Overland Trip to Alaska - Follow For Updates

[Cybergirl]

August 30, 2025

We plugged the truck into the 50 kW Flo charger at the Visitor Information Center in Dawson City pulling 42 kW. It would take 2 hours to charge to 80%, so we decided to get some breakfast at Sourdough Joe’s. The restaurant was closed (for good?), so we walked to Riverwest Bistro. We each got a cup of coffee. I bought a quarter pounder hamburger and Cheryl a breakfast English muffin with egg and sausage. She could only eat half of it, still experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort.

After our delicious meal and a walk along the Yukon River, we went back to the truck and waited for it to finish charging. I looked on-line for a car wash to wash the copious amounts of dried mud off the truck. The Bonanza Gold Motel & RV Park had two high pressure wands. After feeding a washer 8 or 10 loonies (Canadian dollar coins), the truck was looking reasonably clean. By 2 pm we were on our way to Whitehorse for the first leg of a long journey home.

We stopped to charge at a 50 kW Flo charger at a rest area at Stewart Crossing where the Alaska Hwy (Hwy 2) intersects the “Silver Trail”. We were ready to spend the night sleeping in the rooftop tent or in the truck, but a posted sign forbid overnight parking at the rest area. I opened the iOverlander app on my phone to look for a place to spend the night. I found a secluded spot right below the Stewart River bridge overlooking the river less than a mile from where we were charging. Once the spot was located, I deployed the tent, plugged in the electric blanket, and we settled in for a quiet night’s rest. The outside air temperature was still in the 70s.

August 31, 2025

In the morning we charged the truck to 90% at the same Flo charger and then headed on toward Whitehorse on Hwy 2.

We stopped at Pelly Crossing where we found a Flo charger near the ENEMBI KU swimming pool. We stopped again at Carmacks to charge at a Flo 50 kW charger. It took a couple of attempts to connect, pulling 46 kW. We arrived at the Yukon Inn in Whitehorse later in the afternoon where I had earlier made a one-night reservation. We took the opportunity to do laundry, shower, and get a good night’s sleep, but passed on having dinner since neither of us were feeling particularly well.

September 1, 2025

In the morning we charged the truck at Northlight Innovations in Whitehorse on 4th St, and by 8 am were on our way to Watson Lake with a planned charging stop at the Teslin Public Marina.

We left the Marina with 80% charge at 12:15 pm and arrived at the Northern Lights Centre in Watson Lake later that afternoon. While the truck was charging at the 50 kW Flo charger, we wandered through the Sign Forest. There were almost no tourists there at that time. Some of the equipment used in the construction of the Alaska Highway was on display (covered with signs, of course).

When the truck was charged, we headed to the Watson Lake Campground and set up camp. The plan was to spend two nights at the campground to rest up, but the following morning with a drop in air temperature, an inoperable tonneau cover jammed up with road dust, and the loss of our Starlink internet connection, we decided that we’d had enough. I was able to get Starlink working again which had lost power from the solar system (terminal connections vibrated loose driving the Dempster Hwy), and I made an attempt to clean the road dust out of the vault and sub-vault. Dust, after 1000 miles of driving on Dempster Highway, found its way into every nook and cranny of the truck that wasn’t adequately sealed. After cleaning our gear and reloading the truck, I somehow I got the tonneau cover to close, and we headed for Dawson Creek. After 30 days on the road, under less than favorable conditions, and both of us not feeling well (my cold settled in my chest and I developed a sporadic cough), all we wanted to do was begin the 4200 mile trip home.

September 2, 2025

The Alaska Highway (97) from Watson Lake to Dawson Creek is a very nice, well maintained road. We saw more wildlife on the Alaska Highway (elk, fox, sheep, bison, moose) than we saw on the more remote Stewart-Cassiar Highway. The BC Hydro 50 kW and 100+ kW chargers worked well. We charged at Liard River, Toad River (where we had dinner at the lodge there), and Tetsa River Lodge (closed) where we slept in the truck.

September 3, 2025

In the morning we continued on the Alaska Highway south to Pink Mountain where BC Hydro had a diesel powered charging station at the Buffalo Inn where we had a huge bacon and egg breakfast with potatoes, toast and coffee. We were feeling a lot better and cleaned our plates. We had a nice conversation with the older man who managed the inn and restaurant. He had some strong opinions about the liberal government in Ottawa.

