RMLCA Alexander Mackenzie Trail Expedition 2017 (1 Viewer)

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Based on the attendee list I'm guessing its full up?

If you are interested, I would invite you to throw down with your expression of interest. We will make a decision by end of March on the exact attendance. But yes, it's looking pretty full right now, however there's usually a few who have to drop out for some reason, so we might act like an airline and oversell this trip knowing that some will have to bail.
 

Great read. Makes me so excited!

It also reiterates my relatively high 'equipment' list requirements re tires, lockers, winches and snorkels. This team with 4 well prepared but 'stockish' trucks were unable to complete the trail in a week! If we actually want to finish the trail in 1 week, we will need to be prepared to 'just drive through' many of the obstacles where they spent a lot of time executing recoveries.

Hmmm.... I wonder if I should bring Shaker, instead of Zelda!
 
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I am sorting out steering and waiting for shocks to arrive. Then a short trip to make sure it is dialed-ish. My issue with this trip will be food storage since I dont have a fridge, hoping to borrow one, and fuel capacity. I will have to fab up a roof rack for extra cans.
Other than that I would LOVE to put my name in for this one!!
 
Hi Everyone. Welcome to March 31! The date I promised that we would officially let everyone know who is in, and who is out.

And the winner is... everyone! well, everyone that has officially submitted their expression of interest. I have updated the first post with the official list participants.

Next step is a detailed planning... ensuring we have just the right amount of things... fuel, tools, spare parts, and food. To get that started, let's do a more detailed description of our vehicles and base equipment... Please share the following about what you are bringing. This will help with our initial planning. I will go first:

Vehicle: 1988 HJ61 "Zelda"
People: Peter and Tanis
First Aid Certifications: None
Primary Fuel Capacity: 200L
Extra Fuel Capacity: N/A
Tires: 10.5R20 Continetal MPT81 (37") with inner air locks
Lockers: Detroit Rear/ARB Front
Winch Type: 24V 8274
Snorkel: Yes
HAM: VA6TPR
Radio: Yaesu FT 8900
Satellite Phone: None
Spot tracker (or equivalent): None
Air Compressor Type: Yes. Sanden PTO driven
Welder: Yes: Ready Welder
Inverter: Yes: 1750 watt
Fridge/Freezer: 45L Engel Fridge, 30L Dometic Freezer
Water capacity: 40L
Water Filtration Capacity: None
Chainsaw Type: Stihl MS361
Trail Trailer: None
Other Useful things: Tire Irons, Pair of Maxtracks
 
Let's talk about Fuel.

As near as I can tell, there is no place to fuel up along the trail.
It appears to be about 180 km of trail, and I expect +/- 200 km to/from the trail to the nearest fuel at either end. So... one should be prepared to carry enough fuel for 200km of gravel/forest road, + 180km of trail over ~5 days.

How much is that... Loewenstein recollects that at the last ACT he attended which will be very similar conditions, the old school gassers (i.e. 22R/2F/V8) units were getting ~1.5 MPG, while his 3B-T was getting about 3 of those so called "MPG's" In real units, that's a whopping 156 lph for gassers, and 78 lph for a diesel.

Some math...
diesel: (180km x 78 lph trail) + (200km x 14 lph gravel) = (140l trail) +(28L road) = 168 Liters.
Gasser: (180km x 156 lph trail) + (200km x 18 lph gravel) = (280l trail) +(36L road) = 316 Liters.

It looks like Thrillbilly does have a gasser along for this trip, so we will need to consider fuel....

Some options:
Best Option: Carry enough onboard. Share the loads. Maybe bring one trailer along for fuel/water/tools/spares.
Another Option: Stash a fuel Cache mid-way through the trail. Probably a trailer. Might be very insecure if we cannot find a friendly place to secure it for us, and will require a dedicated trip ahead of time to stash the trailer and get back to the start of the trail.
Yet another option: plan for a fuel run, much like Kurt and team did. Means leaving the trail and back-tracking along forestry roads to re-supply.

Thoughts?
 
Vehicle: 1981 BJ42 "Steve"
People: Kevin and Jackson
First Aid Certifications: None
Primary Fuel Capacity: 90L
Extra Fuel Capacity: 60L
Tires:
33x10.5 BFG KM2's on stock steelies
Lockers: ARB Front & Rear
Winch Type: 12V 8274
Snorkel: Yes
HAM: VA6KVN
Radio: Yaesu FT 8900
Satellite Phone: None
Spot tracker (or equivalent): None
Air Compressor Type: Yes. ARB twin 24V
Welder: No
Inverter: Yes: 600 watt
Fridge/Freezer: 50L National Luna Weekender Fridge/ Freezer
Water capacity: 20L x 3
Water Filtration Capacity: None
Chainsaw Type: Stihl MS271
Trail Trailer: Yes, if needed
Other Useful things: Tire Irons, chain saw sharpener, Baileys, Rum, Whiskey
 
Fuel talk; I will carry mine, as much as I can. In cans.
 
Any chance I could throw in as well. Like I mentioned above I have some work to do but am extremely interested in this trip!
I do understand if it is just too many trucks as 8 is alot!

