the fluids that are in the engine such as the oil and the transmission fluid. If this happens, your engine and car will not perform nearly as well as it had been.

If you need your car shipped to or from Alaska, you can get in touch with us today to ask any questions that you might have or to get a free quote. You can also call anytime at (907) 331-3100.

Jump to section:
The weather in Alaska and how it can cause foggy windows
Preventing foggy windows in Alaska
How to fix foggy windows in Alaska
Conclusion
 

The weather in Alaska and how it can cause foggy windows

Many people assume that car windows are less likely to get fogged up in a colder climate and that assumption is incorrect. This is because people assume that humidity is the only thing that causes car windows to fog up.

In reality, humid weather does contribute to foggy car windows, but it isn’t the only thing that does. Foggy car windows are caused by two things: moisture and cooler car glass. So, when your windshield is cold in the winter and you crank the heat up, you end up creating condensation which will bind to the windshield thus causing it to fog up.
 

Preventing foggy windows in Alaska

The best way to stop an issue is by preventing it altogether. Foggy car windows are no different. There are actually a few simple ways that you can do this:

• Keep your window cracked – Keeping the air inside of the car fresh and the right temperature is critical to preventing foggy windows. So, keep your window cracked while you drive and even when you are not in your car if possible.
• Spray the inside of the window with some ammonia – If you use a bit of ammonia cleaner on the inside of your windshield, you can prevent the build-up of dirt and excess moisture. This will really help stop foggy windows from happening in your car.
• Refresh not recirculate – Be sure that you are getting new and fresh air in the inside of your car while you are driving, so do not recirculate air conditioning or heat – refresh instead.
• Check the weather – Know that you will need to take these extra steps if you see humidity or particularly cold weather in the forecast. So, make sure that you always check the forecast and then take preventative steps if necessary.
• Keep the glass clean – It is and unfortunate but simple rule, the more dirt that you have on your window, the more moisture you will have on your window as well. This will directly cause foggy windows.

How to fix foggy windows in Alaska

Sometimes, you will inevitably end up with foggy windows when you are in Alaska. You can remedy this by using any of the following tips:

• Use a defogger pad – You can search online for “window defogger pad” and you will likely come across a worthwhile product. This is simply a pad you can use to remove fog without streaking up your window.
• Turn the wipers on – Many times, simply turning on your wiper blades will be enough to remove the fog from your windshield.
• Keep the window cracked overnight – If you slightly crack your windows while you are not in the car, you can keep the moisture level low in the car thus preventing any fog.
• Prevent the fog in the first place – If you take the necessary steps in the section above this one, you will not need to fix any foggy windows because you will not have them in the first place.

Conclusion

De-fogging your car windows is critically important. If you do not have completely clear vision of the road while you are driving, it can pose a serious safety risk. Preventing the occurrence of foggy windows by treating your windows or keeping one window cracked while you are not in the car will help you save the time that you need to spend de-fogging them once you get into your car.

Jump to section:
The car auctions of Alaska
Tips for success in a car auction
Final word
 

The car auctions of Alaska

Alaska has several notable car auctions. These are great opportunities to get a car at a price that is much lower than you would normally expect to pay. Always be on the lookout for when these auctions take place. Some of them occur more frequently than others.

• Copart – Copart holds car auctions every Tuesday at 12 PM. These auctions take place in anchorage. Although, the auctions also take place online.
• Dealers Auto Auction of Alaska – Dealers Auto Auction of Alaska has several car auctions each year. These auctions are held in Anchorage. Many of their auctions only allow dealers to bid but several times each year they do have public auctions.
• Aurora Towing Auctions – The Aurora Towing Auctions happen weekly in Anchorage. These auctions are cash-only so make sure you bring the amount of cash that you plan on spending because checks and credit are not accepted.

Tips for success in a car auction

When you are going to participate in a car auction, you should know a few things first:

• Know that the cost goes beyond the price – Cars that are sold at auction are almost always sold “as is” which means if something goes wrong with the car after you purchase it, you will not be covered for it nor can you take any legal action to recoup any money. Many cars sold at auction will require hundreds or even thousands of dollars of maintenance after they are bought.
• Be knowledgeable or bring someone who is – If you are not a car guru yourself, you should really bring someone who is. They will know which model cars to persue and for how much.
• Learn the history – You can login to Carfax on your phone and see what the history of the vehicle is. We highly recommend that you do this.
• Don’t bid an even amount at any point – Many people make the mistake of bidding an even amount such as $500. Instead, if you decide to bid a number like $501 you can outbid those who have also bid $500 without any considerable additional expense.
• Check the dipsticks – One of the quickest and easiest ways to check an auction cars’ condition is to pull out the cars’ dipsticks and see how clean they are. If the car has been properly maintained over the years, then the dipsticks will be at least moderately clean.

