Alaska touring - need advice

[nlansner]

I’m thinking about hitting AK this July. I have extensive touring experience across all 48 lower states but I know AK is different! Looking for suggestions. I have about 11-12 days so I can’t do everything. I am a roads guy, not a huge fan of gravel if I can avoid it. I prefer to stick close to civilization but am willing to rough it for a couple of days. Generally I average 60-70 miles per day. My first thought is to use Anchorage as a base, spur out to the three accessible NPs (Denali, Kenai, Wrangell) and try to hitch rides back to Anchorage so I don’t have to repeat the same terrain. Will those routes be too miserable with vehicle traffic? I know there also may be a couple of bridge/tunnel spots inaccessible to bikes that I will have to hitch through.

I have no interest in going up to Prudhoe Bay or anywhere north of Fairbanks really.

I’d welcome any suggestions and a chance to chat offline with anyone who’s done any of those parts. My email is my username here at the Gmail. Thanks!

[jamawani]

May I suggest basing out of Juneau instead?
(If you have a passport for travel into Canada)

There is a great scenic triangle to ride.

Ferry Juneau to Skagway - eye-popping scenery
Skagway to Whitehorse to Haines Junction to Haines
Ferry Haines back to Juneau - eye-popping again

Kluane National Park is magnificent

Far nicer riding scenery - way better than north of Anchorage.
The Richardson and Parks Highways have lots and lots of trees.

Rains increase in July near the coast of the Gulf of Alaska.
Much drier in the interior.

All paved.
Great camping and hiking at Kluane.

If you overnight at the Nadahini Hilton there will be zero overnight traffic,
because the border station closes at night.

[ray b]

As always - What JAMAWANI said(!).

With only 10-11 days, and a reminder that less is more. It's a BIG state. The Denali trip out itself could be a relaxing 2 weeks as could the coast and ferry trip. And of course, you might take a look at coastal itineraries of some of the tour groups and adapt to your own plans.

All that said, exercise physiologist and former MO masters time trial champ, Ted Weiss and wife did the train-Denali-Valdez (coast)-Anchorge trip in 15 days. The Denali Park Road is paved to mile 15 and turns to gravel until Kantishna, but no cars and only the occaionsal bus, and no vehicles other than bikes beyond the landslide at mile 42.

OK, tandem pair with a big aerobic engine to drive it. (I figured I would have taken about 30 days to make the same trip while smiling - maybe a lot less without the smile, but then what's the point.)

You might take a look at their example of an efficient trip to get some ideas. Might be able to make a 10-11-d trip out of it by eliminating most of the Denali Park Road. 

https://youtu.be/eIMazCrynPI

Safe travels.

[jamawani]

Website wasn't taking photos a couple of days ago.
Nadahini Hilton -

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10238795164050946&set=a.1058641559541