Planning to send the bike to Texas, and see the Austin Grand Prix, mid November 2012. Then planning to ride up the west coast to Vancouver to ski 6-8 weeks over xmas before continuing across Canada on the bike from early February 2013 & down the east coast of the US, & on to Patagonia...

I crossed northern Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria etc. in March 2010 which was somewhat cold, icy etc. without tyre studs, heated visor etc.

Is Canada do-able in February? What about Washington State etc. in mid-December?

Thanks in advance.
Dave

Dave, I'm in lower BC right now and its still nice to ride. If you have all the gear to ride and are comfortable riding in cold temps then you should be fairly OK, however keep an eye on the weather as the storms will stop you and road freezes. I'm planning on driving to mid Alberta at the start of November so hopefully will be OK. Feel free to contact me throughout the season as I'll be up there working to fund my RTW trip and using my moto as sole means of transport I'd say. Good luck!! Rubber side down!

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'10 Suzuki DR650. 2011-12 Sth-Nth Chile-Alaska. Currently in Cairns, Australia. www.followtheakubra.com.au

Hey Dave,

Riding across Canada in early February is not recommended. It's still winter with cold temps and snow and ice. In February, the days are typically cold and on a good day, bearable. In March you are getting closer to spring and then you can start to see warm days as well as cold days.

Not to say it can't be done. google Paul Mondor, Iceman to get a sense of the weather one can expect. Steve on this site has also done long winter rides. Also you can look up average temps for the main cities riding across on highway #1. Some years can even have a mild winter, but in most years February not warm enough for enjoyable or safe riding.

Having said that, if you have a specific desire to ride across Canada in winter for the adventure of it, then go for it. If however you are looking to sneak across in shoulder season and are willing to suffer with a few cold days, then wait until March.

I rode up to Inuvik/Tuktoyuktuk a couple of years back in early spring. Studded tires are a must for riding in winter in Canada. Even if the weather seems to be ok, there will be plenty of places where ice can linger and on a bike the risk isn't worth it.

I'd say your options are:

1. If you are keen to ride across, get studs and gear and go for it. I've got some snowmobile gear if you need to borrow some stuff.
2. Head straight south from Vancouver. The west coast is typically mild and rainy but with some cold days so be prepared to wait if it gets cold. There are some detailed posts here where folks down in Washington State point out the worst weather spots to watch out for.
3. Delay your trip across until later in spring. You can make it across, but certainly you won't be seeing much of Canada unless you go later. It's about 5,000 km to Montreal, 7,000km to Newfoundland. In summer, spectacular and accessible, in winter snowy and white. The east coast of the US will still be cold as well until you get pretty far south. You can do it, but it would be more for the sake of doing rather than for the sake of enjoying it.

Let us know what you decide. If you are looking for some skiing in the interior where the powder is lighter, feel free to drop by and visit.

At least in the northwestern part of the US, it seems the weather can turn completely around real quickly.... I was there in September/October, and after a few weeks of glorious sunshine and warmth, it went straight to almost wintry conditions within just 2-3 days. In fact some inland areas, especially in the Rockies, did get plenty of snow, and it was a record-early start for their skiing season!

So then Canada... and February... hmmm, while it could probably be do-able somehow, it surely won´t be easy, and your gonna need to prepare yourself and the bike thoroughly, and also be very flexible with your plans. Would it be enjoyable, I really don´t know, especially if you´ve got no previous winter riding experience. In my home country some people ride all year round, but it´s mostly just commuting and other very short rides (in fact I´ve done a bit of that myself as well).... but really "touring" in the wintertime would still be a whole different ballgame.

It can be done as stated before but you had better really like the cold and be more than prepared for it .....and I mean it can get really cold, if your not ready for it, it can kill you faster than blinking your eye. No that's not true, apparently it's really nice, when you get cold enough you just go to sleep very peacefully.

Good luck Growler

Hi Dave:

Honestly, I think the best answer to that question is 'NO'.

I live on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, which is the warmest climate region in all of Canada. On a nice day in February, the temperature will get up to about 10 or 12° C, which I suppose is 'ride-able' for a short local journey to go shopping or go to work (if the sun is shining and the roads are dry), but really not the kind of weather you would want to make a long trip in.

However - less than 30 km away, as the crow flies, you will find the Whistler-Blackcomb ski area, where they will have meters and meters of snow on the hills. There are a lot of 'micro-climate' regions along the west coast in Washington state and British Columbia, and although the weather might be very nice in one place (sea level, proximate to ocean), it might be horrible just 20 km away.