We got to Dawson Creek before noon. We missed the sign marking the start of the Alaska Highway due to a construction detour, and weren’t inclined to search for it. I stopped at the 185 kW BC Hydro charger at Canadian Tire to charge up. This was our last CCS1 charger before reaching the Tesla Supercharger network in Valleyview, AB. At the end of the day we stopped at the Walmart in Vegreville, AB several miles beyond Edmonton, where there were Superchargers. I bought a BLT sandwich at McDonalds inside the Walmart, and we spent a comfortable night sleeping in the truck with Camp Mode turned on. We’d gotten use to sleeping in the truck wherever camping was prohibited. The only problem is that sometimes there is no conveniently located restroom for when nature calls early in the morning.

September 4, 2025

In the morning we drove to Tim Horton’s for coffee along with a couple of muffins for breakfast and a toilet stop. We drove on stopping at Superchargers in Lloydminster, North Battleford, Saskatoon, Davidson, Regina, Estevan (where we had dinner at Boston Pizza), crossed the border into the U.S., and stopped for the night in Minot, ND at the Walmart there after closing and slept in the truck until 5:13 am.

In Regina, SK, my FSD stopped working. Nothing I tried got it working again. I was looking at driving the last 1026 miles of our trip the old fashioned way. I was not looking forward to that. Fortunately, in Estevan, after dinner there, FSD started working again. Yay!!!

September 5, 2025

We drove to the Big Spunk Lake rest area in Minnesota where we slept in the truck overnight. Being back in the U.S.A. felt really good.

September 6, 2025

We drove to the Portage Wisconsin rest area on I-94 where we again slept in the truck overnight. The next day we had clear skies with temps rising into the 60s.

We arrived safely at home in Yorkville late morning.

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[REM]

In the morning we drove to Tim Horton’s for coffee along with a couple of muffins for breakfast and a toilet stop.

Does Canada run on Timmy's, eh?

 

[Cybergirl]

Does Canada run on Timmy's, eh?

Seems so. They're everywhere.

 

[Cybergirl]

Trip Wrap up

Our overland trip to Alaska (Anchorage and Seward) and the Arctic Ocean (Tuktoyaktuk, NT) was quite an undertaking. I underestimated the challenges and overestimated the rewards of taking this 9,963 mile journey despite months of research and planning. The positives are highlighted in the many videos posted on YouTube: magnificent scenery, prolific wildlife, the aurora borealis, interesting historical places, and the unique remoteness of this part of North America. All true, but that’s just half the story .

What isn’t highlighted is the seemingly endless hours of driving on frost damaged two-lane roads with numerous gravel sections undergoing repair where a single lane is shared by traffic in both directions. Roads transverse miles and miles of unremarkable prairie and woods, often in the presence of rain, mud, dust and fog. The first half of the trip was dominated by dark cloudy skies, drizzle and rain, and cool morning temperatures dipping into the 30s. The mountain vistas were blocked by low hanging clouds erasing one of primary reasons for making the trip. Alaska is a cloudy, rainy place. To expect otherwise will lead to frustration and disappointment. We soon learned that the journey is the objective, that completing the trip is the reward.

Making the journey in an all-electric Cybertruck only added difficulties along the way. Beyond Prince George, BC, and Valleyview, AB, until Chugiak, AK, we relied on CCS1, J1772 charging stations and campgrounds to charge the truck. Where present, we charged at DCFC Flo and BC Hydro stations at 43 to 47 kW for two plus hours. The Tesla destination chargers (Wall connectors) along the Dempster highway (Eagle Plains, Inuvik, and Tuktoyaktuk) output only 9 kW due to grid/generator voltages closer to 200V than 240V. Overnight charging was often necessary. The 50A 14-50 outlets at Tundra RV Park (Tok) and River’s Edge Campground (Fairbanks) only output 32A, about 7 kW. We often chose to charge overnight at a J1772 (7kW) charger when the CCS1 chargers refused to connect to the truck.

Taking the trip alone was risky. A vehicle breakdown in the far north regions could have been disastrous. The nearest Tesla service center was in Anchorage, over a thousand miles from Tuktoyaktuk. We were fortunate that the only truck problems we had involved the suspension and the tonneau cover.

In my opinion, the only reason to make the trip to Tuktoyaktuk, NT, is the be able to say that you stood on the shore of the Arctic Ocean. I'm not downplaying it. It is an impressive accomplishment, especially in an EV.

