Canada/Alaska/Yukon - maybe 2014 (3 month)
 

Hi HU Members

I am new in the HU Forum and try to get y first information about our first longer ride through the world. We, my girlfriend and I, are going to make a trip through Canada, Yukon, Alaska for three month in 2014...

To be honest, I don't know where to begin...

Could some of you give me an advice, how to start planning? Which information is needed? Are 3 month enough time for Alaska and Yukon? If it's too much time, maybe we extend our ride in direction east of Canada...

About us, we are located in Switzerland, near Lucerne and like to take our own BMW R1200GS Adventure with us.

As you can see, we haven't got a congrete question, just start a little discussion, how to begin, time we need, places we have to be, camping, important things to know...all of the general stuff.

Thanks in advance

Marcel

The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Guide and Trip Planner If your english is good try this book as a start. Lot's more info out there.
some places I like....
campbell highway
dempster highway
top of the world highway
Dawson City
Liard highway
Liard hotsprings
Baniff to Jasper highway
I really like to be north at the end of the road during the longest day. The town of Inuvik has something like 51 days of continuous daylight in the summer.

Here's a nice spot to stop for a beer........I got a kick out of it but it would have been a lot more interesting in 1898.... :)

Red Onion Saloon - Skagway, Alaska

Three months is more than enough time to explore Alaska and the Yukon. As a matter of fact you can do a whirlwind tour in 2 weeks... Depending where you start from; it only took us 3 days to get to the Yukon from Vancouver, BC. We were stranded in Skagway so I know that the Red Onion Saloon was indeed nice, but I prefered the Skagway Brew Pub. Try their Spruce Tip Ale, it is made from trees...beer

Touring Western Canada
 

|Hello Marcel...I just did the Alcan highway from Calgary Ab. to Fairbanks, then Anchorage in August of this year. Plan on doing the Dempster Highway to Inuvik next year in August. I have lots of current information if you wish. Distances, places to see, stay fuel prices etc. Peter:

We did a 6,000 mile trip from Seattle to the north slope ( the Dalton hwy ) last June/July and it was the best 3 weeks of my life !!.


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Some basic things to look at are: bringing the bike into Canada, shipping crating etc. I would think the Canadian embassy in your country should be able to help you with this type of basic information as it concerns international drivers licence, any permits, passports, procedures etc.

I'm guessing that you would likely land in Nova Scotia but it might also be Montreal, not sure how you plan on getting the bike to Canada.

You probably should elaborate a bit more on your plans so people responding can be more specific.

Cycleman,
I finished a 7week trip from Halifax Nova Scotia to the arctic circle alaska and back again with my Dutch bike. I transported it with willenius willemsen from bremerhaven to halifax. They also shipp from Oostende or the UK and it takes about 10-14 day's. Did not needed any extra papers or carnet, only an driving insurance for the us and canada. Air freight is more expensive but brings you everywhere you want, you don't need a harbour. In Germany are some compagnies who can arrange shipping or airfreight for you. Found all the info on this forum. I had only 7 weeks and will be back again once.
I did camping and sometimes in a hotel. Campgrounds are everywhere, most of them bearfree and with wifi. Shipping was easy and about 3000 euro incl all costs and insurance. Willenius willemsen is roll on roll off, no crating needed but panniers empty. I did around 600 km a day because of the timeslot but roads where fine. I drove all the way to the arctic circle on michelin pilot roads 3, but it was on a sunny day.
Be aware, canada and amerika are very motorminded and people are really nice and helpfull. One of our friend had problems with his guzzi and some farmer arranged a trailer and transported teh bike to the nearest city with a guzzi dealer. We did vancouver up to prince george, whitehorse, tok and anchorage. Anchorage- denali nat park-fairbanks. Fairbanks-arctic circle-fairbanks. Fairbanks- chicken- top of the world highway-dawson city. And then through the rockies back to nova scotia.
Take some extra days or a week for alaska, visit mount denali and don't mis the top of the world highway ending up in dawson city.
I loved it! My dutch blog and some pictures on www.ajklik.nl/alaska
Have fun with planning
Albert

The best answer to your questions will be found by reading the blogs of others that have done similar trips. Once transport is set and dates are set you might pick a couple of spots you want to be at then make a general plan that you can change at will.