So, honestly, I don't think it is realistic to plan a long trip in the Washington state or British Colombia area during the wintertime (November to March inclusive).

So far as your comment (question) about "...continuing across Canada on the bike from early February 2013..." - you have got to be kidding. Heck, it is an iffy proposition to plan a trip across Canada in a car or truck during February, let alone on a motorcycle. Consider that to be simply impossible, absolutely out of the question. Temperatures ranging from -20° to -40° (C or F, doesn't matter when it gets that cold) are COMMON in the mountains of BC and Alberta, and across the plains of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba during the first 3 months of the year. In Northern Ontario, the main roads will be snow-packed or perhaps at best center-bare in the winter.

I have ridden across Canada several times on my moto, and driven across the country many times. The absolute earliest I would consider such a trip to be possible on a moto would be late April, and even then, you would have to be prepared to wait out a cold snap or snowstorm that might keep you off the roads for 4 to 7 days until the weather changes.

Michael

I don't think that a cross-Canada trip could be done in February with any amount of preparation.

By way of example, I have a ST1100 (a pretty well faired bike) and a complete set of Widder electric clothing (vest, chaps, gloves) as well as a heated seat and heated handgrips, and a full BMW winter riding suit. I've done some long trips during cold weather - for example, from Wichita KS to Toronto ON in late October / early November - but I don't look back on those trips with any fondness. With the wind protection I get on the ST1100 and all that electric stuff, I can ride pretty much as long as I want to until the temperature drops below freezing. It's no pleasure to do so, however.

But... once the temperature drops below freezing, and most especially if it drops below about -10°C - things become pretty unbearable in a hurry. The slightest leak in the clothing, anywhere, becomes a real problem. I have found that -10°C is the absolute lower limit for me to be going cross-country, even with all the 'preparation' mentioned above.

The real deal-killer, though, is out of your control, and that is the state of the roads. As soon as the temperature goes below freezing, you have the possibility of snow and ice on the road. Although I am sure it is possible to ride on snow and ice in a controlled environment (a track, or down a country road), I think it would be extraordinarily reckless to try and do that on main highways, where you have so many hazards around you - slipstreams and air turbulence from trucks passing in the opposite direction, from vehicles that pass you, slush and snow being thrown up by other vehicles, the risk of windrows of snow on the road left behind by plows, etc.

It's primary because of road conditions that I think it is not realistically possible to plan to travel across Canada in the winter. Could it be done? Possibly. But, could it be done with an acceptable level of risk? No.

Michael

Cross country trip across Canada in February? No way.

Even if you made it over the Rockies, just check the average Feb. temps on your favorite website for the cities along the way on the southern Canada highway.

Medicine Hat- average high 0 degrees C
Average low -19C

Regina- average high minus5C Average low -18C

Winnipeg- average high minus 8C average low -19C

It doesn't get above freezing much from Nov-Feb. It is hard for those who don't live around here to realize just how bitterly cold it can get across the Canadian plains provinces. Much too dangerous for long distance motorcycle travel.

Living in the northern plains I have a healthy fear of the winter weather. It can and does kill folks who are ill prepared. When I first moved here I used to lock my doors, until I went out in my jammies to empty the trash in a blizzard and the door slammed shut behind me locking me out of my own house. It didn't take long in my skivies in 20 below zero wind to force the door. But I learned a valuable lesson as my runny nose froze solid on my upper lip. Don't lock your doors in the winter.

So in summary, even if you aren't the sharpest knife in the drawer, I would not recommend this route in Feb.

Kindest regards,
John Downs

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South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076

All valid points above and the takeaway is that looking at it from the perspective of a normal (spring, summer, fall) ride, not recommended and very difficult.

Having said that, if a person is committed to a winter ride, then it can be done with the right gear and planning. It's been done by Paul, Steve, Mike to name a few in winter or early spring. In my ride up to Tuktoyuktuk, it was winter conditions north of Prince George. Round trip 8,000 km, coldest temps -28.5. You need helmet with heated visor, heated gear, studded tires. On one level it basically feels like multi day snowmobile trip. It's a whole different ballgame, less a motorcycle trip and more of a winter adventure. If you don't have winter experience and the right gear, definitely not recommended.

Strictly speaking (and if planning to stay on the inhabited regions), I´d have to disagree.

Check out for example this (ok, its not Canada, but still very cold, down to -30C):
ICE BUTT 2011 - DUSTY WOBBLS "ICE BUTT SS 1000"

...and those guys were riding against the clock, 1000 miles in 24 hours, so normally you can just take your time, and don´t have to ride through the night. (...on the other hand, the days are very short near the Arctic circle in the winter, so you´d need to maximize your distance during daylight hours.)

