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- #41
RMLCA Alexander Mackenzie Trail Expedition 2017 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Behemoth60
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- #42
Some updates as a result of our planning meeting on Tuesday.
Schedule:
On Sunday, July 30, at 9AM we will have a drivers meeting at the Black Water River Crossing Recreation Site located at : Google Maps. [As a result of our decision to Travel West to East, this is now changed! See Post #83 for revised schedule details] Be fuelled, fed, aired down, and ready to roll following the driver’s meeting at around 10AM.
There is a camp site there, and you may choose to camp there overnight on Saturday July 29.
Each Day, we will be on the trail by 9AM, stopping for aprox 45 minutes around noon each day, and finding camp at around 5PM. Given the unknowns of trail condition and unexpected events, this could change dramatically day to day. Any variations to this schedule will be decided upon by group consensus.
We will try to make about 30 km per day. If we make this kilometerage, that will give us 2 extra days that we can use however we please… we may find a beautiful lake to stop at for a day and relax or fish, or push on to spend a day doing sight seeing in Bella Coola. Exact plans will be determined by consensus of the group.
We plan to be back in Quesnel by end of day Sunday, August 3.
Getting to and from the Quesnel area is an individual plan: there is no plans for caravan of Cruisers from Alberta. Bryan Kathan has offered his yard in Kamloops as a stop-over location if you are travelling that direction.
Schedule:
There is a camp site there, and you may choose to camp there overnight on Saturday July 29.
Each Day, we will be on the trail by 9AM, stopping for aprox 45 minutes around noon each day, and finding camp at around 5PM. Given the unknowns of trail condition and unexpected events, this could change dramatically day to day. Any variations to this schedule will be decided upon by group consensus.
We will try to make about 30 km per day. If we make this kilometerage, that will give us 2 extra days that we can use however we please… we may find a beautiful lake to stop at for a day and relax or fish, or push on to spend a day doing sight seeing in Bella Coola. Exact plans will be determined by consensus of the group.
We plan to be back in Quesnel by end of day Sunday, August 3.
Getting to and from the Quesnel area is an individual plan: there is no plans for caravan of Cruisers from Alberta. Bryan Kathan has offered his yard in Kamloops as a stop-over location if you are travelling that direction.
Last edited:
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- #43
Trail Bosses.
Our trail bosses will be Peter, Marc, Kevin and Bryan. They will have ‘authority’ on trail matters including complicated extractions, spotting, safety, pace or speed, etc.
Safety,
Each vehicle will have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.
Bear Safety. Each person should have bear spray. There will be several shotguns along, but bear spray is preferred bear deterrent. Keep it with you at all times, especially when going on nature walks, and in your tent at night.
We will designate a time to burn garbage on the campfire each evening, so as to not have to carry rotting garbage bear attractants all week long in or outside our vehicles. Food should be in vehicles over-night.
Chainsaw safety. If we have to cut more than 3 logs, then we will suit up with full safety gear including chaps, gloves, eye and ear protection to clear trail.
Our trail bosses will be Peter, Marc, Kevin and Bryan. They will have ‘authority’ on trail matters including complicated extractions, spotting, safety, pace or speed, etc.
Safety,
Each vehicle will have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.
Bear Safety. Each person should have bear spray. There will be several shotguns along, but bear spray is preferred bear deterrent. Keep it with you at all times, especially when going on nature walks, and in your tent at night.
We will designate a time to burn garbage on the campfire each evening, so as to not have to carry rotting garbage bear attractants all week long in or outside our vehicles. Food should be in vehicles over-night.
Chainsaw safety. If we have to cut more than 3 logs, then we will suit up with full safety gear including chaps, gloves, eye and ear protection to clear trail.
- Thread starter
- #44
Trail Etiquette.
With a large group on a narrow trail, there will be several points of trail etiquette to be observed.
