In order to use the Send to a Friend facility you must be logged in.
Please either log in above, or register if you are not already a friend of Nature & Kind.
Tour Overview
This ten-day adventure provides support for cyclists to experience the most beautiful terrain that Alaska and the Yukon have to offer, while enjoying some of the finer touches in camp. We journey from the interior of the Yukon, over a mountain pass to the sea. Then by ferry we steam along the Inside Passage of Alaska. Once back on our cycles we cross over yet another mountain pass before completing our loop of the southern Yukon and Southeast Alaska. Along the way you will have an opportunity to take a flight over the ice fields of Kluane National Park, the largest non-polar glacier field in the world, raft down the world-famous Tatshenshini River or enjoy a rest day in the spectacular community of Haines Junction. Once, in Skagway, you can choose to go on a mountain hike, ride a helicopter and actually land on a glacier, dogsled on the glaciers, or ride the famous White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, considered the most scenic stretch of rail in the world. You can also rest and enjoy the many shops and attractions of Skagway, and Haines Junction.
What's Included:
•Two guides •Transportation of your personal gear to each day’s camp-site while you cycle •Hotel accommodation in Haines and Skagway, Alaska •Camping fees in all other sites (You are responsible for your own personal camping equipment unless you choose to rent it from CFA) •Group camping equipment, rain shelter, bug shelter, washroom tent and latrine, shower tent (at the two wilderness campsites) •Meals as stated below and all necessary eating implements. •Daily breakfasts starting on the second day, prepared by Cabin Fever Adventures staff. •Daily lunches prepared by you from our gourmet sandwich-making bar in the morning of each day and packed for road lunches. •Daily dinners prepared by Cabin Fever Adventures staff while camping. Please note you will be responsible for your own dinner on nights while staying in hotel accommodations. This is to accommodate different interests while in Haines and Skagway. Both of these towns offer a variety of options for dinner. You will also be responsible for you dinner on the last day of the trip upon returning to Whitehorse. •Access to a small selection of basic bicycle mechanical tools and a bike stand (bike mechanic not provided) “Click here to see list” Please insure you have a minimum of four spare tubes and feel free to bring with you any specialized bike mechanic tools you feel necessary. •Access in the evenings to our traveling wilderness Yukon/Alaska library •All necessary safety equipment
This cycling loop will take you through some of the most breathtaking wilderness highway terrain you have every cycled. You will experience a land rich in geographical beauty, First Nation history, gold rush history, and wildlife diversity.
The first section of our trip is on the Alaska Highway and follows the valley of the majestic Yukon River. This vast valley floor provides views of the distant mountains, sweeping landscapes, and the aqua blue Yukon River. The Alaska Highway then turns and follows the Valley of the Takhini River to the Community of Haines Junction. Haines Junction is known as the gateway to Kluane National Park.
After Haines Junction we leave the Alaska Highway and follow the Haines Road. This section of Highway parallels Kluane National Park. While cycling the border of Kluane, world famous for having the largest non-polar ice cap in the world, you will see the youthful and jagged mountains that guard a world of snow and ice millions of years old, that lay just behind their impressive faces. At approx 20km (12miles) you will reach the overlook for Kathleen Lake, a beautiful body of water nestled in the mountains. If you have a moment take the road into the lake, as it is only 1 km each way. From interpretive displays you can learn how glaciation has created a species of fresh water land-locked salmon, known as "Kokanee" . After Kathleen Lake you will pass another stunning mountain-lined lake called Dezadeash. Klukshu Village is a First Nation fishing village just past Dezadeash Lake. The village is inhabited in the summer months only. Why not drop in and taste some traditional bread called bannock, or smoked salmon? You can also listen to an Elder storyteller.
On our way towards the community of Haines, Alaska, our route will take up through the Haines Pass. As you climb into the pass, small lakes, rocks, mountains, and streams dot the landscape. This area, because of its proximity to the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers and their rich salmon run, is home to the Yukon’s densest grizzly population. At the summit of this pass you will be at 1067m (3500ft) in elevation.