Final word

Buying a car at auction is a great way to get the car you want for much cheaper than you would normally need to pay. However, you do need to have some know-how first. You should always do what you can to know the vehicle history, know what cars are really worth and always bid an odd number. If you do win a car at auction, you can always ship it home rather than driving it.

Jump to section:
Pay close attention to where you park
Ways you can avoid being towed in Alaska
Tips for finding parking in Alaska
Conclusion
 

Pay close attention to where you park

Just like anywhere else, the most simple rule when it comes to avoiding being towed in Alaska is to pay close attention to where you are parking. Watch for things like signs and colored lines that stipulate a space may be handicapped parking only or for loading and unloading only.

This can get a bit more difficult when you are dealing with inclement winter weather. Signs can become more difficult to read and lines on the street can become nearly impossible to see. In this case, your best bet is to stay home and avoid driving altogether. However, if that is not a possibility, you can park briefly nearly anywhere. Once you have parked, take a quick look around and clear the snow off of any nearby signs if possible. Odds are you will not get towed if you are only parked for a few brief moments. Although, be careful that you do not block the progress of any snowplows, that is an easy way to get towed. So, try to stay off the roads during those times.
 

Ways you can avoid being towed in Alaska

In general, there are several simple ways for you to avoid being towed in Alaska.

• Always pay close attention – This has already been mentioned but it is important enough to mention again, you need to read all the signs in the area that you are parking before you commit to leaving your car there. Also, make sure the lines on the street are not painted any special colors.
• Feed the meter – If you park next to a meter, make sure that you put money in and also that you pay attention to how much time you have bought yourself. You will need to either head back to your car and put more money in the meter or move your car before the meter expires.
• Keep an eye on the clock – If you park in a space that says parking is limited to a certain period of time such as twenty minutes or a hour as well as spaces with signs that say parking is only allowed in-between certain hours, you will need to make sure that you move your car when time is up. You might ask “How can someone enforce hour-long parking without a meter of some kind?” Well, parking enforcement officers will take a piece of chalk, mark your tires, then come back a little over an hour later. Your best bet is to set some sort of alarm on your phone for when it is time to move your vehicle.
• Avoid parking on the side of unplowed roads – We have mentioned this briefly already, but an easy way to get towed is by impeding the progress of snowplows during a storm. So be sure that you only park on the sides of streets that are already plowed.
• Have a roadside assistance plan – In case your car breaks down or gets stuck out on the road during a storm or even in general, you should have a membership for a roadside assistance plan. By paying a small monthly fee every month you can avoid having to pay the extremely high fee of getting your car towed by an independent truck. You additionally will receive a bunch of other benefits as well with membership in one of these programs.

Tips for finding parking in Alaska

Alaska does not have a very high population, but the population density is fairly high in Anchorage which means that in a small area there are a pretty high number of people for a pretty small area. In areas like this, parking can sometimes be tough to come by in Alaska. You can use the following tips to find parking in Alaska:

• Be ready to pay – In the more crowded areas like Anchorage, there are a bunch of premium options for parking, but some can get pricey. Always think and plan ahead if you are going to be driving around an area like Anchorage. You can find some paid options for parking by downloading the EasyPark app.
• Walk or take taxis during the day – In city areas like Anchorage, there is little to no parking during the day. You should walk to your destination if the weather is not too bad and it is not too far of a walk. If that is not the case, then you can always call a taxi or use a ride-share service such as Uber.
• Ask your hotel about their parking – Some hotels will charge an additional fee for parking there. We do not recommend using that option. If you are visiting and will be staying at a hotel, be sure that you stay at one that provides free parking as a part of your booking.
• Parking during or immediately after it snows can be more difficult – If it snows, much of the parking on the side streets of Alaska might become unavailable. So, we recommend that you wait at least half a day after any considerable snowfall to go out driving.

Conclusion

Parking in Alaska can get tricky because of weather, parking regulations and some crowded city areas. It is critically important that you pay very close attention to where you are parking because you could possibly get ticketed or even towed. You will likely need to pay for parking in areas such as Anchorage, so consider taking cabs in areas like that or even walking if at all possible. If you are moving to Alaska or going there for an extended stay, you can always have your car shipped there.

Jump to section:
The most dangerous roads in Alaska
Why these roads are considered dangerous
Tips for driving on these roads
Conclusion
 

The most dangerous roads in Alaska

If you are moving to Alaska or staying there for an extended period of time, odds are that you will need to do some longer distance driving. That means that there is a chance that you will need to drive on one of Alaska’s more dangerous roads.

