Background: Driving the Al-Can from Haines, AK to Anchorage this December. I have an '02 WRX sedan. Will be equipped with Blizzaks and cable chains. I also have an OEM block heater and battery heater.

1. What's traffic like during the 8 am to 5 pm "daylight" time? Should I travel with others if possible or is it best to avoid other traffic to prevent chain-reaction accidents?

2. What are the daylight hours during this time of year? 10 am to 3 pm, or better?

3. Every map I have of the travel route sucks.....can someone give me a list of the towns I will go through, what highways I'll use, and what places should be open to get gas and sleep? Better yet, anyone have a link to a website with good maps of the area?

4. I've heard the road conditions in Canada are quite a bit worse than Alaska's. Are we talking bad enough that I won't be able to find the road because of drifts, will break wheels on potholes, or will get lost due to poorly maintained signs and road markers?

5. Should I chain-up right after I get off the ferry or might snow tires be enough?

I'm pretty aprehensive about the drive, especially since I might be driving in the dark, on snow-covered roads by myself, in the middle of nowhere.

I've done it in the summer and winter, both times in a FWD car. You shouldn't have any problems in a WRX. The roads are kept plowed in the winter fairly regularly when it snows. If you have the option of traveling allong with some other vehicles that would be safer in case you for some reason break down or do go off the road out in the middle of nowhere. You really do get out in the middle of nowhere between the towns along the road. They are spaced out every 100 miles or more with nothing in between. So make sure to fuel up before heading out on the long legs. Especially in the winter because some of the smaller towns actually close down in the winter. If you don't have anyone to travel with you should be alright. Traffic is pretty light, but there are other people on the road that will help out if you get into trouble.

1. I wouldn't worry about travelling with another car. There's enough traffic on those roads that if something did happen there would be someone to flag down. I'd rather drive a few miles behind someone to prevent any additional rocks and crap from being kicked up.

2. It looks like you're going to get about 6 hours of daylight in December. Sunrise around 0749 and sunset around 1355. Add a couple hours here and there for twilight and you should have about 8 hours of lightness.

3. Definitely, get one of these has all the information you'll ever need....

www.themilepost.com

4. The roads should be good. I'd say the winter roads are better than the summer.

5. You shouldn't have to chain up immediately after the ferry ride unless there has been massive snowfall.

You shouldn't have much to worry about. Make sure and have proper planning and prepare for a worse case senario. Let someone know when you leave and post here. Bring music.

Winslow

If you are running Blizzaks you should not have to chain up at all unless you get stuck.

I've driven it quite a few times in every season available. If you have any specific questions, slap me a PM.