After descending from the Haines Pass you will notice a quickly changing landscape. The barrenness of the pass is contrasted to the lush deciduous cottonwoods and gigantic Sitka spruce tress of this northern temperate rain forest. On completion of your descent to the Chilkat Valley you will travel through the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. This preserve, created in 1982, was established to protect and perpetuate the world’s largest concentration of bald eagles. This prime eagle habitat is created by the combination of open water and plentiful food in the form of spawning salmon. Over 4000 eagles congregate in this area from early October to January. Although this does not coincide with prime cycling weather there are over 300 Bald Eagles who reside in the Haines area year round.
While in Haines, why not tour Fort Seward, the first permanent army post in Alaska. The Fort’s buildings have been privately bought and turned into accommodations, restaurants and artisan shops. The fort was initially built to ensure an American presence when the exact location of the border between Alaska and Canada was still under debate.
From Haines we will board a ferry for a short trip along Alaska’s Inside Passage to the community of Skagway. On this short ferry ride the scenery is impressive. Hanging glaciers are visible as they spill out of the Juneau Ice Field. Their melt waters form cascading waterfalls that fall thousands of feet below into the Lynn Canal.
Reviews
No reviews available yet...
Tour Highlights
Itinerary
Day 0: Whitehorse, Yukon
Hopefully you enjoyed your travels and have arrived safely in Whitehorse, the Yukon’s capital city, nestled among the wilderness. Guests are responsible for accommodation and meals while in Whitehorse. Whitehorse is a splendid little city and we recommend booking some additional time at either the beginning or the end of your trip to see Whitehorse.
Please Note: Often our guests choose to come to the Yukon several days early, or too depart several days after their wilderness vacation. Therefore we don't include accommodation in Whitehorse in order to provide flexibility for our guests. If you prefer, we can easily arrange your hotel accommodations in Whitehorse and add these details to your itinerary.
To ensure a smooth start to your trip tomorrow there will be a pre-trip meeting with your guides in Whitehorse at 8:30pm. There will be a short talk about current highway conditions, trip policies, and the plan for the next day. Our transportation system requires personal items to be transferred from your travel luggage into a 70-litre (4300 cubic inch) duffel bag (we will provide this to you at the meeting). All of your personal belongings must fit into this duffle with the exception of your tent, sleeping bag and mat. Luggage that is not needed for the trip will be stored in Cabin Fever Adventures' storage and will be picked up in the morning.
If you wish to fish on your trip but, have not had a chance to purchase a Yukon fishing license, you should do so this evening. Your guides will let you know where they can be purchased.
Day 1: Ride West (L, D)
Distance – 58 km (36 miles) Cabin Fever Adventure support staff will meet you at your accommodations at 8:00am. Please finish eating breakfast (not included) by this time. Your duffel bag of personal items will be secured in our support vehicle and we will store all unnecessary luggage items in our storage facility. Next, all cyclist and Cabin Fever Adventures staff will meet at a rendezvous site and depart Whitehorse only after all participants have arrived and appear to have their bikes in proper working order. You begin your ride heading northwest today on the Alaska Highway towards the community of Haines Junction, YT. As you travel west you will follow the Takhini River Valley with views towards the Miner’s Range to the north and large vistas of the Ibex and Kusawa Valleys, and Coastal Mountains to the south.
Day 2: Ride to Kluane National Park (B, L, D)
Distance – 87 km (54.2 miles). Our destination today is Kluane RV Kampground in Haines Junction. You will continue to travel through rolling hills and boreal forest of the Yukon's interior, with the Dezadeash Range to the south and the southern tip of the Rub Range to the north. As you near Haines Junction and Kluane you will notice the impressive and jagged mountains of the outer edge of Kluane National Park. These mountains are distinct in appearance when compared to the much older and softer looking mountains you’ve been cycling through in the morning. They are steeper and appear recently folded and formed. They are the youngest mountain rage in North America and are still actively growing.
