Magadan to Petropavlovsk-kamchatsky: Is this even remotely possible by the most skillful off-road riders in the best weather conditions, or is it a total impossibility?

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1997 Honda X4 ・ 2009 BMW R1200GS Adventure ・ IBA #42657

Hi,

the general answer is to my knowledge NO!

For more info try this topic on advrider. If there are some who can the polish team lead by Lord Maciek has the answer:

3 x KTM GO EAST - Page 76 - ADVrider

Safe rides
Adrian

Last week, I flew a small aircraft from Anadyr (way up in the north) to Magadan, then south to Vladivostok. I didn't see any roads of any kind north of Magadan - not even logging roads or trails. The track below shows my path, with Magadan at the bottom. I also did not see any roads leading south from Anadyr. Additionally, I did not see any evidence at all of habitation between these two cities, beyond about 20 to 25 miles from the start and finish of the flight.

So, I think it would not be possible to make such a trip on a motorcycle.

Michael

You see from Adrian's link above the difficulties Mac had going east then north of the RoB. If Swinarski can’t make progress there, no one can! They had to do a massive detour of the whole area to get to Anadyr. 666 MotoSyberia Czyste Zlo

Part of Colebatch’s 2009 plan was to get further east on a moto than anyone before. We knew that we could probably reach Merenga to claim this and possibly on to the sea coast. There were fish farms there (licenced and/or illegal) and they needed routes to get the fish out to markets. We also knew the CoastGuard/Police/Customs patrol this coast from the sea looking for illegal farms, so access to the sea was a probable route for the illegal trade.
However a few days before getting to the area we learned Swinarski and team had just done it, taking away our possible ‘first’ so we didn’t follow that target anymore. Talking to Greg, their ‘retiring’ member we met in Magadan, I felt quite relieved!

That is just getting east of the RoB. There is talk of soon extending the RoB Federal road system to Anadyr and also vague chatter of a possible tunnel to Alaska in the very long term. Such a road may help, but not for Kamchatka itself.


The Kamchatka peninsular has its own difficulties.

Firstly. The whole of Kamchatka was a closed military area. Closed to everyone, Russian or foreigners alike. The only people allowed to be there being military personnel posted there and their families plus a few indigenous people. This was relaxed a little with a permit application system and in more recent times the southern parts have had the restrictions removed, but I understand they are still in place further north. Added difficulties would be the natural protected area status.

Secondly. I looked briefly at the idea a while ago, but quickly gave up. Looking at contour maps of the ismuth I concluded it to be totally impassible (and I am not known for negativity as some will confirm).
At the narrowest point it is less than 90km across, from coast to coast. The mountains forming the ismuth are up to 2500m high with many rivers running down both sides, some depicted very wide.
With those dimensions of height and width I concluded it to be a very steep bit of land ruling out even zimnik winter roads. In summer, with that gradient, the rivers would be very fast flowing and therefore deep and rocky - and all going through big old volcanic rock formations

I gave up thinking about it as possible to reach by land. The only way to Kamchatka remains air and sea.

Of maybe foot?

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There may be a zimnik or two - winter only routes for when mud has frozen hard and then covered with snow/ice .
As it is hard winter right now (this evening -34C in costal Anadyr, probably colder inland), would you have been able to pick these out from above, in all the white?


You got a bladder problem?

Lots of stops!
Must be the cold!

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Yes, I think so. I flew at an average altitude of 8,000 feet above the ground, which is quite low (the aircraft I was moving is not pressurized). From that altitude, it is quite easy to pick out features on the ground, such as tracks, paths, and (with certainty) roads. The temperature the day I left Anadyr was -38°, at that temperature, there is virtually no moisture in the air, the air is very clear and visibility is excellent.

It was not permitted to have a camera in the cabin of the aircraft while transiting Russia (the cameras had to be locked up in the baggage in the hold of the aircraft). So, I could not take any pictures. But I did write a little blog about the flight on an aviation website, it is here, and there are some pictures of Anadyr, Magadan, and Vladivostok posted.

Below is a picture I took of Nome, Alaska, just before entering Russia. You can see the roads and trails quite clearly.

Nome, Alaska


Michael

Michael.
Thank you.

Having done a little PPL class work 20 years ago (Thom still the standard?) going through your interesting link made my brain ache at the prospect of if I had continued!

The air fields you saw between Anadyr and Magadan would be the only means of access to the small communities there other than rivers which become zimniks in winter.

They are still sensitive about photos in those parts. I got ordered to put my camera away when I wanted to take souvenir photos of Magadan public passenger terminal while walking to the plane for a commercial flight to Vlad. Old habits die hard.

Interesting. Thanks again.

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