But it´s important to also be aware, that those guys are very experienced winter riders. I would DEFINITELY NOT recommend anyone to start off with their winter riding by making an Ironbutt ride in minus 30 temps.... or a Trans-Canada trip for that matter!!

And also worth noting, that doing something like this on your own would be a lot more risky, than doing it on a group – I don´t know if the OP planned to do this alone or not.

I once went to Lapland (north Finland) with my bike in the winter. I had studded tyres, heated gear, etc. It was a nice experience, but I guess I was lucky with the weather, as it only was around -10 or -15C daytime, and hadn´t been snowing for a few days. Road conditions were very wintry most of the time, though.

Dave,

I used to live in the Pacific Northwest and travel down to Death Valley California and back in winter for some warm riding and camping in the desert. The Cascade passes are snowed in at that time and chains are often required on I-5 over the Siskiyous so usually rode down the coast route. So that part of your route is doable heading up from California to Vancouver for Christmas. It can be quite cold and stormy on the coast of Oregon and Washington in the middle of winter and you will likely be the only motorcycle on the road. Some motorcyclists get caught out if the weather turns icy, so it is touch and go on a motorcycle. But you can always rent a U-haul van to get you and the bike where you're going if the weather turns bad.

Another idea would be to ride the southern states in the US and fly up to BC for some Christmas skiing. Fly back down and continue to Patagonia.

Just a thought.

P.S. I have been caught out in sub-freezing temps and even with heated clothing it was miserable. It would be irresponsible of me to suggest you should attempt a 3000 mile cross Canada leg of your trip in February. Maybe with a support vehicle. Nah. Just say no to trans-Canada in Feb.

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South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076

Must agree wholreheartedly with all the preceding posts which strongly advise against trying to ride across Canada and the northern USA anywhere in the winter timeframe you envision..
There is a reason why birds migrate south fleeing the region, why small and big furry animals hibernate up here..That reason is COLD snow COLDslush COLDice COLD airCOLD
That is also the reason why snesible motorcyclists either leave their bike in the garage until a mild day pops up and they might take a short ride.If they have the option they head south for the winter to ride inFlorida or Mexico

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

C'mon guys, let's take a moment and look at the context of the original poster's inquiry.

He's not asking if it is possible for people such as yourselves - who obviously have considerable prior experience riding in the Canadian winter, and intentionally ride in cold weather in the wintertime as a form of sport - could do this trip. In fact, it's pretty darn obvious just from the fact that he is asking - and is unfamiliar with the country - that he is not experienced in riding in extra-ordinarily cold weather conditions, such as could be expected in Canada in the winter.

So - do you really think it is responsible to post a reply saying "...if a person is committed, it could be done..." to someone who is inquiring about riding SOLO across all of Canada?

Jeepers, that's pretty irresponsible. I think it would have been more appropriate for the two of you to draw on your own extensive experience in this particular fetish (riding in the wintertime) to say "Well, before considering a trip such as you propose, it would be appropriate to gain some experience on short trips (i.e. day trips) in similar weather, riding together with others who are fully experienced, etc., etc." - then go on to point out the obvious, which is that if a highly experienced winter rider such as yourself was considering riding clear across the Western mountains and plains in February, you would most certainly not attempt to do it alone...

Sheesh......

Michael

Crikey... you blokes aren't making it sound very appealing.

Guess I need to start earliesr - fly into Vancouver, cross Canada and head down to Texas arriving before the grand prix...

Great feedback though, thanks to all for taking the time.

Cheers
Dave

October and November can be bad enough through the mountains and prairies, but there are usually windows of good weather mixed in. Just be prepared to hole up for a few days if things get fierce.

And don't forget to allow for shorter days and loooooonnnnnnng stretches in the saddle. Crossing Canada can run 5000 km to 5000 miles, depending on whether you cut it short (which I'm predicting you will, considering the season). Riding down the east coast and across to Austin will add significantly to that. It would be a shame to have to hurry the whole way.

Washington State, for what it's worth, is just fine in December: frigid and snowy in some areas, merely raw and wet in others. Views are often obscured and mountain roads are generally closed or closing, making the whole exercise seem kind've pointless. But maybe that's just me....and everyone else who lives here.

You ARE experienced in riding through miserable weather, right? If you've been around ice, snow, and cold, merciless rains you should be fine with the revised schedule, but asking about riding across Canada in February does make you sound somewhat clueless, Iran and Turkey notwithstanding.

Hope that helps.

Mark