Alpine Wanderings in the Shulaps Range (BC)
- Thread starter XPEDBC
- Start date
Nicely done! I did all of canada solo (well all i had time and money to do) and it always adds to the trip knowing your on your own and that screwing up is not an option. Brave taking duratrac tires on sharp rocks... They have thin sidewalls and ive seen them get cut on rocks.. Anyway the feeling of climbing mountain roads alone where turning around is not an option is exciting!
XPEDBC
Adventurer
The Duratrac's have been really amazing actually. They've taken us to the Arctic Circle up the Dempster and all around the Yukon etc, as well as thousands of km's around BC and Alberta, including the Whipsaw trail etc. I've never had a flat and they've barely worn the tread. I have noticed some small cuts to the sidewalls but nothing concerning. I've been up to many of these alpine areas with the shale and pointy rocks but I'm fairly diligent when its time to air down so perhaps that's served me well.
XPEDBC
Adventurer
Scurvy - sent via PM just in case people want to explore and figure it out on their own!
TheViking - It's mostly stock, don't really have a build thread.
- 2.5" spacer lift front and rear (all coil springs);
- wheel spacers to fit 285/70/17 duratracs (with a bit of fender trimming);
- removed plastic side runners/steps for clearance;
- custom fabbed front winch bumper with superwinch 8500lb elec winch and recovery points etc;
4wd system is all stock with the centre diff lock etc A rear locker would go a long way as well as a proper lift. the front bumper and winch weight (steel cable) has sagged the front end a bit.
TheViking - It's mostly stock, don't really have a build thread.
- 2.5" spacer lift front and rear (all coil springs);
- wheel spacers to fit 285/70/17 duratracs (with a bit of fender trimming);
- removed plastic side runners/steps for clearance;
- custom fabbed front winch bumper with superwinch 8500lb elec winch and recovery points etc;
4wd system is all stock with the centre diff lock etc A rear locker would go a long way as well as a proper lift. the front bumper and winch weight (steel cable) has sagged the front end a bit.
XPEDBC
Adventurer
REPORT CONTINUED (finally):
So.... the night in the tent... Did not go so well. I expected wind being right there on the ridge, but not as much wind as what hit me! I will not be overly dramatic, and I did not fear being blown off the cliff to my lonely death, but the wind really ruffled my feathers. I figured the wind would die down after sunset and the ridge would afford me fantastic views (which it did), however it turned out to be a long, cold and noisy night without much sleep. I'm guessing if I camped on the peak it would have been the same as well. I didn't have time to build a wind shelter out of rocks when I got up there, and the only alternative to pitching the tent on the ridge was going back down halfway to the truck to a flat spot on the rocks. I was by myself and didn't really care so I guess that's why I overnighted on the ridge.
So all night long the gusts were rocking the tent and whipping the fly, no matter how tight I had it. I could hear rockfall off the peaks and even the wind blowing rocks along outside my tent (it wasn't a bear or a goat, - I checked). Around 6am the sun breached the horizon and the gusts really picked up. It was below zero and who knows what it was with the windchill, so I basically buried inside my bag (north face rated to -7 or so, but well used). I slept for short periods on and off throughout the night until the beginning of sun rise.
The wind direction changed and the wind was coming up the valley I had ascended the night before. The tent finally couldn't take it anymore and the long sustained gusts ripped my guy wires for the fly, which had been anchored to small boulders. The tent bowed over and was pushing against me. It's a two man tent, only 4 feet wide and 6'6 long so it's not big to begin with. The fly was flapping and cracking like a whip - there was no way I could sleep and I didn't want the tent to suffer any further damage. It was time to pack up.
I held onto the tent with one hand while I dressed in all the clothes I had. Sweatpants, trusty Prana hiking pants, shirt, hoody, ski jacket, gloves, toque etc. I managed to get the tent all wrapped up without having anything blow away. No time for breakfast, I made a beeline downhill. Despite the wind and cold, it looked to be another beautiful day. I hate to take these "selfies" but I thought it would be funny.
I guess I made the night sound pretty dramatic, but in reality I was having a good laugh. I didn't feel very rested but I knew I'd be in the truck the next night and would have a good rest.
On my way down I spotted movement near my feet. Do you see what I see?
