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 Saturday June 25th
km total km elev. (m)  
0 0   Prince George Airport
15 15 575 Downtown Prince George
The ride from the airport to downtown Prince George is easy as it is either flat or downhill.
Be sure to stock up before leaving Prince George as the next store of any consequence is at McBride, over 200 km away!
Overnight at the Travelodge Hotel.

today's total = 15 km

  Approaching Vancouver by plane

 Sunday June 26th
km total km elev. (m)  
0 15 575 Prince George
A beautiful sunny day!
Leave Prince George on Hwy. 16 (the Yellowhead Highway) and start climbing shortly after crossing the Fraser River.
5 20 700 The last convenience store before Purden Lake.
25 40   Our first bear sighting of the trip. The farmland has now given way to forest. The terrain is undulating, but the riding is not too difficult.
30 45   Wildlife Viewing Area.
35 50   Willow River Rest Area.
A very nice rest area beside the river. Swimming (in the river), picnic tables and excellent outhouses! Cyclists could easily camp here for the night.
56 71   Bownron River Rest Area.
58 73   Purden Lake Provincial Park entrance.
The park is 2 km from the highway and offers camping, swimming and a picnic area. We called in for a swim as it was quite hot by then.
62 77   Back on Hwy. 16 after the 4 km (round trip) detour to the park.
66 81 780 Purden Lake Resort.
We elected to camp here, rather than at the provincial park, as we were drawn by the prospect of hot showers and a licensed restaurant! The resort has two very nice log cabins for rent and a (very) small store.
today's total = 66 km Leanne near Purden Lake

 Monday June 27th
km total km elev. (m)  
0 81 780 Purden Lake Resort.
Another gorgeous sunny day!
The stretch of Hwy.16 between Purden Lake and McBride is quite remote. There is a small 'diner' at Dome Creek, but no stores.
25 106   Two moose were spotted crossing the highway.
The scenery is improving all the time as the Rocky Mountains are getting ever closer.
58 139 740 Slim Creek Rest Area.
A very nice, large, rest area where cyclists could easily camp for the night. There is swimming in the river as well as picnic tables and excellent outhouses.
61 142 810 Dome Creek Diner (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays!)
The riding is becoming more strenuous as the climbs become longer.
106 187   Goat River Road Rest Area, where we camped for the night. This is a small, quiet, rest area with an outhouse and swimming in the river. We were able to squeeze in our six small tents.
today's total = 106 km Camping at the Goat River Road Rest Area

 Tuesday June 28th
km total km elev. (m)  
0 187   Goat River Road Rest Area.
Another beautiful sunny day (albeit a little hot by mid-afternoon)!
6 193 920 The 6 km climb out of the Goat River Valley is not too bad as the maximum grade is 6%.
10 197 950 Two deer were spotted, grazing at the side of the highway.
27 214   Scarecrow Farm.
This would have been a wonderful place to stay for the night as the camping is excellent. The B & B accommodations are equally good. The owners, Peter and Tweazle Hollist, are extremely nice people and treated us to fresh water melon.
41 228 725 McBride (pop. = 750)
The last 20 km of riding was much easier as one is now in the beautiful Robson Valley.
McBride is a delightful little town with all services (campsite, motels, food stores, etc.) available. There is an excellent coffee shop located in the old train station.
43 230   Beaverview Campsite.
55 242   King Creek Golf & Winter Club.
Small motel, campsite and restaurant.
63 250   Rest Area.
65 252   Cougar spotted crossing the highway.
88 275   Small River Rest Area.
103 290 777 Tête Jaune Resort (at Tête Jaune Cache)
Campsite, motel and restaurant.
The riding between McBride and Tête Jaune Cache is not particularly hard.
105 292   Tête Jaune Cache Rest Area (on the Fraser River).
108 295   Rearguard Falls.
Start climbing!
112 299 890 Mt. Terry Fox Lookout & Rest Area.
113 300 860 Mt. Robson Lodge & Robson Shadows Campground.
An excellent private campground with a restaurant and hot showers. The campsites are alongside the Fraser River and afford great views of Mt. Robson. The only negative is that the sites are approx. 500 m from the showers. The owners are very nice people.
today's total = 113 km Mt. Robson at sunset (from our campsite)

 Wednesday June 29th
km total km elev. (m)  
0 300 860 Mt. Robson Lodge & Robson Shadows Campground.
Another perfect day for enjoying the magnificent scenery that this section of the trip has to offer!
5 305   Mt. Robson Provincial Park Boundary.
6 306 830 Robson River Campground.
7 307 830 Robson Meadows Campground.
7 307 830 Mt. Robson Visitor Centre.
There is a restaurant adjacent to the Visitor Centre that serves good food at reasonable prices.
Start climbing immediately after the Visitor Centre!
9 309 900 Overlander Falls.
The scenery is spectacular, and will remain that way for the duration of the trip!
15 315 1035 The steepest part of the climb is over!
25 325 1072 Red Pass.
The highway levels off as it now follows Moose Lake.
29 329   If you are thirsty, watch for the lovely, cold, spring water gushing from pipes on your left!
36 336 1035 Moose Lake Boat Launch and Picnic Area.
58 358 1110 Lucerne Campground.
61 361 1110 Mt. Fitzwilliam Picnic Area.
68 368 1155 Yellowhead Pass.
Boundary with Alberta and Jasper National Park. This is also the Continental Divide and the start of the Mountain Time Zone.
72 372 1120 Toll gate for Jasper National Park.
93 393 1060 Junction with Hwy. 93 (The Icefields Parkway).
Turn left to visit the Town of Jasper, where all services are available. You will need to re-stock for the trek to Lake Louise through Jasper and Banff National Parks.
97 397 1100 Whistler's Campground (on the Icefields Parkway).
A large site with hot showers and food storage lockers.
There were 25, or so, elk wandering around the campground.
today's total = 97 km Leanne approaching Mt. Robson
       

 page updated on May 08, 2010

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