Day 3: Optional Glacier Viewing Flight or Rafting Trip (B, L, D)
Distance – Rest Day. Today is a rest day to enjoy the sights and activities of Haines Junction and Kluane National Park. You may choose a sight-seeing flight over the Kluane Ice Fields, a whitewater-rafting excursion down the world famous Tatshenshini River or just relax and enjoy the town! The cost of any additional excursions is not included in the price of the trip.
Day 4: Riding Through Kluane Country (B, L, D)
Distance - 85.6 km (53.5 miles). As you leave Haines Junction you will start a slow and steady climb. There are a number of interpretative pull-offs and geological features to enjoy including a rock glacier that is easily seen from the highway. You can stop and take a short hike to its base. You will pass the large mountain-lined lakes named Kathleen and Dezadeash. The destination tonight is a Yukon Government campsite, at Million Dollar Falls.
Day 5: Ride into Northern BC into the Alpine (B, L, D)
Distance - 68 km (42.3miles). Today you will cycle up into the sub-alpine and then the alpine tundra environment for the first time. The trees become sparse and stunted and then shrubs and moss become prominent. The pass is in a broad sweeping valley with large surrounding peaks and immense vistas. Tonight we camp at the Three Guardsman Lake, which is a wilderness camping site.
Day 6: Descend from the Summit into Haines Alaska (B, L)
Distance - 84.3 km (52.7miles). Today you cycle down the pass. Enjoy the descent while noticing the dramatic change in the landscape. The sub-alpine tundra quickly gives way to the lush Alaskan coastal rain forest. The US/Canadian border is partway down the descent. See Trip Information for border crossing details. The last 20 km or so is on the tidal flats of the Chilkat River. Here you will be cycling through a bald eagle preserve where over 3000 eagles congregate in the fall. Tonight will be spent in a hotel in Haines, Alaska. Dinner is not included. Your guide will be able to provide you with a list of dining options. Breakfast tomorrow morning is included.
Day 7: Ferry Ride along the Inside Passage to Skagway Alaska (B, L )
Distance - 4.5 km (2.8 miles). After breakfast in Haines (included) you will need to cycle to the ferry terminal by11:30 am (Alaska time zone) for a 12:30 pm sailing to Skagway. We will arrive in Skagway at approximately 1:30pm. After checking in to our hotels, the rest of the afternoon is time to spend on your pre-planned excursions. Your options are numerous, ranging from dog sledding on a glacier, taking a train ride on the White Pass and Yukon Route Scenic Railway, a flight seeing tour over the ice fields, or walking Main Street and seeing the attractions of Skagway. You are responsible for your dinner and any additional excursions you choose.
Day 8: Up and Over the Skagway Pass into Canada again (B, L, D)
Distance - 48.5 km (30.3miles). Today is the most challenging cycling day of the tour. There is a 14 km (9 mile) climb leaving Skagway that rises from sea level to just over 950 m (3000ft). However once over the pass it is downhill to our campsite. This pass is very different in its feel than Haines Pass. The valley is narrower and the ground is covered in different sized rocks, from pebbles to boulders the size of buses. It is an inhospitable and imposing environment, yet beautiful. Toady we camp by the Tutshi River in northern British Columbia at a wilderness campsite. You will cross the US/Canadian border into Canada today shortly after leaving the town of Skagway.
Day 9: Ride through the Yukon's Southern Lakes District (B, L, D)
Distance – 58 km (36.2 miles). The cycling route today will seem easier after yesterday’s climb through the pass. The highway is smooth with rolling hills and an overall elevation loss. Our destination tonight is the scenic Yukon community of Carcross, located at the north end of Bennett Lake. You can visit Matheson General store, the Yukon’s oldest general store. This picturesque business is home to delicious ice cream, Yukon-themed books and souvenirs. We will camp in a Yukon Government campsite tonight with access to showers.
