StromTrooper banner

North To Alaska 2017

12K views 60 replies 17 participants last post by  booghotfoot 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm heading to the 49th State in late June, and starting to plan my route. I live in Northern Minnesota, and plan to head West on Hwy 2 to Whitefish MT, then along the Icefields Pkwy, the Cassier Hwy, and of to Fairbanks to visit friends.

I'll probably take a trip to Chicken ( maybe even Dawson City if weather permits, yeah, I'm a wimp).

I won't be taking my Wee to Prudhoe but we'll take the Silverado!

The ride back will include Valdez, Haines, Skagway and then book it back to MN via Calgary, Sweet Grass MT and the northern Plains.

I'll kelp posting here during my planning, and will provide a link to my blog when I start the trip.
Have a big day.

If you have some must see stops along the way, or recommendations on where to stay, I'd love to hear.

I have about 3 1/2 weeks set aside for the trip.

Sent from my LGUS991 using Tapatalk
 
See less See more
#4 · (Edited)
Lots of Alaska pics here

https://500px.com/macdoc/galleries

Valdez is terrific and for 100% sure make time for the Lulubelle trip. Was highlight for us

Flying whales



huge tidewater glacier that calves all the time



and Valdez harbor is so clean that these guys make it their home...



we were VERY impressed.

Stop at the expresso trailer at the turn to Valdez and say high to Jeannie - have a coffee and get to tell you about the little Italian man and her wonderful espresso machine.

The killer for you is weather ....the Kenai penisula is gorgeous when it's clear.....miserable when the rains come ....luck involved.

Have fun.

Couple of don't miss on the way there or back.

99 out of Vancouver is one of the very best mcycling roads I've been on. Bow Valley Parkway near Banff and Jasper glorious - scenic and wildlife. Bear Paw in bakery in Jasper is insanely good for wraps etc and voted one of the best bakeries in the world.

Mind Highway to the Sun in Glacier National Park....even in warm weather a snow squall can catch you ...ask me how I know. Getting Gortex gloves with loose liners onto wet hands is flat out impossible I found out.

Distances in Alaska are very long ....

Oh yeah ....in Valdez if you take the cruise you will likely come across one or more of the Deadliest Catch boats..



and take some time on the way down to take a break at the Keystone Canyon...just gorgeous waterfalls.

I see you are going to the Cassiar ....make sure you get over to Steward/Hyder and if it's the right time of year you can stand and watch wild grizzlies catching salmon just below you. The road into Hyder is a fairy tale - it is a must do and is only 30 km out and back.....I missed it the first time and my buddy gave me hell.



and then you can go on the Salmon Glacier. Mind your fuel on the Cassiar Hwy tho.
 
#21 ·
Thanks for the tips.
I've been to Alaska many times, but never on a motorcycle. Valdez is one of my favorite places. Though I have fished out of there many times, I can't wait to ride there.

I was originally planning to ride the ferry from Whittier to Valdez, but due to the limited ferry schedule, and the desire to spend a little more time in Fairbanks, it'll be left out. We might ride the Haines highway and take the ferry to Skagway instead.

Well make a point of riding to Hyder.

Sent from my LGUS991 using Tapatalk
 
#6 ·
That's 690 km a day every day ....I'd not try for that tho you can put in big days on the slab to get to the nice areas.

You do need to have time to see a few things, rest days etc,. Where are you riding out of ? What is he riding,

We averaged 450 km a day and had a rest day, ferry ride and two days left at the end. ( we did three weeks but flew the bikes Toronto to Vancouver - so that saved 4 days ). We did not do Alaska except to touch at Hyder part way up the Cassiar ( must do ) they ferried over to Vancouver Island - no way we could do Alaska in our time frame even with flying the bikes to Vancouver

You really want to target Valdez and the Kenai if you are sightseeing at all. 99 north from Vancouver, Bow Valley between Banff and Jasper, Glacier Nat'l park, Hyder/Steward, The Cassiar, Muncho Provincial Park, Takeetna Air Taxi service ..take a flight - land on a glacier or circle Denali ( $$ but worth it )

Top of the World is treacherous in the rain - Chicken is fun tho - Denali Park is "okay" ....don't knock yourself out,
Kenai and Valdez are so gorgeous and lovely rides you should focus and only skip if weather is bad ( fairly common )
You cannot count on steady riding as long stretches of construction can kill you average and they a muddy as they are watered 10-20 mile stretches are not uncommon.

