May Long Weekend '08 - Churn Creek
- Thread starter Granite Grinder
- Start date
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- Joined
- Sep 17, 2005
- Threads
- 110
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- 638
- Location
- Vancouver, Canada
- Website
- www.jjadventuretours.com
I was up there 3 weeks ago and the weather was totally weird. On the rim on the canyon it was 0 C and snowing in the morning, down at the bottom of the canyon it was 25 C in the afternoon sun. Like driving from winter to summer in 1000 m.
Wish you all a good safe trip, maybe I'll see you in the morning on the highway.
Won't be able to make this one. With two Int'l Emergencies, things have been too busy at work and I haven't had time to steal away to do any prep of the truck or camping gear. Have a good one guys.
Ok thanks I am leaving right at HIGH NOON see yas at midnight
Island Update
I left Churn camp at 10:00 am Monday, took the Kelly Lake - Pavilion route out and due to traffic congestion between Hope and Abby and a missed ferry got home at 11:00 pm - a long haul back home but well worth it. I had a great time. The truck average 25.75 (imp), including all the rockin and rollin on the trails. That should improve when I remove the 100 lbs of dust I brought home.
I hope everyone got home safely. Lookin' forward to the next great adventure ....
I left Churn camp at 10:00 am Monday, took the Kelly Lake - Pavilion route out and due to traffic congestion between Hope and Abby and a missed ferry got home at 11:00 pm - a long haul back home but well worth it. I had a great time. The truck average 25.75 (imp), including all the rockin and rollin on the trails. That should improve when I remove the 100 lbs of dust I brought home.
I hope everyone got home safely. Lookin' forward to the next great adventure ....
Hi Guys I am in Calgary it is 10:30 pm . I will get my Xfer case in the morning
What the hell happened?!?!
Aaron's gps went crazy and he took a wrong turn.
.... actually I think he was having some new to him toys to tinker with shipped from Alaska.
The weekend run to Churn Creek, and beyond, was a very successful and enjoyable one for us. Members and guests included: Steve T with his daughter Teraya and dad Wayne, Garry B and Marie-Chantell, Chris H and sons Laughlin and Conner, Craig E, Mike McT, Gary T and nephew Geordie, Barry P, Dan M and Marie in her Eagle, Aaron K and Carolyn with her son Skylar, Phil S with wife Angelica and daughters Maya and Andrea, Bill W with grandson Shikai, and guests Sue and Shane with daughter Alexis from Kellowna, and Glenn_BJ74 from Victoria. I hope I haven’t missed anybody.
The Pole Group with Sopel, Rob C, Marcin & Ania, Mat, and Pawel went the other way to Roche Lake and we didn’t see them.
We fueled up Friday morning at Lickman Road Flying J Shell in Chilliwack at $1.28 /Litre cash diesel. We got more diesel fuel in Clinton at $1.39/ Litre. We had to by pass a freeway blockage near Agassiz but luckily got back on the freeway again and had a smooth run up the canyon, and arrived at Churn about 4:00 pm.
We camped at the usual spot on the sandbar south of the Gang Ranch bridge. It was very hot on the Friday and the temp inside my truck was 38 degrees when I arrived at the camp. There were lots of pieces of deer hyde lying around, left over from last year when the hunters skinned their prey. The Fraser River was up, running fast and hard with lots of debris and even whole trees coming down at a pretty good clip. We speculated that the Big Bar ferry might not be running downstream because of the danger of navigational hazards. It was also pretty windy at times and at least one tent got wind damage (mine)! About nine o’clock the first night the almost full-moon rose over the mountains and we knew we were at the right place for sure. It was perfect with all those Cruisers lined up and tents and dogs and kids running around squealing with glee, and a big roaring campfire. Shikai got into the Prickly Pear cactus patch and will remember the pain for a long time to come. Mike McT forgot his foam mattress and had to sleep for three nights on the hard surface of his truck deck. I understand he’s looking for a chiropractor this week.
Saturday morning we headed out and up through the Gang Ranch and on to the higher elevations to Blackwater Lake and later on to larger and windier Gaspard Lake. It was hot and dusty but very enjoyable. Chris’s sons, Laughlin and Conner both got some face lacerations from branches swiping the sides of the trucks. Barry got a picture of a grizzly on the road and ripped his left mirror off the truck. The pine beetle tree kill is pretty bad and is a real fire hazard and fall-down threat. Several times we needed a chain saw to cut our way through. I can see how it could be serious if we got caught in a fast moving forest fire up there and the road blocked by fall-downs. Many thanks to Craig for watching the camp while we were out wheeling.
Sunday we headed the other way, south on the Empire Valley road, past Brown Lake and up the Black Dome road but not to the gold mine this year. Mike scouted ahead and left yellow tape on important corners. Barry got a flat but was back on the road on short notice. Bill tore the right mirror off his truck. We crossed the creek and dug out the hillside slide that stopped us last year. We carried on to frozen Roaster Lake for lunch and the kids loved throwing rocks at the iced up lake. On the way back we encountered two fallen pines that had just come down after we came through the first time. Chris cut them up with his chain saw and we kept moving. The one dangerous time of this weekend came when Chris, with Conner, tipped over their BJ42 truck on its right side while going over the slide area. Fortunately they were going slow and they stayed on the road. The truck lost motor oil, sustained body and glass damage, and shook them up, but nobody was injured. They winched and lifted the truck back up, added oil, and carried on. Lots of stories for the campsite that night and for school Tuesday morning. Thanks to Phil for watching the camp that day.
