B.C, Whistler and beyond (Sept 2006)

[paulj]

Here's the report of the trip
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2404

Golden Ears Prov Park (via the Albion ferry)
Alice Lake Prov Park, Squamish valley
Daisy Lake FSR, Whistler
Nairn Falls PP
Hurley FSR to Bralorne and Gold Bridge
Mission Pass to Seton Portage
Highline road along Anderson Lake to D'Arcy and Birkenhood PP
Duffy Lake Road to Lillooet
Bridge River and Yalakom FSR
Downton Ck FSR, Seton Ridge FSR
Fountain Valley and hwy 12 to Lyton; west side road (Texas Ck) via reaction ferry, back to Lillooet
Ashcroft
Barnes Lake FSR and Indian Garden FSR (missed a turn) to Tunkwa Lake Rd.
Logan Lake, Merritt, to Manning PP
Chilliwack Lake PP

[paulj]

Here are a few shots of the drive along the Highline Road along Anderson Lake (from Seton Portage to D'Arcy). While a railroad hugs the shoreline below, the road climbs well up the slopes, roughly following 3 high tension power lines. While narrow and steep (in places), it was freshly graded.

However at least half the road bed is shale, which can damage tires. Half way through we stopped to help a RAV4 with a flat. I provided a wood jack base, while another driver provided a larger lug wrench. The flat, a nearly new Bridgestone AT (not the Revo one), had a half inch slit in the inside tread shoulder.

paulj

Some of these backroads gas stations get a good amount of extra business fixing tires:

He used a flat-fix-in-a-can that enabled him to get to Gold Bridge for a real patch. At only $16 for a repair in Gold Bridge, he got a very good deal. The fellow who did the patch said it gets dead if the road hasn't been graded in a while. Apparently grading the road brings out all the sharp rocks and thus lots of business for him.http://www.bc4x4.com/tr/1999/pb/pb.cfm

[paulj]

There are 3 routes north of Pemberton. To the east is the paved Duffy Lake road heading direct to Lillooet. Up the middle is the Anderson Lake Highline road, and to the west the gravel (and washboardy) Hurley River FSR to Gold Bridge and the mining town of Bralorne. All three are connected by a mixed paved and gravel road along the Bridge River and it's dammed portion, Carpenter Lake. Water from Carpenter Lake passes through Mission Ridge and drops a 1000 ft down to Seton Lake, and from there drops down to the Fraser River.

Here are a few pictures taken near Bralorne, which was an active gold mining area several decades ago (with some new activity). While exploring a short ways up river from the town, I encountered 3 trucks, setup for some more serious backroads driving.

paulj

[paulj]

The area north of Gold Bridge is popular 4x4 territory, with the possibility of driving up to Poison Mountain and on to the Gang Ranch crossing of the Fraser River.

http://www.bc4x4.com/tr/1999/pb/pb.cfm
http://www.bc4x4.com/tr/2003/windyridge/

I however only explored the Tyaughton FSR nearly up to Mud Creek FSR before encountering some road construction and slick mud (we'd had a good rain the previous night). When I backuped to solid gravel to turn around, my wheels spun quite a bit since the mud coated the tires, leaving me no tread. The same mud made it difficult to walk.

BC parks recommends carrying chains for dealing with this kind of slick mud
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/junction.html

paulj

[paulj]

The most challenging road that we drove crossed Seton Ridge. In 6 km it climbs up to a pass above Hwy 99 (Duffy Lake Road) near Lillooet, and then drops down to Seton Lake. The sense of exposure might be similar to that on the Colorado Black Bear Pass drop to Telluride - though I've only seen that from below. The switch back corners probably aren't as tight, since it handles some logging traffic (probably not loaded trucks, though).

The main problem for my Element was fallen rocks, especially since my full camping load dropped the clearance under my rear subframe by an inch. The worse piece was a patch of loose scree. There I stopped in mid slope, and kicked down the center ridge, before driving on, favoring the uphill side of road.

paulj

p.s. From this topo map it is about a 2000 ft climb (in 6km) from the hwy 99 side to Seton Ridge, and a 3000 ft drop to Seton Lake on the north side. The topo map doesn't show the road, but it crosses Copper Ck, and switchbacks up the slope to the pass in center of the image, then drops down to the lake just off the top of image.