Trekking across Canada three years from now- need expert advice

[alexander super-apple]

I think that the best way you can understand this is if you've seen the movie Into The Wild, read the book, or have somehow heard about Chris McCandless and what he did. His story inspired me.

I have always felt out of place in civilization and the modern world. I see so much beauty in nature and the wilderness, and living in modern society saddens me like nothing else, showing me that most people don't see it all as I do. I can't explain my passion; I can only hope that, being a part of this community, readers of this thread will somehow understand.

I have a friend who shares my passion. Our ultimate goal, something that we feel we can never live until we do, is to trek across Canada and Alaska. We're sixteen, and we've been slowly planning, makings gear lists and looking at maps, for almost a year now. We plan to do it right after we graduate. We'll both have backpacks and gear suggested by experts we plan to talk to. We want to do this, but we don't want to throw our lives away like McCandless did. We know we have to come back to the modern world eventually, and both plan on attending college after. We want to embark 200% prepared and equipped. I live in southern Wisconsin, and our first goal is to get to Canada. We'll hitchhike, backpack, or probably some combination thereof. As of now, we plan to carry rice as McCandless did, and eat it when we have to, but forage and hunt whenever we can. I'll establish right now that we've both been trained in wilderness survival since we were small, and we know what we're doing. Please don't try to talk me out of all this. It work work. Anyway, we haven't decided if we'll carry a gun from the beginning. It may not be necessary; I know quite alot about wild plants, both for eating and medicinal uses, and plan to do serious studying in the years to come, and my friend Nick is something of an expert with traps and snares, and a very experienced fisherman, having fished in Canada, Africa, and many other places. We'll eat in those ways whenever possible, resorting to the rice only if food is very scarce. One thing I need advice on here is the rice. We need a food that is non perishable, and very dense, so no space is wasted. It doesn't have to taste great, and it needs to be fairly common so we can stock up in towns when we need more. Rice has so far seemed like the answer, but let me know if you know of something better. Anyway, we'll probably stick to the Ice Age Trail through Wisconsin, but we haven't decided if we want to take the west bend to Minesota and head north to Canada from there, or the east and go up through the Michigan's upper peninsula. Once in Canada, we plan to head west however we want, and don't feel that we need any other goal or path to follow other than to be in British Columbia by winter. We'd rather not carry all the gear needed for very low temperatures, and plan to enjoy British Columbia's mild winter. Come spring, we want to head north to Alaska, and eventually end up at our final destination, the "Magic Bus" that Chris McCandless stayed in.

Any knowlege whatsoever is very much appreciated, whether it's about gear, survival techniques, routes, links to sites, or anything. Thank you so much, and God bless.

EDIT: We also may acquire a canoe in Canada and travel down rivers, but as of now I have no knowlege of Canada's river systems. If anyone can tell me anything or give me a link to a map of Canada's rivers, it would be much appreciated. Thanks again!

[your_comforting_company]

Just use google maps and view the topo. It'll show you just about every nook and cranny stream there is.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

there are options across the top of the map for different views, you can view the satellite imagery, or click "More" and click on topography.

[Justin Case]

Well I am glad you plan to spend a couple of years learning before embarking on such a journey..

[alexander super-apple]

I've spent my whole life learning... I'm just narrowing my study goals to fit the journey.

[Sourdough]

Because of weather conditions, I suggest you start at the "Magic Bus" and work your way south. Note: For a modest fee I would be happy to Professionally Guide your team across Alaska.

[Justin Case]

I've spent my whole life learning... I'm just narrowing my study goals to fit the journey.

If you use the site search , you will find VOLUMES of related information ;)

(I dont mean to say do not ask questions, Just pointing you to a valuable resource)

[kyratshooter]

Have you applied for a passport yet? The last 18 year old I conversed with was leaving in a week but had not applied for a passport.

Here is a historic tip for you. There once was a guy named Alexander Mackenzie crossed Canada to BC. He did this with only one other companion and two native guides. One of the things he discovered was that the passage only required 12 miles of overland travel. They canoed all the way across Canada except for the 12 mile trek over the contentintal divide. I do not know if this is possible today, but it was at that time.

He was working as an agent for the Northwest Company and The trip only cost about $4,000 U.S., but that was 1792.

1792 also happens to be 10 years before The famed Lewis and Clark government sponsored expidition which claims fame as the first to cross the continent???

The government trip cost around $2,000,000 U.S. (long live private interprise)

This may not help you any but it is nice to know.

