Time for some practical advice! Nothing on the list will be surprising but some people have asked about must-have “stuff” on a trip like this so here is my list! Before I give you the tangibles, from my perspective, here are some intangibles that you must bring:

1. Flexibility. On a shorter trip, it is possible to plan every detail, every night’s stop, every meal. On a trip that spans months, this is impossible. If you are the type of traveler who must plan every detail, take shorter trips to Alaska. If you like to plan-as-you-go, this is the lifestyle for you.
2. Knowledge. When you have both basic knowledge about the area and flexibility, you can make better-educated decisions on the fly.
3. Adaptability. If it is not working, move on. Change it up.
4. Positive thinking. While on the road for months things will be challenging: weather, aloness, occasional boredom. When things are not going well, do not give in to negative thoughts. Stay positive.

You don’t need

1. Flashlights. Seriously. It is light when I go to bed and light when I get up. I have two headlamps and at least 3 flashlights. I only need one of each for those months “down south” when I am traveling to and from Alaska (like in April when I left NM and Oct when I return to home).
2. Butane stove. Butane does not burn as hot as propane and the stove I bought is too delicate.
3. Five rolls of quarters. Laundromats, which is where I also find showers, have change machines. You will need cash, though.

Finally, the top 11 Must-Haves for camping and travel in AK, all of equal importance. I am not listing the obvious, like an ultra-warm sleeping bag, a decent tent, warm hats and gloves.

1. Long underwear and lots of it. Besides keeping me warm, instead of changing my outer clothes all the time I just change the long underwear! This keeps laundromat trips to a minimum and, if I had to for some reason, I could hand wash the long underwear. Thanks to years of camping in the Rocky Mountain West, I had quite a few sets of long underwear but I bought three pairs of fleece-lined tights in Juneau (on sale since they think it is summer has arrived). The fleece tights are my favorites because they also add a layer under my socks.  As for the long underwear on top: I don’t need to run around in a heavy jacket all the time. I wear my outer jacket around the campsite on only the coldest nights. Long underwear top and bottom and comfy fleece top and bottom are my staples.
2. Rain Gear. Bring a full set,  Jacket, pants, hat, and waterproof shoes. There will be times where you wear them for days on end, even to make coffee. Don’t settle for a wind breaker. Bring real rain gear with vents so you don’t drown in sweat. Note: I used some of my waterproof Scotchguard on my jacket back in Petersburg
3. Food enhancements! Sorry, I can’t think of a better term for these items: walnuts, dried figs, cranberries, powdered lime, powdered cheese, powdered peanut butter, jars of olives, etc. Grocery stores are sometimes abysmal and I need non-perishable things to add interest and protein to my meals. For example, I don’t ever eat the peanut butter on a sandwich because the texture is gross. I add to pancake mix or oatmeal for protein. Powdered cheese makes yet another meal of tuna and pasta bearable. The dried fruits are great for adding to dishes or as snacks. I add the powdered lime to water every day, for a dose of vitamin C and flavor. No scurvy on this ship!!
4. Fingerless wool gloves (open finger). They make assembling coffee, online reading in bed, or other tasks a great deal easier. On cold mornings I change back to regular gloves once I have my coffee.
5. Baffin Booties. Sublime, feet stay toasty for sleeping.
6. Mr. Heater. Never head out to camp in Alaska without him! I have the “Buddy” model, which uses propane canisters. Little Buddy would work too.  I don’t use it for long periods, just enough to warm up the tent. I brought a ton of canisters and picked some up when I saw them on sale in Juneau. I won’t run out anytime soon.

7. Inverter/Converter for charging the computer and other stuff from the car battery. The box mine came in said it was a converter but someone told me it is really an inverter. So confusing. Anyway, my inverter/converter allows me to charge my computer directly from my car battery. If I change the cable out I can plug it into the car 12 volt outlet, inside the car. Be sure to find one with both charging options. In good weather, attaching to the battery is the most efficient option. On long driving days or if I am camped and it’s cold out, I use the 12 V outlet. I run the car afterwards to keep it charged up. I would be bonkers without my computer and phone. Seriously. I do some writing longhand, but I “Need” to write on my computer and read on my Kindle and/or listen to audio books everyday. I require these for living, kind of like breathing. Which brings me to:

8.Reading Material. As mentioned above, Kindle and Audio versions are best for travel. I seem to accumulate some print copies from free tables. Since they are heavy and take up space, they must be jettisoned at the next free table (ferry terminals, libraries, laundromats).

9.Notepads, pens, pencils. Even if you don’t write everyday, these come in handy for writing down information along the way.

10.Weather radio. Battery and/or crank operated. When I don’t have Internet access, it is nice to get a weather forecast.

11. Screen house. It took a month but I finally met hordes of mosquitos. Because of the constant daylight (no dawn or dusk) they are around all the time, I can sit in my screen house and laugh at the hapless critters on the outside screen who would love to come in. “Ha-ha-ha, you crazy creatures. Can’t get me! I know you want to Ha-ha-ha.”   I also have my tent under the screen house for extra protection. The whole set up is like a little house now! I love it. I have a new spring in my step. 12. A large, collapsible, bucket. Not hard plastic, but a supple, rubberized bucket. I use it for washing dishes and at night I load it up with what I need to make coffee and the utensils for breakfast in the morning – cup, spoon, coffee, plate, etc. Since all food, cookware, and dishes stay in the car when not in use, using the bucket reduces trips back and forth to the car from the little cookstove. I have a smaller version of the bucket that holds all my tent supplies: stakes, repair kits, mallet. I use these buckets for various things in the RV as well.

This is the small version of my buckets. I have had them for 5 years at least. They are durable and versatile.

Things I wish I had brought

Dehydrated green veggies. I burnt out on dehydrated veggies a few years ago so I did not bring any. However, I could really use some dehydrated spinach and celery. Fresh green veggies are so difficult to find, and I cannot tolerate canned green beans.

So those are my essentials, the things that make life comfortable on the road in an unpredictable climate with scattered grocery stores. I pass through Anchorage after I leave Denali and will replenish my food enhancements and look for some dried green veggies. Some things are always a challenge.

Onward!