Experienced world traveller got unexperienced
 

Hi guys,

Gionata here. Been almost 8 years on the road with my old rusted Honda Transalp and after a long await here in Santiago the Chile, I am planning to head up north in January to get to Alaska and finish my journey in Italy, aftert shipping from somewhere in the east coast of CANADA-USA to Portugal.

Would anyone from Alaska know if around March the weather allow riderds to ride all the way to the top of the continent?

How many kms will I have to ride from Panama to Alaska, including the nice bits?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Gionata Nencini

In March? In the northern half of the continent you'll definitely be dealing with ice, snow, and cold temps until late spring.
I rode the Alaska Highway in early June, and the conditions ranged from warm and sunny to cold with heavy rain.

Hi BRClarck,
thanks for your hint. Cold shouldn't be a problem as long as the roads are being cleaned by showplw.

Does that work during that time of the year?

I'm about as far south in Alberta Canada as you can get. I wouldn't want to go to Alaska in March. I'm not really comfortable with riding on icy roads and sliding under a semitrailer truck doesn't strike me as a productive way to see the world. Your mileage may vary... If you'd like a video perspective of riding up north in late February, do a search on You Tube for "Curbsyde Productions" and look for "The North" videos. There are clips from a series they sell on their website available. March in southern Alberta can be extremely unpredictable, anywhere from -30 C to 25 C, the farther north you go, the more likely you can expect to see worse weather. Just my opinion but I'd be awfully cautious about planning that trip then.

Roger, thanks for the post. I don't really know if I should thank you for helping me understanding how tough conditions get up there or is I should thank you for inspiring me even more to do that in March, being able to see all that show and beauty and animals and peace.

What are the main cities i can find fuel in to make my way north to the tip of Alaska?

Can I buy nailed motorcycle tires somewhere there?

Cheers

I've heard that some motorcycle shops will install "studs" in to your tires to allow you some semblance of traction on ice. You may have to bend the truth and tell them that you are not going to be riding on the roads to get them to do it though. You should investigate thoroughly the road closures before arriving. I believe some roads are not passable in early spring after the ice melts and before the roads dry enough for traffic. Dress warmly and best wishes!

Never mind Alaska, you'll be lucky to make it out of BC in March.

Pretty dangerous and unpleasant weather for a motorbike - why not wait a couple of months and enjoy the ride? Find a nice beach down in Central America and wile away the time until about May, then turn north...

Just sayin'....

I thought the same too, but according to the video I watched these guys rode on a pretty flatten snowy /ice road. I didn't see them entering deep and soft snow trails at all... or am I missing something?

Hi Sherlock,
it is an inviting idea, but I am running late with time and I guess if I want to see something or the whole thing I'll have to feel the cold. I have a friend that got to Ushuaia in late winter on a transalp like mine. Wasn't easy, but he got there....
If roads are open to trucks I can make my way there too I guess.
Could you specifiy where is "OUT OF BC" just to understand how far north that would be?

Crazy idea, but it can be done, and has been. You will need good prep, maybe even air tube down the jacket to pre-heat the air. You are talking about an environment that can be brutal so plan well.

On your way up be sure to stop by here, Chehalis WA, for a warm up bier and swap some stories.
Bob

BC=British Columbia in Canada - first province after you cross north out of Washington State.

Good luck and ride safe.

I once rode a bike to the north of Finland in late March. Very wintry, lots of snow & ice, also on the road. I had studded tyres, and they were a must. Also choosing correct riding gear will be critical, it can become extremely uncomfortable and also very dangerous, if your gear isn't up to the task.

But although latitudes may be somewhat similar to Alaska, over here in Scandinavia we have the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. So I'm thinking Alaska will probably be even colder.

Have you ever experienced -40c ? and wind chill ?:freezing:
If you have you will know that temperatures that low HAVE to be taken seriously , you can die very quickly .[ But it's supposed to be a pleasant death ]
If you really want to go to Deadhorse in March , take a 4wd vehicle and a survival kit and "enjoy" the very short ,very cold days .
Your buddy went to Ushuaia in winter , but that's not Alaska or northern BC or the Yukon and it's not a good reason to embark on something as foolish as riding a motorcycle in winter in unforgiving territory.

Yes, Alaska will be colder. Ushuaia is warm and balmy by comparison--all winter long.

To get to the far north, you've got to spend a lot of time in the interior--Yukon, Alaska, BC. It'll be cold and potentially quite dangerous. Don't do it if you're expecting it to resemble Tierra del Fuego, which is an island with weather tempered by the sea.

On the other hand, of course it's been done, and it'll get done again. Just don't get too uppity about what you know or don't know.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

I live in BC and would like to clearly state you will not make it anywhere near the north in March. End April mid May things are clearing up to allow you to get north.. you would face extreme cold / wet /and all around crappy weather. There are some places that you may get low temps in June on the heights in the mountains.. Once the place warms up its great though.

Hi guys and thanks for the info.
I had a talk with Sjaak Lucassen who did the Alaska ride in February with his Yamaha R1. Although he was fully sponsored he said that with a good prep I could make it myself. He also said that the road to Fairbanks it's well mantained and selad while instead from Fairbanks to Pradhow Bay no asphald at all and very limited fuel. Woud you agree on this?

looks cold... take a big coat and some furry underpants :D couple of sjaak's vids in the north

Extreme Alaska motor adventure-Deel 30-Canada/Alaska - YouTube

Alaska Deel 28 - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGFKL...24FC9&index=36

Gionata

Motorcycle travel in the north has been done, but you need to know the risks, the gear you need, the preparation...

Do on internet search for Paul "Iceman" Mondor. He rode across Canada in winter, and rode to the far north another time in winter. There is an old post of his ride report on adventurerider. He also wrote one or maybe two books. "Two Wheels Through Winter" is one. He's very honest about the issues and dangers and the why he did it. He also speaks to the nay-sayers.

There is another rider, Hubert, who has ridden in winter to the far north, but rode with a sidecar. You'll have to do a search again.

Get in touch with AKRider on AdvRider. He lives in AK and has ridden in winter, including the Dalton.

March is a winter month in the north. It is sunny, but it's a cold month.

Hope these resources help you make your decision.

MikeS

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.

Vancouver
 

After almost 3 months riding from South America I finally made it to Vancouver and I am staying at the International Hostel. I will spend some time tomorrow visiting hardware stores and motorcycle stores to buy some stuff to deal with the weather from now on.

If someone is from here and would like to join me while I go gear hunting is more than welcome.

I don't have a phone but I will get notifications on this post if you ever reply.

Studs: If I buy them here should I mount them on right away or wait until the road it's actually iced?

Does anybody in Anchorage know where I can find a motorcycle metal crate?

Thanks

Gionata Nencini

+1.

The weather in northern Europe is still in "winter mode" and here, in parts of the UK, there are snow drifts many metres deep; northern France had similar snow fall just over a week ago.

How is the jet stream behaving in west Canada? It is being blamed by the meteorologists for all this cold weather and it caused the wettest of UK summers in 2012.