Take your two years.

Learn all you can. (legal restrictions will be as important as survival training in the 21st century)

Prepare wisely.

Make definate and sensable emergency plans.

[alexander super-apple]

Justin Case, thanks for the tip. I'm new to the site, and you're right, alot of what I'm looking for just takes some digging around.

[Sourdough]

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4354&highlight=Real+men

Some place in this thread (near the beginning) is a helpful story, that you will enjoy. And the guy who started the thread is such a nice guy........;):wavey:;)


This link is in post #115 However I can't get the story to come up, Maybe you can contact Alaska Magazine and ask how to get the Oct. 2008 issue via internet. It truely is a great read.

[Rick]

Yeah, we've discuss McCandless on here a time or two. What inspired you? The fact that he did it with little or no preparation or the fact that he died because of it?

[Rick]

For a modest fee I would be happy to Professionally Guide your team across Alaska.

I think there is merit in this offer. I am quite certain you would see wilderness beyond your wildest dreams, venture into places that good men fear and return to tell the tale. I would imagine the price is also negotiable...but not much.

If you take him up on it, just practice running. It's always best if you can outrun your guide.

[alexander super-apple]

Hey Sourdough,

I'm sure you know alot more about this than I do, but what do you mean by weather conditions? We plan to leave within a few days of our graduation, and be gone for that summer, fall, winter, spring, and the next summer, and be back in time to go to college the following year. Theoretically spring and fall shouldn't be very different in terms of temperature, so assuming we're in British Columbia for the brunt of winter, it shouldn't make much difference whether we make the Canada leg in the first summer and that fall and the Yukon-Alaska leg in the spring and second summer, or the other way around. [I]But[I] I don't know much about weather in Canada and Alaska. Is spring more harsh than fall? I respect your knowlege, and mainly what I'm wondering is why you think we should start at the bus. Thanks.

[Sarge47]

So why did you pick a loser to emulate? I personally think that Crhis McCandless was an idiot. He was unprepared, thought he knew everything so he ignored the advice that was given to him by more knowledgeable people. He was inspired by the writings of Jack London, which was a big mistake. If I was going to emulate anybody in Alaska, it'd be Dick Proenecke. For an interesting viewpoint of surviving Alaska in the spring, "Man, Woman, Wild" had to admit defeat on last weeks episode. They were there in the Spring & suffered tremendously for it. Without a proper intro, that's all you're going to get from me. :cool2:

[Camp10]

Next summer, during school vacation take your buddy and hike a few states on the appalachian trail. Carry your heavy packs, pick the footwear you think you will use for your trek across Canada and put a few hundred miles on your gear. It might be a good way to practice for a trip like what you are planning.

In an earlier post you asked if spring is more harsh than fall. In Maine, spring is called mud season and I'll bet it is in AK and Canada as well. Everything is muddy, the water is over it's banks and the mosquitoes and black flies will bite enough so you leave a blood trail...yeah, it's more harsh.

[tsitenha]

With mosquitoes and blackflies YOU are the other food group, run of is bad and will keep you in place longer than you can expect. Can you canoe really canoe day in and out.
There is a series in french television called Destination Nor'Ouest about a group of paddlers that leave Montreal and make there way west to Winnepeg and on. they were supervised at arms lenght and it was grueling for them as prepared as they were. Can you mentally do the trek???

[alexander super-apple]

Thanks Camp10 and tsitenha. That reminds me of what I've felt to be one of our biggest dilemas... The mosquitoes and flies. I've had a taste of them in the Apostle Islands and the Boundary Waters, and I' sure that that's only a small taste. I'll probably post another thread specifically about this, but does anyone know any techniques to keep the bugs at bay? We can't really carry bug spray with us, but I know it's possible to overcome them; the natives did/do it. I know that many tribes used bear grease, but as we don't plan on killing any bears, that's not really an option. I'd like to add that we plan on carrying bear spray. But anyway, are there any plants we could use? I've heard that fireweed sort of works as a mild insect repellant, but I've tried it and didn't notice any success.

[alexander super-apple]

And Sarge47, I'm sorry that I didn't post an intro, I had no idea that I was supposed to. I have now.

[alexander super-apple]

Oh, and Camp10, we're planning on preparing like you said. Last summer, we backpacked in Black River State Forest, and next summer we plan to backpack the Porkies. Hopefully the summer before senior year we can make it to the appalachian trail. We're both athletes, and we're planning on taking long hikes with our packs weighed down to build the necessary muscle and stamina.

