getting sleds to AK and back this Spring from CO

[blurredelevens]

What are the best options as opposed to driving all the way there myself?

If I were to drive, how much interest is there from others to pay to have their sleds taken up?

Is someone on this forum already doing this? Thanks in advance.

 

[icr]

Shipping would be around 1500 per sled each way. Why would you want to come to AK this year? We're having a terrible winter.

 

[blurredelevens]

Thanks ICR.

I speedride so if the snow blows, sled access for spinning laps.

Is it really that bad this year? I know you've had a few rain events.

 

[akstormin]

It really is that bad this year. We finally had one decent storm that put some snow in the mtns, but our snowpack is so low that some areas still aren't accessible due to open creeks/rivers and alders that are normally covered still standing 6-10 ft in the air. It freakin sucks.

 

[Phizzer]

Hands down one of the slowest and weak winters AK has had in a long time. As far as planning a trip, where are you wanting to go? North towards the Anchorage area?? I am from South East and travel all throughout the state. Easiest and more than likely cheapest way to get North is driving up through Prince Rupert and catching the ferry to Haines from there. Once you touch down in Haines you can hit the road system and its all open from that point on. The other option is to barge them up, which I can tell you will cost way more than the previously described route.

 

[Woodsrider]

Passport

If you drive up a Passport is required can take 60 days or more. Also if you bring a pet Canada will require health certification. I recommend driving as it gives freedom to go were the snow is.

 

[blurredelevens]

Thanks for the info fellas. I have a passport, so no biggie there.

Phizz- Turnagain and around Valdez, and possibly Haines.

I hope it gets better in the next few weeks. Sorry it's sucked so bad...been good here in Colorado.

 

[Pro-8250]

Sent you a PM.

 

[carlc]

When I went in 2006 the cheapest/easiest way to get our sleds up was to drive them to Tacoma Washington to the carlile transport dock, picked them up in anchorage at their yard.


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[akstormin]

Well I admire your plans and normally I would say go for it. But this is not the year, unless things turn around real soon you will be sorely disappointed. Much better to just drive to Revy or Stewart and hit the deep pow they have, plus its closer.
Unless you plan to come up for ArcticMan, that's a whole different animal and something every hardcore sledder should experience at least once.

 

[sundancemtlodge]

Sundance Mt. Lodge Priest Lake ID.

We hade people come down from AK they load up the snowmoblie trailer with all their sleds and gear. Barged it down to tacoma their friend pick them up at the airport drove to the port hooked up the trailer and sent 3 week in the northwest riding. Never asked how much but they do it every year and that worked the best for them.

 

[james]

I drove from Denver straight through in 66 hours to Anchorage.
Make sure to have a couple extra spare tires, if you blow out in some of those places you are SOL! Also haul extra fuel, at night nost of the stations are closed and if you want to keep moving extra fuel is the only way. It is one amazing drive!! Unfortunatley I had to fly home with broken vertabrae after a week in the Valdez hospital. Nothing like the riding on Thompson Pass at 10PM LOL! Yeah its still light out.

 

[AZ800]

Just did this last spring, sort of, I'm still here....
First, dont waste your time coming up this year to ride.
I'm farking pisssssed off right now. Only full winter in AK and the ONLY riding other than some hardpack was Nov and Dec and even then, the mtns never got a base. Just a couple bottomless pow, land mine rides.

Cheapest way to get them up is to drive them up. I priced it all out for 3 snowmachines and 1 wheeler.
Depends how long you'll be here though. But you need wheels and a trailer anyway, so if you shipped the sleds then presumably you'd fly up and rent a truck and trailer? Ship the whole thing?

I drove up last year, loaded down with sleds and wheeler. Needed to bring the trailer and truck anyway though. It's an awesome drive and good experience.

Coming back to the L48 later this year, I got a deal w/ Carlile to haul them back. I crate them (in crates from a dealer) and they will store them and ship to Tacoma for about $250 per machine. However costs to ship North TO AK are 2-3x as much shipping south.

Being that its a shatty snow year and already March. If you do actually come up, the cheapest thing to do would be to buy a sled, ride the piss out of it and sell it before you leave, provided everything else is worked out for your trip. Bet you could ride for a week or 2 for $1000 easy that way. SLeds dont cost much if any more here than in the L48.

If you do decide to drive, see how much you can haul up for L48 folks for some gas $. Then buy the best deal you can find for a nice trailer, any kind, sled trailer, flatbed, cargo trailer, whatever, and sell it before you leave and haul your sled back in your pickup. Trailers of any kind are effing expensive here. Pretty much guarantee to double your money or more.

But, for real, unless it gets ALOT better, I'd rather be at my place in Gypsum, CO this year hands down for snow.