Horizons Unlimited gathering in British Columbia will be in August, would be a great place to stop on way back from Alaska.

Bob:scooter:

I did the Alaskan highway in 2013 and my trip across the Yukon was memorable.

What we did was air freight our bikes from the UK to Boston. Although ships are cheaper the delays and costs of getting a bike out mean that its not that much more expensive. We did ship them back. We took 2 months to ride across the US and around the south and then put them in a storage locker in Las Vegas for 6 months. When we returned we spent 3 months riding up to Alaska and then back along the Yukon to New York.

We average around 250 miles a day as we want to see. As a previous post said, use the milepost and along the route pick up the free books which details things to see and places to stay.

It is a long ride so we took the ferry to go up to Haines, but even booking in February we had to change dates as cabins were full. COming back we rode the entire length of the highway.

Oh I highly recommend the Whittier tunnel its a memorable experience.

Tips for the highway, fuel stops can be long, 100 miles not uncommon and low grade fuel so we carried octane booster as one of our bikes a 650GS didnt like the low grade fuel. The road from Haines to Haines Junction is 150 miles to fuel so I wouldnt want to do it on a 1200GS without a spare fuel tank.

Tyres are not easy to get either. I hoped to change in Whitehorse but no luck so had to ride 1200 miles to Edmonton. My friend changed hers in Fairbanks and again not cheap and he worked out of his garage.

Accomodation is limited so we booked in advance but its not cheap. You can camp but watch out for the bears.

The road is good but often stretches are being repaired for many miles at a time so you often have to wait to follow the pilot car. The surface is completely ripped up so you may be riding on loose gravel, hard pack dirt or slippy stuff. Be prepared to get dirty! Be prepared to keep cleaning the huge bugs off your helmet, screen and lights.

If you are going to tour the US I would recommend fitting additional lights. We bought Clearwater LED which are very expensive but super bright. We rode across the US without them but really liked them once fitted.

Border crossings were dead easy with a UK bike. The only think we noticed was that the US was keeping us to the 90 day visa and wouldn't stamp pur passport to reset the clock.

Feel free to ping me with any questions and video of my trip is at Touring | Motorbike Travels

hiya,

Have you got your dates sorted yet? Myself and a friend are starting our trip end of April and have shipped the bikes to Halifax on a roll on roll off boat, less hastle i think, but down to personal preference and budget,takes 10 days. We are starting there and going to Vancouver, we are purchasing equipment there to save on cost as you can't have the bike loaded up with equipent on the boat, boxes have to be empty. not crossing the border into US staying in Canada all the way across. Might see you on the road.

safe riding.

Pete.

I am Currenty in Whistler for the winter season and we'll be spending 6 weeks riding north as far as Fairbanks in the spring. before heading south in the second half of 2014.

Anyway airfeight was really really easy for us we used Freight Forwarding by Phoenix International Freight Forwarding UK from london to Vancouver.

As far as what to expect up north in the Yukon, that's all part of the adventure so I wouldn't worry too much about it, the best info is from the locals anyway.

If you going to be in Yukon Alaska in May/ early june we could always ride together or just find a cafe for a natter.

Hi Kuhbenita et al,

Here's a link to my blog from 2010. Nevil | Nevil Stow | Travel Blog
There are lots of pictures in there so you can get an idea of what to expect.
I rode the Dempster and the Dalton that summer in three weeks.....9 months after having a stroke. I raised $5500 for the heart and stroke foundation in the process.
Enjoy the trip...it's WORTH it :)

Kindest regards

Nevil
Round the World 2013 on motorbikes
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