Skip and Rob Head to Alaska 2022

[scout6]

Okay, so while the other thread has been pushed a year, Skip and I are planning to ride Alaska in August 2022.  We have been discussing this for a while, and finally decided to pull the pin and let fly.  Our current plan has us using the truck and trailer to take us to the beginning of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, BC.  We plan to hit Prudhoe Bay,  Anchorage, and points in between.  Why trailer part of the trip?  The first and last 2211 miles are not the focus of the trip, and with two drivers, we can knock them out much more quickly, without the motorcycle tire wear.   So, we have a site confirmed for leaving the truck and trailer.  We continue to work on the rest of the plan.  Advice is welcome.

We are doing the riding portion on my GS and a 2004 GS.

We have a plan for extra fuel for the trip to Prudhoe Bay.  We are reading lots of trip reports and have the Butler map of Alaska and the newest Milepost on the way.

[lawnchairboy]

thats great!

 

send lots of pictures.

[mickeym3]

Rob, are you planning to head up a contingent of BMWST tent campers at the MOA Rally in Springfield this year?  If so count me in.  For me, riding in a car on the Icefields Parkway would almost be painful but parts of the Yukon I could pass up with no problem. Maybe there will be less road construction that late in the season, in any case I’m coming up with a plan for Alaska out of the Seattle area. My wife will enjoy the weather in our RV while I brave the northern reaches. 

[scout6]

I can do the club camping again.  I will put it a note to let people sign up.

[Ken S]

Sounds like you're doing a lot of serious research on the trip.  Here's a recent video of a rather silly trip to Prudhoe on motos, but it shows a lot of the route.  There are plenty of other places I'd prefer to ride in AK, but the trip will be an adventure.

 

Let me know if you need any help or info from someone who lives in Anchorage.

[scout6]

Route plan from Dawson Creek, BC, into and around Alaska.  Yellow=in  Orange=out Green=maybe.

 

[Ken S]

Looks like a good plan. 

 

One of the "maybe" areas I'd highly recommend is the Seward Highway south of Anchorage toward the Kenai Peninsula.  It's a beautiful Scenic Byway with Turnagain Arm (ocean) to the west (possible whale sightings), and the Chugach Mountains to the east (Dall Sheep, glaciers).  I'd at least do the first 30-50 miles, especially on a sunny day.  It's also a nice ride on south toward Seward and Homer.

[scout6]

Have marker, will add!

 

[Ken S]

An article of possible interest on the condition of the haul road to the N Slope of AK: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2022/04/16/curious-alaska-what-is-climate-change-doing-to-the-haul-road/

But lots of big trucks haul loads up there all year long.

 

Also, FYI: You never know in advance what the weather will do, but in the past late August and September are generally considered to be the rainy season in much of Alaska.  And, depending on conditions, there's a small chance you'll encounter some snow on the North Slope almost any time of year.

[scout6]

Thanks Ken.  Will check it out.  We'd leave earlier, but Skip's first grandson will be one at the end of July, and he wants to be there.

[mickeym3]

Beating a dead horse perhaps but June and early July is the sweet spot.  We barely missed D2D at Dawson City but the ferry across the river and riding Top of the World highway was definitely a highlight. Actually we had a perfect weather window for Prudhoe Bay but I had an equipment issue and my riding buddy only made it to Coldfoot, supposedly because he felt sorry for me languishing in Fairbanks but swears he’s going all the way next time. I’m still considering my next trip up, probably next year because once you go it’s hard to be “one and done”. 

[Jamieslife]

I too am headed north out of Florida middle of next month.  Figured I'd start with the MABDR visit friend in Upstate NY, Ontario before meeting a fellow rider in Winnipeg, MB and heading northwest to Dawson Creek, up through Liard Hot Springs Prov Pk to the Robert Campbell Hwy, around to Dawson city and the Top of the World Hwy to Chicken, Fairbanks, Deadhorse (Prudhoe Bay -same place), Denali, Hatcher's Pass, Girdwood, Kenai area - Homer-Seward, Whittier ferry to Valdez, Richardson Hwy to Tok, Whitehorse, Skagway, south through Jasper and Banff then south to ID.  You guessed it the IDBR, to Bryce NP, Zion NP, North Rim and work east.  Should be back by August.  Thinking I'll end in Key West, FL.

