Bicycling the Alaska Highway through northern British Columbia from Watson Lake to Fort Nelson

March 27, 6:09 PMBoise International Travel ExaminerNancy Sathre-Vogel

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Sharing the road with caribou in British Columbia

I used to think the world was a boring place.  But then I went to Mexico and learned differently.  I was a typical teenager once upon a time, and the world revolved around me.  In fact, in my mind the world was Boise, Idaho.  Yes, I had read about Ethiopia in National Geographic and seen the TV shows of tribal rituals in Papua New Guinea, but somehow I failed to understand that was today.  I figured maybe that was how they lived a hundred years ago, but today they lived exactly as I did in Boise.  Until I went to Mexico and saw for myself.

Just as I used to consider the world boring, I thought adventure on the Alaska Highway had gone the way of the old, narrow dirt track cut through the wilderness.  Yes – I had heard stories of adventure.  I had listened, utterly fascinated, to tales of wild buffalo and caribou in the middle of the road, of bears around every bend, and of bighorn sheep leaping on the cliff sides.  But somehow, I figured that had all disappeared as the Alaska Highway had entered into modern society.  Until I traveled it, that is.

I had heard of the segment of road through the northern Rockies from Watson Lake to Fort Nelson.  I cyclists told me of pedaling past herds of buffalo standing in the road, and bears every mile or two. In other words, I had heard stories of adventure on the Alaska Highway.  But somehow, until I traveled it myself, I just didn’t get it.

The Alaska Highway was built in haste during the 1940’s.  When Pearl Harbor was attacked, the idea of a road connecting the lower 48 with Alaska was suddenly deemed a military necessity and the Alaska Highway is the result.  As the army troops built the road, they stayed in camps in the wilderness.  Those camps have since remained – in the form of small towns along the way.  Most travelers of the Alaska Highway think of the pathway as a series of segments – from one town to the next.  One of the most adventurous segments takes you through the northern Rockies from Watson Lake to Fort Nelson.

We pedaled away from Watson Lake loaded heavy - this was the longest stretch yet at 330 miles between grocery stores.  We figured it would take us a minimum of seven days, but most likely nine or ten.  I filled every nook and cranny I found on our bikes with food, and set out to cross the northern Rocky Mountains.

Day One - By evening, I was exhausted.  I was hauling fifty pounds of food, in addition to my regular gear.  A close encounter with a bear, however, revived me.  Bears, although unpredictable to an extent, typically fear humans and it’s rare to be approached by one.  That particular bear, however, wasn’t typical.  Davy and I barely escaped with our lives as we pedaled frantically down the road, watching the bear recede into the distance in our rearview mirrors.

Day Two – I love little unexpected treasures!  We stopped for lunch at Whirlpool Canyon on the Liard river– and never left.  It was such a beautiful place, we decided we simply couldn’t leave it that quickly, so we set up our tent and basked in the beauty for the evening.

Day Three – I didn’t even know buffalo still lived in the wild!  Indeed, they almost didn’t.  In the early 1900’s, wild buffalo herds were nearly decimated by over-hunting.  In recent years, massive efforts have been made to reestablish herds in British Columbia – and I think they’re working.  As we approached Liard Hot Springs, we found a buffalo on the side of the road.  What a thrill to ride alongside the wildly galloping animal!

Day Four – It’s truly incredible how a good soak in a hot spring can melt away built up stress and tension!  We enjoyed our day off the bikes as we explored the many facets of Liard Hot Springs.

Day Five – What a day!  What a day!  A few kilometers from the hot springs we encountered a herd of buffalo lounging on the side of the road.  A few kilometers later, we were surprised by a black bear hanging out across the highway from us as we took a break by the side of the road.  And a little while later we nearly ran into three Stone sheep in the road!  I guess you could say we’ve found adventure on the Alaska Highway.

Day Six – We wound up and down through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.  I just can’t imagine how I’ll ever be content cycling anywhere else after this.

Day Seven – Managed to find a small restaurant in the middle of nowhere and got some burgers.  What a treat!

Day Eight – Animals around every bend in the road.  Caribou… deer…big horn sheep…   This area truly is the Serengeti of the North.

Day Nine – Our luck ran out.  After an incredible spell of beautiful weather, we finally got the rain everyone else seems to be dealing with.  We dealt with it for a while before ditching it all and heading back into the forest to pitch the tent.

Day Ten – Made it to Fort Nelson!  After so long out in the boonies, this tiny little town of 6000 people seemed like a major metropolis.

Bicycling British Columbia from John Vogel on Vimeo.

You can read the other articles in the series here:

Prudhoe Bay (June 2008)  
Alaska Highway (July 2008)  
Yukon (August 2008)
Northern British Columbia (August 2008)

Icefields Heartbreak (September 2008)

Cycling Montana (September 2008)

Wyoming & Utah (October 2008)

Exploring America's National Parks (November 2008)

On the US/Mexico border (January, 2009