4 maybe 5 weeks....

[garyhaupt]

Almost time...we are going to take off for a month long BC wander come Sept 15th. Probably drift thru highway 20 to Bella Coola, come back same way and Wells Grey Park, find some wild hot springs, watch trains in the Fraser Canyon. Spend a few days in Vancouver.

Can't say I ani't ready.


Gary Haupt

[enblethen]

There is a lot of clear cutting everywhere!
Any where you go, you need to pay attention to your surroundings!

[wilber1]

PartyOf Five wrote:
Muncho Lake is beautiful if you go that way, but stay away from the logging and mining trucks. Despite the economic positives, seeing that destruction will ruin your trip.

As a retired airline pilot who spent a lot of time flying up and down the coast between Vancouver and California, I can assure you that there are lots of clear cuts in Washington and Oregon.

[garyhaupt]

Commonly referred to as 'The Hill'...originally built by the residents of Bella Coola and the valley. The hill is not paved. They run semi's up and down..canneries and so on. There are protocols to be followed on the hill. Some of the corners are narrow. Switch backs and all that, so...one looks way ahead to see what's coming at you. More than one tourist has driven down and paid to have their rig driven up. The wrecks down the sides are legion....

Gary

[gmckenzie]

I dunno. Using a half ton to pull a 34' trailer up and down that road just doesn't sound like fun to me.

And, while I'd love to visit the Island, the ferry cost to pull my setup across is why it's not gonna happen.

[SideHillSoup]

gmckenzie wrote:

garyhaupt wrote:
Almost time...we are going to take off for a month long BC wander come Sept 15th. Probably drift thru highway 20 to Bella Coola, come back same way and Wells Grey Park, find some wild hot springs, watch trains in the Fraser Canyon. Spend a few days in Vancouver.

Can't say I ani't ready.


Gary Haupt

Done most of that, just not Bella Coola. Road scares me a bit 🙂

Oh, and I doubt I'd ever try towing in Vancouver unless I had no choice. Can't even stand driving down there 🙂

The Hill as they call it on Hwy 20 east of Bella Coola is no big deal. We drove it last summer after a trip up from Vancouver Island on the new ferry Sea Wolf.
The dirt section is 62 kms of a very well maintained “mostly” 2 lane logging road.











Soup.

[ssthrd]

garyhaupt wrote:

ssthrd wrote:
"That would be sweet....I am following a thread on a FB page...San Josef, Rath Cove and Winter Harbour, from Port Hardy. Now I can't wait for January!"



Just returned to Port Hardy from a day trip to Alder Bay and Telegraph Cove where Killer whales are common (not today). Have been to Grant Bay, and my kids have been to San Josef, Rath Cove, and Cape Scott several times each. As I tap this out, my youngest is at Cape Scott again for a few days.

Winter Harbour is a straight drive with the others a 1 ½ to 2 ½ hour drive on very rough active logging roads followed by a hike of up to 4 hours to Cape Scott.

For Rath Cove it is easier to do the last of it by canoe, or kayak for maybe an hour, otherwise a more difficult hike for an hour or so.

For a better road and a better time, good weather is a bonus. If you don't care, all of the above are awesome. I would plan to camp around Port Hardy somewhere and drive. Lots of options.

To your knowledge...San Josef has a road? I don't see either one of us doing the hike into Cape Scott..bearing in mind, we are talking winter, too.

I think we are going to start out via the Sunshine Coast and trundle along. We won't get going till January or February..if storms are raging, we'll hide out a bit.


Gary

My daughter says it's a two hour drive to a parking lot from Port Hardy depending on weather and road conditions, then an easy 3 km hike to the beach. Maybe 45 minutes.

Hurricane force winds are common at Cape Scott in the winter, so it's not a great time to go.

[garyhaupt]

ssthrd wrote:
"That would be sweet....I am following a thread on a FB page...San Josef, Rath Cove and Winter Harbour, from Port Hardy. Now I can't wait for January!"



Just returned to Port Hardy from a day trip to Alder Bay and Telegraph Cove where Killer whales are common (not today). Have been to Grant Bay, and my kids have been to San Josef, Rath Cove, and Cape Scott several times each. As I tap this out, my youngest is at Cape Scott again for a few days.

Winter Harbour is a straight drive with the others a 1 ½ to 2 ½ hour drive on very rough active logging roads followed by a hike of up to 4 hours to Cape Scott.

For Rath Cove it is easier to do the last of it by canoe, or kayak for maybe an hour, otherwise a more difficult hike for an hour or so.

For a better road and a better time, good weather is a bonus. If you don't care, all of the above are awesome. I would plan to camp around Port Hardy somewhere and drive. Lots of options.

To your knowledge...San Josef has a road? I don't see either one of us doing the hike into Cape Scott..bearing in mind, we are talking winter, too.

I think we are going to start out via the Sunshine Coast and trundle along. We won't get going till January or February..if storms are raging, we'll hide out a bit.