Day 10: Return to Whitehorse, Yukon (B, L)
Distance 72 km (45miles). Today is the last day of your trip. Relax and enjoy the ride back into the city of Whitehorse. You will rejoin the Alaska Highway and head west to your finale in Whitehorse. Your stored luggage will be dropped off at your accommodations, before you arrive. You are responsible for stopping at the S.S. Klondike National Historic Site parking lot on your way into Whitehorse to check-in with Cabin Fever Adventures staff. We want to ensure you have safely arrived in Whitehorse. Once back at your accommodations please either drop off your duffle bag to the front desk or bring it with you to the pre-arranged grand finale dinner, if the group decides to have one. Dinner and hotel not included.
cost from USD 2999 + 5% GST (double occupancy) or 3224 + 5% GST (single occupancy)
10
£1840.00
Kind Points:414
Accepted Payment Types
• American Express
• Cheque
• Diners Card
• JCB
• Mastercard
• Visa
• Maestro
• Electron
• Carte Blue
• Bank Transfer
• Paypal
• Cash
Nature & Kind Factor
Our Trusted Partner's Responsible and Sustainable Travel Policy
At Cabin Fever Adventures we don’t believe we can protect the planet by simply saying that we love wilderness and that we strive to protect wild places. Of course we love the wilderness, but the bigger question is does the day-to-day operation of our company demonstrate this commitment? At Cabin Fever Adventures we strive to be the Yukon’s industry leader in promoting a earth-friendly business model. We actively engage our company in the preservation of not only the wilderness here in the Yukon, but consider our company an economic vehicle to affect positive change around the planet.
Our Earth-Friendly initiatives are based on the following simple beliefs:
•One person’s happiness can not be build at the cost of another's •One person can change the world by doing things differently, daily •The needs of the earth’s natural systems are the basis for all sound economic decisions when judged over the long-term.
Based on the above stated beliefs, we have instituted the following business practices into the operations of Cabin Fever Adventures.
We Provide an Organic and Fair Trade Food Menu
•Our food menu is as close to 100% organic as possible and we support several Fair Trade organizations through our food purchases as well. To learn more about organic food products please visit our food distributors website www.horizondistributors.com •To learn more about Fair Trade products and benefits please visit www.transfairusa.org
We are a Member of One Percent for the Planet
•One Percent for the Planet is an organization of member companies who donate at least 1 % of their gross revenues to non-profit environmental protection agencies. We are proud to have made this commitment and hope you will check out their site. We Support-Best Practice Local and or Canadian Businesses Partnerships •We support businesses in the following order of priority when it comes to sourcing gear for our company. First we support companies that we feel are conducting best practices for eco-justice and earth-friendly business practices. Next, we support companies that are local to the Yukon, and thirdly we support Canadian manufactured products because as a voter we can at least work towards changes in our own country.
We Challenge the Status Quo Consumer Attitudes Through our Purchasing Decisions
•We maintain our gear very well and believe in using the entire life-span of a product through proper maintenance and repairs. CFA does not get rid of perfectly good gear to satiate the consumer demand to be outfttted in gear that appears to be brand-new. We can not pretend to be true environmental advocates if our concern for the environment is Yukon-specific rather that global in perspective. Unnecessary consumerism is the fundamental lifestyle problem which has placed human existence out of balance with the planet. We need to start operating within our needs, rather than our wants. When a piece of gear no longer does its job properly or will create a significant consequence if it fails in the backcountry than it is first repaired, and if it can not be properly repaired than it is replaced, but not before. We have become skilled in gear repair, and even make some one-of-a-kind items ourselves. We attempt to source gear for our company from like-minded companies who are making significant steps to reduce their global environmental impact.
