Cassiar Highway 2016

For a first-time visitor it would be great if you take the Alaskan Highway one way (most do it on the way up) and return via the Cassier (doing it in August gives you a chance to visit Hyder and the bears). You will get different scenery by doing both.

Though the Alaska Highway is sometimes more convenient (as it was for my Calgary-Whitehorse drive this week), I take the Stewart-Cassiar whenever possible. I plan to spend a couple of weeks exploring along it next year.

Who knows what the road will be like next spring? When you do drive up there, just drive to what the local conditions dictate. If you go too fast, you could do damage. Check with Drive BC just before you go & during your trip. It will let you know the current conditions.

Drive BC

As most that travel those roads regularly will state they vary year to year and season to season. Our trip north in 15 was for the most part nothing like the stories so often reported. Sure there were flagged areas and some that should have been that weren't. The latter if your eyes are on the road and your traveling as posted don't present a problem as the tire marks on the road give there own warning so stay alert.

As I said went north in mid May and the roads were good but returning in mid August the gravel section from Beaver Creek south to just north of Destruction Bay was the worst washboard I've ever traveled.

We returned on the Cassiar which on the north end they were just finishing up with road work and then some active chip sealing south of the Stewart/Hyder cutoff.

All in all it was a good trip and we plan on going back in 18.

What the road is like this year and what it will be like next year is really unpredictable. Plan on some construction areas for your whole trip on any road you drive. There's always something. The Alaskan trip is an adventure!

Blazing Zippers wrote:
For the returning visitors; How was the Cassiar Highway, did you come back that way, etc.
Any thoughts on using it with a fifth wheel trailer and a class C motorhome.
Planning for 2017..

I to wondered about road conditions before our trip.

But now I know that all paved roads will be the same or worst or better depending upon conditions beyond our control. And all paved roads will be manageable.

If you choose to drive like one guy I met expect issues. He was in his 19th day getting his bent 5er hitch repaired in Dawson Creek.

My crystal ball indicates that the Cassiar will not be the worst road you encounter.

Went up it this summer when I was returning home. All in all I think it was better than when I came down the normal route.

Both directions are going to have some gravel as they're always working on both roads and they'll both have some frost heaves. Do like I did and take one way up and the other way down.

Don't worry about any size constraints, there were rigs of all sizes.

Take a side trip over to Stewart, CAN and Hyder, AK - you'll get your best fuel price in Stewart.

Bill