What happened to the Golden Circle Route (Skagway, Whitehorse, Haines)?

[WayUpNorthInAlaska]

A couple of years ago, I remember there being the Golden Circle Route on the Adventure Cycling Association page. People could either start in Skagway or Haines, Alaska, ride to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, then ride to either Haines or Skagway at the other end. If I remember correctly, it was available as both a guided and non-guided route. If the Adventure Cycling Association has dropped this route, it would be nice to know if any of the materials still exist to help people plan their route.

For non-Alaskans interested in this route, Sockeye Cycles in Skagway and Haines offers a nine-day guided version of this route, http://www.cyclealaska.com/. Also, if anybody plans to do much riding or driving in Alaska or on the Alaska Highway they should get a current copy of The Milepost, http://www.themilepost.com/, which has mile-by-mile listings of all the businesses and attractions you'll find. The Milepost also has info on elevation gain and mileages between communities (realize that most highways in Alaska are two lanes, one each way, and some of them have minimal shoulders). For more information on Alaska cycling, go to the Alaska Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance page (check the resource links down the right column), http://akpedbikealliance.wordpress.com/.

[JHamelman]

A couple of years ago, I remember there being the Golden Circle Route on the Adventure Cycling Association page. People could either start in Skagway or Haines, Alaska, ride to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, then ride to either Haines or Skagway at the other end. If I remember correctly, it was available as both a guided and non-guided route. If the Adventure Cycling Association has dropped this route, it would be nice to know if any of the materials still exist to help people plan their route.

This is a test of memory question! I do know we have never offered any maps for bicycle touring in Alaska however, there was likely a "Golden Circle Tour" at some point in the past. Alaska is often part of the Tours rotation of tours.

For non-Alaskans interested in this route, Sockeye Cycles in Skagway and Haines offers a nine-day guided version of this route, http://www.cyclealaska.com/. Also, if anybody plans to do much riding or driving in Alaska or on the Alaska Highway they should get a current copy of The Milepost, http://www.themilepost.com/, which has mile-by-mile listings of all the businesses and attractions you'll find. The Milepost also has info on elevation gain and mileages between communities (realize that most highways in Alaska are two lanes, one each way, and some of them have minimal shoulders). For more information on Alaska cycling, go to the Alaska Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance page (check the resource links down the right column), http://akpedbikealliance.wordpress.com/.

Outside of the Alaska Bicycle/Pedestrian office (Bob Laurie, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, phone: 907-465-6989), The Milepost is the guide I most often suggest to cyclists wanting to tour in Alaska.

.Jennifer.

[LawDog]

I haven't been down the road from Whitehorse to Haines, but I have run much of the road between Skagway and Whitehorse (over the course of several years participating in the Klondike Road Relay). It is a beautiful stretch of road that is truly something to behold. But this is very much a self-supported route. There are virtually zero amenities between Skagway and Whitehorse. So pack plenty of food, and be prepared for cold and rain.

There is a very steep elevation change. If you start in Skagway, you'll be going straight uphill for about twenty miles. After that, you hit rolling hills. If you've ever seen any of those old photos of prospectors ascending the Golden Staircase during the gold rush of 1898, that is the route you'll take out of town.

[santa]

   In the event somebody checks this thread out in the future I would make the general comment that you should check carefully for road work. On any given summer a lot of road construction has to be compressed into the short work season so many highways in AK and Canada have sections torn up in summer. Wherever you might plan to tour up here, check out road construction in your proposed area.