Gary

[ssthrd]

"That would be sweet....I am following a thread on a FB page...San Josef, Rath Cove and Winter Harbour, from Port Hardy. Now I can't wait for January!"



Just returned to Port Hardy from a day trip to Alder Bay and Telegraph Cove where Killer whales are common (not today). Have been to Grant Bay, and my kids have been to San Josef, Rath Cove, and Cape Scott several times each. As I tap this out, my youngest is at Cape Scott again for a few days.

Winter Harbour is a straight drive with the others a 1 ½ to 2 ½ hour drive on very rough active logging roads followed by a hike of up to 4 hours to Cape Scott.

For Rath Cove it is easier to do the last of it by canoe, or kayak for maybe an hour, otherwise a more difficult hike for an hour or so.

For a better road and a better time, good weather is a bonus. If you don't care, all of the above are awesome. I would plan to camp around Port Hardy somewhere and drive. Lots of options.

[ssthrd]

Orion wrote:

Probably spend the winter near Campbell River. Might run into you somewhere.

I hope you have a reservation! Many have planned to come to the Island as they can't winter down south.

I do! Got the last one at my dream site, so we are very happy. We will keep it, and maybe still move around a bit.

[Orion]

Probably spend the winter near Campbell River. Might run into you somewhere.

I hope you have a reservation! Many have planned to come to the Island as they can't winter down south.

[garyhaupt]

ssthrd wrote:

garyhaupt wrote:

ReneeG wrote:
I'm envious. We went to Canada back in 2005, I think. Did the Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Well Gray Provincial Park, Kamloops, and Revelstoke and everything in between and still didn't see enough. Have not been able to make it back.

We share a similar sentiment, just that ours is about Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and New Mexico...our winter haunts. Instead, this coming winter will see us wandering BC...probably over to Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. We'll probably have to do it bits n pieces. I don't quite see us out for 2/3 months at a stretch. But..a couple weeks here..a couple there, we hope is doable.


Gary

Vancouver Island seems to be in many people's plans with good reason for sure. We have been bumming around the Island since April with trips home now and then for laundry and maybe a hockey game on a big tv.

Vancouver Island is amazing but don't tell anyone.

Probably spend the winter near Campbell River. Might run into you somewhere.

That would be sweet....I am following a thread on a FB page...San Josef, Rath Cove and Winter Harbour, from Port Hardy. Now I can't wait for January!

Gary

[garyhaupt]

ssthrd wrote:

EEWally wrote:
We're down here and would like to tour north of the border but that has to wait. Close to us, though, is Glacier National Park, an option but WOW. Here's a pic of the Logan Pass parking lot a while ago. I actually see an open parking spot!


We could drive our truck camper over the pass from the West but continue to St. Mary where we'd have to turn back (at last report) because the Blackfeet Tribe has closed the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to recreation because of the virus. Good for them.

The Blackfeet official website has a section described as "Prevent the spread on the Rez." Again, good for them.

By a long shot, this is the most spectacular road trip I have ever taken. St Mary to Lake MacDonald for a weekend, then back over the pass on my brother's bike. On the outside. An unforgettable ride.

It has ben many years, but returning is still on my bucket list.

Sorry to hijack your thread, Gary. I couldn't resist making a comment.

This is not a hijack..this is a great addition. Fabulous drive, it is.

Gary

[ssthrd]

garyhaupt wrote:

ReneeG wrote:
I'm envious. We went to Canada back in 2005, I think. Did the Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Well Gray Provincial Park, Kamloops, and Revelstoke and everything in between and still didn't see enough. Have not been able to make it back.

We share a similar sentiment, just that ours is about Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and New Mexico...our winter haunts. Instead, this coming winter will see us wandering BC...probably over to Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. We'll probably have to do it bits n pieces. I don't quite see us out for 2/3 months at a stretch. But..a couple weeks here..a couple there, we hope is doable.


Gary

Vancouver Island seems to be in many people's plans with good reason for sure. We have been bumming around the Island since April with trips home now and then for laundry and maybe a hockey game on a big tv.

Vancouver Island is amazing but don't tell anyone.

Probably spend the winter near Campbell River. Might run into you somewhere.

[ssthrd]

EEWally wrote:
We're down here and would like to tour north of the border but that has to wait. Close to us, though, is Glacier National Park, an option but WOW. Here's a pic of the Logan Pass parking lot a while ago. I actually see an open parking spot!


We could drive our truck camper over the pass from the West but continue to St. Mary where we'd have to turn back (at last report) because the Blackfeet Tribe has closed the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to recreation because of the virus. Good for them.

The Blackfeet official website has a section described as "Prevent the spread on the Rez." Again, good for them.

By a long shot, this is the most spectacular road trip I have ever taken. St Mary to Lake MacDonald for a weekend, then back over the pass on my brother's bike. On the outside. An unforgettable ride.

It has ben many years, but returning is still on my bucket list.

Sorry to hijack your thread, Gary. I couldn't resist making a comment.