The last post summarizes my feelings exactly, if you haven't ridden on ice before, you will find it very difficult, if not impossible and a location miles from home on a fully loaded bike is not the place to learn.
If you do attempt such a foolish thing, make sure you are entirely self sufficient (ie, tent, sleeping bag, food, etc) as the cold and an icy crash can be indeed life-threatening.
Where there is snow on the road, there will also be ice. Riding a motorcycle on ice is not like riding in sand or mud, its much, much tricker. If you are comfortable riding your fully loaded bike with both wheels skidding at the same time and your bike sideways, well maybe you have what it takes to ride on the ice.
We encountered snow in Kyrgyzstan and a few days ago in the mountains in Pakistan (by accident) and I will say that riding on ice just plain sucks.
If its icy, proceed with your bike in the back of a truck...its not worth the hazards, IMHO.
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Dave
www.mototrekker.com