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Auburn, AL
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2006 : 09:05 AM
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I am trying to figure out if it is possible to thru hike from the southern border of BC to the Alaskan border. I have a tenative route planned out that connnects about 4 of the provincial parks, but was wondering if anyone had insight. Has anyone ever tried this? I realize there are immense obstacles to overcome but it is my dream as of late. Any information on inland BC hiking would be great. Any idea on time frames? thanks.
-Troy Burbon
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1427 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2006 : 09:20 AM
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A number of years ago, Marty Maines hiked from the Canada US border to somewhere north of Jasper and then canoed the Mackenzie River to the arctic ocean. The river froze and he can to run the last 100km or so into Innuvik.
Also, the entire length of the coast mountains have been traversed on skis from Maple Ridge to Skagway Alaska. You wouldn't want to hike this route however, because there are no trails.
From my understanding, both of the above trips took about 6 months.
You might also want to check out Karsten Heuer's book "Into the Wild" and the Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative. http://www.y2y.net/ |
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 Outward Bound author of the Seinfeld Thread, who builds his own snowshoes
Troy, MT
USA
3140 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2006 : 10:44 AM
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don't know about starting at the border, but you couls start in poco and take the fools gold route to squamish, past there I don't know about any trails
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ha, I cant believe you actually took the time to read this stupid signature, you should have your hiking licence removed, why are you still reading, all it is doing is wasting your time, stop reading!!!!!!!! |
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Outward Bound author of the Seinfeld Thread, who builds his own snowshoes
Troy, MT
USA
3140 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2006 : 10:46 AM
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and welcome to CT, hope to see a TR of this trip sometime in the future
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ha, I cant believe you actually took the time to read this stupid signature, you should have your hiking licence removed, why are you still reading, all it is doing is wasting your time, stop reading!!!!!!!! |
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Trail blazin', backcountry bushwackin', pine huntin', photo takin', long winded story teller
3841 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2006 : 6:30 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Redpaddle
I have a tenative route planned out that connnects about 4 of the provincial parks,
-Troy Burbon
Tell me what your tentative route is and I will try to give you suggestions and help info if I can.
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Wildman |
Edited by - Wildman on 03/13/2006 6:41 PM |
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Outward Bound author of the Seinfeld Thread, who builds his own snowshoes
Troy, MT
USA
3140 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2006 : 6:32 PM
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your from alaske, so I'd assume you're starting from the airport? or will you take a taxi to the border? whats your tentative route?
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ha, I cant believe you actually took the time to read this stupid signature, you should have your hiking licence removed, why are you still reading, all it is doing is wasting your time, stop reading!!!!!!!! |
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Trail blazin', backcountry bushwackin', pine huntin', photo takin', long winded story teller
3841 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2006 : 7:23 PM
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Hummm!
ALABAMA => AL.
ALASKA => AK.
I'm thinking south to north, son.
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Wildman |
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Auburn, AL
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2006 : 08:51 AM
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Sorry it took me so long to reply, I am busy with Grad School right now. But anyway, I was looking at starting on the Washington/BC border and going north thru Garibaldi then to Ts'yl-os then up to Tweedsmuir and then trek to Prince Rupert. From there I was thinking that we would find some way to get a ride to Alaska, pick up our Kayaks and paddle back to ~Vancouver.
Kinda a crazy idea, and I dont know if it can come off, but any help you guys could give me would be great. I have a friend researching the geology of the Coast Range for his PhD and so he can give me beta on that section. It seems that the lower section (thru garibaldi) would be pretty straight forward but between parks I think could be rough going.
Also, for Bears I was thinking a pump action 12 gauge with slugs (despite the weight), but does anyone think we could get away with bear spray?
and lastly, when do you think we could get away with a start date? I was thinking Late April/early May if we stay low enough, but last time I went to Vancouver Island in April it was still pretty cold and RAINY!
Anyway, thanks guys.
