RMLCA Alexander Mackenzie Trail Expedition 2017 (1 Viewer)

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UPDATED July 16, 2017: CANCELLED DUE TO WILDFIRES!!!

This is the 'official' notice of the RMLCA 2017 Alexander Mackenzie Trail Expedition. This has been discussed at our October and January club meetings, and there is enthusiasm in the club to make a go of this trip!

When: July 30-August 6, 2017
Where: Quesnel to Bella Coola, via the Alexander Mackenzie Trail
Who: RMLCA members, lurkers, and or other enthusiasts
What: Week long, self sufficient, 'expedition' style off-road trip to explore a remote and historic corner of our country.

People Requirements: The most important mandatory minimum requirement is, to quote Bryan Kathan... "No Whiners". We will be dependent on one another for a week, when the going get's tough, and it will on this trail, we need to rely on each other to prop each other up and get us all through. Attitude is everything!
Plus, at least one person in each vehicle has to be able to safely run a chain saw.

Vehicle Requirements: After much debate, we've settled on the following minimum requirements.
4WD vehicle with minimum 33" tires, rear locker, reliable winch, and front and rear tow points, and a snorkel for deep water crossings.

Gear requirements: each vehicle shall have a VHF/2m ham radio with external antenna, a chainsaw with safety gear, sufficient fuel/water for 3 days 5 days of trail driving without re-supply.

Trailers: Highly discouraged. Trailers will be admitted by exception, and if allowed, may be asked to bear the burden of transporting fuel/water to support the expedition.

Expected Conditions: based on trail reports, there are lots of downed trees across the trails, LOTS and lots and lots of mosquitoes, several stream crossings which can be deep, and a hand full of difficult muddy/swampy sections.

Drinking Water. We follow a drainage basin called 'the Blackwater', and the water has a high organic content which plugs filters. There's lots of water, but filtering/using it may be challenging.

**UPDATED*** Fuel. There are few fuel supplies along the way. hitting the logging road and back-tracking for fuel might be a reality if we run short. Bring enough fuel for 3 days. 5 Days, including 180 trail km's. plus up to 200 km of logging roads before and after the trail. Recommend Diesels carry 1 spare tank worth of fuel... Gassers up to 2 spare tanks. (I've been re-watching the video's from last summer's adventures, and fuel seems to be the limiting factor for this trip.)

Participants: We are looking for between 5-8 vehicles. The limit on vehicles is in the interest of actually completing this trail in the allotted time. Everyone is welcome, however priority for participation will be granted to RMLCA members in good standing.

Application: Is now closed. We have 8 confirmed trucks. They are:

Confirmed Participants:
Behemoth60: Peter (RMLCA) and Tanis in Zelda the HJ61
Lucky: Ryan and Glenn in Vidal Sassoon the HDJ81
Shaker: Marc (RMLCA) in Grey Poupon the HDJ81
Byron (RMLCA) in his BJ70
Awlteq: IV Kevin and Jackson in Steve, the BJ42.
Tismin: Alex (RMLCA) in Sterling, the 1991 HDJ81
Thrillbilly: Bryan (RMLCA) in Scooby, the Hilux
Pheonix60: HDJ81 Jason
Ericbirk: '95 FZJ80, Eric

and

Justchillinout: Jean (RMLCA) looking for a ride along.

Many details to follow!
 
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I will start!

I am Peter Straub, and Tanis Cochrane and I will be spearheading this adventure aboard Zelda, my 1988 HJ61.
 
I am in too

I will be driving my 92hdj81(Vidal Sassoon) that meets the requirements and will be co-piloted by Glen Miller.
 
I am IV Kevin. Jackson and I will be there with my BJ42, double locked with low gears, winch, HAM, compressor, chain saw w/safety gear. I will have the tent on top because I will not bring my perfectly good purpose built light weight expedition trailer that is perfect for a trip like this and can haul all of the group gear. :rofl:
 
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I am Jean White and would love the opportunity to join as a chainsaw type/winch cable puller/non-whiner passenger seat warmer. I do have chainsaw and gear that I can bring with. So now I'll just wait with bated breath!
 
