gpsKevin Adventure Rides - Touch of Alaska

Touch of Alaska

Journey to Alaska and Back

Explore British Columbia, Vancouver Island and the Famous Inland Passage

August 16 – 27, 2025

Join us for this 12 day Adventure Motorcycle Ride from the Washington State border to Hyder Alaska and explore the Best Glaciers left in the world

Bikes loaded onto the ferry and enjoy a day on the Inside Passage Ferry Route

About this ride

The Touch of Alaska motorcycle Adventure is a 12 day adventure loop starting at the border of Washington State near Vancouver British Columbia and traveling to Alaska and back. The ride starts with a couple of day exploring Vancouver Island and then riders load there bikes on the BC ferry for the trip From Port Hardy to Prince Rupert through the famous inland passage. Day 4 riders travel to Stewart BC and Day 5 we explore Hyder Alaska, Salmon Glacier and Bear Glacier. We will also stop at Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site where we might just get a chance to see Grizzly Bears catching Salmon. Day 6 we start our journey back Southward towards Granisle to explore the interior of British Columbia. Here we have options to travel main paved roads or several dirt forest roads and even some logging roads. Day 7 takes us to Fishpot Lake Resort. This is a remote fishing camp that is far off the beaten path. Day 8 we head to a second remote lodge on Nimpo Lake called the Wilderness Rim Resort. Here we will spend 2 days as on Day 9 we will take an Out and Back to Bella Coola. Bella Coola is a remote Indian Village set in a beautiful area on the edge of the land with its main access by water. Day 10 we head toward Clinton with option to explore the Frasier Valley and the Gang Ranch Suspension Bridge. Day 11 riders travel to Pemberton and have the option to take the dirt roads through Edge Hills Provincial Park and the Big Bar Ferry. The afternoon routes include old Ghost Towns of Bralorne and Gold Bridge. Finally on Day 12 riders will travel to Abbotsford for a final ride celebration lunch and then will depart for home.

Salmon Glacier, Hyder Alaska

Grizzly Bear Catching Salmon

About the Routes

This is a 12 day ride designed for adventure bikes. The ride is designed for advanced and intermediate riders. This is not a good ride for beginners. The main route does contain a mix of dirt roads and pavement. The ride has route options. The main original BAT route is colored BLUE. Each day riders can choose easier GREEN options or riders can choose to explore rougher dirt sections as RED options. Riders should study their choices ahead of time. The main BLUE route was designed with a mix for the intermediate riders on mid sized adventure bikes.

What are these Adventure Rides like?

These rides are designed along the theme of exploring the world. They include a mix of remote dirt routes, back paved roads, sometimes some very seldom ridden paths and pavement. Rides are a mix of all these things and sometimes some surprises due to weather conditions. These rides are for experienced, well seasoned riders that are capable of turning a washed out road experience into just part of the day's fun. Riders should be comfortable with turning around when necessary and finding an alternative route around unexpected obstacles. These rides are not for new riders. Note: There is no support truck on this ride. Riders must carry there own gear on their bike. Come prepared for the possibility of weather and rain

Rider Meetup

To make things more convent for riders both Americans and Canadians the ride meetup will be on the morning of Saturday August 16 2025 at 8am at the BC Ferries Tsawwassen Terminal. Americans wanting truck there bikes to the ride a can leave there Trucks at the Bellingham Airport Terminal Economy A Parking Lot during the ride. In this case riders can meet at this parking lot at 6am and ride together to cross the border and ride to the Ferry.

Option2: Riders can spend the night before the ride (Friday, August 15, 2025) at a hotel near the Ferry Terminal. We recommend:

Coast Tsawwassen Inn 1665 56 St, Delta, BC V4L 2B2, Canada +1 604-943-8221 Riders must make there own reservations.

Navigation Made Easy

We have made navigation easy for riders by developing a custom GPS chip to simply install into your Garmin or BMW GPS unit. We have also made matching paper ride maps that you can carry directly with you for quick reference and collaboration with your friends.

Is this route right for you?

