Some Trail west of Quesnel

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cruiserpilot

cruiserpilot

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A couple of years ago, 3-4 trucks did a trip up some backroad trail. I can't seem to find the
thread to it. Mackenzie Trail, or something? It was west of Quesnel, and I remember that someone's
RTT fell off? I'm interested in this, if someone would be so kind as to post it up for me? J
 
I was on the first one but didn't make it to the second run. Glenn was on both, he also has a lot of information about the area. He would be a good guy to talk to about it.
Things needed for that trail: a good chainsaw, spare chain (know how to sharpen it), a shovel and a winch. Be prepared to do a lot of trail clearing. Even though there are sections of it that connect to some major FSRs it's still a very remote area and any help is pretty far away. Good luck, hope you have fun.
 
Thank you for supplying the link. I come back through Kamloops Dec 14 or 15, anyone around want to meet up and talk about this trip?
I'm driving back from Alberta to the island. My tentative plan for this year is Yukon mid Sept until I get home. So maybe next year after, as
June would have too much water/bugs etc I would think.
I'll look through the maps, and have to check this out. J
 
There are two large issues with that trail, when it's wet there is a lot of mud that is very time consuming to get through, when it's dry there are fires and the area has had a history of them burning along the trail. It is a difficult mix, later in the year is dryer but you risk getting trapped in between fires (we've had close calls in the past), earlier and you're spending a lot of time winching through mud (and feeding a lot of mosquitoes). Are you planning on having another truck with you or just solo?
 
Yeah, the only time I could go earlier would be June, and I agree too muddy. I have experience with June/July mosquitos too, they can take away from a nice day. If I had ac, I'd just roll up the windows, stay in the truck! LOL! My preference for most back country travel is late Aug, Sept, Oct and Nov if not snowing. I don't know about attempting this solo; yet 99% of the stuff I do is solo.
Have you travelled this trail? I don't think I saw you on this thread above. I'd like to sit and have a beer and look at maps and pics if
you have.
 
I did the trip back in 2010, do a search for Alexander MacKenzie and it will show that thread as well. Like I said, might be better off talking to Glenn (Glenn-BJ74) as he did a lot of research on that trail and he was there on the more recent trip. I can still show you things if you ever pass through the lower mainland area. The entire trip can be done solo. In places where there is a lot of windfall or fire damage it will take a long (very) time to get through if you are the only one doing the cutting and trail clearing. In 2010 we did the trek from kilometer 0 to the park boundary and we took one day off to relax at a lake, took us a week. It would have taken a single person at least a week and a half if no one has cleared the trail before you. As far as I understand the guys on the second trip did not have it any easier. There are also some areas where having two trucks is safer. Never mind the fact that if something goes wrong and your truck is broken down or rolled you are in a very remote place and there are not many locals that could even help. You would likely be able to get a ride out (after you hike out to a place where there are people) but might have to leave the vehicle behind. There is pretty much only one house along the trail that would be able to help with any kind of repairs. If that trail was closer to a main city it wouldn't be as dangerous. Having said all of that, there are sections of the trail that you can do and then just head out to the main FSRs to bypass other parts (more remote) of the trail system. So there are a bunch of options. Here are some pics from 2010:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fantomdesigns/sets/72157624885042177/
 
I did get the search right ( this new forum I still have troubles finding stuff, I'm a computer idiot ) and found the 2010 trip.
That country being what it is, with the clearing this year, it should be a fairly obvious route now. I saw a bunch of winching on the last page of
your pictures, and on last years trip. What is this particular area? Just short steep nasty things by the looks. My nerves get tight when
I see that long line of black mud with the truck just driving through it. My past life in muskeg brings back bad memories.
Thanks for the pictures, it gives it better perspective. I did see off shoot FSR's, which I presume you all recognized when you went over them.
That in itself is a comforting 'okay, we are here now' marker.
 
Based on our experience in 2013, I wouldn't do the trail solo.

If I recall, by the end, we had 4 trucks with 35" tires, and among those 4 trucks, 3 tires had side wall tears (un-repairable)... my spare was on some one elses truck for the last 3rd of the trail. We had a Warn 8274 burn out winching through that bog, Another PTO became inoperable when needed. It's not a stretch to think that 2 or 3 of the trucks would never had made it through without group assistance. There were a few times where we had 4 chainsaws going simultaneously for a few hours... clearing a couple kms of trail...

...Things to consider before tackling alone.

Cheers,
 
Dangil I read the thread through as well as the 2010 trip. Looks like it would be kind of nuts to do it alone. My ARB is sitting on the shelf awaiting my final clean up of a FF axle for the rear. I've got winches fr and rr that are new. Sidewall issues were a bugger with my BFG's but I've gone to Toyo MT's, which are proving to be a very stout tire. I have a couple of tricks for 'getting home' with sidewall punctures, but not big tears in the rubber. I appreciate the comment, this is a planning thread and I'm happy with all the responses.
I used to run a chainsaw as a surveyor up north, and will never forget the day I busted my ass for 10 hrs only to look back at 800m of progress!
The previous work of this year should still be in evidence in the near future. As an atv guy occasionally, I'm embarrassed every time I see a 40"-48" path on the trail/road made by an atv with the selfish inability to not clean the path for all users, whether it be atv or truck.
This trip still intrigues me enough to want to see that country and enjoy it as others have. J
 
We were a bit luckier on the 2010 trip, at least on the trail: lower rad hose on Gary's truck split (we made a "patch"), Drew's solenoid for the winch died (luckily by the end), Gary's u joint on the drive shaft died (replaced it) and the biggest issue was Grant's trailer almost ripping off the rear of his FJ Cruiser and then Grant heading home while Drew towed the trailer back. I think that's it for serious things that I can remember. Outside of the trail we had some other things go wrong as well. It is not a trail you want to take an untested vehicle or untested accessories.
 
cruiserpilot said:
As an atv guy occasionally, I'm embarrassed every time I see a 40"-48" path on the trail/road made by an atv with the selfish inability to not clean the path for all users, whether it be atv or truck.
This trip still intrigues me enough to want to see that country and enjoy it as others have. J
Click to expand...

This bugs me so much. We have been maintaining a trail near tumbler ridge and for the last 5 years making it accessible to everybody, yet every year there is at least 5 trees we come to, cut just to squeeze a quad through. how hard is it to cut an extra foot or two!
 
That trailer showed up at the first night unknown to all and I said to Grant the owner "it ain't go to make it". A few days latter he ripped out his 'heavy duty' trailer hitch out of his FJ and delayed the whole group by at least a day, whiles the fires were burning all around us.
On a positive note it made for good drama and a great story.
 
Glenn-BJ74 said:
That trailer showed up at the first night unknown to all and I said to Grant the owner "it ain't go to make it". A few days latter he ripped out his 'heavy duty' trailer hitch out of his FJ and delayed the whole group by at least a day, whiles the fires were burning all around us.
On a positive note it made for good drama and a great story.
Click to expand...
I was wondering about the wisdom of pulling that trailer through there. I didn't realize it had been a problem. At least it makes for a good story.
 
Yeah, not meant for those types of trails (and what was on the other side was worse):
damages done by fantomdesigns, on Flickr
Granted that hitch receiver was never meant for that amount of weight in that type of environment. Since then we've had another two incidents with trailers and have become a bit hesitant in having them on group trips, but I digress.
 
I'm guessing that hitch wasn't tied into the frame, the hitches on my trucks are only bolted to frame pieces, bumper not required. That is a poor design
 
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