Alaska
Yukon

Alaska & Yukon » AK.CAN.AK Adventure

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1 - Our adventure begins as you board the ferry M/V Malaspina for a scenic voyage from Juneau to Haines. The magnificent landscapes of the Inside Passage are sure to keep you glued to your camera. Perhaps you will see dolphins dancing in the bow waves or sea otter lounging in the water. Your guide team will be awaiting your arrival in the port of Haines and then transfer to our delightful hotel in the historic part of town. (motel accommodations tonight, all meals on your own)

Day 2 - This morning we gather for breakfast and tour orientation, then after assembling the bikes will explore Haines town the rest of the morning. Around midday we set off on our adventure, pedaling a leisurely 25 miles through the Chilkat Bald Eagle Reserve to Mosquito Lake and our first night camped under the vast Alaskan skies. Unlike riders on our annual Alaska Highway Ride who enjoy 24 hour daylight, we enjoy some hours of darkness for a good night's sleep. 28 mi / 45 km

Day 3 - Our ride today is quite a contrast to yesterday's spin, as we roll deep into the spectacular mountains that highlight this section of the bike tour. Early in the ride, we pass through customs into British Columbia, Canada, following the Klehini River. Then up and over, crossing two passes (Three Guardsmen and Chilkat) enroute to the Yukon Territory, our third state/province for the day. The landscapes along this stretch are unbelievable, with glaciers draped on mountain tops and cascading rivers dividing the ranges. We bed down tonight at the aptly named Million Dollar Falls. 66 mi / 106 km (passes: Three Guardsman 3215 ft / 980 m; Chilkat 3493 ft / 1065 m)

Day 4 - More incredible scenery fills our final day on the Haines Highway, taking us along Dezadeash Lake and further north to the town of Haines Junction. In Haines Junction we will intercept the notorious Al-Can Highway, built in a short 9 months during World War II, which will guide us through the balance of the Yukon Territory. We will enjoy indoor accommodation in Haines Junction tonight. 53 mi / 85 km (motel accommodations tonight, dinner on your own)

Day 5 - A relaxing day off the bikes is in store in Haines Junction. You might want to visit the Visitors Center for St Elias Park or relax on the porch of the bakery or maybe walk one of the area's hiking trails. (motel accommodations tonight, all meals on your own)

Day 6 - Heading up the Alaska Highway (Al-Can) we continue to enjoy the beautiful St Elias Mountains to our left and untouched forested wilderness for as far as the eye can see to our right. Our goal today is the turquoise blue waters of Kluane Lake and Cottonwood Campground, one of the best campgrounds of all our Alaska and Canada trips. The mountains towering above the campground often have Dahl Sheep sprinkled across their upper slopes. 50 mi / 80 kms (breakfast on your own)

Day 7 - Much of today's ride continues to roll along the shoreline of Kluane Lake, with a lunch time break at the Burwash Landing Natural History Museum. Afternoon will find us pedaling through the immense landscapes that characterize the next section of highway, untouched wilderness for as far as the eye can see in all directions. Tonight's campground is on the banks of Lake Creek. 83 mi / 140 km

Day 8 - Our last full day in Canada, takes us deeper into this wilderness region, with the Wrangrell St Elias Range to our south and miles of untouched rolling forest lands to the north. We'll be bedding down indoors in Beaver Creek tonight. 51 mi / 81 kms (motel accommodations tonight, dinner on your own)

Day 9 - We are heading back into Alaska today, after a break for photos straddling the border, we clear customs at Border Town. We will explore the Tetlin Wildlife Refuge visitor center at lunch, then continue to a scenic campground on Jaggar Lake inside the Tetlin Wildlife Refuge. Sitting on the lake shore watching the birds and muskrats go about their daily lives as the sun sets is truly magical. 54 mi / 87 km (breakfast on your own)

Day 10 - A leisurely day takes us to Tok Junction, a favorite watering hole for Alaska Highway travelers. 57 mi / 92 km (motel accommodations tonight, dinner on your own)

Day 11 - Again the bikes have the day off and you can catch up on laundry or your diary, shop for souvenirs and gifts for the folks back home or perhaps get a few more miles in cycling more of the Al-Can to Moon Lake Park. (motel accommodations tonight, all meals on your own)

Day 12 - The third highway of our trip leads us south today, rolling down the Tok Cutoff. The ride starts flat and off in the distance the Alaska Range slowly rises into view. And while the range sports some of North America's highest peaks (including Mt McKinley), our route through it follows rivers for the most part and provides no major challenges ... but lots of photo opportunities. Tonight's campground is on a small farm with beautiful vistas of the Wrangrell Range. 72 mi / 116 km (breakfast on your own)

Day 13 - With the Alaska Range fading from view behind us and the Wrangells growing in the distance ahead of us, we roll further down the Tok Cutoff passing the occasional roadhouse and lodge. We are on our way to the historic Gakona Roadhouse where we camp out on their lush green lawn (while the lodge has rooms, they are usually booked for crews of the Alaska pipeline for the summer). 51 mi / 81 km

Day 14 - A short ways into today's ride and we switch to our final highway of the bike tour, the Richardson, Alaska's first highway. We roll through Glenallen, the only city between Tok Junction and the ride's terminus in Valdez. Also along today's ride is Copper Center, a historic agricultural town,plus the informative visitor's center for Wrangrell St Elias National Park. We bed down outside another old roadhouse, this time at Tonsina Creek, where the old bunkhouse is said to be haunted. 53 mi / 85 km

Day 15 - The final ride for the tour is one of the most spectacular, taking us between the magnificent Chugach and Wrangrell Mountains Ranges. The landscape is beyond being described as simply dramatic. Lots of photo ops will keep your camera busy, all the way to Valdez. We cross Thompson Pass and enjoy a spin through narrow Keystone Canyon, before reaching the fishing port of Valdez. 76 mi / 122 km (pass: Thompson 2771 ft / 845 m) (motel accommodations tonight)

Day 16 - The trip ends as it began, with a ferry trip, taking us across Prince William Sound with its glaciers, icebergs and abundant sea life. Perhaps we will be blessed with views of the glaciers calving into the bay, seals and other sea life enjoying the ocean waves and more. After arriving in Whittier, we will shuttle you to Anchorage Airport or the Long House Hotel, where we all bid a fond farewell to our fellow Adventurers. (breakfast, lunch & dinner on your own)

Expand Your Adventure - Come early and join us for the Klondike Gold Rush, a unique bike tour through the history and wilderness regions of the Yukon Territory. Savor the atmosphere of frontier gold rush towns, check out the plate sized Braeburn cinnamon buns, and enjoy the forested countryside. Check out the Klondike Gold Rush ride today.