Getting nearer to Vladivostok and would like to know road conditions to Magadan. Anyone been up or down the road to Magadan this year (2010)?

This is an easy one--there are no roads between Vladivostok and Magadan.

You can seach on the HUBB for the many threads on shipping between the two cities via boat. Here is a recent one:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...divostok-47761

Hi Motoreiter,

you remind me on my daily meetings with the secret russian police in the hotel lobby in Magadan in 2003. They had taken my passport.

One morning they showed me a map and asked me: How did you get to Magadan?

I showed them on the map.

Than the agent waited for a minute before he said: But there is no road !

And I said: Yes, I know.


Hi Kestrel,

it is very early in the season, waterlevels will be high. A better time to ride from Yakutsk (... Vladivostok ... Khabarovsk ... Skovrodino .. Tynda ..) is August ... and I remember a ferry over the Aldan river ... dont know if this runs now. I rode in August 2003.

But there are others here on the HUBB that can give you more up to date info on this route.

Ride safe

Greetings from Switzerland

Mika

Hi Krestel_KLR,
there is an Irish gentlemen, Oisin, he is currently, as I type (June 11, 2010) on the Road of Bones to Magadan. Besides pictures and videos, he provides very detailed information about the condition he encounters. Check the last pages of his ride report.

What goes around comes around...Dublin to New York

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Thomas

"Hey, ...I'm just ridin' shotgun"

Uh, I didn't say there was no road to Magadan, I said there was no road from Vladivostok. Since he seems to be asking about roads between Vladi and Magadan rather than between Yakutsk and Magadan, I didn't mention the Road of Bones.

Isn't Oisin on a GS?! On the Road of Bones, wow much braver than me!

Yes, and he's got the perfect bike for it to, IMO...

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Thomas

"Hey, ...I'm just ridin' shotgun"

Thanks to all and sorry I wasn't specific about which roads from Vladivostok to Magadan. I read the Irishmans report and I'm encouraged by his report except for the rain and front tire stuff Ha. My main road condition concerns are the rivers and any washed out roads between Tynda - Yakutsk and Yakutsk - Magadan. Some advise August is the best time. If I stay on schedule travelling from Chita I will be going up the last week of June and coming back to Chita mid July.
I'm researching info on taking a boat from Yakutsk down the Lena to the Lake Baikhail area (Irkustsk) if you have any information I would appreciate that also.

Best of luck on the road, Oisin definitely sounds like the best source of info on the road once he resurfaces, since he's doing it right now. Colebatch took the boat between Yakutsk and Irkutsk, and describes it in one of his ride reports on ADVRider. I would check that out and contact him with specific questions. Good luck getting the part as well. You still enjoying your stay in the village?

Time is slipping away and my adventure to Magadan now looks dimmer by each day I wait for DHL to deliver my parts. Looks like my parts are being held in Moscow AGAIN. Ordered DHL pickup on June 2nd so that's 11 days.
I couldn't be waiting at a better place for me, Aginskoye's a village of 7,000 north 100 miles of the Northeastern mongolia border. The people are great and I'm off the normal motorcycle route so the people are interested in my journey and why am I here HaHa. I blame it on Diethard's Garmins World Map, every friggen turn you missed was usually a late GPS turn. I'm sticking to my Russia road atlas maps Ha. I recalled Colebatch saying he got a boat down/up whichever way on the lena to Irkutsk area, I sent him a msg but no reply I assume he's doing the road of bones group ride he posted this year.
Thanks for the Cheers and information, right now my Visa date is getting a little too close for comfort.
Clyde

Sucks about the part, but glad that you're enjoying the place you're stuck in. Let us know if Moscow if we can do something to shake the part loose from DHL. I'm busy as hell at work but will try to help if I can.

Giday,
trying to some idea of if starting in late may/early June from Vladivostok, then Chita, Tynda, Yakutsk, Magadan and then back to Yakutsk, Irkutsk and then onto Mongolia and then westward to euorpe.

