First off, I thought I would re-introduce myself to everyone.

I picked up my F-250 with 260k miles on it about 5 weeks ago, right before my big move to Alaska. She is a 4x4, CC, CB, with a new trans at 230K.

Here is the intro thread for my truck.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...ate-sorry.html

I spent the summer in Talkeetna last summer with a friend and I had a blast. I went home to Atlanta, GA for the winter and after struggling to find any work with my newel acquired degree in Business Management, I opted to return up here for the summer and then look for permanent winter work.

Either way, I am up here for now and looking forward to another fun summer and then my first winter!

I wanted to get this thread going to help get some advice from people that have lived her for a while. Being that this will be the first REAL winter for both my truck and I, I am sure there are many things that I will need to do in preparation such as aux lights and plugging it in when possible.

What else should I be going for?

 

You should be fine stock. Just make sure you plug it in when its under 20* and run thinner oil in the winter season. You might also want to get some 850 crank batteries when you need to replace them. Helps with starting power in the cold. Thats basically all we run with in the winter in anchorage. Being in Talkeetna you would probably defiantly want some aux lights for the highway. A grill cover is also another option for keeping the heat in and faster warm ups. Thats all I can really think of for now. You might also want to carry some recovery equipment with you like a tow strap.

 

Thanks, it seems like everything you mentioned is stuff I already had in mind. The batteries seem good to go but when they do go out I will replace them.

What weight oil should I consider using? I am due for an oil change right now but I don't know if I will need another one before winter.

 

Off the top of my head I believe its 15W-40 summer and 15W-30 for winter.

 

welcome! u will deffinatly need a gps to find your way around talkeetna! hahah J/k talkeetna is great.. hope you can find year around word there or close by!

Ray

 

Thanks for the welcome. I am here until September and my housing is only until then as well so I am prepared and willing to move around the state for winter work. I actually don't think I could last long in this town in the winter. I would need one damn good girlfriend or something to keep my busy! Going from a city of 7 million to a town of 800 can't be easy on my social life.

 

only come to alaska if you bringing your own woman, dont come up womanless.. or youll be sorry!

 

I'm already sorry. This whole business of working night shift all summer certainly isn't going to help my odds much either. Damn.

 

Another Georgia ex-pat! I grew up just north of Columbus, but lived in Atlanta for three years before coming up here. Matter of fact, I flew down to see the folks and to retrieve my truck a couple of weeks ago. Georgia isn't that bad a place to visit, but I'll take the cold and snow over 285 or 400 traffic any day of the week and twice on sunday. Welcome back to Alaska.

 

I run 10W30 in the winter. Seems to be easier with the cold starts.

 

Don't go to Juneau looking to get a gal for yourself.

Though there are a lot of gals in Juneau, many Travel Guides list Juneau as the Little Fransisco.

 

This has really turned into a very educational thread on Alaska.

So ignoring the fact that my ***** will need to pack up and move away, what are some cool places to drive in Alaska? Any light offroading trails that I could enjoy in a stock suspension and wheel truck?

 

Hmmmm

Iirc, part of the road between Skagway and Whitehorse in Canada is still gravel.

What I recall is, its a stretch that is south of Whitehorse and saves going up to Whitehorse to head back down to Skagway.

 

Good night.

 

Hey, Juneau is not that bad a place I found my girl down here and there are lots of single gals down here in the summer at least in the winter pick'ns are slim everyone shacks up.

Looking for a girl one great piece of advise I can give ya is find yourself a nurse

If you have to migrate for the winter try Girdwood they are always looking for people to work on the mountain which is great if you ski if not well...

For the love of god don't go north for the winter unless you find your self a cute little hippie chick that wants to go live in a cabin outside Fairbanks and race sled dogs

but in general don't go north