Prepare yourself and your ride for Alaska's winter

More and more people are getting stuck in their cars due to floods or snow storms because of severe changes in the weather. There's also troubling, more frequent rock and landslides that can trap you.

Be prepared for anything.

As someone who's traveled throughout Alaska, the Yukon Territory, the Norwest Territories in Canada, and up and down the Alaska Highway to the Lower 48, I know being prepared not only saved me some discomfort but also discomfort for fellow travelers. A courtesy of the road in those places means you ask someone pulled over to the side if they're all right, and if they're not, offer assistance. I've handed off quarts of oil and gas to stranded drivers.

I'll never forget what one homeless man said to me after helping me get out of a snow berm in Anchorage, "Alaskans don't let Alaskans freeze."

Also, when I take long trips on so-called animal corridors, I drive in the middle of the road if no one's around just in case a moose or an elk decides to cross the road. If I'm in the middle, I figure I have a 50-50 chance of avoiding a hit. This was a pointer given me by the late Alice True of Skagway: "If no one else is driving why not use the whole road?"

More than the basics

First of all, a reliable vehicle in Alaska is a four-wheel drive with studded tires. Nothing is more frightening than your tires spinning on a deserted road in the middle of winter.

These are what you should always have in your gas-powered vehicle no matter if it's winter or not:

1. Jerry can of gasoline, because gas stations are usually few and far between.

2. Jumper cables. You may need them or someone else might.

3. A jerry can of water in case your radiator boils over. Remember to let it cool down before pouring water because the radiator will crack.

4. A couple of quarts of oil, again, just in case.

5. Windshield washer fluid for the bugs on the windshield.

6. A can of Fix-A-Flat Aerosol Tire Inflator.

7. A shovel, the big kind, not a snow shovel, just in case the snow is heavy.

8. Some say use kitty litter for traction, but it's hard to find the kind that doesn't clump. I've used my floor mats turned upside down under the tires with the ridges giving traction, and I've also used those doormats made out of hand-knotted coir.

Food for long trips in bad weather

1. Food that won't freeze, like crackers and peanut butter, energy bars, something sweet in case of hypothermia like chocolate or M&Ms.

2. Something to drink that won't freeze like herbal tea in a thermos and plastic Ziploc bags to melt snow in if you leave the heater on for some time.

3. Bags of pretzels, chips, popcorn.

4. Jerky.

5. A hunting knife (I traveled with a Buck knife) or a gun to eat critters or scare them away.

Staying warm

1. Lots of matches in a waterproof container, lighters.

2. I like fire starter logs because they're an easy way to get warm and last two to three hours, and you can start a real fire with them without fumbling around with kindling in a stiff wind.

3. I had a truck and piled wood pallets in the bed for a fire and also to help with traction.

4. A bow saw and an axe to cut wood.

5. Tarp for shelter.

6. Rope to hang tarp.

7. A mattress pad and a sleeping bag good to minus 20F degrees or more.

8. Change of clothes (think layers), including wool or Polar fleece socks.

9. Pack boots also good down to minus 20F or 40F degrees.

10. Wool hat, gloves or mittens, long underwear.

11. Hand warmers like packs that activate when exposed to air or the rechargeable kind.

12. A flashlight with extra batteries; a wind-up radio that also has a flashlight and a siren; a headlamp (don't we all have one?), and a battery-powered lantern that can signal distress but also provide light.

It may seem like a lot, but really, once you gather all the equipment and put it in a tote in your car or the garage, you'll be all set for your next adventure. You'll come home safe and sound. Happy trails to you.

Note: This will be my last travel column for Senior Voice. Thanks for reading and the kind words over the years.