Mackenzie Trail BC - want to do it?

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Ubiety

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Anybody interested in putting together a group to do the Mackenzie Trail in BC? Looks like a difficult track that will take some planning and coordination but I cannot get it out of my mind. I would need to do some upgrades to the Jeep beforehand so am looking at a date a year, or so, out.

Just wondering if there are others who want to make this happen.
 
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Thanks! Don't know how long really, seems like others are doing it in 4-5 nights maybe? I'm in Seattle area and figure a day out and a day back so maybe 5-7 days with travel days tacked on at each end? I don't rightfully know, watched a few vid series and am interested because of the obvious 4x4 fun and it looks like a rewarding challenge. But this thread is really the start of anything for me other than desire.

Would (could) not do without chainsaws, parts, sharpener, etc. I have used and owned chainsaws but would not consider myself anything more than a weekend warrior with one.

This is going to have to be a 1-2 year out trip for me, need upgrades to the Jeep, need to figure out and plan for WX, best time for river crossings, bugs, etc. My vacation time has to be reserved well in advance unless it includes the family, funny how that works ;)

I have driven a lot of miles on dirt backroads throughout WA, OR, NV, ID, MT but none of that compares with some of the stuff on the Mackenzie - mainly the watery boggy stuff. So I'll be a noob at some of the stuff and have never done anything that continuously tough/grueling. Its the challenge thing...

What are your thoughts on this? I have only been aware of the Mackenzie for several months and love the remote spots in BC that I have been to.
 
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Definitely do it later in the season so hopefully you won't have as many trees to cut out of the way. Bring bug protection and some extra fuel. A week sounds about right. A fairly stock vehicle can do it depending on water crossing levels. I'm over near Spokane so a days travel time on each end would be about right.
 
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Billiebob

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Is this in the Caribou ?

If so, the route was originally done by Alexander MacKenzie in the 1790s, this is a tiny segment of his trip from the BC coast to the Arctic Ocean. I'd be interested, definitely not this year but next fall would be ideal. I'm too old if it gets technical but if it looks doable from the drivers seat, definitely.

This fall my long trip will likely be thru the southern Caribou, Tatlayoko Lake and Chilko Lake then south to Pemberton.

The map shows MacKenzies full route plus the routes of several other explorers.

2dc62fed-c7a6-4a34-a2ba-15665a1fe30b.jpg

I'm reading a book on the Columbia River system and David Thompsons route to Astoria. Chapter 5 talks about the small pox epidemic introduced to the west coast by Spanish explorers. Some things never change.

Swit-River 2.jpg

The amazing part to me is the trips upstream, from Astoria to Kettle Falls to Revelstoke, paddling, poling and long lining against the current and thru rapids..... and we wonder if we have the right tires.
 
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@Billiebob - want to chat more, have meeting a few minutes. I am not familiar with "The Caribou" as you used it, but yes Alexander MacKenzie Trail. I am a trip planner by nature and have not yet even started with this other than trying to gauge interest. Thanks for chiming in!

One of the men who got me into overlanding was an expert on Lewis & Clark and drove us all over Montana giving history lessons. Appreciate the history! Good stuff!
 
Munga Brown

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I, too, have had the desire to give this a shot. The water crossings would kind o' freak me out some... Yeah. I might be interested...

Seems like I saw a YouTube video that, I think, one of our members shot?? Am I remembering this correctly?? Hell... my brain is scrambled.

Anyway, yeah, you have my interest!
 
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Unfortunately September is out for me; we do the annual boys trip usually second week. Welcome @Munga Brown!
I guess I need to do a little more research on the best dates, etc. Brain is fried, busy work day, going to run away from the computer.
 
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Munga Brown said:
There is time to plan. :-D
Click to expand...
Exactly! “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” Willie Wonka / Gene Wilder

Ok, enough quaran-silliness. Started a Mackenzie route in Gaia this evening, found a pretty good GPX file to start with - follows the dashed lines for the route in Gaia anyway. Need to read the web a bit to learn more and annotate the route. A lot of stuff that I am finding thus far refers to this as a walk/hike - need to keep researching. Once I get something together I'll upload a GPX.

Good info, bit outdated, 7 day trip

BC4x4.COM four wheel drive, 4x4, offroad and fourwheeling site.

bc4x4.com - 4x4 and offroad adventure information,fourwheeling trip reports, four wheel drive, 4x4 buildups.
www.bc4x4.com www.bc4x4.com
 
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Ubiety

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Attached GPX starter, if you look at it in Gaia use the "Backroad Mapbooks Canada" map/layer for more backroad goodness. The GPX contains a couple sets of routes that look to be the same, will remove redundant data once I make sure it won't create any more gaps (there are a few small gaps that appear to at boggy areas - go figure). I added the route from Quesnel to the intersection of the Mackenzie; it misses the first bit of the trail per the GPX routes I downloaded. Not sure where the real start is... We could make our way to the very beginning but I am not sure that is what folks do in 4x4's. If you come across GPS data from 4x4 expeditions please pass it along.

I will continue refining my data in Gaia; going to start reading trip reports / videos and taking notes. Looks like a 9 or so hour drive from Seattle to Quesnel. Everything I have seen does the route E to W; just assume Quesnel is last gas starting spot but am not married to that. Gas in a JKU... I hear BC or CA recently made it illegal to carry gas outside of your vehicle... This will take some thinking. Funny, looking at map and remembered a buddy and I had a great hotel room in Quesnel taking street bikes up the AlCan. An awesome evening after a even better ride!

Downloaded GPX data shows E end of Mackenzie at the river which looks non-crossable; easiest route from Quesnel joins the trail at that green blob. Videos that I have seen show easy dirt roads to the trailhead and then conditions quickly deteriorate which makes me think other 4x4 folks may not start right at the beginning - rather at that intersection???
1585889975666.png

GPX viewer
 

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Munga Brown

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In Gaia the following maps are helpful - BRMB ATV Trail and BRMB Canada Trails. Cleaned up routes and removed redundant data; adding waypoints.
 
Billiebob

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MacKenzies Expedition wae mostly by boat, but this route .... edit !! ....is the first overland trade route to the coast...... Learning every day !
It will leave us in awe at what those first explorers endured.

51A6WSVD80L._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

There are a few hundred books on his route finding.
 
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