Hwy 37

[bcgarrison]

Looking at my route, Hwy 37 between New Hazelton,BC and Watson Lake it appears to be about 450 miles with very few towns in between. How about fuel availability? Or should I re-reroute through Dawson Creek? Coming from Jasper.

[AKsilvereagle]

From the Alaska Hwy 97-Cassiar Hwy 37 Junction point A :

To the Cariboo Hwy 97-Yellowhead Hwy 16 Junction at Prince George point B :

The distance factor between point A and point B here the last I knew was a 28 mile distance shorter if the Cassiar Hwy (Hwy 37) was taken, however there is no way you will make time on it compared to the Alaska Hwy route (Hwy 97) to Prince George if that is your destination route.

The Cassiar Hwy is narrow with no shoulder throughout as the northern half is bumpy in parts while the southbound half is smooth as glass, however it is scenic and has hills and a few grades in between with more curves and yes it has its same elements of the far north roads with floods, fires, and bridge work (other far north roads are no different) - as logging trucks are king on the Cassiar route....once you reach Hwy 16 it is good road with wide shoulder as you are back on the modern roads as commuters drive rather fast on it.

The northern rockies south of Liard Hot Springs (mile 477) on the Alaska Highway has some intermittent 6% to 9% grades but nothing compared to the Sierras and is short lived, lots of curves between Liard Hot Springs thru the south end of Steamboat Mountain (around mile 320 or so) as you can make up faster time south of that on the Alaska Hwy and beyond.

I have yet to be stranded ever in the four Septembers I driven thru Summit Lake highest point at 4200 ft. due to potential snowfall that hadn't arrived but it could happen....mid October for that area is the average timeframe to worry about snowfall there unless it is an earlier coldfront that will linger.

Seeing parts of a trucker blog posting, the basic mentality and goal for a trucker is hauling a load from point A to point B the fastest way possible, period.

Unless there is an ocean, a ferry dock, a barge deck, a flagger, or a destination point B at the end of the road, no trucker is going to slow down any while driving on land no matter what the road conditions are other than eating or sleeping in between destinations.

If you want to drive to the states in the fastest way possible, as mentioned stay on the Alaska Highway and go thru Grande Prairie via Alberta Province.

[Sabluka]

Thanks a lot Joe, Sue and Paul. Extremely helpful.

I used Streets & Trips and it routed me along 37/16 to Prince George.

It looks more direct and I accepted it at first. More research seems to favor 97 tho.

For one thing, seems about 66-miles difference. A good hour+ of driving I'd guess. Not a deal killer for 97 tho.

A lady near a high point RV site, at elev 4200-ft, told me 97 was plowed and keep open year round and she said if I leave by Sept 15th I'd be able to get thru no problem.

My main concern is for safety and to get thru Canada. Maybe I'll change my mind on the road tho. No schedule I have to keep.

Another concern is having to pull up very long steep grades tho I'm not towing. I've read the 97 Hwy has been re-aligned over the years and improved.

I got this off a trucking site. It was written in August of 2010 by a trucker named Fuddle Duck HA!.

His mention of smoke makes me think I better check construction along the route.

Hwy #37 is mostly closed with piloted escorts during the day when possible due to forest fires on both sides of the highway. The smoke is dense and covers many miles.

Under normal circumstances there are only the two options to get to Watson Lake and that is the Alaska highway and #37. Thirty seven is a little shorter milage but that is where any advantage ends for that highway. I have traveled both ways thousands of times and do not choose 37 ever unless I have some reason that can not be avoided for being there.
Comparing the two routes I do not save time or fuel using thirty seven. Thirty seven has a fifty mile an hour speed limit, the road is narrow with no shoulders and some miles are still gravel. From Kitwanga to the Yukon border seems to be one hard steady pull especially for those of us pulling many wheels. Services of any kind are sparse and pretty much non existent for trucks. While traveling 37 you will have several very close calls with knuckleheads that are driving at warp one speed and on your side of the already narrow road, they seem unable to correct back to their side and expect you to get out of the way. Fly by nighters use this road to sneak overweight, unpermitted and oversize loads down the road with trucks that would be condemned in any inspection. The last one hundred miles to the Yukon border will shake the dash out of your truck and maybe brake your dentures. The two KW dealers west of P.G. are now closed so service for your truck may not be available should you need it, other than that have a wonderful trip on #37

RR

[paulj]

Simply in terms of distance, 37 is the shorter route to Seattle and points south. But to Montana and east, the Alaska Hwy through Edmonton will be shorter.

