Alberta 2.5 Gen Tundra Family Build and Adventures

[xovrlnd]

I went back and forth on whether or not to start this thread so early in my build. But in the end, I figured—why not? Not only will this serve as a build log, but it’ll also be a place to document the adventures I take with my family and the solo trips I embark on.


So, a little about me. My name’s Taylor, and I’m from Grande Prairie, Alberta. I’m married to an amazing woman, and we have an 8-year-old daughter and one 3 year old American Bully keeping us on our toes.



I originally started my account here back in 2016 for my first build thread —that one was a 2002 Nissan Xterra. At the time, I was young, broke, and just figuring things out, so when our daughter came along, the build got put on hold, and I ended up selling it. In its place, I picked up a 2014 Nissan Titan as a reliable family hauler, left it stock, and then a few years later got bitten by the speed bug. That led to me buying and building a 2014 Evo X. (Still miss that car.)

The Xterra and Evo in question.




After that, I really got into bikes—both on and off-road (and I’m still deep into that world). At some point, we picked up a 2018 4Runner, did a mild build with a lift, tires, and a roof rack, then threw on a rooftop tent (RTT). That RTT completely changed the way we camp, and we’ve been using the 4Runner for the past two years to get out and explore.






Recently, though, an opportunity came up. My company offered me a truck allowance, so I turned in my company truck and snagged a 2020 Tundra TRD Sport at what I’d consider a solid deal. The goal? Build it into our main adventure rig. I’ve already done a few things to it (which I’ll cover below), and there’s plenty more to come. We’re keeping the 4Runner, but it’s officially been demoted to around-town duty.



We’ve got some exciting trips lined up for 2025! Most of our adventures will take us across Western Canada, but we’ve also planned a two-week trek out to Ontario. If everything falls into place, we’ll be heading down into Montana for a trip or two, and there’s even a possibility of making it to Utah—though that one might have to wait until summer 2026.


I’m really looking forward to sharing these adventures with like-minded people. Can’t wait to swap stories, get some inspiration, and see where this journey takes us!

 

[xovrlnd]

First things first—I absolutely hated the wheel and tire setup that came on the Tundra when I bought it. And to be honest, there were a few other questionable choices from the previous owner that I wasn’t a fan of either. But the wheels and tires had to go immediately.


It came with 20-inch Ballistic wheels wrapped in KO2s that were down to their last 30% of tread. With winter in full swing, swapping them out was a top priority. Originally, I had my sights set on Method 703s, but I couldn’t get them in a reasonable timeframe, and being a bit of a deal hunter, I wasn’t about to pay full price for them up here in Canada.


So, I ended up going with Icon Rebounds in 18x9 +25mm (though looking back, I should have dropped down to 17s). Wrapped them in Yokohama Geolandar AT XD G017s in 295/70R18—roughly a 34.5-inch tire. Right away, I had a bit of rubbing on the front bumper valance and the front mudflap, so a quick trim to the valance and mudflap removal took care of that.


Even though I’m not the biggest fan of the fake beadlock style, this setup looks way better than what was on there before. Plus, at just over $250 CAD per wheel, the deal was too good to pass up!

 

[xovrlnd]

First Trip of the Year!

Grande Prairie AB - Golden BC - Abraham AB



My wife, Dez, our daughter, V, and our dog, Mack, had been wanting to check out the famous methane bubbles frozen in the ice at Abraham Lake in southern Alberta. So, on Saturday, February 1st, we packed up and hit the road around 8:30 AM, deciding to take the scenic route through some of our beautiful parks.

We took Highway 40 south from Grande Prairie, making our way to Grande Cache for a quick stop—bathroom break for the kiddo and the dog, a much-needed coffee refill for us, and then we were back on the road. A few kilometers south of Grande Cache, we passed by Grande Cache Lake, a spot I visit often in the summer but had never really checked out in the winter.

Seeing the lake dotted with ice fishing huts, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to drive out onto the ice—something Dez and V had never done before. Sticking within the boundaries of the huts (playing it safe, of course), we rolled out onto the frozen surface, took in the moment, and snapped a quick picture to mark the experience.