The most dangerous roads in Alaska are:

1. Dalton Highway – At the top of the list you have Dalton Highway which is infamous for its reputation as the “loneliest road in America” due to the lack of places you can stop along the extremely long 414-mile-long road. It is often plagued with cold temperatures as well as with snow and ice. The visibility on the road can often be pretty bad. The road also has large commercial oil trucks traveling on it with pretty aggressive speed, so pay attention. You can even have animals randomly wandering out on the road. Do not try to travel this road at night.
2. Seward Highway – This road is infamous for the amount of car accidents that occur on it. These accidents are a result of the winding path of the road, only two lanes total (one lane for each travel direction), and the high amount of traffic the road has during warmer weather months. Tourists flock to this road for the legendary sight-seeing which leads to denser traffic in an area where passing can be an extremely dangerous move.
3. Sterling Highway – Sterling Highway suffers some of the same issues as Seward Highway in terms of congestion from tourists and sightseers. However, the road also has the unique issue of being plagued by nearby wildfires. Depending on the time of year, this can make travel on the road very dangerous and there are no alternate routes either.
4. Richardson Highway – Night travel is not a good idea on the more dangerous roads of Alaska during the winter months. Unfortunately, there is a period for a certain area of Alaska where it barely gets light out for a couple of hours a day and this is an area that the Richardson Highway cuts through. The road is ripe with black ice and difficult-to-navigate terrain in the winter months. So, try to avoid the Richardson Highway during the winter at all costs.

Why these roads are considered dangerous

As you now know, each of these roads has it’s own unique challenges. However, they also have a lot in common when it comes to the level of danger they present. In the winter months, these roads can all have extremely poor visibility which can make travel nearly impossible. Wildlife crossings are also another dangerous part of the Alaskan road ecosystem. Animals can dart out onto roads without warning at times.

During the summer, some of these roads suffer from congestion due to tourists. This leads to more multi-vehicle accidents each year. Finally, many of these roads have stretches that are over an hour away from any sort of emergency service, so if you get stuck, you could be waiting a while.
 

Tips for driving on these roads

These roads can be very treacherous, however, sometimes you will have no choice but to travel on them. Use the following tips if you find yourself needing to drive on these dangerous Alaskan roads:

• Check the forecast – Before you leave for the trip, make sure that you see what the weather will be like for the duration of your time out on the road. If the weather seems like it might get bad, consider holding off on traveling that day.
• Be prepared for an emergency – You should be ready for a situation where you get stuck or stranded. This includes having emergency supplies such as gravel or kitty litter to help get your tires un-stuck, spare food, water, road flares and a fully charged cell phone to call for help.
• Get your car ready for the trip – If you are traveling during the winter, make sure that you have the car winterized before you head out on the road. This includes having snow tires and a full tank of gas. You should even consider having some spare gas with you because if you get stuck, you will need to run your car for heat.
• Drive with extreme caution – Do not speed or drive aggressively when you are driving on these roads. Doing so can much more easily lead to a serious accident on roads like these.
• Avoid using these roads if possible – If you can avoid taking these roads, we recommend that you do so. You can always plan alternate routes using Google or an app like Waze.

Conclusion

If you find yourself driving in Alaska, do whatever you can to avoid the highways mentioned above during the times of the year that were mentioned. Thankfully, these roads usually just grant access to the more remote parts of Alaska. If you are staying in an area like Anchorage, you won’t need to worry about these roads unless you plan on venturing far out of that area at some point.

Jump to section:
The best day trips in Alaska
Sightseeing in Alaska with your car
Advice for taking a day trip in Alaska
Conclusion
 

The best day trips in Alaska

Alaska has some of the more incredible day trips that you can take in the entire country. These trips offer great opportunity to sight-see and to experience the awesome expanse that is the Alaskan wilderness.
The top five day trips that you can take in Alaska are:

1. Kenai Fjords National Park – This is one of the most famous places in Alaska to visit for a day. Part of the attraction here is that the best way to see the park is on a day-long cruise. On top of taking in all the expansive beauty that the park itself has to offer, you might even see some whales along the way.
2. The Alaska Railroad – The Alaska Railroad is likely the best way to spend a day trip in Alaska without having to worry about doing much driving yourself. The railroad includes day trip routes through anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks, Girdwood, Seward, Whittier, Portage and more. On these various day trips, you will be able to see bears, glaciers and the overall beauty of the great state of Alaska.
3. Chugach National Forest – This is one of the biggest forests in the entire country. This area is perfect for a day of hiking, biking, and kayaking.
4. Portage Valley – The Portage Valley is likely the best spot in Alaska to catch a view of a glacier. The aptly named Portage Glacier is the main attraction here. You can see it by hiking the Byron Glacier Trail to the very foot of the actual glacier itself.
5. Katamai National Park – Katamai National Park offers the wonderful opportunity to see bears, glaciers and even volcanoes. We recommend seeing the park by taking the seaplane.