-Troy Burbon
oh, and I'm not from Alabama, I'm from Colorado but here for grad school :) |
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 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2006 : 10:06 AM
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A shotgun? Why not bring a snowmobile too?
Seriously, from the questions you are asking you come off like the next Christopher McCandless. You should make a couple of trips to the area and see what you are getting into before you plan do to the whole thing. I'd be willing to bet that a little bit of on-the-ground exploration will cause you to radically revamp your plans. This is not "thru hiking" terrain. This is serious expeditionary mountaineering. |
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Simpson quoting tree hunter and canyon rapping rockhound who longs for the return of his trapped Toyota
Salt Lake City, UT
USA
2268 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2006 : 10:36 AM
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I was considering how to respond to this question, but I see that Dru has laid the groundwork. Perhaps a little expansion:
Garibaldi Park is quite popular and a park, but it also contains some of the most rugged terrain on the continent. Trails are more of the short, "in-and-out" variety, and no established through trails exist. To traverse the park from south to north requires a high level of glacier travel and route-finding expertise. Even if you follow the logging road systems to the southern boundary, the amount of brush, steepness of the terrain, and extent of glaciation makes such an undertaking a multi-week, airdrop-supported expedition with few opportunities to escape. A good example of typical Garibaldi terrain can be found in the more recent TRs posted by LeeL.
Beyond Garibaldi, the route, I think would require a fair amount of road exposure. The wet west side of the Coast Mountains is very serious terrain. I would recommend tracking down some of the past 20 years or so of ACC journals and looking for reports by John Clarke and John Baldwin. These two pioneered a lot of divide routes in the range, and to say that they were on a different level in terms of ability to traverse this terrain is an understatement. The Coast Mountains are people-eating country, and there is little in the way of population centers between the Whistler-Pemberton area and the Yellowhead Highway leading to Prince Rupert. A lot of wilderness!
If you're still thinking about trying the route, I would echo Dru's recommendation to try a few intro hikes to the area first. I would also suggest a possible re-routing into the dry side of the Coast, starting in Manning Park and heading north through the Cascade
Wilderness, then up into the Thompson-Nicola and over to Lytton and the Stein Valley. Lots of roads beyond the Cascade Wilderness, but also more (relatively) benign terrain and opportunities to escape if things go badly wrong. Keep in mind, however, that beyond, say the community of Gold Bridge, you're back into wilderness that is weeks away from the nearest easy-to-reach supply point. The shotgun will be of little use, as you're in Grizzly country for most of the distance and chances are that the bear will win if he/she really wants to (especially if you're on your own). The real hazard, however, would be blood loss to the bugs! |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1427 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2006 : 11:28 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Redpaddle
Sorry it took me so long to reply, I am busy with Grad School right now. But anyway, I was looking at starting on the Washington/BC border and going north thru Garibaldi then to Ts'yl-os then up to Tweedsmuir and then trek to Prince Rupert. From there I was thinking that we would find some way to get a ride to Alaska, pick up our Kayaks and paddle back to ~Vancouver.
Kinda a crazy idea, and I dont know if it can come off, but any help you guys could give me would be great. I have a friend researching the geology of the Coast Range for his PhD and so he can give me beta on that section. It seems that the lower section (thru garibaldi) would be pretty straight forward but between parks I think could be rough going.
Also, for Bears I was thinking a pump action 12 gauge with slugs (despite the weight), but does anyone think we could get away with bear spray?
and lastly, when do you think we could get away with a start date? I was thinking Late April/early May if we stay low enough, but last time I went to Vancouver Island in April it was still pretty cold and RAINY!
Anyway, thanks guys.
