Riding Alaska in March Apri 2013

Hi guys,

Gionata here. Been almost 8 years on the road with my old rusted Honda Transalp and after a long await here in Santiago the Chile, I am planning to head up north in January to get to Alaska and finish my journey in Italy, after shipping from somewhere in the east coast of CANADA-USA to Portugal.

Would anyone from Alaska know if around March/April the weather allow riderds to ride all the way to the top of the continent?

I am specifically looking for roads closure info and weather condition and climate during those months.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Gionata Nencini

Ice. Studded. Knobbies. There will still be lots of ice and snow on the ground especially if you plan on going up the Haul rd to Prudhoe bay. Plan accordingly. I've only been living in Alaska the last 4 months and I'm moving back to Mississippi next week so some of the other guys here may have more info.

Gionata,

There will still be snow in Alaska during that timeframe, so you will certainly need studded snow tires. The road to Deadhorse may be closed from time to time without warning due to hazardous weather conditions and snow avalanches. Temperatures during that time of the year in northern Alaska range from 30F to -30F.

Yup, march and April will still have snow, especially up north.

Do you have a Milepost book ?

Is your medical plan paid up? do you have med-jet or the like you may need it.

Thanks Babarnette,
once the studs are mounted, is there anything else I should worry abot? How cold can it get up there in March April and more importantly, how often can the temperature drop even if it's spring?

Wow Ak, that is quiet a range of temperature? I could totally ride with 30F or even 20, but surely -30F would me make and the bike struggle... I have written to garbing to ask an advise of what I should need to buy for those temperature, as I am not a big heated vest fan and certainly not experience about the right products to buy.
I normally ride patagonia with jeans and goretex pants and a tshirt + jacket with laynet. I am not really a worried about the cold, but at -30 I have never been.
Any recommendations?

A Milespot book? What is it?

AK, had a look at the map and realized Fairbanks is on the way to the deadhorse and Pradhoe Bay. Does your shop sell studded snow tire 21 front - 17 rear? Do you think I can get to fairbanks without studded tyre or will I need them before it?
I'd happily come a visit you guys at Adventure Cycleworks if you recommend so.
Cheers

This photo was taken in early April when I went backcountry skiing with some friends. We stayed at some awesome hot springs outside of Fairbanks for a few days. We "enjoyed" balmy temps in the single digits during the day and below zero at night. We encountered blizzard conditions skiing in to the cabins and again while skiing back out and visibility was poor. Be careful!

Yeah, you might want rethink your plan. There is a snowmobile poker run in March that goes from Tok, AK to Dawson City, BC Canada. This is on the Top of The World Highway (Taylor highway) Trek Over The Top) So here is an idea. Come up in early march do the poker run on snowmobiles and then in June you can meet everone at the D2D(its not a rally), same route only it may be snowfree and a bit warmer. There is even enough snow in South-Central in April you will definately run into it up North.

you mite want to get a rethink on this NUT BAR idea heres some more info.I use to live in a town you have to pass through coming into Alaska (Tok) and in March it can be a standard -30F day and night all month

http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Alaska/temperature-march.php

Yes, reschedule your trip to Alaska to May, at least.

No, we don't sell studded snow tires. No, you'll need studded tires while you're in Canada, several hundred miles before you reach Alaska.
Our shop is closed for the winter, and won't reopen until May, when the roads are clear of snow/ice.

If you time your ride just right, you can join us in our annual April Fool's Arctic Circle Ride (which we insist all participants realize IS NOT A RALLY!). We try to keep the number of riders below 200 to minimize traffic disruptions on the Dalton Hwy, but for someone coming from way south of the border, we could make an exception.

Khuddy will undoubtedly be riding up from Montana for the event, as he hasn't missed one yet (other than the very first one) and would probably be glad for the company, so you could join him as he travels across the snow-covered wasteland.

I would provide a link to ride reports covering earlier occurrences of this event, but Mr Huddy has gotten a little behind in posting those reports. Something about having difficulty getting the photos uploaded, he claims.

To sign up, just send a PM to khuddy (who posts frequently in this forum) and he will tell you how much to send for the honor of joining the hordes of riders who make this event what it is every year. He might even offer a discount if you will let his friend Maggie ride behind you from Fairbanks to the Circle and back. Your bike can handle two-up riding, can't it?

The only time I had a guy come through Tok in winter On a bike when I was there and it was in Feb at -40 was my friend Rolland from Switzerland (not that he was any less of a nut bar) now he even in his home town didn't own a car and all winter there rode his bike so he was use to it AND it is a three wheeler two wheel drive old russian bike BIG difference. The day I met him I was at the store there in Tok saw the bike there out front and I said to myself this guy will not be hard to spot in the store and he wasn't I invited him over to the shop he stayed for a few days had a big old time I few years later I ended over at his house in Switzerland.

What is with you crazy Italians? 1 and 1/2 years ago, another crazy Italian came through here (Miriam ) she stayed on my couch on the way north, and then again on the way south. She had just finished a bike trip that was about 1.5 yrs travelling through South America and then wanted to see North America. Her trip is on here some where. Good luck on your travells.

HayDuchess, to me"balmy temps in the single digits during the day and below zero at night" sounds like a very good news! I imagine the main road would be clear, right?
Would you say that in lucky years temperatures are that high or it is just common to have above zero temperatures during the day?
Plese let me know.
Cheers

Aufevermike, the poker run sounds great but I won't have time to be there in June. I will try to make my way up north in late march early april and is temperatures and roads allow is, I will get as far as I can, as some of you guys here gave me the impression that beside the snow, temperatures in april are around and above zero and the main road is kept clear all year long....

thanks

Friar Mike, thanks a lot. Now you suggested the next question:
isn't the far north colder than what comes before it? I mean, If HayDuchessLives says that in Fairbanks, around april temperatues stay around and above zero I thought that all the cities from Canada to Fairbanks would have more welcoming temperature or the same.
Am I wrong?