Alaska 2023

[brownie0486]

willboo,

Annie and I used to live in Fairbanks and made the ride between AK and the lower 48 a dozen times. We rode the haul road 5-6 times, but only once all the way to Prudoe. Been to the Arctic Circle and Coldfoot a few times and as far as the Hot Spot Cafe just north of the Yukon other times. We haven't ridden up that way since 2013 but are planning to go to the Yukon and D2D this year. May venture into Alaska if the border crossing on the Top of the World Highway is open and the rules for crossing back into Canada are not too onerous.

It appears that the crossing at Hyder is exempt from the testing requirement, so you could cross into Hyder and get back into Canada without a problem. Hyder is worth an overnight stay. As I mentioned earlier, if at all possible ride to and from AK and don't rush the ride. We've done it one way in four days and we've taken eight days; eight is better, six is reasonable.

If you do not find a riding partner, then the chances are good you can link up with someone in Fairbanks. I was responsible for housing at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and we allowed riders to stay in a dorm during the summer. We would get 350-450 riders staying with us and they would often form riding parties for the ride to Deadhorse. I'm not sure they still allow riders in the dorms and no one is left from my time at UAF. There were also two camping areas that were popular with riders. One is adjacent to the Fairgrounds on College Road. The other is on Davis Road. Either would be a good place to link up with another rider.

While in Fairbanks I suggest a visit to the Museum of the North on the campus of UAF. They used to have on display a BSA motorcycle that Slim Williams rode from AK to the lower 48 in 1939 to bring attention to the need for a highway. Slim made the trip with a friend who was also on a BSA and they sometimes lashed the two bikes together with saplings to form an early version of an ATV. He had previously made the trip with a dog team pulling a sled. Hopefully the BSA is still on display. Also visit the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum on College Road. It has a surprisingly good selection of cars, including a homemade car built in the early 1920s by a Fairbanks teenager who had never seen a car. He saw some pictures and thought it would be a good way to meet girls. It worked and he met his wife because of it,

Enjoy your ride.

Stayed at the dorms in August 2018, open to travelers then.

 

[akbeemer]

Stayed at the dorms in August 2018, open to travelers then.

Good to hear.

 

[drneo66]

I really appreciate any and all suggestions and advice. I've looked from afar at this trip for years and know enough to know I have a lot of research and preparation to do before I roll out of my driveway. I am thrilled to say I just retired as of last Friday so I'm planning on perhaps six weeks or so to make this trip. For what it's worth, I ride an 800GS so are there any thoughts on whether it would be 'enough' bike? I've read that smaller is better or should I be looking for a 1200/1250?

I'm planning for this summer for the Ultimate Coast to Coast (Key West to Deadhorse) with my F800GS - I'll let you know how it goes...

 

[nickrides]

https://themilepost.com/articles/what-is-the-future-of-alaskas-state-ferry/

Its been on my to do list to ride to Fairbanks and take the Ferry back to Washington state.
Last time I priced it it seemed the fare went up 4-5 X the old rate.
Now the website seems to show almost no sailings.
Nick

 

[83014]

https://themilepost.com/articles/what-is-the-future-of-alaskas-state-ferry/

Its been on my to do list to ride to Fairbanks and take the Ferry back to Washington state.
Last time I priced it it seemed the fare went up 4-5 X the old rate.
Now the website seems to show almost no sailings.
Nick

Sounds like a good excuse to add the Cassiar Highway to your trip.

Doug

 

[akbeemer]

https://themilepost.com/articles/what-is-the-future-of-alaskas-state-ferry/

Its been on my to do list to ride to Fairbanks and take the Ferry back to Washington state.
Last time I priced it it seemed the fare went up 4-5 X the old rate.
Now the website seems to show almost no sailings.
Nick

Alaska experienced tough financial times during the happy period of plentiful and relatively cheap oil. Plentiful and cheap oil is bad for the Alaskan economy. For some inexplicable reason oil is now harder to get and far from cheap, but major cuts were made to the budget when oil was cheap and the Alaska Marine Highway System was one area that was targeted for cuts. There used to be two round trip ferries a day between Cordova and Valdez. It was a great trip to go to Cordova, ride to the Million Dollar Bridge and camp near Miles Glacier. Last time I checked there was one ferry a week to Cordova from Whittier. Cordova is not a place I want to spend a week.