I'd like to go but need to nail a calendar down for our year. I'd likely be one of 'those guys' in a 80 with A/C...... or take troopy and suffer like we did on clunker last year behind a slow 61.... :)
 
I wish you were doing this at the end of august. I would really enjoy this one, but I am going to be at work.
 
Put me down for this one. Probably be driving Scooby- 94 ext cab flat deck. If anyone wants to stay at my place in Kamloops the night before, I have plenty of room
 
JEALOUS!

I did the trail last August with the ExpeditionOverland crew, we had an amazing experience. A couple of thoughts if you'll have them...

Chainsaws, bring 2-3 saws in good working order. That said I know we cut parts of the trail that had not been cut to 4x4's in several years and there were at least 4-5 groups that did the trail after we cut through last fall. No matter what you'll encounter deadfall in the burn areas, we cut trail, moved vehicles through and had deadfall behind us by morning :D

The Maxtrax saved us hours of winching in the swampy sections. We put 12? of them to work bridging some of the really gooey stuff and it worked in fact I don't think we had to winch.

Good call on being leery with the trailers, we towed a small off-road trailer and it not only slowed the pace a bit but the truck towing it got bogged numerous times where it would not have sans trailer. That said it was a heavy hauler for our fuel and water so we would have had to move things around a bit to carry the needed fuel/water in vehicles (which were quite full of camera gear, etc)

There is a fantastic book available (albeit uber expensive) that covers a ton of neat history along the trail:
Trail Guide : In the Steps of Alexander Mackenzie (Quesnell - Bellacoola): John and Flygare, Halle Woodworth: 9780888943163: Amazon.com: Books

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I snapped a ton of pictures of that copy (belongs to the proprietors of the Pan-Phillips Lodge), I can send em over if it's helpful.
 
I snapped a ton of pictures of that copy (belongs to the proprietors of the Pan-Phillips Lodge), I can send em over if it's helpful.

Hi Kurt,
Thanks for chiming in. It's no secret that your video was the kick in the pants I needed to get our own trip going. I was personally inspired, and this trail is practically in our own back yard! We've been talking about it for years, time to do it.

Thanks for the supportive words on trailers. It's widely known that I love trailers, and personally own 2.333 awesome trailers... but they belong on the road, and become a significant liability off-road. We will make a careful cost/benefit judgement call on whether we bring any.

I will contact you directly, and would very much appreciate any advice you can offer to help our journey be succesful and enjoyable. Pictures, trail history, and or gps and waypoints of best places to camp, filter water, etc, would be most appreciated.
 
...I will contact you directly, and would very much appreciate any advice you can offer to help our journey be succesful and enjoyable. Pictures, trail history, and or gps and waypoints of best places to camp, filter water, etc, would be most appreciated.

Sounds like a plan!
 
Ditto on the Expedition Overland videos Kurt! Really good stuff in there. In preparation for the trip I will be watching them again with my son Jackson likely this weekend. That will get him pumped up for the trip.

Without air conditioning in the 42 I am considering strips of magnetic tape and some screen material for the front door windows. It would be nice to have a bit of a refuge. And a couple of them bee-keeper hats too!
 
There is a fantastic book available (albeit uber expensive) that covers a ton of neat history along the trail:

It seems that the Calgary Public Library has this book at it's Central location. I will stop by and 'Check it out', as they say.
 
Is there a link to these videos?
 
I'd like to go but need to nail a calendar down for our year. I'd likely be one of 'those guys' in a 80 with A/C...... or take troopy and suffer like we did on clunker last year behind a slow 61.... :)

I think we've ruled this trip out and will be heading up to N. SK in September for Clunker instead.
 
I think we've ruled this trip out and will be heading up to N. SK in September for Clunker instead.

Or in my case "as well"
 

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