Hey guys, I'm wondering if it's safe to ride in the alpine regions during winter, I'd love to head up there soon but I know often cars will require snow chains, does this mean these areas are off limits to motorcycles?
You'll find there will be signs and locked gates from the beginning of the ski season (early June) through to October.
If you look closely at the rooftop maps you'll find lots of trails without signs or locked gates, BUT Don't be surprised if you come across BIG fallen trees blocking tails , or steep rocky hills covered in snow. Be suitably prepared, including at least 2 other riders and bivvy sacks for if a blizzard hits. Riding snow in the dark can be very disorienting, so don't expect to cover as much distance as you usually can.....the nights are long and cold his time of year....
Roadclosures... http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/park-management/fire,-flood-and-other-closures/seasonal-road-closures2
If you haven't got full knobbys forget it plus if the snow is deeper the 200ml don't even bother. DR at is right. With the sudden drop in temperature and heavy rain good place to stay away from
ssshhh, don't give away all the secrets... we wanted to see the result of road tyres on deep snow... could make a good youtube video!
just last week rode all over with wife no dirt she won't ride on dirt but it was beautiful no traffic or cops she whinged about too many corners/lol but anytime up in the high country watch out for the black ice in the mornings cheers
Alpine regions do have police patrolling the tar sections, with radar. Not to sure if they salt the roads (tar sections) during the snow (Ski) season? but if so, make sure you wash down your bike when you get a chance.
+1 for Black Ice. Not just in the mountains but well before you even get there. Spent some time around Myrtleford and Bright areas and it was trecherous most mornings for 3 months of the year. And watch out for .
Roads to resorts are seasonally closed (12 weeks) unless chains are carried. Bikes cant use chains and so cant travel on these roads, you would have to be a dickhead to want to anyway. Lots of dirt roads are closed in areas which are affected by snow, gates and signs. No, dont, they will still come and rescue you but you will have proved beyond any lingering doubt that you really are a dickhead. Some roads ,like Falls creek to Omeo Hwy are seasonally closed but because they are not serviced by snow plow they are closed to all vehicles and remain so until snow is gone (late october some years) Doesnt mean you cant still enjoy the alps, dress well! Graeme
I tend to disagree. ... <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <wunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <woNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-AU</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <wontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <wontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <wontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac 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5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> Pick your timing weatherwise and you will be OK.
Yep, there's loads of SES & CFA volunteers who've got stuff-all else to do but wade around in thigh-deep snow and thick fog for hours or days on end, searching for some sorry prick who's ignored the signs, the gates and common fucking sense, got lost, run out of fuel or fallen off and is starving/freezing to death. Yep, we definitely need more opportunities to practice Search and Rescue of Dickheads 101..... once the snow has thawed. By then the corpse won't even smell too much. :dog
? Common sense would preclude trying to ride through thigh-deep snow, ... and you did not read my reply context. Here it is again... Quote: <table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset"> Originally Posted by omeoxlv Roads to resorts are seasonally closed (12 weeks) unless chains are carried. Bikes cant use chains and so cant travel on these roads, you would have to be a dickhead to want to anyway. </td> </tr> </tbody></table> I tend to disagree. Seasonally closed roads pay nil attention to prevailing weather at the time, which in some cases can be weeks of excellent riding weather. One of my pet hates is walking to locations that one can easily ride to, when the gate involved is locked because some pen pushing bureacrat has a prescribed timetable to adhere to. If the weather was as shit as you indicate, then I doubt that I, or the original poster would make it to the locked gate, and from the tone of your post it would seem that you wouldn't even try. Take a chill-pill dude.
On the same topic, there has been known the odd occasion when the roads involved should have been closed earlier due to the weather conditions at the time being abysmal leading up to the prescribed 'date of seasonal closure'. In this case I agree with you dude.