Northward Bound Again: Preparing for the Trans Canada Trail

 “The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley.”

 

Robert Burns, To a Mouse (1785)

 

Hiking to Canada’s Northern and Arctic Regions

 

Almost a year ago, we were preparing to return to Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, to begin the northern portion of our #Hike4Birds journey on the Trans Canada Trail, following the national pathway through northern Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon toward the Arctic Ocean. Having completed more than 14,000 kilometres from Cape Spear, Newfoundland, to Victoria, British Columbia, in November 2022, we were eager to begin the next chapter of our coast-to-coast-to-coast adventure.

 

Unfortunately, 2023 did not transpire as we had anticipated. The unprecedented wildfire season across northern Canada disrupted communities, closed roads, affected travel throughout the region and ultimately forced us to postpone our plans. Although disappointing, the decision was both necessary and the responsible course of action.  The result was that we spent the intervening months reconsidering our schedule, reviewing our preparations and following developments across the North.

 

Although our plans to head north had been postponed, 2023 was far from a year without adventure. Instead, we returned to Europe, where we spent several months walking the length of Portugal along the Camino Portugués, following the Central Route until Porto before shifting to the Coastal Route and Spiritual Variant to continue north toward Santiago de Compostela in Spain. We also explored Portugal's spectacular southwestern coastline along the Rota Vicentina Fishermen's Trail, discovering a very different collection of landscapes, communities, histories and wildlife along the way.

 

These journeys allowed us to continue our #Hike4Birds project, reconnecting with nature through slow travel and long-distance walking.  While Canada's North remained firmly in our thoughts, Portugal reminded us that an unexpected change in direction can sometimes lead to equally rewarding discoveries.

 

Now, with May 2024 approaching, we are once again preparing to pick up our backpacks and return to the trail. Our immediate goal is to walk from Fort Saskatchewan to Whitehorse, Yukon, a journey of approximately 2,300 kilometres through landscapes and communities very different from those we encountered while crossing southern Canada. Much of this northern route follows rural roads and working highways, with substantial distances between reliable food supplies, established campgrounds and other services.  What comes next is less about following an established off-road trail and more akin to simply making our way along a route north.

 

Researching the Northern Trans Canada Trail

 

In preparation for our originally planned 2023 departure, we published a detailed guide bringing together our research on the northern Trans Canada Trail. It examines the proposed route from Fort Saskatchewan through Athabasca, Lesser Slave Lake, Peace River, Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson and Watson Lake to Whitehorse, with particular attention to communities, resupply opportunities, distances, camping possibilities and the challenges of navigating a national pathway that is not always a conventional hiking trail.

 

For anyone interested in following our journey, or considering an adventure of their own in Canada's North, we invite you to explore our earlier guide:

 

Walking the Trans Canada Trail North: Fort Saskatchewan to Whitehorse - Research, Resources and Planning Information

 

The guide – as we have produced for each province on the TCT - reflects our original planning research rather than conditions verified on the ground. Following the disruptions of 2023, we recognize that roads, services, camping facilities and trail connections may have changed, and we will continue adjusting our plans as new information becomes available.

 

As we prepare to head north once again, we are excited to return to the slower pace of travelling across Canada on foot, photographing birds and wildlife, learning about the landscapes and communities we pass through, and sharing what we discover along the way. After an unexpected year of waiting, the northern Trans Canada Trail is finally ahead of us - and we look forward to sharing it with you once more one day at a time. 

 

See you on the trail!