Getting in the final planning stages and wanted to run the route options I have by you guys for feedback. Im leaving from Boise Idaho. I can save about 20 miles and go up through Washington on 97 into canda thru Princeton - Prince George - Fort St John - to Liard River were camp is.

Or the option is thru Northern Idaho, thru Banff area - up to Grand Praire - cross in to BC thru 97 to Ft St John - then up from there.

I will be leaving the morning of Sept 12th.

Hiaring8;
Good morning to you sir, hopefully this 150th Canada Day finds you well.

Having driven both roads in the southern sections a couple times, I'd suggest that you go up through Banff and come back down Prince George, Princeton route.

The mountains in Banff are steeper with more snow cover so they'll give you a different set of Canuck mountain scenery views than coming down through the Cariboo will. Both are pretty in their own way in my opinion and if you can do it I'd say see both.

All the best to you this summer, good luck on the hunt and Happy Fourth of July to you too.

Dwayne

I second Dwayne's recommendation. The drive between Banff and Jasper is beautiful.

What is the availability of fuel - specifically deisel from Banff to Liard River? I plan to carry a 10gallon can of deisel as an emergency, but hope not to use it. My ram cummins can go quite a ways on a tank, but I am one of those that never lets it get below 1/4 tank.

Hiaring8;
It's been years since we've gone north, but overall I'd say it's tougher to find a town in rural BC or AB that does not have diesel than the reverse.

There are more full sized trucks up here per capita than any place we've been south of the medicine line. It's really good, low sulfur diesel too.

Hope that helped, please feel free to ask more questions if they arise and all the best to you this summer.

Dwayne

My last trip through a year ago in March, diesel was available at every fuel stop.

It used to be that a lot of places were seasonal with some closing after Labor Day. When possible, I top off at 1/2 tank or less. Also, if it's not your habit, I'd have a dedicated pair of "fuel gloves" in the truck. For some reason the nozzles were very fuel coated.

A good idea would be to get the app Gas Buddy, as it will tell you prices close to your location by fuel type.

You'll definitely want to fuel up at the Mackenzie Junction between Prince George and Chetwynd (typically the cheapest place around these days for whatever reason) and again in Fort St John. Fuel up again in Fort Nelson, and top off your spare can.

You'll want to try and avoid getting fuel north of Fort Nelson if possible.

A few years back now I got gasoline at a little place near Muncho Lake (now closed) that didn't have a price for fuel on the pump. When I asked what the price per liter was, the owner replied with "Does it matter? Either you need it, or you don't...."

I would go up 97. Available fuel won't be a problem......prices will though. Get enough in Ft St John to get you to Liard and back to Ft St John......Ft Nelson fuel prices are disgusting and I refuse to pay them. Who are you hunting with ? You will be just a few miles south of my fishing lodge. Good luck!

Hunting with Gunson Outfitters for moose and caribou if we come across one.