Ice Roads / Winter Roads in Russia - info?
 

Back in 2010 I drove my Hilux from Western Mongolia across Russia to Estonia. I started in late November and got to Estonia in the last few days of December. Although it was not the middle of winter, temperatures went down to -26ºC, and it was my first experience driving in real winter conditions.

I was rather unprepared - the truck had summer tyres and the radiator was leaking - and it was in short the scariest thing I have probably ever done. There was utter carnage on the roads, trucks crashed everywhere, terrible visibility, salty slushy crap flying everywhere (not helped by my windscreen washer bottle being frozen solid for over 4 months), and twice my truck suddenly did a 180-spin and it was only by luck that I wasn't in a serious accident (no damage either time).

To cap it off, the very low temperatures revealed an electrical fault (much later diagnosed as a faulty starter relay) which meant it didn't like to start (had to turn the key 30-40 times) below about -15ºC. Plus the truck is diesel and I was worried that a sudden cold snap below -30ºC might just stop me in my tracks.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I swore I would never ever ever do it again.

But... now I'm thinking, I'd love to get up to all those places in Siberia, Yakutia, Kamchatka, maybe even Chukotka. I'd be taking a similar Hilux (a great, strong, simple and light 4x4), but with a petrol engine, studded tyres, proper recovery gear, neat anti-freeze, winch, and maybe a wood-stove. Ship it to Vladivostok one February and explore the region for a month or two when the days are not so short, the temperatures not too hostile, but the ice on rivers still thick enough to drive on (the Lena Ice Road intrigues me).

So, finally getting to my question (sorry for waffling), does anyone know a resource where I can find out about Russia's Ice Roads? I speak passable Russian and will be improving it in the near future, but an English-language resource would be great.

I'm most interested in Yakutia / Chukotka, driving along the Lena, and perhaps across Baikal, but I've no idea about the feasibility of this. I know there are proper ice roads made by the authorities, linked by small towns and presumably with some sort of traffic.

How about driving the BAM in winter? Would it make the river crossings doable, or is it ridiculously risky? I don't want to do anything that the locals wouldn't do.

And what about further west? Are there ice roads up the Ob or Yenisei? How about up from Ukhta to Vorkuta and the Polar Ural Region?

I hope my questions aren't too naive. For what it's worth, I've driven in most parts of Russia, and all other parts of the USSR, so I'm no stranger to the region / people / culture. This will take some organising so I am looking to do it perhaps in February 2017.

Thanks for reading

EO

Some topics at least:

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There is somebody on the hubb who has a description on his website about several Zimnik roads, don't remember who.............??

This impression I have on my Facebook:

Зимники Якутии и Иркутской области. Территория риска, проверка на прочность

Succes,

Jeroen

Thanks Jeroen.

I actually found our Gentleman Adventurer has covered the topic very thoroughly on his unique website:

ZIMNIK - Ice Roads in Russia - Gentleman Adventurer

Thanks!

IRRC, there was an episode of that awful 'World's Most Dangerous Roads' (or some similar title) where they drove part of the BAM in winter. I only saw a few mins of it but I think Kimi Rauokinnen (appalling spelling there) the former F1 driver was one of the participants.

They had fuel heaters and drove diesels, but left the engines running continually.

I would assume most of the 'local' traffic would be diesel trucks on zimniks as that is what they are really for.

Not sure about the Russian trucks, I know that KAMAZ are all diesels, but some of the KrAZ I think are petrol. I'm no expert on diesel additives but I'm not sure if diesel can be thinned enough to stay liquid at -50ºC, and it's not the kind of thing you want to test in the field!

Plus fuel is cheap in Russia, and petrol engines are less demanding on the battery during start-up due to lower compression ratios...

It was finnish, former formula one driver Mika Salo (not Räikkönen) who drove in Discovery Channel series around world, also in Siberia.

Generally about diesel and arctic weather. It is possible to buy here in Finland diesel which is suitable to temperatures around -44 C. For extreme cold temperatures you need fuel preheaters and engine preheaters and other systems/procedures to warm up engine and fuel when doing cold start but thats another topic and worth long post what should be taken into consideration when driving during winter.

If you wish to get advices for driving during winter and how to equip Hilux and if it is good to choose petrol over diesel (as i am not so certain about that) i would advice to try finnish offroad forum Offipalsta.COM

I am sure there are guys who are happy to give you advices. We here in Finland have quite good experience of arctic driving as temperaturs here during winter can go in some parts over -40 C

In Russia the modern trucks are all diesel. However, you are correct in that Zil 131 & GAZ66 military trucks are petrol. Gaz66 in particular is unstoppable! For practicality a modern diesel with appropriate measures taken should be simpler as petrol may not be available in some very remote places but all generators run on diesel.

These are the guys for you to speak to:

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fantastic pics from their 2007 trip to Pevek:

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Would you let us know if they respond please?

Chuckotka require a form of visa for non Russians:

Chukotka Autonomous Region — Official site

VISITCHUKOTKA.COM - Ethnic Chukotka


I am envious of your trip!