EM said:We are 4 Italians which are trying to arrange by themselves a trip to Alaska
by bycicle. We will leave from Anchorage towards North to visit Denali Park.
From there we will take Denali HWI SR-8 direction TOX, then HWI-9 to Dawson
and from there we'll complete the journey on HWI-2 going into Canada up to
Whitehorse: about 2020 km.
We would like to have info from people that already visited these places. We
are missing information on HWI-8, HWI-4 and HWI-1 from Cantwell to Tox,
where for about 500 km there are very few villages and camping parks where
have a rest or buy some food, according to the maps we studied.
We would cover this way, dirt road up to Paxon, in five stages.
Also HWI-9 from Tox to Dawson has few bases but distance is 300 km and
doesn't give much worry. In this route there are 2 campings (according to
our map), is it true?
We would need also info on difference in height: from what we can see, rises
do not exceed 4%.
Any information we can have, is for us extremely important.
Thanking you in advance, I remain awaiting your kind reply
Buon Giorno! as others have said, you need to purchase a copy of
the 2006 Milepost (see www.themilepost.com ) which will answer
many of your questions. You need to remember, though, that every
business listed in the Milepost *paid* for the listing.
In most of Alaska and the Yukon, campgrounds are very primitive
(no showers, just a place for tents, picnic table, grill or fire
ring, toilets). Distances between developed campgrounds can be
up to 3-400 km., and distances between water sources can also be
far. Much of the land along Alaska and Yukon roads is public
land, and there are many places to camp outside of campgrounds.
In a dry, warm summer, many streams will dry up, so you need to
be able to carry a lot of water. When I rode
Haines-Whitehorse-Skagway during August a few years ago, almost
all the streams between Haines Junction and Whitehorse were dry.
I found that often large motor homes pulled over in wayside
viewpoints would have a plentiful supply of water and would be
happy to share it if asked politely. One woman that I asked for
water made me a huge plate of pancakes because I reminded her of
her son, and she thought I looked hungry.
Remember that the Denali Highway between Cantwell & Paxson is
unpaved, as is the Top of The World Highway between Tok and
Dawson City, so you will have to contend with either dust or mud,
since a lot of the traffic is busses or big freight trucks. The
big trucks can throw rocks, too. You will want fenders
(mudguards) and good *waterproof* raingear, as well as layered
clothes. On a rainy day at higher altitudes, or at night, it can
get quite chilly --- I have found myself wearing polyester fleece
jerseys in July.
I recommend that for touring you do what most of us do: DO NOT
TAKE A THIN TIRE BIKE. If you do, you will spend a lot of time
fixing flats since there is a lot of broken glass on the
shoulders. Most Alaskans who tour use mountain bikes with racks
for panniers, with inverse tread tires for riding on paved roads.
The fat tires don't go flat as often. You will need at least one
spare tire and a tool kit.
Since you will be camping and cooking IN BEAR COUNTRY, you need
to remember ONE very important rule: NEVER STORE FOOD OR COOKING
GEAR WITH YOUR CLOTHES OR TENT. EVER. I always keep food,
fishing gear, and cooking equipment in my front panniers, tent
and clothes in the rear panniers. NEVER EAT, COOK, OR CLEAN FISH
NEAR YOUR TENT. NEVER HAVE ANY FOOD IN YOUR TENT. Always hoist
your bags up in a tree (or in tundra or alpine areas with no
trees, hang them from the middle of a bridge high enough above
the stream that a bear can't reach them) at night or when you are
not in camp. See full safety rules at
http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=bears.main
If you can find a copy of the outdated (1992) Alaska Bicycle
Touring Guide by Pete Praetorius & Alys Culhane, it would also be
worth having. If you have the space, the topo maps in the
Delorme Atlas of Alaska are quite detailed, and you can see where
the steep areas are by looking at the contours.
If you decide to visit the beautiful fjord country of
southeastern Alaska to fish for salmon or see the glaciers, be
sure to email me before you come to Juneau --- I need to practice
my bad tourist Italian so that I can visit Italy during the Giro
sometime in the next few years!
