I would take a gallon of premixed radiator fliud (or even better would be a gallon of straight radiator fluid and a gallon of distilled water), a quart of oil, power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, jumper cables, road flares and a (full) small gas can. Also a couple bottles of water, granola bars, and beef jerky, blankets and a warm set of clothes and rain gear. Sure, she may not and hopefully will not need most of these things. But if she does need them they will be invaluable.
A passport is required by U.S. customs? As of when? She’ll have lots of other ID for herself and the kids. And they’re all generic white 'Murkans with southern accents.
Don’t take flares. They’re not the safest thing to have in your car, they burn out quickly and they’re a pain in the @#%. Take those reflective triangles*. Much safer, no burnout, lighter to carry.
Excellent advice Maxx.
*Just for illustration purposes–no endorsement for this particular site intended.
two spare full size wheels (one of them inflated to about 60psi)
an inner tube or two (yes you can still buy them, and they can get you out of trouble)
tyre repair kit
disposable cigarette lighter
a rubber hose with a tyre valve connection at both ends - your spare at 60psi acts like a handy air pump
spare headlight unit and taillight bulbs
an approved fuel container, full. These are pretty safe to carry if done properly.
SatNav, GPS, CB, cellphone…
Tool kit
Army knife, Leatherman tool
high energy prepared food
small transistor radio
blankets
first aid kit
reflective safety triangle
consider getting dual batteries installed if possible (especially in an automatic)
This is probably overkill, but whatever of this stuff she can get, take it. For things like the jumper leads and tools, even if she doesn’t know how to use them, somebody else will.
It is never safe to carry fuel inside the passenger compartment of any vehicle.
That being said, a brand-new empty container would be a good investment for the trip if the vehicle in question is a SUV or wagon without a roofrack. Getting a ride to the nearest station and back would be futile without a container for the fuel.
Even now it can be a hassle getting back into the US without a passport. Accents, kids, etc. cut no ice with DHS. So if you have no passport, I would suggest carrying a birth certificate copy along with at least two picture IDs, unless you want to spend additional time at the border trying to convince the agent that you’re an American.
These extensive lists of survival material are excessive and largely unnecessary. Two spare tires are not needed, as the road is paved the entire length. While it’s good to have some items such as water, food and blankets (especially if travelling alone), things like CB radios and GPS are overkill. This is a very well-traveled highway. A good engine check by a qualified mechanic before leaving eliminates the need for things like belts, etc. (which would, in all likelihood, be available anyway).
One thing I told her early on after learning about this trip that I thought she should have is a winch. Some parts of the AlCan Highway are reported to be very prone to rockslides.
She’s a better jackleg mechanic than most men. She was the oldest child (only brother didn’t come along until several years later), and so was drafted as her dad’s mechanic’s helper as a child. She’s better at such things than her husband, who is better than many men. OTOH, her brother is a mechanic, and will go over the van most carefully before she leaves. He loves his sister dearly, and I’m sure he’ll do everything in his power to be sure the van’s in the best possible condition for the trip.
As Chefguy said, it is overkill. IMO, your list is far better suited to the central desert(s?) of your homeland than the high latitude rocky fastnesses of the Pacific Northwest. While overheating is possible, of course, in the mountains, it’s not nearly as high on the list of hazards, even though she’ll be going through some very high mountains (by this hemisphere’s standards, at least). Yes, it’s summer, or will be soon, but nights there will be on the cool side, and daytime sun will not have even close to the same effect, 20 degrees and more farther from the equator.
However, I do want to express my gratitude for the thought you put into this (or did you crib a list for desert travel?) Either way, there are some things from that list I hope she’ll take along. She does plan to pull a popup trailer, and will have a refrigerator in the van. I don’t think she plans to sleep in the popup, except at camper sites, but it does provide a way to carry along some stuff there won’t be room for in the van.
Aside from the winch, I guess I most wish she could take a CB, of the things that, AFAIK, she doesn’t (yet) plan on.
They can be mounted outside several different ways.
Either way, there are some things from that list I hope she’ll take along. She does plan to pull a popup trailer, and will have a refrigerator in the van. I don’t think she plans to sleep in the popup, except at camper sites, but it does provide a way to carry along some stuff there won’t be room for in the van.