Responding to your exact questions; From a trip up the AlCan in Feb. onc time and then return in March: The AlCan was ice covered the whole way, both months. The graders put grooves in the ice for traction. You do cross several mountain ranges, so there are steep grades with icy roads. I drove up/back in a pickup on this winter trip. On the return in March, we hit quite a bit of snow that would cause a motorcycle to hole up until it passed.

Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay is mostly gravel, but again, it's the far north and the tundra. I rode that in summer on a street bike one time. There is one stretch between gas that I think is around 300 miles; the last section from Coldfoot to Deadhorse. The other gas is the Yukon River crossing, south of Coldfoot.

Like I already said, you need to evaluate your skills and think seriously about your decision to ride the AlCan and the Dalton. You need to know how to stay warm in the arctic, and know how to keep your bike running and on the road. It's been done before, but it needs to be done with the understanding that the north is not forgiving when the weather is adverse.

Follow through on my contacts in my previous post. Let us know if you decide to ride in March and post a report!

I have done three different trips in the 500 mile range/day in winter. This includes below 0*F. I was using a sidecar rig on all those trips. It is do-able, to ride in the cold. I have the gear and the keep warm part figured out. Traction is the biggest issue, even with a sidecar. I have never used studs, but motorcyclists who have report liking the ones from Riderwearhouse in Duluth. They have with internet/mail ordering available. They sell the stud insert tool because you will have to do that yourself and replace studs along the way.