Deadhorse in Sept??
 

Anybody have any idea if Dalton Hwy is doable in September?? I'm leaning toward riding through treacherous Dalton Highway in 2 weeks from now..

Is it doable although I will expect not so good weather..

It'll likely to be just above freezing and intermittently rainy north of the Yukon, although you could hit snow at any time. Sort of an early cooling the last 10 days. You will almost definitely hit snow the second half of the month.
the best time is June 15-Aug 1.

Charlie

M37Charlie,

Thanks for the reply.. when is it usually "end of riding season" in Alaska? I read an article about a spanish rider who managed to ride his KLR up to Deadhorse in December before last December..

Anything is possible but at what cost in risk and dependence on services of others? I have been snowed on in sept just returning back down the alcan from alaska. Here in montana USA we are expecting snow in the mountains this weekend.

I've travel through worse condition but not on motorcycle.. I was making special Christmas delivery to a wealth rancher in western part of South Dakota and just as I ship out from eastern NC, the forecast was expecting severe winter storm in area of western Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota before I left.. As I hit the road, I knew I would have to haul ass.. and I had one unfortunate- the heater stopped working as I travel up the mountain of Appalachian so I traveled the whole trip in freezing cold cab.. I did not exactly had proper warm clothes or gloves (for steering wheel). Time was limit and crucial making delivery on time and be home for Christmas (I started the trip on 19th). As soon as I delievered late at night, I turn around and hightail it to home but was really tired I took short nap in freezing cab at Mitchell, SD in parking lot of Caleb's. When I woke up, the whole window on inside was frozen and I had to get creative scrapping it off then hurry eastbound.. by time I get to I-29/I-80 merging lane, the road were in really bad shape and when I saw rest area, I got off the road but there were a lot of trucks parking already on top of thick snow.. no room for me to park. No choice but pressed on through bad road in bad windy snow.. Saw a lot of vehicles and trucks stuck on side of the road.. slowly I creeped east with care but once I finally get past Iowa City, road got better and lot better when I past Davenport, IA getting to home late on Christmas Eve. It's the trip I won't forget and the struggling of maintaining visibility on interior and trying to stay warm, holding in my bladder trying to make time is something I won't forget.. Oh yeah, that 12V heater for $50 at Truck Stop store is worthless it doesn't heat up you cab but at least it kept my hands warm on several occasions! Note: After delivering at rancher's house, I had to haul empty trailer home with me!

I'm a risk taker but with great care.. common sense prevail.. the thing is that I will have time to wait weather out before pressing on IF I decide to go up north sometime next week or two. Just want to check Prudhoe Bay off the bucket list before I head south to Argentina and return to Colombia to live there.. I plan to settle down in Colombia so kinda hard to go north to Alaska on motorcycle once I have a 'home' in Colombia.

It is very difficult to answer that question because Alaska is very large, and weather conditions can be vastly different in different areas of the state on the same day. I've flown out of Anchorage in the morning in shirtsleeve weather, and landed further west on the coast in Nome in brutally and bitterly cold weather. Same concept works when going from south to north.

The southern coastal areas (panhandle up to Anchorage) have a maritime climate, and can be surprisingly pleasant in the fall. It is not unusual for Anchorage to be warmer than Seattle (and certainly warmer than anywhere in the American midwest) in the fall.

Once you get into the interior of the state, weather is influenced by air movements from Canada, from the north (polar areas), from Siberia (directly to the east), and occasionally - but not too often - from the south.

I agree with what the others have said, I think the odds are not in your favour to try and get to Deadhorse at this time of year. You might get lucky and be able to do the round trip without delays, but more likely, you will wind up cold, wet, and trapped somewhere because of snow. Accommodation choices are limited along the Dalton route, and darned expensive.

My recommendation is to put the trip off until next summer, when you can do it sometime around the beginning of July, and enjoy the very long days of sunshine at that time of year.

Michael

You may find many businesses closed,check ahead on the gas situ. and the time frame you will be there,even some of the parks start to close some lodges ,IE yellowstone closed the north lodge the weekend we planned to be there,sept 15 as I recall so you may just squeeze in there. seasons can change quickly during that time of year( watch the weather cycle ) so plan two different routes ie inland n coastal as the ferry runs down for a nice cruise experience n
isolated parks n cities not accessible by road.

I was on the Dalton Hwy 3 weeks ago, what locals are saying: the weather in this region becomes unpredictable starting from August, the rains are quite frequent. In my case the week before the temp in Deadhorse was nice, 10+ Centigrades and sunny, but when I have reached the Delta Jct it started raining. The dirt road from Livengood is veerrrrryyyy slippery when it is wet, you have to ride very carefuly !!!. The Yukon River rest area was one, big mud puddle “to the ankles”. I was lucky, when arrived to Coldfoot the rain stopped I had 3 hours slot to pitch a tent (for free). Next morning it turned out that my tent became the island on the lake, it was raining all the night and rain continued through the next day, temp dropped to 7. There is excellent tarmac to Wiesman, from there the mud level on the dirty road was a few centimeters with a lot deep potholes but temp dropped to 0. I’m still waiting that someone will discover the helmet wiper, when you meet the passing truck you feel like drenched in a bucket of mud, so bring a lot of tissues to be able to see anything. The key point is the Antigun Pass. In my case the snow started a few km. before, the Pass was covered with snow like the Alps in winter. The truck drivers stopped to wear chains on the wheels, but I heard from the German biker (I met him later in Fairbanks) that next day the snow disappeared. So everything is very variable.
Finally I spent 15 dollars at car wash, trying to see the engine in my bike 
If you just want to complete the road, just take all bike clothes you have, good winter, waterproof gloves especially. But if you want to see the nature maybe the June-July is the more stable period. During all my trip through the Dalton I had visibility no more than just a few meters. I’m guessing the scenery is beautiful, that was the reason I didn’t complete the Dalton turned back and parked my bike in Anchorage, my vacations was over and I had to back to Europe. I’ll be back on Dalton but in June, wanting to see what is around me 
Good luck :)