With that little winter detour under our belts, we continued on our journey, eager to see what lay ahead.



The next leg of our journey took us down to Jasper. I hadn’t been there since the fires last year, and while I had heard all kinds of rumors about the damage, seeing it firsthand was something else. It wasn’t quite as bad as I had expected, but it was still absolutely devastating.


The north end of town (coming from the Edson side) had some damage, but the south end? Pretty much gone. Tons of residential areas were wiped out, along with several commercial buildings. The whole area was fenced off, likely for cleanup, but from what I could tell, repairs hadn’t really started yet. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures—between driving and the town still being fairly busy, there wasn’t really an opportunity.


Just before rolling into Jasper, we spotted the ever-reliable bighorn sheep hanging out on the roadside. I swear, I don’t think I’ve ever been through there without seeing them. It’s almost like they’re on the payroll for the tourism board!




Once we left Jasper, we headed toward the Icefields Parkway. This is one of my favorite places, especially in the summer. The scenery is unreal, and being able to walk right up to the toe of the glacier never gets old. They also run glacier tours during the warmer months, where you can actually step out onto the ice.

That being said, I still can’t convince my wife to do one. Ever since that accident in 2020, when the Ice Explorer Bus rolled and people lost their lives, she’s been completely against it. Can’t say I blame her, but it’s a shame because it really is a unique experience.


Even without the tour, the drive alone makes it worth the trip. Towering peaks, endless icefields, and that deep blue glacial ice—it’s one of those places that never fails to impress.




We still had a lot of driving ahead of us, and the weather was starting to turn, so we kept moving. About 10 kilometers past the Icefields, the road conditions took a serious shift—completely covered in snow, with deep ruts and drifts piling as high as my bumper in some spots.


For the next 100-plus kilometers, it was nothing but snow covered roads, making for a slow and steady trek. It wasn’t until we reached the turnoff for Golden and Yoho that the conditions finally started to improve.




We had a few rescue missions along the way—several cars that thought they could make it through the deep snow quickly found out otherwise. A couple of hours later, we turned off at the Lake Louise exit and into Yoho National Park. Unfortunately, by then, it was pitch dark, so we didn’t get to take in much of the scenery.


This is also where my frustration started kicking in. I’ve had the truck for about a month and drive at night all the time without any issues. But the moment we crossed into BC, it felt like every other car, truck, and semi was flashing their brights at me. The thing is, my headlights are completely stock—just the standard LED Tundra setup.


To stop getting blinded every few minutes, I ended up adjusting the headlights all the way down. Normally, I keep them at about level 2 since I have a small lift, and setting them to 0 would probably be uncomfortable for oncoming traffic. But at that point, I just wanted the flashing to stop. Not sure if BC just has more sensitive drivers or if there’s something different about the way the roads reflect light, but it was definitely an annoying stretch of the drive.



Pulled into Golden after 714 kilometers on the road. With no tent on the truck yet (still mounted on the 4Runner), we opted for a hotel. I had enough Wyndham points for a free stay, so we booked the Days Inn. That turned out to be a mistake.

The staff was incredibly nice, which was the only saving grace. I won’t go into too much detail about the hotel itself, the amenities, or the general cleanliness, but let’s just say we would have much rather spent the night in the tent—even with the temperature sitting at -30°C.

 

[xovrlnd]

We were up early at 5 a.m. to hit the road by 5:30, aiming to reach Abraham Lake for sunrise. We made it to the "Belly of Abraham" before the sun was up, but unfortunately, heavy overcast skies meant we didn’t get the sunrise we were hoping for. That said, the morning haze over the mountains and the ice made for some pretty cool pictures, so it wasn’t a total loss.







We spent some time checking out the methane bubbles in the ice and took in the cool ice formations. We played around on the ice and in the snow until the cold finally got the best of us. After that, we decided to head towards Nordegg and visit one of our favorite camping spots near the dam.


Here’s a picture of the 4Runner in that spot from the year before, followed by the Tundra in the same spot but during a different season. Always cool to see the change of scenery and how the trucks look in the same place through the seasons.





