Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire North to the future! By motorcycle

Early planning stage of a motorcycle trip from eastern WA to Deadhorse, AK, up the Cassair Highway, stops in Hider, Tok, Fairbanks, Anchorage and Valdez, might take the ferry back and see the towns on the way.

Anyone who’s done this on a motorcycle, I’d love hints and ideas on what to see and where to stay, including campgrounds.

I lived in AK for six years in the early 1990s (3 in Fairbanks area, three in Anchorage) but didn’t have a motorcycle then. And haven’t been back in five years or so.

David;
Good evening to you sir, I hope the day behaved and this finds you well.

We did the Cassiar up and then the AlCan back down two summers back.

There are lots of sport adventure bikes on the road and a few hogs.

I can't recommend a hog as the road north of Mezziadin Junction from about Bob Quinn Lake up to Tatooga and Iskut was being repaired and was pretty greasy.

The bugs were sporty north of Kitwanga as well.

There is a hotel in Dease Lake that is set up for adventure bikers or at least we saw lots there.

If you go through Dawson City, there was the Bunkhouse that was set up for bikes too. Saw plates from all over Canada, US and even some from Europe there.

The road from Stewart Crossing up to Dawson City was being repaired too and we saw a big cruiser bike go down in the soft sand.

Again sport adventure bikes are fine.

Going off of foggy memory here, I'd want at least 350km of fuel capacity.

Cell service is still spotty.

Road conditions can be had at sights like DriveBC.ca.

Carry at least different credit cards in case one gets compromised. We had that happen in Dawson Creek on the way home.

If you want more specific info, please ask and I'll do my best.

Also if you're rolling up the 97, fresh coffee can usually be had just a wee bit east of Okanagan Falls..

All the best, good luck on the trip.

Dwayne

Rode up here in 1979 from the midwest.
Its been a few years since I have been on the Alcan, but its improved a bunch since then. Always seems like the worst part is around Beaver Creek.

Today it would be pretty easy, don't pass gas stations if you take the Cassiar.

Stop at Liard hot springs if you through Dawson Creek, otherwise its 17 miles of backtracking if you do take the Cassiar.

There are some worthwhile side trips if you have the time.

Regarding the dusty dalton and deadhorse.

I can understand the allure if your coming up from the states.
I have made that trip in pickup a number of times.
Mostly to slope mountain.

You will want to watch your gas, 40 miles out of fairbanks is the hilltop gas station/ diner.
I think you can get gas at the river, then coldfoot. Nothing further north. Its been a long time since I've been to deadhorse.....?
You will likely need to carry fuel.
Stop at Wiseman.

Mind the trucks, they own the road and they are KING!

Just reread your posts, since you lived in fairbanks you know the ropes on the haul road.

Good luck!

Hilltop still have good pies?

I went in 72 on a 350 cc Honda twin. From SE South Dakota to Fairbanks no haul rd then. Never ever pass a gas station without topping off. That old Honda ran 42 to 48 mpg 3 gals on main and .8 in reserve. I carried a small Coleman stove and ate cheap. I had a pup tent and 2 bags. I left SD 7 /10/72 was In fairbanks by 7/28 it started to snow. I made the decision to head south. It took 5 1/2 days to get back down the Alcan. I had spares(frt & rear sprockets,chain) tubes plugs and points, oil. Needed all of it. Had to replace the chain and sprockets just as soon as I got back to paved road. Had to pull off the road north of Ft Nelson and dry the moisture out of the points. Never had a flat but had to retire the rear in washington. Had more than a few misadventures 9400 hundred miles+ in 29 days .rode every day cost me $298 bucks cash and the bike still ran good but was getting damn tired. Didn't know much when I started but could keep.my bike running and I knew a lot more time I got home on 8/9/72. I was 17 and had an intense drive to see what was over the next hill and around the next curve. The trip cured that. Would not take a street bike again but as Dwayne said a mid size sport bike.500to 900 cc and the spares necessary. Drive carefully and be smart enough to know when you are licked. Magnum bob

You might find this interesting:
https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/yukon-bdr-and-a-bit-of-bc.1697501/

More trips where that came from...

David, I'd strongly encourage you to fish for info on ADVRIDER.COM

David Walter;
Morning sir, me again and I still hope you're well.

While I'm cognizant you said you might take the ferry back down, here's another thought.

When we went up and back the goal was to not drive the same road any more than we had to, so it was up the 97C, then the 5 to Kamloops, the 1 over to Cache Creek and then the 97 north into Prince George. From there it was the 16 west until Kitwanga where we hit the 37 Cassiar.

On the way down we took the Alaska Highway to Dawson Creek, then stuck to the 97 coming down through Chetwynd into Prince George, but headed east from there into Valemont and down.