Deadhorse /Dalton will use up at least two days ...maybe more as 414 miles of "can be brutal" gravel each way.
That's likely to be your go/no go decision - and if you breakdown it's an expensive and slow recovery ....the road apparently is very hard on tires. You should read the ride reports.
Even with an AWD...we decided not to do it but went to Yellowknife instead,,,we had 5 weeks on that trip and two drivers and decided not to cross the Arctic Circle :( ....300 km short at Fairbanks.

If you are riding the same bikes or even if you are not - a set of spares ready to be shipped to where ever you are might be worth it...as one breakdown halts you both and you can easily be stranded for a week. Patchkit and compressor a must. There is not much in service outside the main centres and you need to carry spare fuel.
Kid ran out even on a main hwy and of course the spare wasn't full....you'll appreciate the Strom's big range. Some stations are seasonal.

Milepost Guide for year you are travelling is a must have.
https://www.themilepost.com/features/faq-driving-the-alaska-highway
 
#8 ·
Yeah I am well aware of limits it is very grueling and I am more concerned with young man as it will be more that he ridden in lifetime. (Not counting SS1000 he did in the back of my bike when he was 11). Plus I am getting older.. but this is all time I can take off.

I usually plan every 3rd day easy or off and stop at 6 o'clock otherwise it is going to domino next day.

He will be riding a street bike with appropriate tires 705/E07 f/r, they should be fine as long as it doesn't rain bad.

Maybe I should just quit the job and take the time.

Visited provinces:

Visited states:
 
#23 ·
Yeah. I've been there. My riding buddy's brother lived in Fairbanks and we go yup there every few years. I know the area and scenic routes pretty well. I finally got a motorcycle so this will be extra fun.

I'm nearly 6'5" and have a tall midsection. I sit so high in a car that my view out the window of even a big Silverado is limited. I love riding my Wee and am always in awe at the scenery I never get to see in an enclosed vehicle.

I'm going to wear out those mountains looking at them.[emoji4]

Sent from my LGUS991 using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: kd70qc
#15 ·
I'm leaving June 1st out of Green Bay wi for Alaska on my strom gf is flying into anchorage June 10th I'll be 2 up then but plan to see homer Valdez Fairbanks Denali chicken etc or whatever she's tells me I'm going to see lol then down to Eugene or back home on us 2 home around July 2nd


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#18 ·
Oh you can do it....I've done it - but as you mention when do you get time to play and explore. Coming back across 470 mile days was easy. Its when its the daily average day in and day out it starts to grind....I'd rather start a bit less ambitious then if you are ahead of the curve do something extra. We had time for Yellowknife by keeping the planned average down in the AWD - then we ended up fitting in LuLubelle - highlight of the trip and also Yellowknife which was fun if smoky.

Much depends on weather.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I think the biggest thing to plan around or dictate your ride around Alaska is the weather. Find out where it is going to be good and go there. That's how I decide my riding agenda on the weekends. For a time last summer it was crappy on the coast, crappy up north towards the Alaska range ( eastern ak range off the Richardson highway) but nice around glennallen and out towards Nabesna and the other direction towards eureka. Find micro places of interest, for instance McCarthy road and kennicott mine, Nabesna road, Denali highway, road over Hatchers pass (if open), road out to circle, China hot springs road, etc.
Generally speaking, I will ride north from Valdez till I get sunshine, sometimes that doesn't work. Having limited time makes it tougher, you can't wait out a storm.
Here are a couple links that I use for my weather.

http://www.weather.gov/arh/

Road Weather Information, Transportation & Public Facilities, State of Alaska

http://avcams.faa.gov/
Hope this helps, oh yea, definitely visit Valdez- great place.
 
#26 ·
Weather

The locals will tell you that the weather is more changeable than it used to be.

Our July-Aug driving holiday is planned out 100% - weather be damned. We will adjust as best we can if weather goes "south" on us.
 
#28 ·
The locals will tell you that the weather is more changeable than it used to be.