The Alexander Mackenzie Trail is a designated heritage trail for 100meters on each side of the trail. There will be no cutting of trees for firewood, digging, or artifact hunting within this zone. Special attention will be paid to Culturally Modified Trees, which are often tagged with yellow ribbons and ‘CMT’ lettering. These are not to be used as winch points, firewood, wiener sticks, tarp tied downs, clothes lines, hammock hangers… nadda. Any place that looks like a good camping place, has likely been used as a camping spot for 6,000 years. There is no digging or disturbance below the surface in any nice camp spot, as they may be rich with cultural artifacts which may not seem obvious. Any artifacts that are discovered will be left untouched, but may be photographed. There are hefty fines for damaging these heritage artifacts.
When Stopping on the trail….
Pull up to the vehicle ahead of you. Pull to the left if possible. Leave room for the truck ahead of you to open their tailgate. Turn off your truck. Leave the Keys inside. Close the doors. If there is a need, then someone else can move your truck if needed.
You are responsible for the vehicle behind you. This includes pulling the truck behind you out with a strap if they are stuck. We will all have Ham radios, so there is not a need to maintain strict visual contact, but if when you come to tricky sections that someone may need a tug through, stay close until they are through. Most vehicle damage occurs when turning around on tight trails to or when executing vehicle to vehicle extractions.
Tail Gunner Buddy (the truck in front of the last truck) will keep visual contact with the tail gunner, in the event that the tail gunner loses radio (i.e. an antenna get’s damaged), our tail gunner does not get left behind if they are stuck or have a breakdown.
No Tail Gating. Keep a minimum of 2-3 vehicle lengths behind the vehicle ahead of you.
Our preferred extraction methods for stuck trucks will be 1. Tug, 2. Winch, 3. Maxtracks. This is the safest and most efficient way to keep a large group of vehicles moving along.
With a large group on a narrow trail, there will be several points of trail etiquette to be observed.
The Alexander Mackenzie Trail is a designated heritage trail for 100meters on each side of the trail. There will be no cutting of trees for firewood, digging, or artifact hunting within this zone. Special attention will be paid to Culturally Modified Trees, which are often tagged with yellow ribbons and ‘CMT’ lettering. These are not to be used as winch points, firewood, wiener sticks, tarp tied downs, clothes lines, hammock hangers… nadda. Any place that looks like a good camping place, has likely been used as a camping spot for 6,000 years. There is no digging or disturbance below the surface in any nice camp spot, as they may be rich with cultural artifacts which may not seem obvious. Any artifacts that are discovered will be left untouched, but may be photographed. There are hefty fines for damaging these heritage artifacts.
When Stopping on the trail….
Pull up to the vehicle ahead of you. Pull to the left if possible. Leave room for the truck ahead of you to open their tailgate. Turn off your truck. Leave the Keys inside. Close the doors. If there is a need, then someone else can move your truck if needed.
You are responsible for the vehicle behind you. This includes pulling the truck behind you out with a strap if they are stuck. We will all have Ham radios, so there is not a need to maintain strict visual contact, but if when you come to tricky sections that someone may need a tug through, stay close until they are through. Most vehicle damage occurs when turning around on tight trails to or when executing vehicle to vehicle extractions.
Tail Gunner Buddy (the truck in front of the last truck) will keep visual contact with the tail gunner, in the event that the tail gunner loses radio (i.e. an antenna get’s damaged), our tail gunner does not get left behind if they are stuck or have a breakdown.
No Tail Gating. Keep a minimum of 2-3 vehicle lengths behind the vehicle ahead of you.
Our preferred extraction methods for stuck trucks will be 1. Tug, 2. Winch, 3. Maxtracks. This is the safest and most efficient way to keep a large group of vehicles moving along.
- Thread starter
- #45
Fuel Preservation. Fuel can be a major limiting factor on this trip. No idling, and no short trips. If there are many trees to be cleared form the trail, we will clear for a few hundred meters at a time and then move the trucks up, rather than pulling forward one or two truck lengths at a time. This will be especially true for the gas vehicles on the trip.
Supplies:
In addition to the previously identified supplies, please bring the following:
A Spare key, hidden somewhere on the truck, in case you loose yours in a river or something.
A spare oil filter
One Gallon 3.78 lites of engine oil, and 1 litre of gear lube. Between of all of us, we should be able to replace one or two diffs or flooded engines.
Spare engine belts.
