Im going hitch hiking through canada to alaska, help!?

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David in Kenai

This is going to be long, because it is something I know a lot about.

Of the other answers, Drew gave you good info. A few of more major mistakes in other answers are:

You can't take a pistol into Canada. A long gun, sure, register when you cross, but there may be a problem on foot. In a car, you can keep the gun and ammo separate. But NO handguns. They're serious about that.

The road from northern BC, through Yukon and on to Alaska is NOT a limited-access road (not an interstate). Hitching is not a legal problem. I've never talked to HHer who was hassled on the "Alcan". There are interstates in southern BC, but backroads as well.

I'm assuming you're going in summer - the temps are pleasant, the days long and there's lot of traffic going by. late April and early May and September are nice for drivers - less traffic and road construction. But more traffic helps you and road construction is great - it lets you chat up drivers, lets them see you're not a raving lunatic, and maybe you find someone going exactly where you want.

Go up the main route and you can stop at Laird Hot Springs and stop in the various large and small towns on the way. And anyone trying to make time will go that route.

The Cassier option is prettier and a few hours less drive time. But there is less traffic and the gas stations aren't 24 hours. But I gave one Canadian college student the world's best ride a few years ago along there. Picked him up near the tree-planting project he was working. He was interesting, could help drive the car, and wanted to get to Whitehorse. But we were making such good time, we both started to wonder if we could fit in a side trip to Inuvik (northernmost Can town). So we did. Looked around, and I dropped him in Dawson City on the way back. He got 2300 km in record time on one ride.

The top of the world highway is interesting (access to Inuvik, Dawson City and Eagle, AK). Less traveled, but a higher % of adventurous folks. A lot of Germans go to obscure placeslike that for some reasons.

Bring? Enough to be benighted, even if it rains. That could be parka and rain pants, rather than a tent. Bug repellent. An ensemble of layered clothes. A sign. Bigger is better. Write clearly! Markers to change the sign. Blank sign paper. Fedex envelopes, inverted, are white, waterproof, and tear-proof. Salesmanship - by which I mean, SMILE, no hat or sunglasses so they can see your eyes. Dress decently, shave, comb, clean shirt, small pack. Sometimes a sign for the town 50 miles away is a good bet. No one wants to risk 16 hours with an unknown person, but once you're in, chatted a little, let them know you hoping to get to Xxxxxx.

Before I'd take a sleeping bag (very bullky), I'd have a sweater and thermal underwear bottoms to wear under rain pants/parka. Maybe an inflatable pad (Thermarest) or maybe just a butt pad. A mosquito headnet and bug-proof (as thick as a chamios shirt) gloves would let you sleep easily without a tent. Skip the stove. Buy cold food - it's quicker, easier, no pots, etc. Things like a deli sandwhich at a gas station. One of those wring-it-dry backpacking towels. Ziplocks and trashbags to keep your stuff dry.

Fly a flag. If you have any right/interest/desire for another country, get a 2'x3' flag and pin it on your pack. You'll look more interesting not being just another young American. If you want to (or could rationalize) practicing your German, fly a German flag and explain that's why you did. An appatent foreigner always makes me slow down.

There are showers and laundry at every campground and roadhouse along the way. About CAN$3 for a shower. Use them. Use them to keep your load light. And use them so a driver will consider taking you further and/or out of his way.

Buy The Milepost. About $25. It is bible of Alaskan and Northern Canadian roads. Skim it for info, pick out the sights that interest you. Don't bring the whole thing (its like a phone book), but take the map it comes with. And tear out the interesting pages.

And a passport! Maybe not technically required for land crossings until 2008, it is still the easier document to transit between US/Can. And if you fly US/Can you'll absolutely need it. So apply now and avoid sweating about turn-around time.

Drew

If you want to travel that way that's fine, people do it all the time. Canada is very friendly, and the more north you go the nicer they get.

On that note, I hope that you planed a lot of time. A friend and I drove from Vancouver, BC through to Anchorage, AK and back and it took us 30 days, with driving every day.
The Yukon was my favourite part, especially going over the "Top of the World Highway" through Dawson City. Don't forget to stop at Chicken, AK(population of 17, if you want to see what the town looks like go to Google Earth and type in Chicken and click on the picture. That building is the entire town. No word of a lie.)
It does get very cold at night, well below freezing, even ithe middle of summer so take a good sleeping bag and a tent. If you'r hitch-hiking your might not always make it to the next town. Some towns are 4 hours drive apart, with nothing in between. We used a tent almost the entire time. The bugs are huge and at times they get a little thirsty, bug spray for sure and duct tape to seal the gaps in your tent, you'll see what I mean!
The easiest way to get there is to take the "Alaskan Highway", it takes you straight there.
If you need more info go to www.northtoalaska.com

If you make it there, you'll have the time of your life!!!!

Don't forget to take a camera!!!!

mrjoebuchanan

You should definitely bring a copy of 'The Hitcher' with you ....

That'll give you all the advice you'll need to have when it comes to your big hitch hiking expedition.

Good luck eh!

CanTexan

Hitchiking: Hitchhiking is not allowed on major (controlled-access) highways.

Keep that in mind - it's true throughout the country. That means ALL the major highways (in the US, they'd be called INterstates, mostly) are off-limits to hitchers.

And the main North-South run through BC to Alaska is one of those highways.

The temperatures are cold - especially due to the higher altitudes and more northern latitudes - and worse even at night than in daylight. Don't expect much in the way of pickups - most of the traffic is either families doing the same tour that you're proposing (and therefore have a full vehicle), or they're professional drivers (whose companies can fire them for picking you up).

It will take a long time to get from point to point ... and, to tell the truth, I wouldn't want to stand on the roadside for any length of time during the fall and winter months. The places are fairly distant from one another ... two to three hours at 50-60 mph is pretty common. That makes it a looonnnggg walk to the next town, if you get stuck.

If you insist on going, pack small but ruggedly - you'll need food, a tent, sleeping bag, extra clothes, and cash. And expect to chew up a month or so of your time. If your baggage is bulky, most folks will just keep right on going ... they haven't got the room to pack in you AND your gear.

chloecutie

man that's definitly a baddddd idea. You're never going to be sure if you're going to get a ride and even if you do, people aren't always so nice. Yes the majority of us canadians are more friendly than americans but it's still better to take the bus, it's much cheaper than air fare and safer than hitchhiking. Plus remember that movie just came out about that crazy hitch hiker guy that kills those who give him a ride, maybe not the best time to go for it.

Jane

Hitch-hiking = bad idea. There are serial killers in Canada. Why don't you take a bus they're cheap.

feel/the/need/to/fly

You better pack a pistol if you want to make it to Alaska!

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