MeefZah
New member
Well I'm an idiot. I totally missed this post right above mine a few days ago. Derrr...
Alexander Mackenzie Heritage Trail
- Thread starter djo.bike
- Start date
Well I'm an idiot. I totally missed this post right above mine a few days ago. Derrr...
Great looking rig. Really like the custom work you have done with your bumpers and sliders. I ended up building a custom roof rack for the trip, I did the design and a buddy welded it up. Next years trip is in the planning stages, lots of ideas being tossed around.:becky:
AirspeedX
New member
Thanks! It took a ton of head scratching and time but it's pretty well done! Keep me in the loop - I have a great schedule and can likely join in.
Day 3
Kluskoil Lake to the clear-cut, with the Blackwater River in the middle
The day before coming down into Kluskoil there were parts that were steep and grease, the ground around the lake is clay based, so on the way out we took a fork in the trail. This paid off as it was not as steep and was dry. We did need to clear some dead fall. Meeting up with the main trail we headed west once again.
Soon we started to get glimpses of the Blackwater River through the trees, teasing us with its size and width. Convincing ourselves the crossing would be shallower and narrower we pressed on.
The trail continued through the forest with the lake on our left. It was more of the same as the previous day, rocks, streams and meadows. After a few kilometers we came into a burn section from a few years ago. It was quite striking with new pines growing up among the old burnt trees. It was a little drier through this stretch, with a few stream crossings mixed in. This was to be the most relaxing part of the day.
Arriving at the crossing point and seeing it up close, we realized it was going to be the biggest and deepest crossing any of us had done. Later we would find out it was the highest it had been in quite a few years.
Alex and his Landcruiser were first up and with a little struggle in the middle made it across. Now we had a winch and winch point on the other side. A big concern was that our air intakes were all on the upstream side of the vehicles. Aaron improvised a snorkel with some dryer hose, I took the cover of my air box to gain a few inches and Mark was able to reroute his air intake a little higher in the engine bay. Up next was Aaron, he made it just past half way and stalled in the deepest part of the crossing. Unable to get it started it was winched the rest of the way.
Kluskoil Lake to the clear-cut, with the Blackwater River in the middle
The day before coming down into Kluskoil there were parts that were steep and grease, the ground around the lake is clay based, so on the way out we took a fork in the trail. This paid off as it was not as steep and was dry. We did need to clear some dead fall. Meeting up with the main trail we headed west once again.
Soon we started to get glimpses of the Blackwater River through the trees, teasing us with its size and width. Convincing ourselves the crossing would be shallower and narrower we pressed on.
The trail continued through the forest with the lake on our left. It was more of the same as the previous day, rocks, streams and meadows. After a few kilometers we came into a burn section from a few years ago. It was quite striking with new pines growing up among the old burnt trees. It was a little drier through this stretch, with a few stream crossings mixed in. This was to be the most relaxing part of the day.
Arriving at the crossing point and seeing it up close, we realized it was going to be the biggest and deepest crossing any of us had done. Later we would find out it was the highest it had been in quite a few years.
Alex and his Landcruiser were first up and with a little struggle in the middle made it across. Now we had a winch and winch point on the other side. A big concern was that our air intakes were all on the upstream side of the vehicles. Aaron improvised a snorkel with some dryer hose, I took the cover of my air box to gain a few inches and Mark was able to reroute his air intake a little higher in the engine bay. Up next was Aaron, he made it just past half way and stalled in the deepest part of the crossing. Unable to get it started it was winched the rest of the way.
Last edited:
Day 3 continued
Up next it was the Mark and his Jeep. For a reason I cannot recall my wife decided to ride in the Jeep, leaving me and my nerves alone in the 4runner. It was decided we would both cross at the same time so if one of us got stuck the other could winch/pull the other unstuck. The theory being it would save someone from having to walk a line from the opposite shore. It didn't work, the Jeep got hung up in a couple of boulders 50’ out and when I went to winch him back the runner dug in and sunk to the axles in the soft riverbed (which used to be shore).
While Aaron walked a line out from the opposite side and Mark pulled his winch line to meet in the middle I tried to dig myself out but was not able to and was going to have to wait my turn to winch out. In the meantime Aaron's dog Cassidy thought she could be of some use and decided to swim out to Aaron, it was a little tense watching her struggle in the current but she managed to get across and get her legs on the river bottom. Marked scooped her up and dumped her in the passenger seat of my runner. After she shook off, spraying me and the inside of the vehicle, she settled down for a nice sleep for the rest of the trip.
