Ak.Can.Ak Adventure (trip)
Ak.Can.Ak Adventure
- Airport near Juneau, AK, United States
- Active & Adventure
| from $2,695* per person | 16 Days | August |
| Comfort accommodations | Exertion level: 5 | |
| Operator: Pedalers Pub & Grille | 25 people max | |
The bike adventure begins by ferry traveling the Inside Passage to historic Haines, Alaska and the start of the Haines Highway. Three days of cycling through never ending alpine landscapes and glacier filled valleys, take us from the coast into the relatively unpopulated Yukon Territory of Canada. Turning westward along the notorious Al-Can Highway (now called the Alaska Highway), we enjoy cycling along the blue waters of Kluane Lake and the remote wildernesses of the Yukon, with the St Elias Mountain Range providing a continuous backdrop to our left. The Al-Can leg winds down back in Alaska at Tok Junction.
The final leg heads south, first along the Tok Cutoff of the Glenn Highway. This beautifully paved roadway punches straight through the heart of the Alaska Range, which contains some of America's tallest peaks including Mt McKinley. We are lucky as a river carved an easier path through the range for us to follow. A couple of days later we intercept the Richardson Highway, Alaska's oldest highway dating back to 1902, when it was known as the Valdez to Fairbanks Trail. The Richardson takes us south to Valdez, through some of the best mountain landscapes in the world. From Valdez, we ferry across Prince William Sound and then on to Anchorage.
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Locations visited/nearby
Alaska Highway , Prince William Sound , Wrangell National Park , Haines Highway, Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Canada, United States
0 testimonials about this trip.
3 testimonials about the provider, Pedalers Pub & Grille:
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Reviewer: Mary B
located in
Trumansburg,
NY
USA
What a great time I had on this tour -- it's one week I will always remember. We stayed in very nice hotels (swimming pools in all of them), ate wonderful meals, saw both the requisite Thai cultural sites and some off-the-beaten path things -- like a Buddha cave at a temple out in the middle of nowhere! Our guide, Yai, was just wonderful -- she provided lots of background on Thai culture. In fact, that may have been the best part of the tour, apart from the riding. I feel like I came back with a solid understanding of the country and its people, something I definitely would have missed if I hadn't had Yai as a guide. Would I take this tour again? In a heartbeat!
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Reviewer: Richard G
located in
Oak Ridge,
TN
USA
This was a really fun trip comprised of all Bike Friday riders. Tom, the leader did an excellent job of showing us and educating us about Thailand. Also, based upon numerous adventure travel trips I have been on I can see that he is the best for having a well organized, and safe trip. The safety issues that he did really make a differnce. We all got loaner cell phones that were pre-prgrammed with the leaders and everyone elses numbers. In the event of getting lost or having a problem, all we had to do was use the phone. I cant tell you how often I wish I had this on a couple of ther trips I've been on. Plus Tom's emhasis on good lodging and good food made for very pleasant evenings.
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Reviewer: Gerda E
located in
Milwaukee,
Oregon
USA
Bike Friday send us a suggestion, we grabbed it without knowing anything about Pedalers Pub and Grille, and only knew Thailand from guide books. This trip was very special, the outfitter really knows his stuff. The backroads, the jungle, the Karst mountains, the little villages, the accommodations, the meals - everything was top notch. Tom knows his business and makes sure his clients are well taken care of. His "sag" driver was always there when needed, atop of every incline he had fresh fruit and ice water, before every lunch spot he had ice cold towelettes to wipe the sweat off the brow. This area is tropical, hot and humid, and incredibly beautiful. The combination of bicycling and kayaking is what intrigued us. The Andaman Sea with its rock formation islands is exactly what we had seen in travel magazines. To be there and experience kayaking into the lagoons inside these rocks was fabulous. The end of the bike trip was another kayaking adventure through the mangrove forest in a marine park. Local fishermen clamming, crabbing and fishing was special because a lot of our delicious Thai food came from the sea.
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)
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