We Support Agencies Dedicated to Protecting Wild Places and to Improving Transportation Technologies Vital to Tourism
•We donate to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) and green technologies NGO’S. For more information on the work of CPAWS please visit www.cpaws.org •We donate to the Pembina Foundation. www.pembinafoundation.org The Pembina Foundation for Environmental Research and Education supports innovative environmental research and education initiatives that help people reduce their energy footprint.
We Practice Leave No Trace Camping Practices
•The owner of Cabin Fever Adventures is a certified Master Trainer for The Leave No Trace Centre for Outdoor Ethics. We travel as lightly upon the land as we can so as to leave for the enjoyment of future generations the landscape we hold dear today. To learn more about the principles of LNT backcountry travel please visit www.lnt.org
Day-to-Day Operation of our Physical Plant
We operate Cabin Fever Adventures from our wilderness base-camp and are pursuing numerous efforts to minimize our environmental footprint.
•We personally live a lower-than-average impact lifestyle at our cabin in the wilderness. We live with our family of three in a 480 square foot home (44.6 m2 ) that is also our office for CFA. We function on an average of 15 gallons (56.78 L) of water per day for our entire family, including laundry, cleaning, drinking etc. Our water consumption at home is about one-twentieth the national average for Canada. •We operate an almost paper-less office and we conduct near-paperless interactions with our clients. You will notice that we offer all our information digitally and encourage our customers to embrace communication that avoids the need for paper. •We will soon be investing in a solar energy system for our base camp. •We believe in making our equipment last as long as possible and invest in skills and equipment which allow us to utilize local building materials and waste materials, to operate and or repair our equipment. •We remove our solid human waste from the environment on our busier river routes and dispose of it in sanitation dumps •Our largest environmental impact is our use of fossil fuels for transportation. This is why we actively donate to foundations supporting advances in renewable energy, such as the Pembina Foundation and have chosen to carbon offset all of our tourism products. •We utilize green cleaning dish soaps, cleaning products, and laundry detergents.
About our Trusted Partner
Cabin Fever Adventures offers a variety of wilderness vacations in the Yukon, Southeast Alaska and Northern British Columbia. We operate by the doctrines of ecotourism and are industry leaders in decreasing our environmental impact, not just in the wilderness areas we travel through, but globally through our ethical business decisions. We offer an organic food menu, purchase carbon offsets for our transportation emissions and donate to grassroots environmental protection agencies. If you would like to see the stunning beauty of the Northwest while treading lightly on the planet, then Cabin Fever Adventures is for you. There is only one future and it is shared!
Cycle Route During Early September : Sea-2-Peaks Cycling Tour at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Cycle Route During Early September
Flights over Kluane National Park : Sea-2-Peaks Cycling Tour at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Flights over Kluane National Park
A Land of Snow and Ice : Sea-2-Peaks Cycling Tour at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
A Land of Snow and Ice
Cycling Route in July : Sea-2-Peaks Cycling Tour at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Cycling Route in July
Rafting the Tatshenshini River - Optional Day Trip : Sea-2-Peaks Cycling Tour at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Rafting the Tatshenshini River - Optional Day Trip
Young Grizzly Bears Foraging Near the Road : Sea-2-Peaks Cycling Tour at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Young Grizzly Bears Foraging Near the Road
Going Over a Mountain Pass - Coastal ALaska Ahead : Sea-2-Peaks Cycling Tour at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Going Over a Mountain Pass - Coastal ALaska Ahead
Scenery of Skagway Alaska : Sea-2-Peaks Cycling Tour at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Scenery of Skagway Alaska
Late May Scenery Along Cycle Route : Sea-2-Peaks Cycling Tour at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Late May Scenery Along Cycle Route
Carcross Yukon - Scenic Stops Amongst Wilderness Cycling : Sea-2-Peaks Cycling Tour at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
In order to use the Send to a Friend facility you must be logged in.
Please either log in above, or register if you are not already a friend of Nature & Kind.
