Day 1
Mendenhall Lake Campground to Juneau, Alaska, 12 miles. You'll meet your group and tour leaders at the campground, located twelve miles from downtown Juneau, the capital city of Alaska. Our campsites will be in the walk-in loop right along the lakeshore, with a shelter for cooking and stunning views of the twelve mile long Mendenhall Glacier, just across the lake. After an orientation meeting to talk about ride logistics, distribute group gear, and discuss cooking rotations, we'll head to bed with plenty of light still in the sky, resting up for our big Alaskan adventure.

Day 2
Juneau to Haines, 16 miles. After a quick early breakfast, we will ride the short distance to the Alaska Marine Highway terminal for the 7:00 a.m. departure to Haines. The four-and-a-half-hour ferry ride will give us plenty of opportunity to view Lynn Canal and its spectacular surroundings. Who knows what marine, terrestrial, and airborne wildlife we may spot! After docking at the ferry terminal at 11:30 a.m., we'll complete the short ride into Haines and our home for the night, Port Chilkoot Camperpark. The afternoon will be ours to enjoy the sights in and around Haines.

Day 3
Haines to 33 Mile Roadhouse, 34 miles. As we head north today out of Haines we will ride past the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, where as many as four thousand of the birds congregate during the fall. We will stop for the night at the 33 Mile Roadhouse (naturally, it's at Milepost 33!) and camp next to this famous pie stop. After cooking dinner, it will be time for dessert and another good night's sleep to fuel our big climb tomorrow morning.

Day 4
33 Mile Roadhouse to Million Dollar Falls, 61 miles. After crossing into Canada and clearing customs (don't forget to bring your passport!), we'll give our legs a workout as we tackle several major climbs. Three Guardsmen Pass is soon followed by Chilkat Pass at 3,510 feet. At this point, we have ridden up into alpine tundra and much cooler temperatures. We pass several lakes and may see trumpeter swans and Arctic terns. We cycle from British Columbia into Yukon Territory and find our evening campsite, Million Dollar Falls Campground, seven miles further down the road. The spectacular falls are a short walk from the camp—well worth the hike.

Day 5
Million Dollar Falls Campground to Haines Junction, 53 miles. We ride today through the Kluane National Park, an immense expanse of wilderness that is home not only to such wildlife as grizzly bears, Dall sheep, and mountain goats, but to Canada's loftiest peak, 19,551-foot Mount Logan (in all of North America, only Denali is higher). The first bit of the ride dishes up a steep climb, but it soon levels off into a day of enjoyable, largely flat terrain. At Haines Junction, the Haines Highway joins the Alaska Highway, the main route to Alaska from the lower 48. We'll stay the night at an RV park, affording everyone the opportunity to do some laundry, take a shower, and enjoy the other amenities of a relatively "civilized" campground.

Day 6
Haines Junction to Kusawa Lake, 59 miles. We'll turn east at this point, taking the Alaska Highway toward Whitehorse. An enjoyable stretch of rolling hills leads to Champagne, historically an important meeting and trading place for Indians, and a Gold Rush stopover on the trail to Dawson City. Continuing, we will turn off on Kusawa Lake Road and spend the night "wild camping" along a beautiful stretch of Kusawa Lake. This camp will be the first of two on this tour where we make camp in the wild, with no services, but beautiful scenery!

Day 7
Kusawa Lake to Takhini Hot Springs, 42 miles. Leaving Kusawa Lake and heading toward Whitehorse, we'll continue traversing rolling hills until hitting the Klondike Highway just short of Whitehorse. After heading north for a short distance, we'll take the turnoff to Takhini Hot Springs, where we will overnight in the adjacent campground. The natural hot springs water, free of the sulphurous odor common to many springs, is about 118 degrees at its source—too hot for soaking. So, it's cooled in a two-section pool to around 108 and 97 degrees. Ahh, that feels so good after another day in the saddle.

Day 8
Takhini Hot Springs to Whitehorse, 20 miles. A short morning ride will lend us nearly the entire day to take in the sights and sounds of Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon. This area in recent years has been re-inventing itself as a mountain biking mecca, with many trails carved out by local bike clubs and tribal organizations. On the must-see list are the SS Klondike sternwheeler, the downtown riverfront, the MacBride Museum, and, last but not least, Yukon Brewing, where the motto is "Beer worth Freezin' for!" We'll camp at the Robert Service Campground, right in Whitehorse and on the Yukon River. Huddle 'round the campfire for warmth, as some group member is sure to pull out a scribbled-up piece of paper and recite The Cremation of Sam McGee, Service's legendary ode to "the men who moil for gold."

Day 9
Whitehorse to Boreale Ranch, 28 miles. From Whitehorse, we'll ride a quick 12 miles before bidding adieu to the Alaska Highway, heading down the South Klondike Highway, and taking a turn toward Skagway. The coastal mountains will materialize on the horizon as we make miles along lakes that form the headwaters of the Yukon River. Before getting to Carcross, we'll steer off the highway to Boreale Ranch, a mountain biking resort. After lunch, Boreale will offer an optional afternoon mountain bike ride in the hills around Carcross, with stunning views at each glorious turn. We will camp next to their lodge.

Day 10
Boreale Ranch to Windy Arm of Tagish Lake, 26 miles. Leaving Boreale Ranch, we'll head out on the South Klondike Highway, early on passing the "Carcross Desert" and cycling through the small community of Carcross. The town's name is a truncation of the original Caribou Crossing, a moniker deriving from the historically huge caribou migration that took place across the natural land bridge between Nares Lake and Lake Bennett. Not surprisingly, the area also served as an important fishing and hunting camp for Inland Tlingit people. We camp along the Windy Arm of Tagish Lake, at our second "wild camp."

Day 11
Windy Arm to Skagway, 53 miles. The day starts with some rollers and flats as we approach the thrilling downhill into Skagway. Moving ever closer to the massive Coast Mountains, we finally arrive at Summit Lake and White Pass, where the twelve mile, eleven percent drop into Skagway begins. We regain the hour previously lost at the US/Canada border, and camp for two nights at the Garden City RV Park in the heart of the Gold Rush settlement.

Day 12
Layover Day in Skagway, 0 miles. We'll have the entire day to explore fascinating Skagway. When heading down the big hill yesterday, you no doubt saw the White Pass and Yukon Railroad on the other side of the canyon; it offers one of the most storied railroad excursions in North America. Skagway also has great shops and a wonderful museum in the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, not to mention its very own local brewery, Skagway Brewing. From there, you can even hike a stretch of the famous Chilkoot Trail.