Sightseeing in Alaska with your car

If you are going to be taking your car to sightsee in Alaska, you should keep a few things in mind. First of all, you should pay close attention to the forecast. Alaska is no stranger to inclement weather. The point of a day trip is to be able to get out and experience the sights, if the weather is bad, not only will you not be able to do that, you will have a hard time driving as well.

Next, you should have a GPS app like Waze on your phone for directions. However, you should also bring a hard copy paper map too. There are areas in Alaska where cell service is usually at a minimum so you might have no choice but to revert to using an actual map like the old days.

Finally, you should be prepared for a potential emergency situation. This includes having a spare tire and other emergency supplies such as road flares, food, water and a first aid kit. It is also advisable that you have a membership to an emergency roadside service program such as AAA.
 

Advice for taking a day trip in Alaska

• Odds are that you will need to dress pretty warm – Obviously this will depend on what time of the year that you choose to visit but it can get pretty chilly and windy in many of the spots of the list, so be sure you at least bring a light jacket just in case.
• Bring a camera or make sure that your phone is well charged – There will definitely be ample opportunities for pictures so be sure that you are ready.
• Make sure you plan out the trip – Preparation is key to your success when it comes to a day trip in Alaska.
• Bring food! – You won’t want to get caught out in the Alaskan wilderness with no food, the day could easily be ruined if you need to spend it while you are overly hungry.
• Don’t venture too far – If you are taking a day-trip, you will not want to spend more than half the day traveling. So, make sure that the total distance to and from your destination will only take a couple hours maximum to travel.

Conclusion

Day trips in Alaska are a perfect way to experience all the gorgeous sights the state has to offer while only taking a day at a time to do so. Just make sure that you take the time to plan out the trip so that you do not have any issues such as inclement weather.

Jump to section:
Winterize now if you have not already
Caution goes a long way when driving in the snow
Prepare for the worst
General advice for driving in winter conditions
 

Winterize now if you have not already

When it comes to driving in winter conditions in Alaska, preparation is one of the most important parts. This means getting your car winterized before the snow really starts to fall. If you are reading this, you have likely already waited too long so get your car winterized as soon as possible.

In order to get your car winterized properly for the harsh Alaskan winter, there will be a few things that need to be completed. First, you should switch to winter tires. These tires are specifically designed for driving in the snow versus regular tires which can easily slip and slide.

Next, you will want to get winter windshield wipers installed as well. These wipers have rubber on them which goes a long way to keeping the blades from icing up. After this, you will want to make sure that you have windshield wiper fluid is completely full. You will also want to be sure that you keep at least a full spare bottle of windshield wiper fluid around. You will end up going through a lot of it over the course of the winter.

You should also get some higher visibility headlights installed. These will help you see through heavy and snowy conditions during the winter in Alaska.

You can take care of all of these things yourself or you can have it all done by making an appointment with a mechanic who can do it for you. Just be sure that you make an appointment as soon as possible because it might be a week or two before the mechanic will be able to squeeze you in.
 

Caution goes a long way when driving in the snow

There is no such thing as “driving too carefully” when it comes to driving in the snow. Slowing down and taking tasks such as turning and breaking carefully will really help you avoid sliding into an accident.

Always keep your eyes on the road and take extra time to brake and turn if you need to. In most cars these days, you will have an anti-lock braking system. What this does is it essentially “pumps the brakes” for you in order to prevent the brakes from locking up. So, you should keep your foot placed firmly on the brake.

When you are steering in the snow and ice make sure that you do not ever slam down on the brakes because this can make steering nearly impossible. If you do happen to start skidding, be sure to remain calm, steer into the direction of the skid and very mildly accelerate in order to correct the skid.
 

Prepare for the worst

This might sound pessimistic, but it will definitely help if you are prepared for an emergency situation. First, you should have an emergency kit packed and prepared in your car.

This will include jumper cables, a flashlight, an ice scraper, some non-perishable food and water, a bag of sand or kitty litter, a shovel, extra anti-freeze, some extra gloves, a first aid kit and whatever else that you think you might need if you were to get stuck in the snow.

Next, you should always have your cell phone with you and charged. Try to avoid driving in areas where cell phone reception is poor during a winter storm because getting stuck there could be incredibly dangerous.
 