[Sarge47]

And Sarge47, I'm sorry that I didn't post an intro, I had no idea that I was supposed to. I have now.
It's not that you're supposed to, it helps us know what kind of advice to give you. There's a difference between a 16 year old boy & a 26 year old man; however, given your screen name, I suspected that you were pretty young, about mid-teens. Not a bad guess for an old guy! Here's the thing, you be yourself, not somebody else. I've read your intro & if what you write is true then you're already heads & shoulders above Chris McCandless. BTW, did you ever read "Into Thin Air" by the same author? Great book! :cool2:

[Aurelius95]

BTW, did you ever read "Into Thin Air" by the same author? Great book! :cool2:

Awesome book, yet depressing. I am finding out that many "disasters" could be avoided if people are properly prepared, know how to read the signs, and not push the limits too far. This is true for the disaster on Everest in the 90's, the death of Chris "Alexander Supertramp" McCandless, not to mention all the SNAFUs that occurred in the military (specifically, WWII).

[Alaskan Survivalist]

I know a few things. The first is that people that are in awe of nature have not spent near enough time in it to be called experienced. Secondly like all things that feeling will fade as it becomes common place and a trip like you talk about is enough to suck the joy out of what you feel now. I also know people talk big about what they are going to do but just incase you do actually do it I have some advice.

The first time you hear a little voice in your head saying turn back, LISTEN TO IT!

[alexander super-apple]

No, I haven't, although I've been looking for a good book recently and I'll definitely check that one out. And yeah, I don't see why anybody would come on here and make stuff up. My intro is true, although I respect that my skills are nothing compared to some other people on here. I came here to learn, and I know that this is the perfect place.

[alexander super-apple]

Alaskan Survivalist, I understand what you mean about the voice. The goal isn't to keep pushing it through your doubts; The goal is to be so prepared that you have no doubts.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

Alaskan Survivalist, I understand what you mean about the voice. The goal isn't to keep pushing it through your doubts; The goal is to be so prepared that you have no doubts.

It took me the better part of my life to listen to mine. I sure as hell wished I had learned it earlier in life.

[NightShade]

Camp10. Stole my thunder, again, but differnce in spring and fall.... Temp may be similar... But terrain is totally different... Think mud everywhere and swollen rivers in the spring. Not to mention if you are lookin to sustain off the land - different animal behavior and available edible plants..

[Sarge47]

And yeah, I don't see why anybody would come on here and make stuff up.
Well, there was this one guy on here who claimed that he lived in Alaska 240 miles from any human habitation, although he could use the internet just fine. :huh: We found out from his IP address that he lived in Michigan. Then there was Howard Britain & the Wall of God...! :boxer: :saberbattle::ph34r:

BTW, it's impossible to prepare for everything that can go wrong, AS is right! :thumbup1:

[Rick]

No plan survives enemy contact. Something will go wrong. It's gauranteed.

[CoyoteBC]

Few things.
Learn the weapons law in Canada
Yes it is possible to legally bring a rifle or shotgun into Canada,not sure about your use though. http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/information/visit/index-eng.htm information on bringing firearms into Canada
No you can't bring in a pistol for a trip like you are planning.
Pepper spray labeled for use on domesticated animals or bears = legal
Pepper spray that even mentions use against people = prohibited
Liberal knife laws but some types like; switch blades, push daggers, balisongs are prohibited
British Columbia in winter = very cold
Winter in small area around Vancouver British Columbia or Victoria = mild
http://www.tctrail.ca/home.php = trans Canada trail
80% of population lives within 200 miles of Canada-US border
Summer in the prairies can be very hot
If you want goggle ibycus 2.1 this is a topo map of Canada that can be downloaded for free,there are newer versions but this one is the best imo. You will need to use a torrent to download it.
Scan it for viruses as I have heard there are some fakes out there.
Ibycus is designed for garmin gps but if you download garmin's mapsource or nRoute you can view it on your computer.
Get medical insurance in case of illness or accident.
Before you even think of trying this, know how long you can hike in a day over an extended length of time, then really look at how far you intend to walk given your time frame.
Don't make a loser your hero or you may end up like him.

[CoyoteBC]

http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/index.html = maps of Canada and links to climate and weather

[Winnie]

Great post CBC!

[CoyoteBC]

Thanks
I will post more when I think of it

[hunter63]

Very good post, CBC, useful information for all.