And here’s a few pictures to show exactly why it’s one of our favorite spots! The scenery speaks for itself—truly a great place to camp, unwind, and just enjoy the beauty of nature. Can’t beat those views!




After the quick visit to our favorite spot, we did some exploring and tested out the off-road capabilities of the Tundra. I have to say, I was pretty impressed with how it handled some obstacles in the snow and ice. Not quite as capable as our 4Runner but I'm happy! After that, we headed into Nordegg to fuel up, check out the Beehive Artisan Market, and start the long trek home.

By the end of the trip, we had covered 1560 kilometers. I averaged 20.5L/100KM (11.5 MPG), but I’ll blame the poor fuel mileage on having to bust trail for nearly 200 kilometers! Before the snow and tough conditions hit, I was averaging 16.5L/100KM (14.2 MPG) with nearly 35-inch tires, winter fuel, and all that mountain driving. All in all, I used 368 liters of fuel at an average price of $1.55/L, so the fuel cost was roughly $500 Canadian Peso's.

Despite the fuel cost, the trip was a blast, and the Tundra did great! I got to see how my new wheel and tire setup handled the road conditions and got a good idea of what needs improvement, what I might add, and what I’d change.

Next up on the agenda: the bed rack system and moving the RTT from the 4Runner over to the Tundra! We’re already looking forward to our next trip. Not sure if it’ll be this is where we will go, but we’re eyeing Liard Hot Springs up in the Territories as a possible destination. Can’t wait to see where we end up next!

 

[xovrlnd]

Managed to slip away for a bit during the Family Day long weekend and do some local exploring. Ended up collecting more than a few "custom" pinstripes along the way. This area used to be one of my regular dirt biking spots before they logged it heavily as a fire break a few years back. We had some brutal wildfires near town, and this whole stretch was cleared out as a precaution. I haven’t been back since, and I’ve definitely never seen it in winter, so it was cool to revisit with fresh eyes. Spent about an hour poking around, checking out how the trails have changed, and putting the new tires through some more testing.


I’m still seriously impressed with these Yokohama Geolandar AT XD G017s. The only real weak spot I’ve found so far is on sheer ice. They still hook up decently, but after years of running studded winters, I can definitely feel the difference. That said, in any kind of snow—packed, fresh, deep, or crusty—these things grip like Velcro.


Nothing too wild on this run, so I’ll just let the pictures do most of the talking. But I will say, I’d love to come back without the kid and the dog and really see what kind of trouble I can get into. There are hundreds of kilometers of trails out here, and while they’re packed with dirt bikes and quads in the summer, winter leaves them wide open for a full-size truck. Before I really push deeper into the gnarlier sections, I need to get my winch installed—and honestly, a set of MaxTrax wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

 

[xovrlnd]

A couple of cool updates—one step closer to getting the new tent mounted on the Tundra!


Picked up an RCI HD Bed Rack. Technically, it’s designed for a long bed, but it fits the 5.5’ bed just fine. I’ve never been a fan of racks that don’t fill up the whole box; they just look off to me. This one stretches the full length, giving it a much cleaner look and a solid foundation for the tent.


Getting closer to having everything dialed in—won’t be long before it’s ready for some real trips.






After a couple of weeks of driving around with the rack installed, I noticed a bit of rust starting to form on one of the mounting corners. Nothing major yet, but if left alone, it’s only going to get worse—and fast.


I have to say, I’m a little disappointed with RCI on this one. The rack itself is rock solid—well-built, sturdy, and fits great—but the coating they use is paper-thin. For something designed to live outside and take a beating, I expected a more durable finish.


Looks like I’ll have to pull it off and give it a proper coating at some point before it turns into a rust-addled chunk of steel. That said, I’ll probably hold off until next winter and just touch up the small spots as they pop up. Perks of living somewhere that’s basically winter most of the year haha.



Took a quick trip over to Dawson Creek, BC—the official Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway. It’s not far from home, but it’s always a cool spot to visit, knowing how much history is tied to that road.




I also dug up an old picture of my Xterra at the same Mile 0 sign from nine years ago. Crazy to see how things change over time—different truck, different setup, but still out exploring.