Water:
If you have a system to filter water, bring it along. We will bring a reverse osmosis system that should make sufficient water for all, but back-ups will be wise.
Supplies:
In addition to the previously identified supplies, please bring the following:
A Spare key, hidden somewhere on the truck, in case you loose yours in a river or something.
A spare oil filter
One Gallon 3.78 lites of engine oil, and 1 litre of gear lube. Between of all of us, we should be able to replace one or two diffs or flooded engines.
Spare engine belts.
Water:
If you have a system to filter water, bring it along. We will bring a reverse osmosis system that should make sufficient water for all, but back-ups will be wise.
Planning a multi-person wheeling trip
Besides Rob and Linda at the Pan Philips fishing lodge, the fishing resort at Eliguk Lake has re-opened https://www.eliguklakelodgeoutfitters.com/
There are other bail out points but there is a logging road right into the Kluskus reserve. you would come out in Quesnel
Others would be Mesue crossing which would bring you out in Vanderhoof and Eliguk Lake would bring you out to Anahim Lake.
The timing will probably not work out or I wouldn't mind meeting you guys at Mesue crossing or Kluskus. I may be able to make the trek down to the blackwater campsite on your departure day though if you need anything?
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- #48
Thanks for the summary, PG45er!. This validates what I've learned through my own research.
One thing you might be able to confirm for me... is there any 'trail' between the Black Water Crossing Recreation site and Titetown Lake, or is it just forestry road?
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- #49
Here's a Google Map showing the track, including roads from Quesnel
The section of trail between the Blackwater crossing rec site and 64K on the AMHT is a non motorized foot/bike path so you would have to take the FSR. Your track shows you going through Nazko though, which makes sense when your coming from the south, but you would have to back track (east) on the Batununni FSR then go North on the Blackwater rd to get to the Blackwater crossing rec site (45 minutes to an hour there and back). If you really want to stay at the Blackwater crossing rec site it would make more sense to turn right just past the Bouchie Lake school to stay on the Blackwater road just west of Quesnel, instead of going through Nazko. From the Blackwater crossing campsite you would still have to back track about 15 minutes south on the Blackwater rd to the Batunni FSR though. Another option that would eliminate any back tracking though, would be to go through Nazko the way your track shows and just drive right to Titetown crossing. It's been a few years since I've been there but it was a pretty nice spot to camp, close to the river and only 5-10 minutes off the Batununni FSR and maybe 45 minutes longer than the Blackwater crossing rec site. The Blackwater crossing rec site on the other hand is on the edge of the Blackwater river canyon and is about 100ft above the river.
Check with Rob at the Pan Philips fishing lodge, your track shows you going south west off the AMHT to the home ranch, then back North west to Walt and Nora Lamperts ranch to get back up to the AMHT. You may be able stay on the AMHT and that would go more directly west from Rob and Linda's. The home ranch is a historic place but not much left since they burnt most of the buildings down, just Pan's cairn.
The rest of the track looks good. Just have to make sure to stay right (North west)at the west end of Eliguk Lake to stay on the north side of Basalt Lake.
Hope I haven't confused matters but if you need clarification feel free to ask.
I would imagine you are all coming from the south but if anybody is coming from North or East of PG and needs a place to park for the night or a hand with something, I have room to camp in the back by the shop.
Darren
Check with Rob at the Pan Philips fishing lodge, your track shows you going south west off the AMHT to the home ranch, then back North west to Walt and Nora Lamperts ranch to get back up to the AMHT. You may be able stay on the AMHT and that would go more directly west from Rob and Linda's. The home ranch is a historic place but not much left since they burnt most of the buildings down, just Pan's cairn.
The rest of the track looks good. Just have to make sure to stay right (North west)at the west end of Eliguk Lake to stay on the north side of Basalt Lake.
Hope I haven't confused matters but if you need clarification feel free to ask.
I would imagine you are all coming from the south but if anybody is coming from North or East of PG and needs a place to park for the night or a hand with something, I have room to camp in the back by the shop.