-Troy Burbon
oh, and I'm not from Alabama, I'm from Colorado but here for grad school :)
The route you describe has been done, but it's no hiking trail. There are fairly well document ski touring routes that can be connected between Vancouver and Tweedsmiur Park near Bella Coola. These routes all stay high in the alpine to avoid the horrible bushwacking in the valleys. Along the way, there are 5 major icefield to cross, plus countless smaller glaciers. |
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Outward Bound author of the Seinfeld Thread, who builds his own snowshoes
Troy, MT
USA
3140 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2006 : 3:01 PM
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its always going to be rainy in BC, deal with it
you dont need a gun, you dont even need bear spray, you just need to be able to outrun your friend
thats a long paddle back to vancouver
like canyons said, you better have a lot of $$, or a friend w./ a helocoptor
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hike more, post less |
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Auburn, AL
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2006 : 1:16 PM
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Thanks for the pointers and the warnings. I am aware of the caliber of terrain that would be covered and that is something that scares and excites me simultaneously Although I am not native to BC, I have had experience in wilderness travel across rough terrain (including mountaineering) in Colorado, Australia, Vancouver Island, Central America, SE Asia and central Canada. I am also aware of the remoteness of this route and am definitely planning that into my pipe dreams.
I appreciate your viewpoints and insights, that is why I am sounding this trip off of a few people before serious planning is undertaken. This is a dream that has been born of expeditionary withdrawl after this past summer. I am familiar with the consequences of a truly wilderness trip and that has not gone overlooked. Indeed that is the primary thing that interests me.
I understand a healthy dose of warning and rest assured these concerns are being accounted for. My last expedition through Minnesota, Ontario and Manitoba ended on Hudson Bay with polar bears and thus the urge to "pack heat" for wildlife. If, however you think that firepower for grizzlies is gratuitous, then we can save weight. But it seems that some find the entire trip gratuitous so we can save a lot of hassel!!
One of the people that may join me has proposed a route starting in Montana and hiking northwest to avoid the coastal range. But, to get to the coast, I think we would still have to jump in near tweedsmuir to get to Prince Rupert.
My main goal for this trip is a loop. that is, hiking roughly half and paddling the other. The same start and end location. If we chose to travel north in the lowlands between the coast mountains and the Columbia/Selkirk range we could avoid the high country struggle, but would likely be innundated with heavy brush.
The other alternative that I had not thought of (until your replies) was skiing north in winter and paddling back starting early spring. This would change everything I had thought of for better and for worse. You said it had been done before, but how far and how long did it take? That would be tough. (as an aside, anyone ever read Paddle to the Arctic by Don Starkell?)
To close this epic post: I understand the warnings. I understand the ruggedness of the country (even if not firsthand, and many would say that therefore I cannot understand at all). I am not a greenhorn looking for a "summer fling". I am definitely going into this with eyes open and experience under my belt. I am not dead set on any one route, but trying to find the best one: that is why I am asking you guys. It would be great if I had 20 years of experience hiking thoroughout BC, but alas, not all of us are as lucky and are trapped in the deep south studying catfish and dreaming of mountains, oceans and adventure.
thanks
-Troy Burbon
our paddling expedition: www.hudsonbayboys.com
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Tumbler Ridge, BC
Canada
1364 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2006 : 4:37 PM
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Hi Troy:
I was just talking to someone who dreams about a trail that would run this route. There are currently a few north and south trails that you can string together, but not a lot. The National Trail Movement (not the TCT, the NT) is (was? The site hasn't seen any updates for a couple years) working on putting these together, at least from Vancouver Island to Taseko Lake. Check out http://www.nationaltrail.ca/Hike_BC.htm for their proposed route.
A big north south chunk is the old Telegraph trail, from Edziza to Atlin, but between these two points (Taseko and Edziza), you'd have to do a lot of creative routing to string together a route, esp. if you want to avoid roads. IIRC, the Telegraph Trail from Telegraph Creek to Atlin is about a month. And that's about what? A quarter of the trip right there? A fifth? So you'd be looking at around five or six months to go from border to border.
And, um, you say "our paddling expedition: www.hudsonbayboys.com", but when I look, I don't see anyone there with the name Troy....