Highlights on the Alaska Highway are the wildlife, Liard Hot Springs and honestly Muncho Lake area is amazing.

West of Prince George into Valemont and down is incredible too.

For you heading back into eastern Washington, you'd have a choice of jaw dropping routes to head south either through Radium or even east into Banff and come down the Kananaskis 40 on the Alberta side - again it's one of the top 5 mountain roads we've traveled.

Hope that helps.

Dwayne

I rode solo from Kentucky to Anchorage in 2005. Buy a copy of the Milepost and read the parts that pertain to your journey. Carry plenty of bug dope as you will need it when you stop to take a break. Fill up every chance you get and carry a gallon or two with you.
A dual sport bike is nice but not needed. I did the trip on a GoldWing.
Leave the guns and weed at home.

Have you guys seen those RotopaX flat fuel containers & the various mounting systems they offer? Should be damn handy for a trip like this.

They still have excellent pies! Sold out to Sourdough a few years ago, seems like it went downhill briefly, but I think they figured it out.

Good info, BC... Especially re: type of motorcycle.. I've not done it - but those that have always recommend staying away from the big tourers.. Something lighter, with serious knobbies and better road clearance.. Oh, and carry a spare tire with ya..

Good luck to the OP...

Redneck;
Top of the morning to you sir, I hope your weekend is behaving and you're well.

If we'd have gone up and back on the Alaska Highway only and not gone north of Whitehorse, then a road bike would likely have been okay.

The Cassiar isn't all paved and when it rains there the mud hangs in the air.

As well north of Whitehorse past Stewart Crossing were under construction in an area that was soft sand. That's where a few rigs behind us one of a pair of road bikes went down in the soft sand.

Talking to some of the bikers coming back from Tuktoyaktuk which is our Prudhoe Bay/end of the road place, the Dempster leading to it isn't paved but is maintained and graveled.

While I did talk to a wonderful young fellow from Mississippi who was on his way back from Prudhoe Bay, I can't recall if the road is paved or not.

For sure we saw lots of groups of US sport adventure bikes heading in both directions so it's doable and apparently reasonably popular.

All the best.

Dwayne

The dalton has some pavement, road conditions can vary a lot, as Dwayne pointed out. Rain is the biggie.

The Dalton is potentially more troublesome, mostly due to truck traffic.

It's been awhile since I have been on the Alcan past Whitehorse. I think more & more gets paved every year.

"Adventure type bike" would be great, especially if you wanted to make some side trips.

I rode a Ducati in 79, there were times I could go 80, other times I had to go a lot slower. But, it's not a race.

People make the trip in / on all sorts of contraptions. I drove up in a bread truck one year.

Magnum Bob did it on a 350 in 72. Kudos!
Those were do it all bikes.

You need to do it on a proper touring motorcycle, a BMW, otherwise it will be only 50% of the possible experience. "A clear blue sky, an open road, you and your BMW".

Alcan is paved all the way from Whitehorse to delta jct. outside of Haines jct it is frost heaved pretty bad, when I last drove it 8yrs ago. Granted there will be section not paved due to construction on the hwy to mitigate the frost heaves.

johnn;
Good morning, I hope the day's behaving out your way and you're well.

The first time we went up to Whitehorse was either '71 or '72, but I was young and fairly sick, so I slept much of the way and don't recall much other than the gravel.

Growing up in Saskatchewan, gravel roads were nothing new to us and neither were muddy roads, but then we weren't on them on motorcycles either.

As I got older in the mid '70's and got into motorcycles, I took some reasonably spectacular wipeouts on motorcycles on the same gravel roads....

That said, I was just bombing around the neighborhood and it wasn't anything close to being say between Stewart Crossing and Dawson City or that "little stretch" between Meziadin and Iskut.

These days it's so handy to go onto say DriveBC.ca and see if the road is open or not.

The year we went a beaver dam had backed up a creek which subsequently blew out fair sized chasm on the AlCan. It was closed for about a week and when we went it was pilot car controlled on the gravel detour.

For sure kudos and much respect to Magnum Bob doing it in '72 on a 350.

That's the sort of epic adventure that songs are written about truly. Holy smoke!

Best to you this weekend.

Dwayne

Dwayne, best to you as well! I enjoy riding in Canada, plenty of places / roads to explore.

Took the Top O the world highway to Dawson, went over to Mayo, Whitehorse, Skagway, Big Blue Canoe to Haines and then back to Fairbanks, The road form Haines to Haines Jct is a hoot, good visibility, little traffic, I rode 100 from there to the junction! It was a great 7 day trip.

I always wanted to ride over to Telegraph Creek and then to the Glenora to the end, maybe someday. Have you been over that way?