Two weeks ago, we had our first "major" snow storm. We got about 8 inches of snow in about 24 hours, which wasn't too bad, but the piles in the parking lots after being plowed are definitely a thing of excitement for some little girls who are just getting used to this white, cold, fluffy stuff! Now that winter is settling in, we took a week on our instagram page to show how we prepared our vehicles for our first extreme winter here in Alaska. After all the positive feedback we received from sharing this, we decided to put all that information in a blog post so we could have it all in one place and so we could elaborate on some things. So here it is! Step 1: TiresCan you drive here in the winter with all-terrain tires? Lots of people would way yes, though most would agree that you should know how to drive in the snow. That being said, we're no strangers to snow - having experienced winters in Utah, Colorado, and Idaho between the two of us - but driving here is nothing like we've ever experienced. We opted for snow tires. Which leads us to... Non-studded vs. Studded. Each have their pros and cons. Non-studded tires stick to the snow and make driving on the hard pack really nice! Studded tires will grip the snow as well as the ice, but are really more effective the heavier your vehicle is. Non-studded tires are not superior on ice, but they won't damage themselves or the road like studded tires can when driving on asphalt. We went with non-studded. We traded in our van for an AWD and, when you pair that with our snow tires, I really can't imagine going through winter without either of those especially after seeing how well we can make it around during and after this last snow storm. Step 2: HeaterYep, heaters....for your car. A block heater is a plug that goes into your engine that keeps the antifreeze from freezing. That seems crazy, but it can freeze here! An oil pan heater keeps that oil liquified and able to do it's job. It's pretty amazing how quickly extreme cold kills a battery, so you'll need a battery warmer or one step further is a trickle charge, which will warm and charge your battery at the same time. A 4th heater you can get is a transmission heater. We don't have the last one, but it is an option. All of these heaters combine into a plus that sticks out of the grill and plugs into outlets like these in parking lots when you are indoors for an extended amount of time. This is a necessity for your vehicle to function once temperatures reach -10 degrees. Bonus tip: When winterizing, you'll want to make sure your antifreeze is a solution that can withstand up to -30 degrees. All of these things are taken care of if you take your car into a shop to have it done. Jon did our cars himself. Super fun stuff! Step 3: GearThis step may not have anything to do with changing how your vehicle performs, but it is an important step when dealing with extreme winter. Whenever we head our for a drive, even if it's down the street to the grocery store, we made sure we are loaded up with our winter gear and emergency supplies in case anything happens (ie sliding off the road, sliding into another car, hitting a moose, witnessing another car wreck, etc). Exposed skin can freeze pretty quickly in -0 temperatures and even touching metal in that environment can cause blisters and/or frost bite so you definitely want to be prepared. Our "winter emergency kit", if you will, includes but is not limited to the following: Sleeping bags/heavy blankets Snow pants, boots, gloves, and hats for everyone Hand warmers Flash Lights and a head lamp Extension cord to our plug to our heaters talked about above Tow rope (highly recommended!!) Jumper cables Reflectors Flares - this is a big one because it's dark here 24/7 so flares are definitely a necessity if you do slide off the road and need people to see you! Snacks are also a good idea in case you do get stuck for a little bit. A lot of people will keep their winter gear in a tote to put in the car when heading out. We keep ours on hangers right inside the garage door so we just grab the hanger for each person and toss it in the back of the car. BonusesAnother good idea is to get an auto start put on your car. Jon also installed these himself on both of our vehicles. This way, if we are inside for a minute and aren't in a position to go plug in our car, we can start them and they can run for a little bit to warm up the engine as well as the inside ;) It did surprise us a little bit on how many houses here don't have garages! Maybe we'll do another post on what we looked for when buying a house here, but the first item on the list was a garage. A heated garage! So we didn't have to worry about our vehicles being left outside and remembering to plug them in. Someone asked me the other day if I was excited when we got orders to Alaska and truthfully, I was terrified! We were going to be completely changing our lifestyle and outlook and it was very overwhelming! But one thing I kept telling myself was that "people live there". Haha, people live here! And have been living here and making it work even in these conditions that not many other people get to experience. It may seem like a lot of work and maybe even a little bit overwhelming or scary to live here, but like I tell my kids: The best, most fun things in life are also a little bit scary. So embrace the adventure! Have fun! And live a little! Make sure to pin for future reference and follow us on Instagram for more of our day to day adventures. And until next time, get out and enjoy where YOU live!
P.S. If you have any questions, comments, or if there's anything else we should add to this list, please let us know in the comments below!
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AuthorWe're just a military family enjoying where we live, one PCS at a time. Follow us as we explore our current home, South Carolina, and beyond. The world is our backyard. Archives
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