The 500 mile drive from Dawson City to Tuk was not what I call fun. The scenery on most of the drive is nothing to write home about. The one exception is Tombstone Provincial Park. Spectacular. The Dempter Hwy is either muddy or dusty with numerous potholes and washboard. I drove at about 40 mph with FSD turned off to avoid the worst of the worst bad spots on the Yukon part of the road. In Northwest Territories, the road from the border to Inuvik was in better shape, almost a joy to drive compared to the Yukon section. Still, the dust kicked up by opposing traffic was bad enough to temporarily block visibility. It collected on the truck’s exterior and found its way into the vault and sub-vault, even inside the cabin. Fortunately, much of our camping gear was kept in individual bags, protected from the fine dust particles. I suspect that the accumulation of dust is what caused the tonneau cover to fail. Recalibration didn’t correct the problem. There was no place to power wash the truck until we got back to Dawson City.

We spent 7 nights in hotels, 15 nights in paid campgrounds, and 15 nights sleeping in the truck cabin at chargers, parking lots, rest areas, or iOverlander app camping spots. A female pee funnel is a must have when traveling this way. We were never bothered by villain or police.

So what were the highlights of the trip? First and foremost, I saw my niece who moved to Alaska 18 years ago. Catching a rare glimpse of Mt. McKinley was exciting.

I added Denali and Kenai Fjords Nat’l Parks to my growing list of U.S. national parks visited, if just for a short while.

I’m glad we went to Dawson City, so rich in the history of the Klondike gold rush.

I’ll never forget the people at the Anchorage Tesla Service Center who were so thoughtful and accommodating getting our suspension fixed. I had to remove all the camping gear from the bed so the tech could get to the suspension control hardware. Charlene, the senior service specialist, let me put all our gear into one of their Cybertrucks that was waiting on registration. When we returned the loaner and picked up our truck, she gave us a nice zippered Tesla bag loaded with snacks and drinks.

Although we didn’t see a lot of wildlife on the trip, we took in the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site in Hyder, AK where salmon were running in the thousands. We saw a grizzly in the distance in Denali Nat’l Park along with Dall sheep and foxes. I’m surprised that we didn’t see any caribou, but did see elk and a group of 6 or 8 bison along the side of the Alaska Highway, and a couple of black bear on the Stewart-Cassiar Hwy.

The Watson Lake Sign Post Forest was amazing with many thousands of signs from all over the world all starting from one lonesome soldier’s sign posted in 1942 during the construction of the Alaska Highway.

Then there were the people. It was evident that life so far north is not easy. Incomes are limited, the climate is harsh, and many of the conveniences we all take for granted are not available. But I never got the impression they wanted to leave.

People were friendly and helpful. Many were fascinated by the Cybertruck which few had ever seen before, asking to take a picture or to look inside.

The trip would have been more enjoyable had we not gotten sick. You never know how your body will react to so sudden a change in diet, exposure to weather, and different daily routine.

FSD was a blessing though. I don’t think I could have taken such a long trip if I had to drive the truck myself.

Some data:

Trip: 9,963 miles in 37 days

Truck gross weight: 8500 lbs

Overall efficiency: 474.1 Wh/mi

Tesla charging fees: $984.74

Other charging fees: $409.87 (Flo charging in Yukon was free)

Total charging fees: $1394.61

Average charging cost per mile: $0.14

OEM tire pressure: 60 psi

OEM tire wear: 5mm from rear tires; 3mm from front tires

OEM tires replaced at end of trip after 25,530 miles driven.

Truck damage: rear passenger side fairing broken; rear wheel flare pitting from rocks; tonneau cover inoperable; no windshield damage.

Was it worth it? Yes, despite the problems, disappointments, and our health issues we are glad we went on this epic journey. The good memories tend to replace the bad over time and will be with us the rest of our lives.

 

[REM]

Well done!!

 

[hemiarch]

Bravo!
https://bishopoflondon.org/sermons/...durance-of-sir-ernest-shackleton-and-his-men/

 

[FarAway]

Recently did a Vancouver to Anchorage cruise on Holland America. We stopped at several ports up the coast. I was thrilled to spot a Cybertruck in the wild parked out front of a hardware store in Ketchikan, AK. The second one was spotted after disembarking the ship, coming through the tunnel into Wittier, AK. They both were by me so quicky that I didn't have time to document it with a picture, but I have to admit they looked awesome!