With the Jeep across, Aaron walked the line back across to me and winched the runner out. Once I was unstuck I believe I could have made it across without the winch, I kept out running the winch and had to stop to let it catch up and just needed a little tug to get going again.
All across and a little trouble shooting on the 3rd gen and we were on our way.
Reading what I just wrote doesn’t really convey how much of a challenge this was. The river was quite high with a fairly strong current making walking the winch lines and strap across very difficult. The rocks were very slippery making it tough to stay upright. I cannot swim so others (thanks guys!) had to spend a lot of time in the water as I would only venture out up to my waist depth. The water was very warm and only reason we were able to spend the time in the water walking lines across. I honestly don’t know how none of us took water into our engines. In all it took 4 hours to get all four vehicles across. We learned a lot, what worked and what we would do different.
On the other side of the Blackwater the trail continued through the burn and then into a logging clear-cut. Using the GPS and a faint set of vehicle tracks we navigated through the clear-cut. Crossing a couple of old logging access roads the GPS track started to follow one of the logging roads, unable to find the trail off the road we decided to follow the road out and down to an FSR.
Up next it was the Mark and his Jeep. For a reason I cannot recall my wife decided to ride in the Jeep, leaving me and my nerves alone in the 4runner. It was decided we would both cross at the same time so if one of us got stuck the other could winch/pull the other unstuck. The theory being it would save someone from having to walk a line from the opposite shore. It didn't work, the Jeep got hung up in a couple of boulders 50’ out and when I went to winch him back the runner dug in and sunk to the axles in the soft riverbed (which used to be shore).
While Aaron walked a line out from the opposite side and Mark pulled his winch line to meet in the middle I tried to dig myself out but was not able to and was going to have to wait my turn to winch out. In the meantime Aaron's dog Cassidy thought she could be of some use and decided to swim out to Aaron, it was a little tense watching her struggle in the current but she managed to get across and get her legs on the river bottom. Marked scooped her up and dumped her in the passenger seat of my runner. After she shook off, spraying me and the inside of the vehicle, she settled down for a nice sleep for the rest of the trip.
With the Jeep across, Aaron walked the line back across to me and winched the runner out. Once I was unstuck I believe I could have made it across without the winch, I kept out running the winch and had to stop to let it catch up and just needed a little tug to get going again.
All across and a little trouble shooting on the 3rd gen and we were on our way.
Reading what I just wrote doesn’t really convey how much of a challenge this was. The river was quite high with a fairly strong current making walking the winch lines and strap across very difficult. The rocks were very slippery making it tough to stay upright. I cannot swim so others (thanks guys!) had to spend a lot of time in the water as I would only venture out up to my waist depth. The water was very warm and only reason we were able to spend the time in the water walking lines across. I honestly don’t know how none of us took water into our engines. In all it took 4 hours to get all four vehicles across. We learned a lot, what worked and what we would do different.
On the other side of the Blackwater the trail continued through the burn and then into a logging clear-cut. Using the GPS and a faint set of vehicle tracks we navigated through the clear-cut. Crossing a couple of old logging access roads the GPS track started to follow one of the logging roads, unable to find the trail off the road we decided to follow the road out and down to an FSR.
Last edited:
More Day 3
It was getting dark and we were all pretty tired, with a storm on the horizon we didn’t want to camp up high. We found a pull out on the FSR, it wasn’t the best camping spot but we had lots of wood for a fire. After some food and a couple of beers around the fire we went to sleep.
It was getting dark and we were all pretty tired, with a storm on the horizon we didn’t want to camp up high. We found a pull out on the FSR, it wasn’t the best camping spot but we had lots of wood for a fire. After some food and a couple of beers around the fire we went to sleep.
Last edited:
Day 4
Clear cut to Tsacha Lake
The day before with not being able to pick up the section of trail through the later parts of the clear-cut we decided to take the FSR into the Indian village of Kluskus, about 20km. Picking up the trail again just outside the village.
This day was fairly easy compared to the last two. There were a few water crossings and some mud but for the most part the trail was dry. This section, at least the first part to Messue Crossing intersection, seemed a little more traveled.