[sue_t]

While the Cassiar is our favourite route we will take the Alaska Highway if there is any concern regarding the weather or conditions. The Alaska Highway is well-travelled, has more services, and is maintained better (quicker response during a snow storm).

If you take the Cassiar, half of your driving will be on Hwy 16 from the junction of Hwys 37 & 16 to Prince George. Hwy 16 is easy driving (almost boring), well-travelled and maintained well. There are more services along this route than the Alaska Highway between Dawson Creek and Watson Lake.

Hwy 97 between Dawson Creek and Prince George goes through a high mountain pass which can get snow early.

Alaska Highway has the Liard Hotsprings which are very nice in late September.

I think it is six of one and half dozen of the other ... check the weather forecast and road conditions (at the info centre in Watson Lake) before going either direction from Watson Lake.

[joe_b_]

I had to go look up what Hwy 97 is? See it is the Alaska Hwy. The Alaska Hwy from Watson Lake to southern Alberta is faster than going on the Cassiar Hwy to southern BC. Over the years of road construction, the Alaska Hwy has been shortened by about 40 miles, give or take, as it has been rerouted, curves taken out, grades cut down, etc. so for me anyways, I can make more miles on it than on the Cassiar in the same number of hours of driving.

The Cassiar hwy was finished in the early 70s, not sure just when, but I first drove on it in about 1974 or 1975. In places the Cassiar feels like the road planners were following the wanderings of a drunken moose to lay out the road. It was put over hill and dale, following creeks, etc. Then when they went to pave it, they just paved it the way it was laid out for the most part. The Alaska Hwy was straightened in many places prior to it's pavement jobs.

Safest? Impossible to say as it depends on a person's driving ability, etc. I have seen wrecks on both over the years but I haven't had the least bit of a problem other than having to dodge some large animals on both at times, sheep, caribou, bison, moose, bears, etc. There is nothing inherently dangerous about either IMHO. Excessive speed causes more problems than anything else in my opinion, from tire problems, gravel damage to glass, to broken springs, axles, etc. Just slow down and then slow down some more. Just because a speed limit sign says 100 clicks, doesn't mean you have to drive that speed if the road is rough or lots of blind corners on the highway.

The Cassiar is more scenic, more remote, more photogenic, in my opinion but a slower drive for me. Often I will go up one and come back on the other. Often I will swing over to the west coast to see relatives on the way back to the lower 48 so often I go north on the Alaska Highway and come south on the Cassiar then to Prince George and south to cross at Sumas and over into Washington.

Easier? Probably the Alaska Hwy, just because it tends to be wider, straighter but I have made about 6 trips in a Class C to/from Alaska over the years. A Class c is a real nice rig to use, I have found. A good compromise on size and maneuverability. Your Class C should be just fine for the trip, easy to get up to gas pumps, find a camping spot, yet room to stretch out in the evenings as you listen to the night sounds.

[Sabluka]

Thanks for the info.

Not trying to hi-jack this topic but I have a question.

Hope to leave ANC by the 15th going to US. Will be my first trip on the Al-Can Hwy & with a, new to me, 30' Class C RV..55-gal tank.

Question: Between Hwys 97 and 37, Which road is;

1. Fastest?

2. Easiest to Drive?

3. Safest?

RR

[Clattertruck]

By all means take the Cassiar. It is very scenic. On the way go to see Stewart and Hyder/


Main street Stewart.


Border at Hyder.


Fuel station at Stewart.


The morning we left Stewart and started north on the Cassiar we saw many black bears.


The road from Hwy37 to Stewart is called the Glacier Highway.


The Bear Glacier is right at the road.
Ron

[sue_t]

We always stop at the PetroCan at the junction of Hwy 37 and 16 before heading up the Cassiar.

Then at Bell II and Dease Lake.

If we go into Stewart & Hyder, then we might fill up there too. The gas station in Stewart has limited hours though and the diesel pump isn't easily accessible, taking some twists and turns to get into. If we have the truck only, then it isn't a problem as long as the place is open.

[joe_b_]

Check out the "fuel stops sticky" at the top of the page and it will give you a list of the available fuel stops on the Cassiar Hwy as it is generally known. Some people will refer to it as the Dease Lake Highway. It is a very scenic road, more remote than the Alaska Hwy but a very nice drive. I have done it a half dozen times and never had a problem with fuel. If I go into Stewart, then I refuel there, if not then I stop at Bell II, Dease Lake, sometimes at Tatogga Lake (tends to be higher priced there) and have stopped at Iskut village store. Most all have both gasoline and diesel.