 

[collisc]

Congrats on the accomplishment, impressive indeed! Besides an adventuresome spirit, your perseverance with flexibility was more than evident. Thanks for taking us along.

 

[Friday]

It truly is an accomplishment. And you did some great beta testing for harsh environments for the CT drivers community.

An acquaintance of mine did one of those professionally hosted US to Alaska RV safaris a few years back, like 10 or 12 high end ($300K and up) RV's towing vehicles and the carnage the AL-Can highway and other roads did to those vehicles was unbelievable. All the glass, tires, interiors, suspension, drive hardware and people suffered damage. Some bailed on the trip without making it to Alaska. When he made it back, his RV spent a month and $10's of thousands of dollars at the service place. He sold it because he could never get rid of the rattles in the walls from loose stuff from the trip and the slide-outs never worked right again.

I've been to Alaska a few times, I think I'd take the ferry out of Bellingham if I wanted to take my CB.

I kind of wonder if an air compressor gun could blow the dust out of those tracks?

 

[hemiarch]

It truly is an accomplishment. And you did some great beta testing for harsh environments for the CT drivers community.

An acquaintance of mine did one of those professionally hosted US to Alaska RV safaris a few years back, like 10 or 12 high end ($300K and up) RV's towing vehicles and the carnage the AL-Can highway and other roads did to those vehicles was unbelievable. All the glass, tires, interiors, suspension, drive hardware and people suffered damage. Some bailed on the trip without making it to Alaska. When he made it back, his RV spent a month and $10's of thousands of dollars at the service place. He sold it because he could never get rid of the rattles in the walls from loose stuff from the trip and the slide-outs never worked right again.

I've been to Alaska a few times, I think I'd take the ferry out of Bellingham if I wanted to take by CB.

I kind of wonder if an air compressor gun could blow the dust out of those tracks?

Good idea but you’d need access to the entire track all the way down the rolled up area right?

 

[Friday]

Good idea but you’d need access to the entire track all the way down the rolled up area right?

I'm kind of ignorant on the accessory attachment points, since I don't have a use case for them for myself, but do they have any airspace access to the tracks for the tonneau? Kind of look like in the vicinity?

 

[Cybergirl]

It truly is an accomplishment. And you did some great beta testing for harsh environments for the CT drivers community.

An acquaintance of mine did one of those professionally hosted US to Alaska RV safaris a few years back, like 10 or 12 high end ($300K and up) RV's towing vehicles and the carnage the AL-Can highway and other roads did to those vehicles was unbelievable. All the glass, tires, interiors, suspension, drive hardware and people suffered damage. Some bailed on the trip without making it to Alaska. When he made it back, his RV spent a month and $10's of thousands of dollars at the service place. He sold it because he could never get rid of the rattles in the walls from loose stuff from the trip and the slide-outs never worked right again.

I've been to Alaska a few times, I think I'd take the ferry out of Bellingham if I wanted to take by CB.

I kind of wonder if an air compressor gun could blow the dust out of those tracks?

Today, the roads to Alaska (Alaska Highway, Yellowhead Highway, and Steward-Cassiar Highway) are paved except in sections undergoing maintenance or major reconstruction. One can expect to travel these roads safely and without damage to their vehicle. The Dempster Highway in Yukon and Northwest Territories, the Dalton Highway in Alaska to Deadhorse (Prudhoe Bay), and the Top of the World highway from Tok, AK to Dawson City, Yukon are gravel roads in various states of repair that have the potential to damage any vehicle traveling these routes. What really impressed me about the Cybertruck is how well is handled sections of road containing numerous potholes and mature washboard compared to other vehicles that I've driven on similar roads in the past.

 

[BrockN]

Today, the roads to Alaska (Alaska Highway, Yellowhead Highway, and Steward-Cassiar Highway) are paved except in sections undergoing maintenance or major reconstruction. One can expect to travel these roads safely and without damage to their vehicle.

It was common to see vehicles driving through my area heading for, or returning from, the Alaska Highway, with rock screens on the front to protect against headlight and windshield destruction. It's funny how I hadn't thought about that until this thread - haven't seen those things for years! I think the Alaska Highway was finally paved in the mid-80s... so I guess that makes me older than I want to admit...

 

[Alan]

I drove it several times in the 70’s in my 1960 36hp vw bug. It was 1800 miles of twisty dirt road. It was built in ww2 with no straightaways so the Japanese couldn’t land planes on it.

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