After Messue Crossing there were a few fallen trees that need clearing.
There was an electrical issue on the Jeep which turned out to be a loose battery connection.
Like the previous couple of days the trail alternated between dry and wet.
We arrived at the lake early in the afternoon and set up camp. This spot used to be a fly in fishing camp, from what I read when the lease came up the BC government didn't renew and went in a few years later and took all the buildings down. There are still a few boats sitting on shore and the cabin foundations are still there.
Clear cut to Tsacha Lake
The day before with not being able to pick up the section of trail through the later parts of the clear-cut we decided to take the FSR into the Indian village of Kluskus, about 20km. Picking up the trail again just outside the village.
This day was fairly easy compared to the last two. There were a few water crossings and some mud but for the most part the trail was dry. This section, at least the first part to Messue Crossing intersection, seemed a little more traveled.
After Messue Crossing there were a few fallen trees that need clearing.
There was an electrical issue on the Jeep which turned out to be a loose battery connection.
Like the previous couple of days the trail alternated between dry and wet.
We arrived at the lake early in the afternoon and set up camp. This spot used to be a fly in fishing camp, from what I read when the lease came up the BC government didn't renew and went in a few years later and took all the buildings down. There are still a few boats sitting on shore and the cabin foundations are still there.
Last edited:
Simpleman74
New member
Subd! Fap!!!!
Diesel_Dog
New member
Way better trail coverage then the XO guys. Looks like your 4 rigs total cost would be less then any one of the buggies they "built".
Day 5
Tsacha Look to Old Homestead
After a great afternoon and night at the old fishing resort, we almost stayed a second night, we moved on.
Climbing back up to the main trail and turning east we crossed an old bridge, which was a lot more solid than it looked, and headed down an airstrip. Soon the trail entered another burn section; this one wasn’t as old as the other. It was all burnt trees and deadfall, new growth was limited to grass and shrubs.
A couple of deep stream crossings were drama free and soon we encountered 'Mud Hill'.
There was one route up the hill, it followed some fallen trees and then turn almost 90degrees left about halfway up.
Aaron and his 3rd gen made it to the corner and then using a fallen tree was able to winch clear of the mud.
I was next and made it about halfway to the corner before sinking deeper into the ruts. We set up a snatch block to get around the winch line around the corner and winched to the corner. Resetting the winch line for a straight pull the truck got about 10’ before a log, buried in the mud, wedged underneath the skid plate halting forward movement. We grabbed another winch line from behind and tugged the runner back off the log. With the log removed the runner was winched up and free of the mud.
Tsacha Look to Old Homestead
After a great afternoon and night at the old fishing resort, we almost stayed a second night, we moved on.
Climbing back up to the main trail and turning east we crossed an old bridge, which was a lot more solid than it looked, and headed down an airstrip. Soon the trail entered another burn section; this one wasn’t as old as the other. It was all burnt trees and deadfall, new growth was limited to grass and shrubs.
A couple of deep stream crossings were drama free and soon we encountered 'Mud Hill'.
There was one route up the hill, it followed some fallen trees and then turn almost 90degrees left about halfway up.
Aaron and his 3rd gen made it to the corner and then using a fallen tree was able to winch clear of the mud.
I was next and made it about halfway to the corner before sinking deeper into the ruts. We set up a snatch block to get around the winch line around the corner and winched to the corner. Resetting the winch line for a straight pull the truck got about 10’ before a log, buried in the mud, wedged underneath the skid plate halting forward movement. We grabbed another winch line from behind and tugged the runner back off the log. With the log removed the runner was winched up and free of the mud.
Last edited:
Day 5 continued
Third up, Alex and his LC made it to the corner and sank into the mud past the axles. It is the heaviest vehicle by far and because the anchor points were nonexistent (we tried a lot of fallen trees and it just dragged them towards the LC) due to the burn. Before trying the dead fall we tied using the 3rd gen to winch him out and then tied the two 4runners together; both times the LC just pulled the runners towards it. This was going to require some digging. After digging for some time the two runners were able to support the weight and winch the LC free.
It was now Mark and his Jeeps turn, which is the lightest vehicle. With high hopes it would just float up it got about 30ft and sank. The rest of us had rutted it up so bad it didn't stand a chance. We set up the snatch block the same way we had for the 5th gen but it just pulled the fallen tree out. After serval attempts to find a solid winch point the only option was to get a truck in line with the Jeep for a straight pull, the LC showed its prowess and blazed a trail through the burn on the high side of the muddy hill. A few winch lines later and we were all out.