Estimiating that this will take at least 4-6 weeks, is this enough time ? Was thinking that I would get a boat/ship transport to Magadan. But I guess this could/would take at least 1 to 2 weeks to orgnise. And by the time you actualy arrived, it could be 3 weeks.

But would this be a bit to early to start ? I've read Colebatch's report this year, and others mentioned. Any ideas and touughts ?

Stephen
Alice Springs,
Outback Oz.

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Cheers,
Stephen Ashley,
Alice Springs,
Outback Oz.

Ship to Magadan.
From Vladivistock, sailing time is about a week, depending on other ports visited on the way. Ships leave every few days.

Yakutsk to Magadan (or back!)
Riding time much depends on your chosen route. Anything from 3 days upwards, depending on season, conditions, and chosen route.

The 'Road of Bones' is not a road but a network of routes, summer roads and winter tracks.
See post 11 Road of Bones and the Kolyma Highway - Pure Photos - ADVrider
This is the Road of Bones section of Colebatch's ride last year (2009).

The name Road of Bones is now largely a romantic (?) notion of some western travellers. Most Russians have never heard of the term! It's known here as the Kolyma Highway.

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Vitim Bridge Clubwww.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442
www.sibirskyextreme.com

Check out the guys website...they complete it a couple of weeks ago.

Donkey and the Mule - Home

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www.seeyouwhenwegetthere.com

There is a decent gravel road from Yakutsk to Lensk, via Vilyuisk and Mirny. Its called the Vilyuisky Trakt. 1500km from Yakutsk to Lensk.

From Lensk there are regular barges (once every 2-3-4 days) that take trucks and cars upriver to Ust Kut. Its a 3 day trip downstream and 4-5 days upstream.

From Ust Kut there are two choices to rejoin the Trans Siberian highway.
(1) the main alternative is a gravel road to Bratsk and from Bratsk its asphalt to the rest of the Russian Road Network
(2) from Ust Kut head south east thru Magistralny to a village called Okunaisky, from there turn south and a dirt road takes you to Irkutsk, via Zhigalovo and Kachug. Its asphalt after Kachug.
Either way, from Ust Kut to Irkutsk is about 1000 km

There is considerably more detail on my website in the link below. There are different entries for the vilyuisky trakt and Lena River barge both 2009 and 2010 ... slightly different times of year and different weather conditions (which plays a big part in the conditions of the roads). Plenty of road condition fotos to give you a good idea what to expect.

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The main thing I wanted to understand (and get straight in my head), and you have all basicly confirmed. Is it's not an insane time of the year to start from the 'easten end'. Its just easier for me to get shipping sorted, fly bike to Seoul, ride across to Sokcho, ferry to Vlad etc.

I beleive have enough of off road experance out here a in Alice Springs. So sand, rocks and gravle roads I know I can tackle fine by my self also hot weather. Just the bulk mud and bog holes in the 'cool' climes is some thing quite different (anthough with our wacky wet year I have had some wet sand to play in).

I have enjoyed reading all the web blogs, so big Taa to Pumbia, and Walter. I am another who has enjoyed you 2010 blog Walter (fotos are great). Just wish I had been able to get time off this year to join you and Sherri Jo for it. Yes the VilyuiskTrakt was on my plan for the trip back from Magadan. Not sure the 'old Summer rd' by my self. but I might find someone who is also planning to start a trip from Magadan. so Ust Nera is my likly route in and out to Magadan.

Another question I have is about posting or sending items, inside Russia. Was thinking about taking a few tyre sets with me, and forwarding them from vladivostok, to Irkutsk, so I have fresh rubber waiting. Are there freight forwards available for use like this? My guess is there would be. Would the freight company hold the freight at the depot ? In out westen world things like this are getting harder to orgnise in our super secruity mad world.

Or is this getting to detailed and I would be able to find tyres (21" and 18"). I haved noticed the tyres (rg quality ones) are potentaly an issue.

anyhow Thanks for reading and replying.

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Cheers,
Stephen Ashley,
Alice Springs,
Outback Oz.