Ontario to Whitehorse, route advice request.

[TimnJo]

Hi Folks,

I'm planning our trip, we'll be starting mid-August.

I'd like to take a northerly route from Winnipeg on; Swan River, Tisdale, Prince Albert, Cold Lake, Athabaska etc.

Any advice or tips from anybody who has taken that, or a similar route, would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance,

Tim

[pianotuna]

Since you have time in hand, if you enjoy "taking the waters" consider visiting Manitou Lake near Watrous, SK.

http://manitousprings.ca/

There is a nice Regional Park Campground between the town and the lake.

There is a good restaurant at the Spa Hotel.

My favorite trip planner is here:

https://freecampsites.net/#!&query=TripPlanner

You can set filters for power, and other amenities.

Humbolt has the last "weight driven" clock in Canada, in a small museum. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_Post_Office

Just East of the town is the only Abbey in Canada https://stpetersabbey.ca/wp/

[paulj]

I should add that most of the discussion on Canada/Alaska board has to do with travel to Alaska, the Canadian Rockies or more scenic parts of Canada. I don't recall much discussion of the northern parts of the prairie provinces.

If you've already crossed the area on 1 and 16, you may know as much as most other posters. Compared to roads closer to Whitehorse, a lot of the traffic will be local, oil and mineral businesses and first nation reserves. Judging from the Streetview density, you won't have problems bypassing Edmonton, in the Athabasca, Slave Lake and Piece River areas.

https://roadreports.ama.ab.ca/

[TimnJo]

Thanks paulj, I'll look into posting there too.

JaxDad, I want to avoid taking #16 through Edmonton, as I mentioned I'll be going north of there, I want something different having taken the more common routes of #1 & #16. many times. We're retired now so have the luxury of time to explore some of the areas off the beaten track.

[JaxDad]

I wouldn't get too excited about the route, from Edmonton on there really is only one route unless you like traveling dirt roads at 25km/h and have several days of fuel capacity on board your rig. Between Winnipeg and Edmonton there are a couple of routes but they all merge back together again, so they're really just detours.

You're going to take 1 from Winnipeg to just west of Portage la Prairie and get on 16, that will take you all the way to Edmonton.

[paulj]

I think you'd get more responses on the Canada/Alaska section.

Sounds like you are trying to skirt the edge of the farmed prairie. When I've browsed that area on google maps and streetview, the roads look flat and straight. Towns smaller and fewer than further south, but services should be fine. No hills until you read the foothills of the Rockies.