Trying to get to Anchorage AK in March
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 884
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From: n
I lived up there for 4 years and commuted from Wasilla to Anchorage daily. I wouldn't even think about it. The wx might be starting to straighten up, but that was about the time of year when I would be thankful for a dry rut in the ice to drive on and you were hoping for breakup. Even if the roads are passable they will be covered with sand from the winter--not to mention frost heaves. If you take the ferry you are getting off at Haines then you will still have to cut into the interior to Haines Junction thru Tok and back down to Anchorage. The road from Tok to Anchorage or at least Palmer has the most mountainous part of the whole Alcan Highway. Also gas will be an issue on a Sportster. AK is not for the weak or stupid. Trying to do that in Mar would put you in the latter category.
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2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 6
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From: Auckland, New Zealand
Looks like I'm going for a shipping company... From LA or Seattle, whichever is cheaper (with my flights factored in).
I'll check out totem and go from there.
Hi Nathan, lifelong Alaskan Mark H here. I agree with what's been said already. The weather is a total crap shoot every year so not telling what it'll really be like. Could be record snow like last year or bone dry pavement like some other years.
Get hold of http://www.classicmotionak.com/ here in Anchorage and see what they tell you. New ownership but they've shipped a lot of bikes both directions.
I did a thread on riding our ferry system up here and it's in my sig line if your interested. I also has other rides in AK and the Yukon. There's a ferry departing Bellingham, WA once a month going all the way to Whittier, AK. It's about 60mi from Whittier to Anchorage and I could prolly help find you and your bike a ride if needed. That ferry trip is very long and very expensive so I don't ever recommend it unless someone has a felony record and can't get thru Canada.
Hey, you ever get to Christchurch? A best motorbike bud of mine has his own engineering firm there. He grew up in AK. His name is Greg Morehouse and his company is Motovated Design and Analysis.
Good luck and have fun, Mark H.
Get hold of http://www.classicmotionak.com/ here in Anchorage and see what they tell you. New ownership but they've shipped a lot of bikes both directions.
I did a thread on riding our ferry system up here and it's in my sig line if your interested. I also has other rides in AK and the Yukon. There's a ferry departing Bellingham, WA once a month going all the way to Whittier, AK. It's about 60mi from Whittier to Anchorage and I could prolly help find you and your bike a ride if needed. That ferry trip is very long and very expensive so I don't ever recommend it unless someone has a felony record and can't get thru Canada.
Hey, you ever get to Christchurch? A best motorbike bud of mine has his own engineering firm there. He grew up in AK. His name is Greg Morehouse and his company is Motovated Design and Analysis.
Good luck and have fun, Mark H.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 9,978
Likes: 5,218
From: Michigan
Just curious, how are you getting your bike from NZ to the U.S.?
I would think it would be cheaper just to do a direct ship from NZ to Anchorage, AK.
I'm assuming that you want to tour LAand then forward the bike onto AK.
I would think it would be cheaper just to do a direct ship from NZ to Anchorage, AK.
I'm assuming that you want to tour LAand then forward the bike onto AK.
Last edited by 2AMGuy; Dec 5, 2012 at 04:41 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 884
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From: n
Hi Nathan, lifelong Alaskan Mark H here. I agree with what's been said already. The weather is a total crap shoot every year so not telling what it'll really be like. Could be record snow like last year or bone dry pavement like some other years.
Get hold of http://www.classicmotionak.com/ here in Anchorage and see what they tell you. New ownership but they've shipped a lot of bikes both directions.
I did a thread on riding our ferry system up here and it's in my sig line if your interested. I also has other rides in AK and the Yukon. There's a ferry departing Bellingham, WA once a month going all the way to Whittier, AK. It's about 60mi from Whittier to Anchorage and I could prolly help find you and your bike a ride if needed. That ferry trip is very long and very expensive so I don't ever recommend it unless someone has a felony record and can't get thru Canada.
Hey, you ever get to Christchurch? A best motorbike bud of mine has his own engineering firm there. He grew up in AK. His name is Greg Morehouse and his company is Motovated Design and Analysis.
Good luck and have fun, Mark H.
