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

[nlansner]

Thanks to both of you. I’m not on Facebook so I can’t see the photos, but the video was cool and it reminded me there is a train, which I had forgotten about. I’m still 50-50 on going or not this summer. If I do, I’ll probably cut it to going up to Denali, train back down to Anchorage and then Seward, then ride around down there and back to Anchorage. Juneau area just doesn’t interest me that much, although I can’t say exactly why. Also, I’m figuring I will just camp at the first stop in Denali and use the shuttle buses to explore, as I am not interested in dirt road riding (and the road is now closed halfway because of rockslides).

My other option for this summer is to stay closer to home and do a New England trip. TBD.

[ray b]

...TBD.

TBD - always a good choice on any trip(!).
Big state. Lots to do. Perhaps better in small bites with lots of chewing in between.

[John Nettles]

Two to three summers ago, I rode from Homer to Fairbanks, then Prudhoe Bay to near Kitwanga, BC, before the forest fire smoke made me abandon my trip.  I would suggest you do the Homer or Seward to Fairbanks ride.  Reasons are much more services available (though admittedly limited in places) than the "eastern" part of Alaska.  Also, winds are from the ESE through much of that corridor.  If you have not finished by the time you have to get back, you can hop on the train with an unboxed bike in many places along the Juneau/Fairbanks corridor.  Finally, you end up (after a train ride) back in Anchorage which is usually the cheapest and most direct place to catch a plane back to the lower 48.  Oh, and you don't have to stress about hitching a ride.

I left Homer around May 30th.  If you are looking for snow capped mountains, I would suggest in mid-May or the very earliest you can get a shuttle to Homer/Seward as the snow melts fairly rapidly as the summer comes on.  Plus the mosquitos are less vicious compared to July.  Note that it will be cool and you will need to camp a few times. 

Traffic totally fine except for the stretch between 10 mile stretch south of Gateway.  It was busy with a full shoulder but damn it was LOUD, probably the loudest I have ever been in.  Could not figure out why either because it is wide open terrain there and the traffic type was the same as elsewhere.  Just a lot more cars.  It was a bit annoying around Denali but overall totally fine.  Oh, all the roads were paved except for a few sporadic bits of road construction. 

You should note that AK is fairly expensive, especially for hotels.  When in Anchorage, I considered a hotel but a Motel 6, where 1/3 of the building was inhabitable due to a fire, was charging $295 + tax per night.  Most hotels were in the $350-$450 range.  WarmShowers is definitely something to consider in Alaska if they are available.   

I saw some bears alongside the road but never had an issue or in the campgrounds.

Tailwinds, John

[John Nettles]

I just thought of another route.  You could go Homer/Seward/Anchorage to Whittier then take the ferry to Valdez then up to Glenallen before heading to Anchorage.  Or reverse.  It would be around 450 to 500 miles depending on your route.  The loop makes it easy and you could store your bike box somewhere probably. 

Tailwinds, John

[nlansner]

Thank you John! This is really helpful! I’m still leaning towards NH/ME for this summer but based on your tips I have come up with a plan to do it all in AK that seems possible.

Mon flight arrives 1:30 pm, assemble bike, ride 40 miles to Girdwood campground
Tue train to Seward (8:05 am → 11:20 am), then bike to Kenai Fjords then to Granite Creek Campground 79 miles
Wed Bike to Whittier ferry (27 mi), ferry 2:45 to 8:30, then bike 29 miles to Blueberry Lake State Recreation Site (tot 56 mi for the day)
Thu-Wed Blueberry Lake to Denali 434 miles, 7 days, 62 mi/day
Thu off explore Denali in the morning, then Train 12:30-8 pm to Anchorage
Fri off fly home

It’s still an aggressive itinerary but not unreasonably so for me in miles and terrain. Day 2 is long but there’s a shorter option (leaving more miles for Day 3). But everyone please continue to push back if you disagree, as I don’t have the AK touring experience.

Thanks for the tip on expense. I was planning to camp (or Warmshowers) every night I can, but I suppose I’d better check the prices on those campgrounds too.

As for mosquitos, I read one of the other posts on Alaska (might have been yours) that said they were more of an issue north of Fairbanks heading to Prudhoe Bay. Did I misunderstand? Are bad in southern an eastern AK as well? July 13-24 is really the only window I have this year based on family and work commitments. And I work in a school so anything before July 1 won’t be an option for another five years or so. But I do hate skeeters!

[John Nettles]

Sorry for the late reply.  For some reason, when I replied before it did not appear and I did not notice it.  Maybe I hit Preview instead of Post and didn't verify.

Regardless, for me, the mosquitos were not that bad south of Fairbanks but maybe that was because I was early or just lucky.  When I started riding south from Prudhoe Bay, they were really bad, but slow in a few places.  A couple of days for a few hours, I literally had to ride in a bug head net which still sucked because then the wind would sometimes blow the netting against the face and then the demons would try to bite.  I use a Da Brim which helped immensely to keep the head net from my face.  In camp, it was almost mandatory though to wear the head net as were long-sleeve & long pants with lots of Ben's Wipes in use. I didn't get bit too much (for the amount of mosquitos flying around) but it is the buzzing in the ear that drives me bat sh!t crazy while riding.  Luckily up north, not much traffic which was good as I rode like I was a severely drunk idiot slapping his head while cussing out loud  .

I met a ranger at the Yukon River who said there are two waves, the first are slow and big, and the second are small and fast.  I found that to be true and luckily only had a little bit of the second as I was "early" into the season.  The season moves just like the temp warms up as the days heat up.  South early (including lower part of AK mainland), then north.

My guess is you will have either both or the 2nd wave in July.  Maybe it is worth a call to someone midway through your route and ask them what wave you would be in. 

Again, in early June, it really was not too bad in the south so I personally would not let that bother you. 

If you have not already booked though, I would seriously consider the Jasper to Missoula (or wherever you make it to) along the Icefields Highway instead.  While Alaska is nice, if I was on a shortened tour, I would do that over a tight fitting tour where the snow peaks are not as prominent, but that is just me. 

Tailwinds, John

[nlansner]

Since last posting I’d already decided I’m definitely doing Maine/NH this summer, and all this mosquito talk just helps reinforce that decision! I’ve toured through all 48 continental states so I want to hit AK and HI someday. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt like AK could get lonely going solo, so I might try to wait until I can find a partner for that one. The NE trip I already have four friends lined up to host me out of 11 nights. I’ll barely need my tent! And there’s always more to see and do.

Jasper to Missoula is definitely on the bucket list as well. So many tours, so little time.

Thanks again for all the tips. I’m sure I’ll be back here soon asking again for next summer, or the next one or the next one.

[ray b]

So many tours, so little time.

(...and that's why they invented retirement. Do it early; do it often. Safe travels.)