Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Cassiar/Yellowhead Highway advice

Leaving on 9/24 to drive from Anchorage, AK to Coeur D'Alene, ID to meet up with a friend for a month to 6 weeks of elk hunting in Idaho and Montana.

Had planned on a fairly quick trip with long days driving and short naps in bed of truck but my wife decided she wanted to come along for the drive and make it a vacation. So...we are hauling a small travel trailer and will be making a slower drive enjoying the scenery, etc.

From what I can see most of the Provincial parks will be closed before we arrive. In the Yukon closed for winter means gated. Is that the case for BC parks as well? If so, any advice about good private for-profit RV parks, etc. or alternatives for setting up a small trailer for a day or two would be appreciated.

I've driven from Haines/Skagway, Alaska to Anchorage/Kenai, Alaska through BC/YT many times in the last 35 years in all seasons, so I've seen the incredible improvements in the roads and know what to expect in the north. But I have only driven the Canadian portion of the Alaska Highway in summer. I have never driven the Cassiar/Yellowhead Highways so have no idea what type of conditions to expect this time of year.

Any advice or information you can provide to make the trip enjoyable and safe would be much appreciated.

I'm aware of the need to have, in triplicate, the Non-Resident Firearms Declaration sheet filled out but unsigned at the time I enter Canada. I will be bringing two hunting rifles with standard 22" barrels and about 20 rounds of handloads for each. I plan to transport these locked in a case in the locked bed (covered by a canopy) of my truck. Any special information I need to know to make sure I comply with Canadian law and to ease my entry/exit to/from Canada on the trip down or return?

Thanks in advance for any information/advice!

Good luck on the drive, I hope that highway is in better shape than when I drove it in '96. Weren't a lot of gas stations and the road along the Frazier was a little hairy, lots of washboard and no guard rail right along the river. Other than that, it was a beautiful drive.

the Cassiar Highway is almost entirely paved/sealcoated except for the Stikine hill and a stretch around Kinaskan Lake. It is badly pot-holed and alligatored (though being repaired) between the 37/AK junction and Dease Lake. Pretty good after that.

there is no gas at the 37/AK Hwy junction anymore, you will need to gas up at Watson Lake and double back the ten or so miles. Most places will be on winter hours, fuel up at Dease (daytime), Iskut (daytime)then at Bell 2 Crossing (daytime), and then no fuel till Kitwanga (Cassiar/yellowhead junction).

there is all sorts private RV parking along the way.

All the rest stops will be open. A few will be posted 'no camping or overnight parking' Ignore them and stay as long as you want. The sign is just to prevent squatters, they don;t bother travellers getting rest.

Most of the parks will be open as well, since there's nothing really to be closed.

The above information about covers it but I would like to emphasize the fuel thing.....carry an extra 10 gallons when you leave Watson Lake....from experience!

I drove the Stewart Cassiar less than two weeks ago. In rain, the few miles of unpaved section north of Dease Lake was a mess. It was under construction and I'd guess has been oiled by now, and is probably in good shape.

The Stikine Canyon unpaved section was being coated with some kind of brown slick liquid that splashed up from tires and coated EVERYTHING just like a spray paint booth. Whatever it is washes off of hard surfaces easily, but absolutely permeated exposed ropes, fabric tarps, anything permeable. I assume it is something to hold down dust and is probably set into glue or whatever it does by now.

Otherwise, beautiful drive if the clouds lift enough to see anything. We didn't carry fuel but we didn't pass any gas stations without filling either. The station at Dease Lake closes at 8:00 pm. Don't ask how I know.

Thanks for the replys and information.

I'm generally careful about fueling up at most every opportunity (at least when the opportunities are 200-330 miles apart)but really appreciate the specific info/suggestions on places and times to fuel up. Don't want to plan on a fuel stop Saturday night at 9:00 pm only to find out it won't open till Monday morning at 8:00 am.

I'm burning diesel out of a 38 gallon tank so have pretty decent range if not hauling/towing a really heavy load. But I've got to burn ultra low sulphur diesel (09 truck with diesel particulate filter so no choice). Only ran into one spot with diesel last summer on the Alaska Highway that didn't have ultra low sulphur diesel. I understand it's required now in Canada as it is in US. Anyone know if I'll have a problem finding ULS diesel?

Sounds like the roads will be in pretty good shape with some minor exceptions that are to be expected during construction season in the north.

Wife and I like to get out every day and hike a few miles. Any suggestions of particular spots we should make sure we stop and do a hike or any particular trails we shouldn't miss?

We're planning to turn south off the Yellowhead Highway at Jasper and head down 93 all the way to Coeur D'Alene. Anyone know if Jasper, Banff, Kootenay parks will still be open?

Thanks again for info/insights.

Mr. AK Chessie;
As far as I�m aware all of our diesel is ULS and has been for awhile now. My commuter car is a �90 Jetta TDI and our hunting truck is an �03 Cummins so I keep track of that sort of thing as best I can.

The National Parks will still be open as far as I�m aware. If you hit this website, it should have more info, http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/np-pn/index_e.asp.

If you have the time and inclination, there is a bunch of hot springs on that route and this link gives you a bit of information on them. http://www.bchotsprings.com/

While some are really commercialized they might be interesting anyway? Ainsworth with it�s caves is quite different.

The ones at the edge of Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park, the Lussier Hot Springs were pretty much undeveloped last time we were there but that was a couple years back. When we chased elk there in the mid �80�s we used it to clean up after a few days in the bush above Canal Flats.

The northern chunk of the route should give lots of wildlife viewing and when one gets into the Rockies again the scenery is pretty fair.

Hopefully that was some use to you. If you think I can help with anything give me a shout.

I hope you folks have a safe and wonderful trip passing through our province even though you will be a couple valleys east of my part of the world.

Regards,
Dwayne

I drove the Kitwanga/Dease Lake section last week,the road wad in good shape with one washout with 20 minute delays.It's been raining up there a lot so more washouts are a possibility,you could check the DriveBC website.Cheers,Monashee

Gentlemen:

Thank you for the great information, insight, and resources.

It never ceases to amaze me how kind and helpful people can be to absolute strangers. I love the fact that these type of forums exist and that great people join them and are willing to answer questions and share information with others they do not know and will likely never meet face to face.

Mr. AK Chessie;
You are more than welcome on my part sir.

With our current economy we can use all the visitors we can get, eh?

Seriously, this link might save you a bit of grief traveling with firearms here, http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/pol-leg/hl-fs-eng.htm

I just about always have some kind of rifle or shotgun along when we travel the back country.

I've found that all LEO here aren't always entirely up to date on firearms law. With that in mind and to save a bit of time, I've printed off the pages on storage and transportation from their own website to show that to the best of my ability I'm in compliance.

It likely sounds like a pain, but it wasn't a big deal really and it's an ounce of prevention I figure. Can't hurt right?

Again, have a grand trip and good hunting when you get to the lower 48.

Regards,
Dwayne

Did you get Hyderized ?