Mongolian road conditions in May

[sushi2831]

Hello

I will pass throught Mongolia this May, comming from Vladivostok. Maybe arriving in the second week of May.
I have a 30 day visa and can spend the whole time there if I like it.
This will be my last section off the tarmac on my 2 year RTW.
Afterwards I'll just drive through Russia to go home to Bern.

I've given up discussing what is duable,crasy,hard,piece a cake,to dangerous and so on with other bikers,
since only I know my limits.
For example the lagoon route in south Bolivia, I discussed it with others and felt that we hardly did the same,
although it was the same route.
But, I like to hear about facts, not feelings, like:
-Gravel with corrugation
-Gravel with rocks so big that 4x4 have to change to lowgear.
-Sand with corrugation
-Sand to deep/soft to build up corrugations
-Mud with a depth of 5,10,15,20cm
-Watercrossings: depth,currant,size of rocks in the river...
-and so on.


Read through the following threads, but haven't found the answers I'm looking for:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...mongolia-69269
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...mongolia-68588
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...a-2012-a-59454

I've had a look at many pictures here and also on Googleearth, but they are mostly from the summer/fall.

What do I have to expect on road condition in May:
-Snow?
-Mud,how deep,possible to go around?
-Watercrossings, how many and how deep?
-How many local vehicles a day, very important in an emergency.
on those Routes?

Northern Route: Yellow
Southern Route: Orange
Middle Route: Green
Eastern Route:Blue

Map stolen from Thread:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...rossings-52736

Originally Posted by colebatch

For newcomers to Mongolia, this is a basic map, showing the 5 third party road border crossings (red dots).

Also shown are the most common routes people ride there:

Northern Route: Yellow
Southern Route: Orange
Middle Route: Green
Eastern Route: Blue (admittedly this one is not very common at all - very few bikers head out east)
Highway to Russia: Pink

Thanks sushi