This took about 6 hours to get us all through.
We encountered a few more mud sections but they didn’t take too long to get through. When going through these sections a slow approach and then using the winches once forward movement stopped seemed to be the way to handle the thick sticky mud. Trying to get through with momentum, like we did at the mud hill, only buried the vehicles more.
Third up, Alex and his LC made it to the corner and sank into the mud past the axles. It is the heaviest vehicle by far and because the anchor points were nonexistent (we tried a lot of fallen trees and it just dragged them towards the LC) due to the burn. Before trying the dead fall we tied using the 3rd gen to winch him out and then tied the two 4runners together; both times the LC just pulled the runners towards it. This was going to require some digging. After digging for some time the two runners were able to support the weight and winch the LC free.
It was now Mark and his Jeeps turn, which is the lightest vehicle. With high hopes it would just float up it got about 30ft and sank. The rest of us had rutted it up so bad it didn't stand a chance. We set up the snatch block the same way we had for the 5th gen but it just pulled the fallen tree out. After serval attempts to find a solid winch point the only option was to get a truck in line with the Jeep for a straight pull, the LC showed its prowess and blazed a trail through the burn on the high side of the muddy hill. A few winch lines later and we were all out.
This took about 6 hours to get us all through.
We encountered a few more mud sections but they didn’t take too long to get through. When going through these sections a slow approach and then using the winches once forward movement stopped seemed to be the way to handle the thick sticky mud. Trying to get through with momentum, like we did at the mud hill, only buried the vehicles more.
Last edited:
Day 5 continued
Lots of old things left throughout the trail.
This burn was quit big and took a while to negotiate. We had set out with no daily mileage goal so with the sun setting we came out of the burn briefly at an old homestead. We decided to camp in the meadow for the night, circling the trucks we made camp. We did not want to get stuck camping in the burn. Those burnt trees fall all the time regardless of wind or no wind and to sit in one spot for 8-10 hours is just asking for something bad to happen.
Lots of old things left throughout the trail.
This burn was quit big and took a while to negotiate. We had set out with no daily mileage goal so with the sun setting we came out of the burn briefly at an old homestead. We decided to camp in the meadow for the night, circling the trucks we made camp. We did not want to get stuck camping in the burn. Those burnt trees fall all the time regardless of wind or no wind and to sit in one spot for 8-10 hours is just asking for something bad to happen.
Last edited:
Route
Screen shot of the route.
If anyone is interested in the gps file shoot me a PM.
One thing to mention is this is not the complete route. The route continues along the north side of Eliguk Lake (Blue pin) and then heads north for a bit before turning east again and ending at Gatcho Lake. As far as a know the last group to do that stretch was the Roverlanders club from BC in 2010??. In recent years groups turn south at Eliguk lake and take the Rainbow Falls road out to the main FSR. Residents in the area use this southern route, part of the MacKenzie Trail and FSR's to connect Anahim Lake and Vanderhoof, BC as it is a quicker route than taking the highway.
We attempted the Roverlanders route but turned back, more on that in the future trip posts.
Screen shot of the route.
If anyone is interested in the gps file shoot me a PM.
One thing to mention is this is not the complete route. The route continues along the north side of Eliguk Lake (Blue pin) and then heads north for a bit before turning east again and ending at Gatcho Lake. As far as a know the last group to do that stretch was the Roverlanders club from BC in 2010??. In recent years groups turn south at Eliguk lake and take the Rainbow Falls road out to the main FSR. Residents in the area use this southern route, part of the MacKenzie Trail and FSR's to connect Anahim Lake and Vanderhoof, BC as it is a quicker route than taking the highway.
We attempted the Roverlanders route but turned back, more on that in the future trip posts.
Attachments
ADK Explorer
New member
Epic! Definitely a working vacation but then epic don't come easy. Nice pictures. Is a video in the works? What winch mount does the red runner have? Pelfry, Bud, Undercover? Thanks for posting.
Thanks. I am working on a video but it is taking longer than anticipated. ..[emoji16] .
It is a Pelfry winch mount but I am think of replacing it with a Relentless Fabrication low pro Stingray.
Sent from my SM-T310 using Tapatalk