Looking back up to where I came from:
On the way down I pulled out my plastic recyclable water bottle and accidentally dropped it. It cracked almost in two when it hit the ground and the water all ran out. D'oh.
I found the truck as I had left it. Before starting up the previous night I had chalked each wheel with big rocks and it didn't budge. (in Park, e-brake, wheel chalks etc = solid!). The tricky part was turning around on that boulder trail.... I backed down about 100 ft and then pulled a risky move in a spot about as wide as the truck is long. I reversed into the uphill side, crunching the rear plastic bumper (not the first time) in a few spots. I then did the Austin Powers turn around where all I could see out the windshield was down the steep rocky slope. After some careful tire placement I made it around and was happy to eat the damage rather than back all the way down that mess.
Once back at the lake I celebrated with some java and a grilled chicken sandwich and skipped some rocks. I figured for the rest of the day I'd just mainly leave the maps alone and drive the trails in the area. There were many quad trails leading to the alpine, and zero garbage or meadow bogging observed. Of course I didn't see anybody up there all day so I had the area to myself.
CONTINUED......
So.... the night in the tent... Did not go so well. I expected wind being right there on the ridge, but not as much wind as what hit me! I will not be overly dramatic, and I did not fear being blown off the cliff to my lonely death, but the wind really ruffled my feathers. I figured the wind would die down after sunset and the ridge would afford me fantastic views (which it did), however it turned out to be a long, cold and noisy night without much sleep. I'm guessing if I camped on the peak it would have been the same as well. I didn't have time to build a wind shelter out of rocks when I got up there, and the only alternative to pitching the tent on the ridge was going back down halfway to the truck to a flat spot on the rocks. I was by myself and didn't really care so I guess that's why I overnighted on the ridge.
So all night long the gusts were rocking the tent and whipping the fly, no matter how tight I had it. I could hear rockfall off the peaks and even the wind blowing rocks along outside my tent (it wasn't a bear or a goat, - I checked). Around 6am the sun breached the horizon and the gusts really picked up. It was below zero and who knows what it was with the windchill, so I basically buried inside my bag (north face rated to -7 or so, but well used). I slept for short periods on and off throughout the night until the beginning of sun rise.
The wind direction changed and the wind was coming up the valley I had ascended the night before. The tent finally couldn't take it anymore and the long sustained gusts ripped my guy wires for the fly, which had been anchored to small boulders. The tent bowed over and was pushing against me. It's a two man tent, only 4 feet wide and 6'6 long so it's not big to begin with. The fly was flapping and cracking like a whip - there was no way I could sleep and I didn't want the tent to suffer any further damage. It was time to pack up.
I held onto the tent with one hand while I dressed in all the clothes I had. Sweatpants, trusty Prana hiking pants, shirt, hoody, ski jacket, gloves, toque etc. I managed to get the tent all wrapped up without having anything blow away. No time for breakfast, I made a beeline downhill. Despite the wind and cold, it looked to be another beautiful day. I hate to take these "selfies" but I thought it would be funny.
I guess I made the night sound pretty dramatic, but in reality I was having a good laugh. I didn't feel very rested but I knew I'd be in the truck the next night and would have a good rest.
On my way down I spotted movement near my feet. Do you see what I see?
Looking back up to where I came from:
On the way down I pulled out my plastic recyclable water bottle and accidentally dropped it. It cracked almost in two when it hit the ground and the water all ran out. D'oh.
I found the truck as I had left it. Before starting up the previous night I had chalked each wheel with big rocks and it didn't budge. (in Park, e-brake, wheel chalks etc = solid!). The tricky part was turning around on that boulder trail.... I backed down about 100 ft and then pulled a risky move in a spot about as wide as the truck is long. I reversed into the uphill side, crunching the rear plastic bumper (not the first time) in a few spots. I then did the Austin Powers turn around where all I could see out the windshield was down the steep rocky slope. After some careful tire placement I made it around and was happy to eat the damage rather than back all the way down that mess.
Once back at the lake I celebrated with some java and a grilled chicken sandwich and skipped some rocks. I figured for the rest of the day I'd just mainly leave the maps alone and drive the trails in the area. There were many quad trails leading to the alpine, and zero garbage or meadow bogging observed. Of course I didn't see anybody up there all day so I had the area to myself.
CONTINUED......
