The Alcan Highway

I expected more of the Alcan Highway. The scenery was magnificent, and endless. But so was the road. I had the choice to head the wrong direction, to pick up supplies from Tok, adding 30 miles to my trip. But, as I was sure the town of Tok really wouldn’t be much anyway, I set of eastwards, with 300 hundred miles to the next decent town.
My road map of Alaska, even though it was drawn to a scale that would have made the UK 30cms tall, had every village marked, some of these I passed through without even knowing it. Luckily I had plenty of pasta, but fresh food really isn’t an option up here.

Just before I crossed back into Canada, I stopped at a true American Motel, serving real American food - “You can have anything from the frier”. As I am allergic to fish, I had one option - fried chicken. Served with fries. Even a burger in a bun with lettuce and tomato was too much to ask here.

Later, I managed to pick up a tourist map, showing where the motels were, but unfortunately, it was map printed for the 87/88 season, and most the places on the map hadn’t existed since 1989.

Despite the lack of food, lack of towns, and a growing headwind, the landscape through the Kluane National Park, was a amazing seeing the St Elias Range mountains just to the south, with Alaskas biggest glaciers and snow covered peaks.

It took me three and half days from Tetlin Junction to Haines Junction. This was a large place, having a choice of places to eat, and a store with luxuries like fresh bread and bananas. Eating my way through fresh cake and cheese sandwiches, I met another hitchhiker, Mark. He had passed me that morning, but had spent half a day at the junction trying to get a ride. We both made it to next campsite 20 miles further at the same time.I was now heading up the Chilcat Pass, over to Haines, where my trip would be easier, using ferries for the next week. At around midday, Mark waved at my from a car, apparently getting his ride.

The two day ride to Haines was interesting. The headwind had gradually built up and my speed had dropped to a slow walking pace. Climbing up through a 1070m pass amongst the glaciers with ice and snow just visible all around through the thick fog, I was very grateful to a guy who stopped to tell me about a small shelter a few minutes ahead. Car drivers can never be trusted in times or distances, but I found the shelter 10 miles later, lit the log burner, and had the warmest nights sleep on the trip.

The following day, heading down wasn’t much easier than going up, the fog cleared, just leaving the wind. But I made it back into BC, then back into Alaska, and down to Haines.

At the ferry, I met up with Mark again, and three other cyclists who had just ridden from Fairbanks.
Due to the massive distances the Alaska Marine Highway ferries travel, and due to some sections only being navigable at high tide, the timetables are slightly inconvenient.

The ferry from Haines to Juneau, Alaska’s capital, departed at 6pm, and arrived close to midnight. The terminal being 20 miles from the city centre, we got our sleeping bags out and slept on the picnic benches provided. They even leave blankets out here for this purpose