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I never get lost. It's just that sometimes, I'm not sure where I am. |
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Outward Bound author of the Seinfeld Thread, who builds his own snowshoes
Troy, MT
USA
3140 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2006 : 6:43 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Backroader
And, um, you say "our paddling expedition: www.hudsonbayboys.com", but when I look, I don't see anyone there with the name Troy....
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I never get lost. It's just that sometimes, I'm not sure where I am.
busted!!!!!!!!
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hike more, post less |
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Manitoba's misadventurin' bushwhackin', dog sloggin', dehydratin', beer drinkin' biggie - who's eager to peak bag Mt Currie in a dress
Squamish
5057 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2006 : 6:46 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Farmer
quote:
Originally posted by Backroader
And, um, you say "our paddling expedition: www.hudsonbayboys.com", but when I look, I don't see anyone there with the name Troy....
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I never get lost. It's just that sometimes, I'm not sure where I am.
busted!!!!!!!!
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hike more, post less
Not so fast. I believe I read about their trip on another forum, and one of the original players had to pull out partway through due to injury. |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1427 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2006 : 9:01 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Redpaddle
The other alternative that I had not thought of (until your replies) was skiing north in winter and paddling back starting early spring. This would change everything I had thought of for better and for worse. You said it had been done before, but how far and how long did it take? That would be tough. (as an aside, anyone ever read Paddle to the Arctic by Don Starkell?)
The entire traverse from Vancouver to Skagway has only been done once, (in about 6 months I think) but all of the sections between Vancouver and Bella are repeated on a regular basis. Most of these ski trips are done in early spring (April/May) because the weather is good and there is still lots of snow. In winter and spring, food caches can be places by ski plane (this is not possible in the summer) Get a hold of the book "exploring the coast mountains on skis" by John Baldwin which has lots of information about the various ski traverses across the coast mountains.
http://john_baldwin.bivouac.com/exploring.htm |
Edited by - scottN on 03/27/2006 3:09 PM |
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Auburn, AL
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2006 : 07:56 AM
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how keen you are! wow! you actually figured out that maybe my name isnt Troy Burbon! or maybe it isnt redpaddle either. And maybe Blackfly isnt called blackfly on his birth certificate at all!
and actually, there was another trip that had a similar route called the Hudson Bay Expedition and yes, one of their crew pulled out in South Dakota from wrist problems. They had an entirely different trip with Sat phone and laptop the whole way. We both paddled Lake Winnipeg, but that was about it. We started on Superior and finished with all three crew members.
thanks for the references though
-E |
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Tumbler Ridge, BC
Canada
1364 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2006 : 2:56 PM
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Just curious. Most people, if they're going to sign their posts, don't sign a pseudonym for their alias. I'm pretty sure my name isn't Backroader either, but I'm not going to say "Check out the new Northern BC Mapbook that I wrote!" and then sign my name "Bill Gilespe", especially when people can pick up the book and see that it was written by Russ and Wesley Mussio.
There have been cases of people masquerading as other people round here, so people can be wary. Just be glad you're not trying to sell something. You should see the wringer people who post here just to sell something get wrung through. Wheehew.
By the way, check out the new Northern BC Mapbook. Just hit the shelves beginning of this month. It has the Telegraph Trail notated, as well as a bunch of other trails that you may be able to string together....
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I never get lost. It's just that sometimes, I'm not sure where I am. |
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Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13091 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2006 : 4:48 PM
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| Interested to hear what you decide to do, Redpaddle. It would be the trip of a lifetime. Keep us in the loop |
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Intermediate Member
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coquitlam, B.C.
Canada
792 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2006 : 7:53 PM
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I've flowen over the country form Vancouver to Whitehorse and that is some BIG and rugged country. I don't even know if there is a route much less a trail to follow. I've daydreamed of hiking parts of it but I don't know if you could actually do it in one season as a hike.
But it's a beautiful land and dreams are good.
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Border to Border
