Biking from Whitehorse to Vancouver [closed]
I'm planning to travel along the alaskan highway this summer (send of june until mid july). I'm not an extremely experienced camper and have only spend one night outside of a camping ground so far. My greastest bike ride so far was from Zürich to Bern (145km/90m) which I managed in a single day, so I expect to be able to do around 80-100 km each day, So I think I should be able to make it to Vancouver in less than a month. I've read a handful of blogs from people who did it, so the idea isn't quite as outlandish as it first seamed. I'm mostly looking for Information about camping spots, emergency situtations, necessary equipmenr, further sources of information and just general tipps and tricks Heres what I've planned so far:
1 CHF = 0.98 USD
- Fly from Basel to Whitehorse and from Vancouver to Basel totalling at around 1500CHF (including bike)
- I plan to spend around 1000CHF for the entire trip (25k total)
- I have a city/mountainbike hybrid that is made to be easy to fix
- I plan to carry around 3-4kg in a backpack and maybe 4-5 in saddlebags
- I think I'll only pack as much food as necessary and stock up along the way
- I should be able to reach some form of settlement every 2 days
- I speak fluent english and some french
- The Temperatures seam pretty barable at 11° degrees in July
- Its just gonna be me
- I'm planning to sleep in a tent most of the time
- I'll probably stay as close to the road as possible
Heres some stuff I am worried about
- Is there a better Forum for trips like this?
- Wild animals (bears, buffalos, elk), which precausions are necessary? Are they known to attack unprotected travelers? Do they keep off the road?
- Are the prices somewhat reasonable? In Switzerland you get robbed along the highways
- Is the road kept in shape for bikers? Do I have to watch out for reckless drivers
- Is there a danger of highway robbery?
- How quick do emergency services respond?
- Is camping along the highway even legal? Alternatively, are there enough camping grounds? Online research has been inconclusive.
- Is it even safe to travel alone, or should I look for a friend to join me?
- Is there cellphone coverage up there? Is there a way to get Internet?
These are just some of the worries of the top of my head, I'm sure there are more.
So are there people who have done similar things? I'd love to get in contact. Where should I look for more Information? I'm mainly looking for the excercise and some Scenery. Canada seams to most suited for this, but if there are other places for a Novice I'm open for suggestions.
Best Answer
Let me pick up a few of your specific question which may lead you to rethink this.
- Wild animals. Bears roam all over this area. Attacks on humans are rare, but you need to be prepared for bear encounters, and you need to know precautions for camping in bear country.
- Prices will be more expensive. They always are in remote areas.
- Do not assume you will find services in the settlements you pass through. Most will probably have a general store of some kind. You will not find bike supplies. You may or may not find outdoor hardware.
- Is the road kept in shape for bikers? No. Bikers are not normal here.
- How quick do emergency services respond? In your situation very slowly. This is because virtually none of the route has cellphone coverage. Even if you contact the police, you may be looking at a good part of an hour to respond. If you are hurt, you may be faced with waiting to flag down a passerby.
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