British Columbia Circle Route

[paulj]

Did you take the backroad from Nisga to 37? Several years ago when in Terrace I was warned that it was in poor shape. However I also read that when slides or flooding blocked the Yellowhead east of Terrace (June 2 years ago?), traffic had to take this backway to get Terrace and PR.

 

[August]

Did you take the backroad from Nisga to 37? Several years ago when in Terrace I was warned that it was in poor shape. However I also read that when slides or flooding blocked the Yellowhead east of Terrace (June 2 years ago?), traffic had to take this backway to get Terrace and PR.

Yeah, I ended up taking it today. You're right about it being a detour route when there was flooding on the Skeena River two years ago. Other than a few potholes and dusty conditions, the 51 km road is in very decent condition. I even passed a Toyota Sienna going the opposite direction.

I definitely want to do more exploring off the Crowsnest in the Kootenay area but it may have to wait until the next trip. Those are some very interesting roads you mention.

I'm already familiar with the area between Hope and Osoyoos. I used to volunteer at Jeep Jamboree at Apex for a few years in a row and we used many of the roads northeast of Manning. The road west from Apex down to Hedley is the Nickelplate Mine Road which is a lot of fun. I've also driven from Princeton to Summerland and Penticton to Kelowna on the Kettle Valley Railroad. Literally the day after we drove it, it was closed off to motorized traffic and turned into the Trans Canada Trail. And a few years after that the 2003 wild fires in Kelowna burnt down many of the old train trestles.

 

[paulj]

And a few years after that the 2003 wild fires in Kelowna burnt down many of the old train trestles.

Apparently they have now been restored.

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46549

 

[August]

Apparently they have now been restored.

That's correct. But you can't drive on them anymore. Here's a picture from 2000 when we drove it. I'm the third truck from the front in my (retired) 85 4Runner.

 

[August]

Another day at the office... working at Long Lake, north of Stewart, BC

Camped at the Silvertip snowmobile cabin, north of Stewart, BC

North of Stewart, BC

North of Stewart, BC

Salmon Glacier, north of Stewart, BC

Salmon Glacier, north of Stewart, BC

Salmon Glacier, north of Stewart, BC

Salmon Glacier, north of Stewart, BC

Salmon Glacier, north of Stewart, BC

 

[August]

5644 foot Trojan Horse Tunnel on Granduc Road, north of Stewart, BC

Granduc Mill Site, north of Stewart, BC

Entrance to 19 km tunnel at Granduc Mill, north of Stewart, BC

19 km tunnel at Granduc Mill, north of Stewart, BC

Berendon Glacier, north of Stewart, BC

Summit Lake (yes, it's a lake sometimes), north of Stewart, BC

 

[August]

MB Unimog 1300L from Germany

MB Unimog 1300L from Germany

MB Unimog 1300L from Germany

MB Unimog 1300L from Germany

Highway 37 north

 

[musicmaan]

That's a bad *** Unimog!!..... Looks like you're having a good trip man...Good pics! Falls River will still be there when you make it.

SSC

 

[paulj]

'Alemania' is just the Spanish name for Germany. May be they have, or will be, traveled south of the USA.

Did you get to those glaciers and mine north of Stewart via Hyder?

 

[Overland Hadley]

Thanks for the photos. I am enjoying this thread.

 

[August]

'Alemania' is just the Spanish name for Germany. May be they have, or will be, traveled south of the USA.

Did you get to those glaciers and mine north of Stewart via Hyder?

I don't know why I didn't pick up on that; I just figured it was the name of their hometown.

The Bear Glacier is next to Highway 37A on the way to Stewart. The Salmon and Berendon Glaciers are on the Granduc Road which is out of Hyder, Alaska but back on the BC side of the border.

 

[August]

Todagin Plateau

C-GPWJ and the Xterra

Sign Post Forest, Watson Lake YT

Dust on the Alaska Highway (there was a semi 50 feet in front of me)

Camping at Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park

Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park

Bison on the Alaska Highway

Eastbound on the Alaska Highway

Muncho Lake BC, Alaska Highway

Alaska Highway

 

[August]

Alaska Highway

GMS Generating Station at WAC Bennett Dam on Williston Lake

Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek BC

 

[August]

Abraham Lake, AB

Banff National Park

Banff National Park

Shelter Bay - Galena Ferry on Upper Arrow Lake

Almost home with the Coast Mountains in sight

 

[August]

Trip Completed!

6578 kilometers (4086 miles)
863.61 litres (228.14 us gallons)


$1196.44 total fuel cost

$1.254/L lowest fuel price, Edmonton AB
$1.385/L average fuel price
$1.570/L highest fuel price, Tatogga Lake BC

11.57 L/100km (20.33 MPG US) best fuel economy
13.44 L/100km (17.72 MPG US) average fuel economy
18.40 L/100km (12.78 MPG US) worst fuel economy

6% of mileage was off pavement.

12 nights in hotels, 5 nights in my tent, 1 night in my truck, 5 nights at friends, 2 nights in cabins.

Misc notes:

1) I didn't do a whole lot of driving at night but I definitely need to upgrade my headlight bulbs.

2) Nissan's tire pressure monitoring system works great. It alerted me to a fast leak caused by a wood screw in the tread. I was able change the tire in 21 minutes flat from the time I pulled over to the time I pulled away.

3) My fuel consumption was best managed by driving at around 2000 rpm (95-115 km/h).

4) A roof top tent is high on my wish list for the next trip of this magnitude. I encountered a tremendous amount of rain on the first half of my trip which made putting away my backpacking tent a pain.

5) The Globalstar satellite network is slowly restoring its network coverage. I was able to make and maintain more phone calls than last year. The Spot Satellite Messenger also works great! I am definitely going to recommend this product for my work.

6) Overall, I was very pleased with how the Xterra performed.

Final route