Our July-Aug driving holiday is planned out 100% - weather be damned. We will adjust as best we can if weather goes "south" on us.
That's the other thing, if you do wait for weather to get nice, you might be sitting for a long while. Yesterday was our first sunny day this year..........
 
#29 ·
I think the biggest thing to plan around or dictate your ride around Alaska is the weather. Find out where it is going to be good and go there.
yes exactly ...

At least this year the storm fronts are hitting California ( yay ) instead of bouncing north from the RRR into the Kenai.

••••

AH you live in Valdez...tell these tourists about the Lulubelle.
 
#30 · (Edited)
It was pretty rare that during a day's ride we wouldn't hit a little rain sometime during the day. Maintaining speed was never a problem as the highways are fairly straight and drain well. Only once was it an all day rain and our experience was that the rain was fairly a lite shower type. Only once was it a heavy downpour. It took us about three days to realize why everyone starts in the morning with their rain proof gear on no matter if it's sunny or not. Our biggest problem was that our boots were not waterproof which caused great displeasure. I think the best advice anyone can give you is to test all your gear and go on a couple of overnight trips with it so you know how it performs before you really get up there. One thing I wasn't expecting was the foam ear plugs wore my ear raw and made it bleed about three weeks into our adventure. Tok is a good place to take a weather reading and figure a direction to head.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jrb_nw and kd70qc
#31 ·
Good advice...kid had no rain pants and gloves weren't waterproof and was seriously into hypothermia for the last hour of the day ...there was no place at all to get warm until we got to the edge of Prince Rupert.
It's really remote

Wrangell Mountains at Midnight



Seeing the Wrangell St. Alias range was a bucket list for me and you drive all along them going to Valdez.....remote... beautiful ...scary...

this is a view a bit north of Valdez



Some crazy types skiied from the top of that mountain to the tide water....good movie about it.

Highly recommended..



the movie....not the ski trip ;)
 
#36 ·
Sure hope I see some of you on my trip up and back. I keep hearing about the time issue, got me wondering if I have planned enough time? 4 weeks from Kingston Ontario to Alaska and back, Alaska is just the loop from Dawson City to Tetlin Junction and back to Beaver Creek. Main reason for trip is Cross Canada but being that close to Alaska I may never get the chance again.
My wife and I did The TransCanada highway to Vancouver island from Kingston ON then back through USA Yellowstone, Black Hills SC and Home in 15 days 11000 kms Then the next year to Utah and area and back in 16 days. So I am thinking 4 weeks alone enough.

Even if it's not I will just take more time....... You only live once, and no one ever died wishing they worked more.... can always find another job.
 

Attachments

  • Like
Reactions: woody071585
#37 ·
You guys are killing me with all these great pictures.

Passport renewal taken care of, just arrived.
Bike in Shop getting stuff installed. Skid Plate, Center Stand, etc.
Camping stuff, rain gear & clothes are packed.
Still haven't bought motorcycle GPS. Can't decide which one.

Should leave on June 17 and return by July 16, if all goes well.
Getting close.

Keep thinking I'm forgetting something - important.
 
#38 ·
#39 ·
Well from what am I reading on PNW ADVrider some of the roads could be closed yet they had record snow. Hwy 20 won't open until June, mts Rainier and St Helens usually open later, and god knows what is the situation with the road to the sun.

How is the situation in Alberta? Could the Icefields be closed until July?
 
#41 ·
We were planning to leave at the Memorial day.. going alone US/Can border from Michigan to PNW and then turning north, on Sea to Sky and getting on time to D2D. Doing Alaska loop and then coming back through Icefields/Jasper.

Problem is that if Washington is snowed in and R2S/Rainier/Helens closed then the logical solution would be to leave later and do the route in opposite direction, which would put us ~June 10 at Icefields.
 
#43 ·
We were planning to get back on July 4, so 5 week with avg ~300+ a day. And crossing to CAN heading north for D2D about a week prior which I think is June 15th. Snow could be a problem as some of the Wash inmates are saying that they had so much it may not even melt this year.
 
#47 ·
Were you planning to hit Glacier NP too? Not sure if there could be rock slide issue on R2S even if they clean snow, and what is the situation with camping could be closed too.

We were there last year a week before 4th and it was perfect except too many people. Logan Pass is actually pretty low ~7,000' I think.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top