Cycling Across Canada (1/2)
After an exciting year of working and traveling in Canada, I decided to embark on a bikepacking adventure - crossing the country from north to south.
My plan was to cycle approximately 6,000 kilometers on a variety of routes, from major highways to overgrown hiking trails. To tackle such a journey, I first needed the right bike - something durable and versatile enough to handle all kinds of terrain. In Whitehorse, I found exactly what I was looking for: a sturdy mountain bike, along with additional bags to carry the necessary gear.
With everything ready, I met up with Jonathan, a friend from Germany, who had flown in to join me for the first leg of the trip. Together, we would cycle a significant stretch of the Dempster Highway, starting in Tuktoyaktuk at the edge of the Arctic Ocean.
After that, I would continue alone, riding through the Yukon and British Columbia for the next two months, making my way south to Seattle.
I planned my route very carefully and did a lot of research before embarking on my trip
We set off from Tuktoyaktuk in the early afternoon, having spent the entire morning organizing, distributing, and packing all our food and gear. As a result, it would take us two days to reach Inuvik - the nearest town with a supermarket and the official starting point of the Dempster Highway.
This stretch of the journey turned out to be one of the most challenging. Despite the perfect weather and a slight tailwind, the gravel roads were extremely soft, and passing vehicles kicked up massive clouds of dust. To make matters worse, the tailwind, though helpful for cycling, made it impossible to escape the relentless swarms of mosquitoes.
After leaving the Arctic flatlands behind, we began our steep ascent into the Richardson Mountains. However, the weather started to change as well. Clouds rolled in, bringing intermittent rain. Despite this, we enjoyed the stunning landscape and decided to set up camp on a scenic mountainside in the heart of the Richardson range.
The next day, the rain picked up, softening the gravel road and clogging our bike gears with mud. Even so, we pushed on and managed to reach the Eagle Plains Service Station by midnight after an exhausting day of cycling.
At Eagle Plains, we finally had a chance to take a much-needed shower, clean our bikes, and rest. We decided to take a break day here to wait out the rain before continuing our journey.
As the weather finally improved and the rain began to subside, it was time to adjust our plans. Due to issues with his bike, Jonathan decided to hitchhike back to Whitehorse, while I prepared to continue the journey on my own.
My next destination was the Ogilvie Range. To reach it, I first needed to cross the Eagle Plains plateau and then descend into the Ogilvie River valley. Fortunately, this leg of the trip was manageable, with only a few challenging climbs. It was also one of the most breathtaking sections of the Dempster Highway, offering a constant panorama of alpine mountains in every direction.
The Tombstone Mountains, situated in the southern part of the Ogilvie Range, mark the southern terminus of the Dempster Highway. I made it to this area - known for its dramatic, rugged peaks - after just a few more days of cycling.
With that, I left behind the gravel of the Dempster Highway, which I had cycled for nearly 1,000 kilometers, and continued my journey south on asphalt.
Now that I finally returned to asphalt, it allowed me to cover much more ground - up to 160 kilometers per day. At this speed, it didn't take long to reach Whitehorse.
From there, I continued south to explore an abandoned silver mine. Located high in the mountains, the site was accessible only via a steep ATV trail. After reaching the mine, I took a break to explore its frozen tunnels. Due to its high-altitude location in the north, much of the mine was covered in ice, with stunning ice crystals decorating the walls of the tunnels.
Even though I had already reached the southern part of the Yukon, I decided to head back north - this time via the historic Canol Road, which would take me all the way back into the Northwest Territories. The road was originally built by the U.S. Army for the Canol Pipeline Project during World War II. Today, relics of that era remain, including abandoned maintenance camps and Army truck graveyards, where vehicles were left behind after the project was shut down in 1945.
Once you cross into the Northwest Territories, the road is no longer maintained, and its condition deteriorates the farther you go. Bridges are nonexistent, and the road gradually transitions into a rough ATV trail before eventually becoming an overgrown hiking path. Unfortunately, I was forced to turn around when the rivers became too wide and deep to carry my bicycle across. I also needed to ensure I had enough food to make it back to Ross River - the only place with services along the entire route.
After over ten days on the rough Canol Road, I finally returned to Ross River and started my journey south. From now on, I would only follow major highways to make better progress, but the adventure didn't stop there; read more about it in PART 2 (CYCLING SOUTH)!