 

[lee]

I wonder what the price is now for a bike and rider (no room) for Valdez to Prince Rupert.
I tried the website and could not get a price.

 

[akbeemer]

I wonder what the price is now for a bike and rider (no room) for Valdez to Prince Rupert.
I tried the website and could not get a price.

Go to https://dot.alaska.gov/amhs/index.shtml

Go to "Reservations" and then "Sailings Search"

I didn't see anything to or from Prince Rupert.

 

[lee]

Go to https://dot.alaska.gov/amhs/index.shtml

Go to "Reservations" and then "Sailings Search"

I didn't see anything to or from Prince Rupert.

That's what I tried.
It would not let me pick any dates.

 

[akbeemer]

That's what I tried.
It would not let me pick any dates.

That means there are no sailings between the ports you picked. I tried to find a sailing to Prince Rupert from Whittier, Skagway and Valdez and couldn’t one. A friend sailed from Alaska to PR last summer to attend the Great Falls rally, but I can’t find any sailing to PR this upcoming summer.

 

[vetbmwrider]

I wonder what the price is now for a bike and rider (no room) for Valdez to Prince Rupert.
I tried the website and could not get a price.

A person has to sail from Whitter to Prince Rupert, the cost was around $2000 the last time I looked.

 

[akbeemer]

A person has to sail from Whitter to Prince Rupert, the cost was around $2000 the last time I looked.

It does mot show any ferries to PR from Whittier.

 

[lee]

That means there are no sailings between the ports you picked. I tried to find a sailing to Prince Rupert from Whittier, Skagway and Valdez and couldn’t one. A friend sailed from Alaska to PR last summer to attend the Great Falls rally, but I can’t find any sailing to PR this upcoming summer.

I tried several options with no luck but wondered if I was not picking the correct port options.

 

[lee]

A person has to sail from Whitter to Prince Rupert, the cost was around $2000 the last time I looked.

Wow, I remember we thought it was expensive back in 1988 for two bikes.
$4,000 would be too much for this cheap BMW riding couple

 

[vetbmwrider]

Earlier this year I was looking at the Blue canoes, as way to get around the Covid restrictions at the border. I was sticker shocked when I priced out the trip from Bellingham WA to Whitter AK round trip with a cabin for my daughter and myself and 2 bikes. For the price that AK ferry system was charging discouraged that idea of going to AK this year by ferry. If a person has never traveled the inland passage in AK you are missing some of the most beautiful site's AK has to offer. In the early 80 I spend some time, with the AK National Guard on a Landing craft for a major field problem traveling some of those waterways.

 

[akbeemer]

I believe one could fly to Alaska and fly the bike as well for less than the ferry. But the ride thru Canada is worth the time.

 

[lee]

I believe one could fly to Alaska and fly the bike as well for less than the ferry. But the ride thru Canada is worth the time.

I feel the same way. A friend flew up to Alaska and rented a bike there.
He missed a lot of nice country by not riding through Canada.

 

[BBrowning]

I saw just about every kind of bike come up the ALCAN and on to Deadhorse. A loGoldwing pulling a trailer (he got a speeding ticket for 70 in a 35 zone on the haul road), a Vespa with two grandmas in their 70s that went up to Deadhorse and back without incident, Harleys, crotch rockets and a Japanese fellow who pulled a hand cart up there in December. A couple rode from Key West to Deadhorse in February. She was on a F800GS; he was on a Yamaha R1. All my riding was on dirt was on ia R100GSPD and Annie was on a F650GS thumper.

Your bike is more than enough.

It certainly is. I rode my ST1300 to the Arctic Circle north of Fairbanks. While getting fuel at Yukon River crossing, feeling kinda smug, in pulls a fully loaded Road king, completely covered in mud on his was back from Deadhorse. Never say never. I say, Plan your trip but don't over think it. Be prepared for the inevitable delays. More than any thing just plan to have a good time.