General advice for driving in winter conditions

When you are driving in the snow and the ice, use the following pieces of advice to have the safest trip possible:

• Keep your fuel filled – You should always gas up often during the winter. This will help prevent the fuel lines from freezing up in extremely cold temperatures, but, more importantly, you will be able to keep the car running and stay warm longer if you get stuck anywhere.
• Always keep an eye on the forecast – You should always watch the forecast to make sure that you do not end up accidentally getting caught out on the road during a particularly bad storm.
• Keep the car winterized – Make sure that you keep your windshield wiper fluid throughout the winter. If you end up with any issues with your winter wipers or tires be sure that you get it fixed immediately.
• Watch your tire pressure – During the much colder temperatures during the winter in Alaska, tire pressure can decrease quickly. So, check your tire pressure often and fill them up if need be.
• Always clear your car off completely prior to hitting the road – You should take the necessary time to clear and snow and ice debris from your car before you start driving. This includes the sides and back of the car as well.

Jump to section:
The way that a good pair of headlights will help you in Alaska
Headlight types and visibility
Tips for picking out a good pair of headlights for your car
Conclusion
 

The way that a good pair of headlights will help you in Alaska

Having a good pair of headlights will always be helpful, no matter where you are or what season it is. It is critically important that you are able to see at night and that other drivers and pedestrians are able to see you as well.

However, in the dead of winter, a good pair of headlights really helps making driving easier both at night and during the day. When it is snowing, visibility decreases tremendously. Visibility even remains low after it has stopped snowing because a snow-covered road that matches the snow-colored horizon can end up disorienting you as you drive. In fact, visibility has been known to decrease to less than a quarter mile in more extreme winter storms.

Headlights that have stronger lights increase visibility and help you navigate roads more easily.

Headlight types and visibility

It should come as no surprise that different types of headlights have different visibilities. In Alaska during the winter, you will want to get the maximum amount of visibility with your headlights. You can always switch them out later, once the worst part of the winter ends if you feel that they are a bit too much.

There are three primary types of headlights to consider: halogen, LED and Xenon.

• Halogen – Halogen lights are the standard type of lights used in most cars these days. These are cheaper and offer the least visibility of any of the types of headlights, so we do not recommend using them for winter driving in Alaska.
• LED – LED headlights are more expensive and have better quality light than halogens, thus they create better visibility for driving. We recommend that you choose these when you are picking a headlight for winter driving.
• Xenon – These are the brightest lights that you can get but they are so bright that they can be extremely distracting to other drivers. Some have even described them as “blinding.” So, there currently are not any laws against these headlights, there may very well be in the future. They also take time to “warm up” in order to reach their full intensity. We do not recommend getting these type of headlights.

Tips for maximizing your headlights’ performance during the winter

When you are trying to get the most out of your headlights, using these few tricks can go a long way:

• Make sure that your headlights are clean – It is important, on a regular basis, that you check your headlights to make sure there is not any dirt or grime on your headlights. If there is, you must take the time to clean them because dirt on your headlight covers can impede their performance.
• Be sure that you check your headlights for snow and ice – Snow and ice can hamper the performance of your headlights the same way that dirt and grime can. However, during a storm, snow and ice can quickly accumulate. So, you should check your headlights before you get in your car but you should also keep an eye out while you are driving to see if your headlights suddenly seem dimmer. If they do, pull over when it is safe to do so and clear them off.
• Careful with the high-beams – Your high-beams, otherwise known as brights, can be very useful when it comes to driving in Alaska’s inclement winter weather and low light. However, they can also be very distracting to other drivers. So, if you are driving with your brights on, make sure that you switch them off if on-coming traffic is going to pass you.
• Make sure that your headlights are aimed correctly – This a mistake that people make more often than you might think. It is likely because many people are not even aware that this issue can even occur. If you install your own headlights, be absolutely sure that the blubs are properly facing forward. Often people can put the bulbs in and erroneously do so with the bulbs facing too far sideways, downward or upward. Also, blubs can be knocked out of position by a bump in the road. So, if you notice one of your headlights seems dimmer than the others, it could be because it has been knocked out of position.
• Do not be frugal when it comes to new headlights for your car – As we have already mentioned, the better headlights, the more expensive they will be. This includes types of headlights like LEDs which are known for more brightness and better visibility.

Conclusion

The most important thing to remember here is that your headlights are critical to being able to see the road and being able to drive effectively and safely both in winter weather and low-light conditions. Both conditions are prevalent in Alaska for multiple months every year. In order to maximize your headlights performance, you should perform regular checks to make sure that your headlights are not covered by dirt, snow and/or ice.