Get hold of http://www.classicmotionak.com/ here in Anchorage and see what they tell you. New ownership but they've shipped a lot of bikes both directions.
I did a thread on riding our ferry system up here and it's in my sig line if your interested. I also has other rides in AK and the Yukon. There's a ferry departing Bellingham, WA once a month going all the way to Whittier, AK. It's about 60mi from Whittier to Anchorage and I could prolly help find you and your bike a ride if needed. That ferry trip is very long and very expensive so I don't ever recommend it unless someone has a felony record and can't get thru Canada.
Hey, you ever get to Christchurch? A best motorbike bud of mine has his own engineering firm there. He grew up in AK. His name is Greg Morehouse and his company is Motovated Design and Analysis.
Good luck and have fun, Mark H.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: Western Washington
I don't think it would be wise to make the ride in March. The mountains and passes will still have snow and ice.
Ride to Washington and get on the Alaska Marine Highway. Here is the link: http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/inde...FYl7QgodV2cARg
Ride to Washington and get on the Alaska Marine Highway. Here is the link: http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/inde...FYl7QgodV2cARg
+1 on this. Take the boat out of Seattle and save yourself the frostbite.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2012
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From: BC
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2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 6
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From: Auckland, New Zealand
Hi Nathan, lifelong Alaskan Mark H here. I agree with what's been said already. The weather is a total crap shoot every year so not telling what it'll really be like. Could be record snow like last year or bone dry pavement like some other years.
Get hold of http://www.classicmotionak.com/ here in Anchorage and see what they tell you. New ownership but they've shipped a lot of bikes both directions.
I did a thread on riding our ferry system up here and it's in my sig line if your interested. I also has other rides in AK and the Yukon. There's a ferry departing Bellingham, WA once a month going all the way to Whittier, AK. It's about 60mi from Whittier to Anchorage and I could prolly help find you and your bike a ride if needed. That ferry trip is very long and very expensive so I don't ever recommend it unless someone has a felony record and can't get thru Canada.
Hey, you ever get to Christchurch? A best motorbike bud of mine has his own engineering firm there. He grew up in AK. His name is Greg Morehouse and his company is Motovated Design and Analysis.
Good luck and have fun, Mark H.
Get hold of http://www.classicmotionak.com/ here in Anchorage and see what they tell you. New ownership but they've shipped a lot of bikes both directions.
I did a thread on riding our ferry system up here and it's in my sig line if your interested. I also has other rides in AK and the Yukon. There's a ferry departing Bellingham, WA once a month going all the way to Whittier, AK. It's about 60mi from Whittier to Anchorage and I could prolly help find you and your bike a ride if needed. That ferry trip is very long and very expensive so I don't ever recommend it unless someone has a felony record and can't get thru Canada.
Hey, you ever get to Christchurch? A best motorbike bud of mine has his own engineering firm there. He grew up in AK. His name is Greg Morehouse and his company is Motovated Design and Analysis.
Good luck and have fun, Mark H.
I'd really like to do the Alaska Marine Highway, but given the ride there, ferry fees, and my airfare to/form to get my luggage I'm not thinking it's feasible. I technically have the cash but I need that for getting to Europe next... so I need to pace myself.
Haven't been to Christchurch yet, good mate of mine lives there though. I'll be there a couple times in January though. I'm doing a trip from the Cape to the Bluff and back. Let me know if he's good for a beer. haha
I'll be riding AK to KS in August/September so I'm not too concerned about the west coast ride. I've already ridden from KS to CA. I've got plenty of time to see all of the US.
I'm thinking my best plan is to buy a cheap truck in KS (where i'll be waiting for my bike to arrive), driving to CA to pick it up, and then driving to AK. Then I can sell the truck to cover some travel costs, and continue my ride when the weather is nice.
I'd post more about my travels to this point but it moves so slowly I feel it gets boring. haha
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,514
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From: Vancouver BC
From Vancouver to Prince Rupert BC then on to Alaska.
http://www.princerupert.ca/page.php?...n=3&id_page=77
http://www.princerupert.ca/page.php?...n=3&id_page=77