Clubs 30th Anniversary "Best of the Best" off-road adventure

[ANDYD]

Clubs 30th Anniversary "Best of the Best" off-road adventure
Thursday 4th September to Sunday 7th September 2014
Hello Rover-Landers,
We wanted to mark the clubs 30th Anniversary with an awesome off road adventure. What we have decided to do is a big loop that's
hits a bunch of our favourite spots up in the Lilloett area.
The four day loop that starts near Lilloett and ends near Lilloett will include multiple locations including Blowdown Pass, Ochi Basin, Mud Lakes, Poison Mountain, China Head, Big Bar Valley, Big Bar Ferry, Edge Hills wilderness. If you haven't done this loop before make sure you don't miss it, if you have done it before you probably can't wait to do it again ...mark the dates on your calendar today, bribe the wife, throw a "sicky" at work, sell the cat .... do what-ever needs to be done!
The road conditions will be genally "medium" off-road with some some big hill climbs, some narrow high roads, some typical bush pin striping (although a this area is mostly above tree level and more open than the typical Fraser Valley runs). All Land Rovers (even totally stock) are more than capable on this terrain. You can check the Gallery for photos in the same areas to gauge the terrain.
It will be wilderness camping with very few amenities along the way. You will need to bring along everything you need for 4 days.

....OK, as promised some more details on upcoming "best of the best " 4 day off-road loop.

Thursday 4th - meeting at Squamish Tim Hortons at 9am (note- there is more than one Tim Hortons in Squamish, we will be meeting at this one - 38930 Progress Way;
http://goo.gl/maps/bVGdO
Be ready to depart at 9.30am. There will be a brief stop at Pemberton at 11:00-11:15 Meeting at the Petro Canada Gas station in Pemberton (Hway 99 and Portage Rd). Then onto Duffey Lake where we turn off to Blowdown Pass. Lunch will be atop the Blowdown Ridge looking over the beautiful Stein Valley and Blowdown lake at 6500ft. Back to the highway #99 and onto Lilloett for 4pm. Anyone planning on meeting us here make sure to let us know. Next we travel down deep river gorge to the east end of Carpenter lake where we will camp under the Terzaghi Dam at the rec site approx 5pm.
http://goo.gl/maps/NEfz5 +50° 47' 7.83", -122° 13' 23.39"

Friday 5th - we will depart at 10am (if you are coming up to meet us here on Friday morning allow 4.5 hrs from Vancouver and let us know to look out for you) we will follow Carpenter Lake until Marshall Lake FSR and then head NW deep into the wonderful wilderness! We skirt along the chain of Mud Lakes until we arrive at Poison Mountain. With a name like that it's the perfect spot for lunch looking down over half of BC from 7000ft! After lunch we cross Davey Jones Creek and rumble our way over China Head ridge up to China Head Mountain. Arriving at French Bar Rec site approx 6pm.

Saturday 6th we will depart at 10am heading for the mighty Fraser River, dropping down into the massive Chisholm Canyon to the free Big Bar Cable Ferry. Once we cross the River (2 at a time!) we will head south following the canyon until reaching the Edge Hills Wilderness Park where we climb out and head for Kelly Lake. Once past Kelly Lake we head up to the peak of Pavillion Mountain top at 6500ft for lunch. After lunch we drop down into the small town of Pavillion and a short run on the highway to Lilloett where we head off road again along Texas Creek and into Ochi Basin. We will set up camp in the Ochi Basin meadows, arriving approx 6pm.

Sunday 7th we will depart the base camp around 10am and head up the switch backs of Molybenite Mountain, climbing to approx 8000ft along narrow cliff side roads. Lunch will be (hopefully) in the sunshine looking over several mountain ranges on what is one of the most spectacular roads in BC. (Note - it has been known to snow up here in September!). Once we have had our fill, back down to base camp and back to the highway at approx 4pm and head for home .....

A couple of notes; for the people who can't do all 4 days you can see from the agenda that it's possible to join us on Friday morning at Carpenter lake. It's also possible to leave us at Lilloett on Saturday afternoon. This will cut it down to three days but will make for a lot of driving on your first or last day.
Weather although on the past trips it has been generally quite hot in this area, you should be prepared to encounter anything from Freezing at night to plus 40 degs in the mid-day.
Vehicle -it needs to be in good mechanical shape! In the case of a breakdown we will never leave anyone behind and will always get your vehicle moving or pull you out to the nearest highway with cell service. (Always a good idea to have your BCAA membership in pocket - just in case!). Bringing along a few spares is always a good idea and between us all we should have a good collection. A good spare tire is a must have. ( ...only 3 wheels on my wagon...)
Food and drink - bring along enough food and drink for at least 4 days! don't leave it until Lilloett and make the whole convoy wait for you to go shopping! Hopefully we will be able to have a camp fire each night (depending on the local fire bans on the dates).
Fuel - the longest off road section without gas stations is approx 260 kms, the last place to fill up will be Lilloett (note the gas stations close at 9pm if you are joining us on Thursday night).
Communications- Our primary communication will be with VHF channel 146.460 and secondary will be CB channel 4, if you don't have either in your vehicle, if you can get your hands on a hand-held VHF just to monitor the convoy information it would be beneficial (lots of interesting and useful information gets passed along the line when on the move).

