pharaoh2

I've been kicking around the idea for the last couple of days of heading up to Fort Macmurray, in northern Alberta, for a few years to make some cash. What gear is best suited up north. I hunt here in the rockies of southern Alberta, but things are different up there. I will be hacking the barrel down on my pump shotgun to 18.5 inches for bears and such. My .308 should be up to the task of hunting the critters up there. But what about the other stuff? I think a GPS may not hurt. I have a folding saw, good boots, and other small items. What should I be looking to get before heading up north? After I do make a little extra cash, I will purchase a used ATV, and 4X4 pick-up. But other than that, what should I expect?

eldeguello

In the interior of Alaska, the climate is what's known as "cold-dry". Even in temperatures as low as -50 degrees F, I was quite comfortable in a suit of insulated underwear, 40 oz. wool pants, a wool shirt, a U.S. military M65 field jacket with liner and hood. arctic mittens on my hands and a set of U.S. military white (cold-dry) vapor-barrier boots on my feet, as long as I was doing something physical, and not just sitting still for over about one hour. The boots kept my feet warm under all conditions, however.

Any firearms you intend to use should have all traces of liquid lubricants removed, unless you have only used oils which are certified to remain liquid down to -60 degrees. Otherwise, degrease/degunk everything and relube with dry lubes like MOS2.

Gasoline will still flow and ignite down below -50 in a heated engine, but stops being volatile at around -40 or so. Diesel fuel is useless below -50 (it is frozen!!). I found that Texaco Havoline 5-20 weight motor oil was still liquid at -50 F, but all heavier oils and other brands had ALL turned to peanut butter by -50!

Use a circulating heater of about 1000W in the radiator-circuit system, and also a battery heater plate or trickle charger on the battery to keep it warm enough to put out enough juice to crank your engine. At -40F, a battery is down to less than 10% of its' normal output! Good luck! Enjoy the Arctic. I did!!