 

Just FYI for those of you that are scratching your head at Girdwood??  It's 45 minutes south of Anchorage.  I found it because in trying to resolve an online access issue with the MilePost 2021 I'd purchased, found myself on the phone with the publication's Editor.  I commented, every online search I do about what to see in Anchorage results in hardly anything in the city, what should I see?  Her response was Girdwood for the drive south of Anchorage and the tram.

 

I find I'm an over planner pre-trip so I add in lots of back up camp sites in case of a delay of bad weather, etc and then wing it once the adventure begins.  I'm a Google maps, onX, maps to gpx, finalize in BaseCamp planner.  I broke things down into trip up, AK and trip back. i find it easier to manage the data on the the GPS unit.  That's just my preference. I can offer the gpx's if you want them but there will probably be A LOT that won't fit with your plans.

 

Ride safe and enjoy the adventure

 

 

[MikeRC]

Hey Rob.  Just going to give you a head's up about gas price budgeting.  In August it is expected that the price of gasoline in British Columbia will be about US $7.00 per US gallon for regular (AKI 87) and about US $7.75 per US gallon for Premium (AKI 91). 

 

Fill up in Alberta whenever you can.  There is a temporary suspension of the Provincial fuel tax bringing the price down to about US$5.75 regular and $6.50 for premium.  

 

People up here are staying pretty close to home if they can. 

 

Mike C

[Twisties]

Enjoyed talking to you guys this weekend.  Have a great trip!  

[Foot]

Chris and I are headed to Alaska tomorrow. We can give you a scouting report!

[scout6]

Thanks Foot.  Have a great trip.

[Ron-M]

Hey Alan,

 

Have a great trip. Keep us in the loop with your travels.

 

Ron

[MikeRC]

19 hours ago, Foot said:

Chris and I are headed to Alaska tomorrow. We can give you a scouting report!

 

It's been a very wet spring, and a late runoff from winter snows.  Scattered road closures over the last week in British Columbia and NWT/Yukon.  

 

But hey.  At least no forest fires   

 

Mike C

[Ken S]

20 hours ago, MikeRC said:

But hey.  At least no forest fires   

There are several forest fires here in Alaska, but mostly north and west of Anchorage.  Smoke has been blowing into town, but it's supposed to let up in coming days.

[scout6]

Thanks for the updates 

[Ken S]

I just drove from Pocatello, Idaho to Anchorage via the Alaska Highway.  So I am newly familiar with the road, etc.  It surprised me that there are still several areas where the road is unpaved and very rough.  And that's not being fixed: just the way it's going to be for the long haul.  But most unpaved sections are pretty short.  The areas with frost heaves and permafrost damage can go for miles at a time.  The dips and heaves are most problematic -- not necessarily for motorcycles, but certainly for big RVs that have to slow considerably. 

 

And there are a number of bridges, especially in northern BC and the Yukon, with steel grating for decks.  That will get your attention on a motorcycle, but I didn't see anyone having problems with them.

 

There were a lot of motorcycles and RVs making the trip in late June.  But generally traffic was light, especially in the many miles of wilderness. I saw lots of wildlife.

And the break at Liard Hot Springs was a welcome relief.

[RandyShields]

Chris K just sent this pic and news article about a washout yesterday on the Alaska Highway near Ft. Nelson.  No detour!  Luckily, he and Alan (Foot) went by this a few hours beforehand.

 

Alaska Highway closed near Yukon border - BC News - Castanet.net

 

[scout6]

That does not look fun.  Thanks for keeping us in the know!

[MikeRC]

And they already have a one lane detour open.   If you look at how fast they were able to open the Coquihalla after the devastating flood damage last November it might be 2 lanes (gravel) in a couple of weeks.  Lots of heavy equipment in the area working on other projects.  

 

Mike C

 

 

[RandyShields]

Here is the back story.  The washout was caused in part by a beaver dam that overflowed.  

 

Detour Ahead: Beaver Dam Failure Wipes Out Section Of ALCAN Highway - Adventure Rider (advrider.com)

[wbw6cos]

Just dam!

[Hosstage]

Stoopid Beavers.

[Foot]

Hey we met a couple of Adventure riders in Whitehorse coming back from Alaska. They recommended 2 places to see we were not able to got see. Valdes and the old kennicote mine.

Speaking of Whitehorse you need to eat at the Yukon Rib and Salmon restaurant!

 

[scout6]

Thanks!