Monday morning, by ten o’clock, our Cruisers started heading out for home. I think that most of us thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and feel that it was a great start for the season. We hit rain coming down the canyon into the Wet Coast zone. Traffic on Lougheed Highway was light, much to our surprise. I spent $170 on fuel. We arrived home safely, stinking of stale campfire and headed straight for the bathtub and into the welcome sack. Good times. Pictures to follow tomorrow.
~Bill
The Pole Group with Sopel, Rob C, Marcin & Ania, Mat, and Pawel went the other way to Roche Lake and we didn’t see them.
We fueled up Friday morning at Lickman Road Flying J Shell in Chilliwack at $1.28 /Litre cash diesel. We got more diesel fuel in Clinton at $1.39/ Litre. We had to by pass a freeway blockage near Agassiz but luckily got back on the freeway again and had a smooth run up the canyon, and arrived at Churn about 4:00 pm.
We camped at the usual spot on the sandbar south of the Gang Ranch bridge. It was very hot on the Friday and the temp inside my truck was 38 degrees when I arrived at the camp. There were lots of pieces of deer hyde lying around, left over from last year when the hunters skinned their prey. The Fraser River was up, running fast and hard with lots of debris and even whole trees coming down at a pretty good clip. We speculated that the Big Bar ferry might not be running downstream because of the danger of navigational hazards. It was also pretty windy at times and at least one tent got wind damage (mine)! About nine o’clock the first night the almost full-moon rose over the mountains and we knew we were at the right place for sure. It was perfect with all those Cruisers lined up and tents and dogs and kids running around squealing with glee, and a big roaring campfire. Shikai got into the Prickly Pear cactus patch and will remember the pain for a long time to come. Mike McT forgot his foam mattress and had to sleep for three nights on the hard surface of his truck deck. I understand he’s looking for a chiropractor this week.
Saturday morning we headed out and up through the Gang Ranch and on to the higher elevations to Blackwater Lake and later on to larger and windier Gaspard Lake. It was hot and dusty but very enjoyable. Chris’s sons, Laughlin and Conner both got some face lacerations from branches swiping the sides of the trucks. Barry got a picture of a grizzly on the road and ripped his left mirror off the truck. The pine beetle tree kill is pretty bad and is a real fire hazard and fall-down threat. Several times we needed a chain saw to cut our way through. I can see how it could be serious if we got caught in a fast moving forest fire up there and the road blocked by fall-downs. Many thanks to Craig for watching the camp while we were out wheeling.
Sunday we headed the other way, south on the Empire Valley road, past Brown Lake and up the Black Dome road but not to the gold mine this year. Mike scouted ahead and left yellow tape on important corners. Barry got a flat but was back on the road on short notice. Bill tore the right mirror off his truck. We crossed the creek and dug out the hillside slide that stopped us last year. We carried on to frozen Roaster Lake for lunch and the kids loved throwing rocks at the iced up lake. On the way back we encountered two fallen pines that had just come down after we came through the first time. Chris cut them up with his chain saw and we kept moving. The one dangerous time of this weekend came when Chris, with Conner, tipped over their BJ42 truck on its right side while going over the slide area. Fortunately they were going slow and they stayed on the road. The truck lost motor oil, sustained body and glass damage, and shook them up, but nobody was injured. They winched and lifted the truck back up, added oil, and carried on. Lots of stories for the campsite that night and for school Tuesday morning. Thanks to Phil for watching the camp that day.
Monday morning, by ten o’clock, our Cruisers started heading out for home. I think that most of us thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and feel that it was a great start for the season. We hit rain coming down the canyon into the Wet Coast zone. Traffic on Lougheed Highway was light, much to our surprise. I spent $170 on fuel. We arrived home safely, stinking of stale campfire and headed straight for the bathtub and into the welcome sack. Good times. Pictures to follow tomorrow.
~Bill
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I got back last nite, and left for Calgary this morning. I am at the SANDMAN across from the Olympic park Ski Jump. In the morning I am going to Peter Straubs place to pic up a split case with Marks 108 to 1 hi and 305 to 1 low.
Nice write up Bill , another exellent time with the group. Good Nite Norm and John. A special thanks to Phil for looking after all of us. I learned something very important this trip. I have to be more organized.
Photos
My pics for the Churn Creek o8 run are now up. And, yes, there are some of Chris' truck on it's side. Sorry Chris.
Churn Creek 2008 - a set on Flickr
My pics for the Churn Creek o8 run are now up. And, yes, there are some of Chris' truck on it's side. Sorry Chris.
Churn Creek 2008 - a set on Flickr
Yep, good write up Bill. So who's posting the pics? video?
Gd-night Aaron. Happy t-case dreams.
Gd-night Aaron. Happy t-case dreams.
Sounds and looks like a nice trip, what did you guys think of Gaspard Lake, that was one of the Lakes we hit last year and thought it looked good for a camping spot (especially the little "island").
Chris, so sorry to hear about the accident, I hope you, Conner and the truck are going to be OK.
Chris, so sorry to hear about the accident, I hope you, Conner and the truck are going to be OK.