Trans-Canada Backpacking

Hi,

Has anyone here backpacked from one side of Canada to the other?

If so, how long does it take? Sleeping in a tent/sleeping bag, how much does it cost?

Thanks.

As far as I know no one has done it, but i could easily be wrong. I know that the Trans Canada Trail(TCT) is not projected to be finished until 2017(at the earliest). When the TCT is completed is should be something like 11,233 miles long according to the plan. So averaging 20 miles a day, with no zero days added, your looking at 562 days(about 1 year, 6 months and 17 days)at minimum. Money? Ugh no clue.

There was a couple that backpacked/skied as they followed the caribou herd on its spring/summer migration. They put a documentary together.

Here is a link to a site about the film:
http://www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/film/?id=51499

This is one of those trips that I dream about, then realize that when I retire I probably will be too old to do the trip.

Please keep us informed as your plans develope. I would love to vicariously live through your trip.

You would have to hike on much of the Trans Canada Highway which is almost 5000 miles long. Gas stations are sometimes over 100 miles apart, let alone camping sites. You would likely have to either stealth camp (i.e. farmers fields) or have some sort of escort such as a motorhome. There are lots of great campsites but in the summer they tend to get full up fast. There are government provincial campsites as well as many private ones. Of course motels may be a good option too.

I am sure people have cycled it but I have never heard of anyone actually hiking from one end of Canada to the other. The terrain varies a lot . Here in BC we have mountains and wynding roads whereas on the prairie provinces the ground tends to be flat and the roads are relatively straight. In the prairie province of Saskatchewan they say you can see a dog that ran away two days ago

Good luck, and don't try it in the winter.

I should have mentioned that there are a few who have jogged across Canada. I didn’t include those as they seem to always have an elaborate support system. They don’t have to carry anything.

Since I posted I found this site:’

http://www.walkcanada.com/about.php

I guess he made it.

Howie

Ug Saskatchewan - No disrespect, but I will avoid that province if at all possible.

It was major excitement on my last trip through to see a cow or road kill

Actually I didn’t really mean to slam Saskatchewan. It has a majesty all its own. I happen to like the province. I may even go there to retire someday. It is one of those places we tend to joke about. True, they don’t have the mountains we have here in BC but there are very pretty hilly areas in the south. Saskatchewan actually has over 100,000 lakes and rivers and some of those lakes are very large. Only the southern part of the province is populated. Half the province is covered by forest. My wife and her family are from there and we took a two week holiday there in July, touring in our motorhome.

It all depends on a person’s point of view. One man moves from the mountains to the prairie and he says “nothing to look at here”. Another man moves from the prairie to the mountains and says, “can’t see anything for the ruddy mountains”.

They tend to get lots of daylight and lots of sunshine but unfortunately the winters can be harsh with lots of snow. Good snowmobile country. Likely great hunting too. Property there tends to be quite reasonable and the soil is exceptionally good for growing stuff. It is true there likely aren’t too many hikers keen on hiking across that province as it can be long way from one place to the next.

Howie

I guess I didn't think before I posted - sorry about that.

My only experience with Saskatchewan was driving from Michigan to Alaska - so I didn't experience it at all. Driving across the province just about drove me batty(er?) I am personally not a person who can appreciate prairie and have informed the husband I will follow him anywhere... - that isn't flat, too hot or too crowded

Didn't mean any disrespect.

Havel

No offence taken. Saskatchewan has always been a place folks made fun of. Like, last one out of Saskatchewan please turn out the light. For a few years we had a comedy show running called Corner Gas. I believe it put the province on the map so to speak. The set took place in “Dog River” which in reality is the town of Rouleau where my wife’s cousin lives. Been there, bought the t-shirt. They still have the Dog River sign on the grain elevator as well as the movie set gas station. You can likely still find excerpts from the show on Youtube.

This summer they had a lot of flooding due to heavy rainfall. That made the mosquitos exceptionally numerous. I was teasing my wife, I always thought it was the cold winters that drove people from Saskatchewan. It wasn’t it was the mosquitos

Howie