"When the trails are really packed down, like on a snowmobile trail, you really fly," DeVall said. "Snowmobilers almost always stop and get off their sled and take a look when they see you out riding. The last thing they expect to see in the backcountry is a group of people on mountain bikes."

DeVall said that places like Skalkaho Pass, Gibbons Pass and Coyote Gulch are perfect for snow biking.

Each bike is modified with a wider fork to make room for the large tires. They aren't studded, but DeVall said braking and acceleration aren't a problem as long as the snow is decently packed. The idea originally came from a group of riding enthusiasts in the desert Southwest.

"They were trying to mountain bike on the sand down there," he said. "And a group of guys in Alaska heard about it and thought it would be perfect for what they were trying to do on snow. And in the last five or so years, it's really gained popularity."

Now, there is even a snow bike race in Alaska, the winter mountain-biking equivalent of the Iditarod.