Any questions, let me know .... Post up if your coming along, let us know if you will be joining us somewhere along the way.
Cheers,
Andy

To assist with the logistics of a large group I have started a "confirmed" list and a "almost confirmed" list. Let me know if you have moved up to the confirmed list .....
Confirmed
Andy & Bailey
Pete & Alex
Bill E
Stuart L
Shawn D
Chris M
David B & Larry
Dave V & Bike
Dave F & Scott
Matt & Henry
Justin & Jullian
Craig S
George & Katrina
Bernie & April
Dave T
Phil
Eric & Sue
Bert plus 2
Ken 2a
Greg & Son

[Crs]

As discussed, I will try VERY hard to make it.

It sounds like a great adventure. :D

[Arcades]

X2

Having a very thirsty v8.., what are the gas stop situation like?

[island dormy]

Hi Andy

This sounds really interesting. When you say typical pinstriping would that be about the same amount of pinstriping as the Van Isle Rover trip we took you guys on this June?


Victor 1962 Dormobile

[justin_carlson]

This sounds incredibly great! I'm about 80% confirmed. Just need to convince the wife a bit more. :lol:

[mepham55]

If the public school strike continues into September, I know where I'm taking my kids instead! Sounds awesome.

Matt

[ANDYD]

Hi Guys,
Great to see some early interest. To answer a couple of the questions above;

- For the thirsty V8's the maximum distance between gas stations is approx 280km. If my calculations are correct one full tank should cover this. If in doubt best to bring a spare gas container along.

- The pin striping is much less than was on the Van Isle run, but there are a few sections that are over grown. Nothing that can't be buffed out with a little elbow grease.

- there are a few steep hill climbs and some thin mountain cliff edge roads up to lookout points. Some drivers may not be comfortable with these roads. Nearly all these locations will have a base camp at the bottom where drivers (or nervous passengers) will have the option to opt out if they so choose. We will join up with them again on the way down. On past runs all vehicles that have taken a look a decided to proceed to the top but there will be no pressure to do these sections if you choose not to.

Cheers, Andy

[99Disco2]

Hey guys, for those who have not done this trip it is a spectacular. In the old Jeep days this was an annual trip for us with stunning scenery. We took extra fuel but never needed it driving 4.0 liter straight six trucks.The wife and I will have just come back from a 2 week trip touring the backroads of Vancouver Island so I hope I have enough in us to go on this trip. Boss already pulling his hair out that I took August off, hehe...

[Bill E.]

I'm in :bounce:

[pragsy]

Man, I just can't win. I booked the third weekend in Sept off specifically for the Roverlander trip and I've already made plans for the weekend of the 6th. Dammit all, damm damm (kicking a can around the driveway)
I vote moving forward all trips happen on the third weekend of the month so us people who have to plan months in advance can book the dates in. All in favour? I'm going to sulk in a corner now.

On a side note: trip looks amazing, have fun crew. Wish I could make it. :roll:

[ANDYD]

Ha, Mike ... we are not trying to avoid you ... honest (well maybe a little!) That's too bad! Maybe we will have another run on the 3rd weekend in September just for you? (mind you, we booked Placer mountain on the 3rd weekend in July as per your request and you were a No Show :roll: ).tsk tsk ...

[bf900]

If school is out...and these dates remain as is...we are 75% in.

[pragsy]

I may still try to organize a little Ochi Basin run on the 20th overnight if anyone can't make this trip. I'll update with a new "Event" thread if it happens.

[tattz]

I am gonna try damn hard to do this one ..

[Arcades]

Unfortunately I have school starting on the 2nd so I'm not going to be able to make it :( I was really looking forward to it :(

[BOlson]

I very much want to make this run ... But my cousin had the foresight to plan to get married on the Saturday Is it possible to go for Thursday Friday and then hit the road to go to a wedding ?

[ANDYD]

Hi Ben,
Yes, I would think its possible to just do Thursday and Friday until noon, then peel off and head for home before we get too deep into our loop. I will post more details on the route and the times in the next few days,
Cheers,
Andy

[e.prevost94]

I'm going to do my best to make it. Still have final engine assembly to go...

[FvanWeelderen]

Subject to the resolution or not of the Teacher Strike, Rufus and I are in.

[sdo]

Andy,

Looks like Pete and I are coming in my Mog.

Do you have an exact starting location, (GPS way point) I'm trying to figure out the shortest route to the start of the trails, my truck is in Princeton now, but I can bring it to the coast if thats a shorter drive.


Thanks

[David V]

I'm in.

[DBrands]

I'm in too. School doesn't really "start" the first week does it? 8)

[Arcades]

I'm in too. School doesn't really "start" the first week does it? 8)

I've got an exam on the 9th for my graduate stats class... No passee no coursee.

[David V]

Sooooo. When are we getting the details? RV point and time? Eh? Eh?

[ANDYD]

Hi guys,
I will post all the details on the weekend with meeting points, times, dates.
One of the early meeting points will be in Lilloett so you can chose to come up the Sea to Sky or highway #1 or across from kamloops.
Looking forward to some fun and adventure .....
Cheers,
Andy