Darren
More options to confuse matters...........if not everybody has a GPS with your track to get Titetown crossing to meet, it might be easier to meet at one of the rec sites a little north of Nazko, Snaking river rec site or Westroad river rec site. I haven't been on that stretch of the Nazko road between Nazko and the Batununni FSR so I can't tell you what they're like. Here's a link to rec sites and trails for that area http://tinyurl.com/y7hnqsxq. There is also a nice looking camp spot at the small community of Nazko on the north end of Marrmot Lake, less than 1/2 a K off the Nazko road on The Michelle Baezeko FSR, which is across from the Nazko school. The other benefit of going through Nazko would be there is the 3 Nations Lodge which has a restaurant, gas and diesel where you could top up, 250 249-0278, fill up in Quesnel though because prices are high there.
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- #52
This is all excellent info, thanks Darren!
For the record, the track on the Google Map is re-purposed from a track that Shaker found online... it is not necessarily representative of the actual track we will follow.
The Blackwater crossing Rec Site is equidistant from Quesnel and Prince George. I will be getting their via PG myslef, following the Blackwater road. Whether you arrive via Quesnel or PG, we will both have ~130 km of forest service roads before we get to the trail head at Titetown Lake.
I've noted the Nazko fuel stop, as well as Sylvia's on the google map. Moral of the story... there's really no fuel resupply anywhere along the trail.
For the record, the track on the Google Map is re-purposed from a track that Shaker found online... it is not necessarily representative of the actual track we will follow.
The Blackwater crossing Rec Site is equidistant from Quesnel and Prince George. I will be getting their via PG myslef, following the Blackwater road. Whether you arrive via Quesnel or PG, we will both have ~130 km of forest service roads before we get to the trail head at Titetown Lake.
I've noted the Nazko fuel stop, as well as Sylvia's on the google map. Moral of the story... there's really no fuel resupply anywhere along the trail.
Sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on everything but if there's anything I can help with, let me know. I expect to be around the end of July so, the offer for a place to camp or a hand with mechanical issue for anybody going through PG stands.
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- #54
I plan on Fishing! 8 day non-resident license is $36.
BC Fishing regs...
Fish and Wildlife Branch - Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations - Province of British Columbia
BC Fishing regs...
Fish and Wildlife Branch - Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations - Province of British Columbia
Can we review the dates of this trip? The next time August 3rd is a Sunday is in 2019.
I haven't fished any of the lakes along the the trail, just Chine Falls at the out flow of Kluskoil Lake, it is classified waters though and you need a classified waters license. Lots of scrappy little rainbows though, lots of fun. The other lakes haven't had a lot of fishing pressure for many years so could be decent fishing. Are you going to have a float tube or something to get out on the water?
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- #58
For you consideration:
Thrillbilly suggested we do the trail 'Backwards'. i.e., go to Anahim Lake, and start in from Eliguk or Basalt Lake, an head East. Theory being, that there are more 'bug out' points on the East end of the trail, where we may more likely need them.... fuel, break-down, injury. Whereas if we go East to West, once you pass Messue Crossing, you are committed to complete the trail, due to lack of fuel to turn around and make I back out.
Please provide your input....
Thrillbilly suggested we do the trail 'Backwards'. i.e., go to Anahim Lake, and start in from Eliguk or Basalt Lake, an head East. Theory being, that there are more 'bug out' points on the East end of the trail, where we may more likely need them.... fuel, break-down, injury. Whereas if we go East to West, once you pass Messue Crossing, you are committed to complete the trail, due to lack of fuel to turn around and make I back out.
Please provide your input....
We are planning on taking a ferry to the island from Bella Coola and meeting my wife, who will be flying into Nanaimo, after we finish and spending a few days on the island. Doing it backwards would really mess up that plan.
There is always going to be risk to adventures like this, but we just need to consistently watch out for each other, and no unnecessary risks to limb or truck.
My only real concern for this trip will be fuel as I think I may be one of the only gassers going.
There is always going to be risk to adventures like this, but we just need to consistently watch out for each other, and no unnecessary risks to limb or truck.
My only real concern for this trip will be fuel as I think I may be one of the only gassers going.
Not going so no need to listen to me, but the real question is which way did Alexander Mackenzie go? 