Stories & photos from a historic alaska bikerafting adventure
In July 2016, Brett Davis, Jon Bailey, Roman Dial, Mike Curiak and Steve “Doom” Fassbinder set out to do something no one had every done before. They wanted to ride and packraft around 150 miles from Cordova to Yakutat, the northern section of Alaska’s Lost Coast. They bailed three days before the end because they weren’t going to some crossing due to terrible visibility. They did make the Icy Bay crossing. Various stories and photos from this trip and other similar trips appear online and in The Bikeraft Guide. However, Doom hasn’t ever published all his photos and videos in one place until now. Enjoy!
Stories by Roman Dial & Mike Curiak
Misery Loves Company – Part 1
By Roman Dial, Revelate Designs
“Roman Dial is no stranger to Alaska’s Lost coast. Perhaps that is why, instead of chronologically ordering the days of suffering, this story is full of history, geography, and earth science. Not enough time has passed since Roman and this all-star crew, who he quickly introduces in this story, departed to forget just how the tempestuous wind and icy precipitation feels as it hits your skin. He has a way with words though. You’re more likely to leave feeling intrigued, inspired and wanting to explore the wilds of Alaska than you are hindered by the weather, the unpredictable, and the unknown.”
Misery Loves Company – Part 2
By Roman Dial, Revelate Designs
“The Lost Coast falls logistically into three parts: Cordova to Icy Bay (Lost Coast North), Icy Bay to Yakutat Bay (the Malaspina Lost Coast), and Yakutat to Gustavus (Lost Coast South). The early hikers often split the coast in three, too, using the landing strips on either side of Icy Bay and Yakutat Bay instead of packrafts for the five-plus mile crossings of tide water. But the cost of a single engine Otter, a big plane that holds at least seven people and bikes, from Yakutat to Icy Bay is $1,700. The 175 miles of Lost Coast North from Cordova to Icy Bay offer two major obstacles and a minor one…”
Misery Loves Company – Part 3
By Roman Dial, Revelate Designs
“Our best day started really bad. It started with rain all night and the night before, us soaked from three hours in a temperate rain forest – both its old growth form and its scabby, hellish clear-cut 10-year old regrowth form – followed by a chilly crossing of a misty glacial stream called the White River. “Oh man! I forgot my pearl snap shirt at camp!” complained Jebs, just as we were all about to ride off in the rain to warm up. He paddled back across while I watched a thumb-sized Winter Wren forage for bugs on a five foot diameter silver stump.” We headed off on a steep beach with a rising tide chasing us…”
Bikerafting Alaska’s Lost Coast
By Mike Curiak, Bikepacking.com
“The Lost Coast stretches between the villages of Yakutat and Gustavus in Southeast Alaska. It is one of the wildest pieces of coastline or terrain that I have ever witnessed, period. We saw no people and little evidence of them for 10 days out, but had the constant company of eagles, whales, bears, moose, seals and sea lions. Both a fatbike and a packraft are needed for this trip. Riding would be impossible without fat tires, crossing miles and miles of water impossible without the boat. We averaged 3.3 mph on bike (including rest breaks), 0.6 mph stumblef*cking on the boulders or f*cksticked bear trails, and…”
photos by Steve "Doom" Fassbinder
While some of these photos have been published on websites and social media. Many have never been shown to the public.