Vehicle: 1995 FZJ80
People: Eric and someone...
First Aid Certifications: basic first aid and basic kit
Primary Fuel Capacity: 90L
Extra Fuel Capacity: currently 40L, going to build a rack to carry an extra 120L
Tires: 315-75 16 Toyo MT's
Lockers: ARB Rear, open front
Winch Type: 12V Titan 12k
Snorkel: Yes
HAM: no
Radio: just a CB currently
Satellite Phone: None
Spot tracker (or equivalent): yes
Air Compressor Type: Yes. Puma 12v
Welder: No
Inverter: Could if req, 1000 watt just not installed.
Fridge/Freezer: Just a cooler currently,hoping to borrow a 50L ARB
Water capacity: 20L x 2 or 3 will depend on rack
Water Filtration Capacity: meaning to pickup something in the next month
Chainsaw Type: Stihl MS271
Trail Trailer:
Other Useful things: fire extinguisher, 60" highlift, GPS with Patchmaps on it, willing to be a fuel pack mule if needed.
 
Any chance I could throw in as well.
Radio: just a CB currently

Hi Eric,
Will you have a 2m/vhf radio with external antenna? all comms will be on amatuer band 146.445 and is mandatory equipment for this trip.
 
Hello folks,
So here is my info below...
Vehicle
: 1991 HDJ81
People: Alex and Rugena :)princess:)
First Aid Certifications: Rugena is a Registered Nurse so we have quite a comprehensive first aid kit
Primary Fuel Capacity: 95L
Extra Fuel Capacity: going to build a rack to carry 5-6 jerrys
Tires: 255/80/-17 Cooper ST Maxx
Lockers: OEM front, rear, and center
Winch Type: AISIN A1000
Snorkel: Yes
HAM: VE6COM
Radio: iCom IC-F320-6
Satellite Phone: N/A
Spot tracker (or equivalent): N/A
Air Compressor Type: N/A
Welder: No
Inverter: N/A
Fridge/Freezer: Engel MT60F-U1-COMBI
Water capacity: 40L
Water Filtration Capacity: N/A
Chainsaw Type: N/A
Trail Trailer: none
Other Useful things: fire extinguishers, Garmin Oregon 600t with BC Backroads v4 on it, 1 set of Maxtrax (looking to get another one for the trip)

Regarding fuel, at this point I believe that the most viable option is to carry the necessary fuel with us.
 
Chainsaw Type: N/A

A chainsaw per vehicle is mandatory equipment... there's at least one 'loaner' available that I know of that has been offered up in our club. Contact me directly for more info....

Other Useful things:Garmin Oregon 600t with BC Backroads v4 on it

I just purchased the hard copy of the BC Backroad book with physical topo maps for the trail. Excellent 'overview'. I notice now that the backroads people want an extra $150 for the garmin maps of the trail. Necessary navigation tools, I will likely make the same purchase.


Other Useful things:1 set of Maxtrax (looking to get another one for the trip)

I also have one pair. I think Ryan Barnes does too. If we had 8 tracks (4 pair total) and four helpers to relocate tracks every 2 feet, then it is possible to 'bridge' a vehicle across nasty sections of muskeg without causing terrible rut damage from getting stuck/winching. 4 pairs of tracks along for this trip would be ideal.
 
I also have one pair. I think Ryan Barnes does too. If we had 8 tracks (4 pair total) and four helpers to relocate tracks every 2 feet, then it is possible to 'bridge' a vehicle across nasty sections of muskeg without causing terrible rut damage from getting stuck/winching. 4 pairs of tracks along for this trip would be ideal.

A crew from last year used multiple mats to help them cross some of the areas. It was on Overland Canada, but looks like
the site has been suspended?? Damn. I was going to post a link

Update: Alexander Mackenzie info
 
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Geez, I wish I could change my schedule...The more I see you getting ready the more I wish I could go.
 
Vehicle: 94 Toyota extended cab flat deck "Scooby"
People:Bryan, passenger TBA
First Aid Certifications: recently certified in basic first aid- god help us if I'm the only one...
Primary Fuel Capacity: 65L
Extra Fuel Capacity: Jerry can city
Tires: 33x10.50 MTR with kevlar (That might change)
Lockers: cable locker rear
Winch Type: none
Snorkel: Yes
HAM: VA6BRY- but not licenced
Radio: handheld with soon to be external antena
Satellite Phone: None
Spot tracker (or equivalent): None
Air Compressor Type: Yes. 12 volt tornado
Welder: none
Inverter: Yes: 150 watt
Fridge/Freezer: 45L Engel Fridge,
Water capacity: 20L
Water Filtration Capacity: huh?
Chainsaw Type: Husky 360 18 inch blade
Trail Trailer: None
Other Useful things: Experience- quaded and fished this trail in 1999, Tire Irons, bubba rope, Remington 870 12 gauge defender. Fly rod, fire grill, booster cables, 2 spare tires

Bryan
 
Planning Meeting!

What: Meeting to plan details of the RMLCA Alexander Mackenzie trip
When: Tuesday, June 6, 6 PM
Where: Atlas Pizza: Google Maps
Who: Mackenzie Trail Participants, hangers on, hecklers, and helpers
Why: To plan some details and logistics including : Set expectations, Trail Etiquette and Trip ground rules. Commuting to/from trail, camping at end/beginning of trail, shared equipment, tools, spare parts. Communal kitchen/cooking. Look at maps.

Results of planning meeting will be posted here for those that cannot attend.
 
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