This route is not good for beginners; you should be very experienced in backcountry travel and prepared for any difficulty or failures. This route includes options: both easier and harder routes. As an example for those wanting to avoid river crossings, we have added workaround route options. For those just tired and wanting to end the day early, we have added easy paved shortcuts. And for those tough guys wanting more, we have added some challenging routes.

Ride Signup info:

The cost to join this 12 day ride is $2,695. This covers your lodging for the 11 nights during the ride and the cost of the inland Ferry from Port Hardy to Prince George (One fair for Motorcycle and rider). Hotel rooms are double occupancy. This also covers your ride packets which include custom Garmin GPS maps on a micro SD card and printed ride maps and descriptions.

Now taking signups: You can now reserve your spot on this ride by leaving a $600 Deposit (Ride limit is 16 riders)

Sorry the ride is sold out. You can add your name to the waiting list and if someone cancels I will contact you. Note this often happens, so you should really add your name.

Rider Waiting List Touch of Alaska

After your signup riders will receive an email from me with further ride information and instructions.

Note:

Riders must make 50% payment by April 15th, 2025.

Riders must make full payment by June 15th, 2025.

Riders will receive ride packets in the mail one week before the ride.

Refund Policy

Your ride deposit is fully refundable until the 50% payment date above. We encourage riders to make their deposit early in order to ensure they will get a spot on the ride and to begin working on you own ride arrangements. After making your ride deposit, you will be connected with the other riders in order to coordinate any plans or discussions you may have. And to just have fun developing plans with the other riders. If your plans change, you will receive a full refund until the 50% payment due date above.

Ride Details

I know many of you also enjoy dreaming about the ride and making your plans, so here is the detail, enjoy scrolling through the detail below

Ride Description Touch of Alaska

Route Choices:

Don't put yourself in a bad spot. gpsKevin route maps always include route options. We recognize that weather and conditions can change. We design these adventures with multiple routes in different colors. The main adventure route is colored Blue, then there are easier and harder options, Green and Red, respectively. This allows riders to choose their own level of adventure appropriate for their own skill and desires. We don't want to put you into a challenging spot without options; we let you make the choice.

Ride Yodas

Yoda Dal

Magic Yoda Roberto

Yoda John

Beautiful British Columbia

View the ride maps

OK since many of you like to study more detail about the ride, below are the ride maps.

I put these ride maps on the web page because I know a few of you love looking at the ride detail and dreaming about the ride. At first glance these maps do not look so impressive, but they are way cool. If you start zooming in, you can see the ride in incredible detail. I have spent a ton of hours sorting through the details of the ride for each day, so for those of you that enjoy this sort of thing, well enjoy!

Legend:

The Blue lines are MAIN routes

The Red lines are Harder routes

The Green lines are Easy options

The Black lines are the out and back viewpoints

How does the ride navigation work?

This is a self-led GPS ride; all riding is on your own. You are responsible for your own riding. You will be given a GPS map file and instructions on how to use your Garmin GPS unit. People will hook up in small groups of less than 6 riders and tend to ride together. You are not encouraged to ride alone. You are responsible for your own riding and yourself.

(see my ride Navigation Video)

Are you right for this ride?

When something goes wrong on a ride, would your riding friends say that you are more likely to need help or more likely to give help? You should be in the more likely to offer help camp. This ride is filled with riders that are more likely to give help, so most of the time the riders never need help. Additionally there is all the normal stuff, come prepared to maintain your bike, fix your bike on the trail, repair flat tires, deal with bad weather and rain and make a joke or two.

How do I make the GPS stuff so easy?

I develop very high quality ride maps custom for our ride. They come from much of what I and others have ridden. I take the best from all my rides and make new ones.

(See my Custom Ride Maps Video)

Note from me, gpsKevin

My goal for this ride is simple,: great riding. So you can count on great routes and places to ride.

But in addition, the ride is about: discovering new places, meeting new friends, seeing new parts of the world.

Thanks

gpsKevin

FAQ's

Q; What do I do if I don't have a Garmin GPS?

A: Buy one, you need it, we will show you how to use it. You can get a great one for under $200 bucks. ( See gpsKevin's gps recommendations)

Q: Is the riding really on my own?

A: Yes, but almost everyone hooks up and rides with a friend, or a new friend or me.