British Columbia, August 2024

[Occidental]

We took a loop around British Columbia in August. It's taken me a while to get through the write up.

Here is the route we took (the BC portion):

We covered about 4000 miles, departing from and returning to north central Idaho. We found the BC Recreation Sites waypoints before we left. For those like me that were unaware of them, they generally feature a small minimally developed campground (a few are trailheads or other features), most are free (all that we stayed at were), a lot on small lakes. Having those was all the trip plan we needed, other than wanting to possibly see a bear in Hyder, and drive the Cassiar and the Alaska Highways (the portion of the Alaska hwy in BC at least). You could probably spend June - October on this route if you had the time and inclination.

I am still working on a few more videos of the trip not linked below, but the write up and pictures are now all posted to our website, as well as the videos completed to date:
A Loop of British Columbia, The Fishing Highway
A Loop of British Columbia, Salmon Glacier and Bears
Video: Loop of British Columbia Part 2: Cassiar Highway, Salmon Glacier and Bears (The part 1 video is part of the first post)
A Loop of British Columbia, End of the Cassiar Highway
A Loop of British Columbia, The Alaska Highway
Video: Loop of British Columbia, Part 3: Telegraph Creek and the End of the Cassiar Highway
A Loop of British Columbia, The End of the Road

 

[ski3pin]

Most excellent! We've been greatly enjoying following along!

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks for that great trip to take us back to 1990 on our first visit there.
We arrived by the Alaskan Marine Hwy ferry Aurora a very small one.I think it's still moored in
Ketchikan waiting for some one to buy it.
The Bear Glacier was almost out to the road just a small lake in front.
Then by our visit in 2009 it had retreated back into the valley.
Yes that border crossing is very strange.
Thanks again for the trip.
On our two visits to that area we had a great time.
There are photos on my blog site about the 2009 visit.
Frank

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I found some of my photos of Bear Glacier.When compared to the photo that
Occidental posted from his trip the retreat is shocking. The 4 shots together are from 1990
the ice was close to the road and even some mini icebergs.the second shot is from 2009 the ice hasn't retreated all that much in the 19 years between visits.
But when you look at Occidental's shot just 15 years later the difference is very stark.Climate change/ global warming sure is noticeable.
Frank

 

[Occidental]

For those that didn't go to the page, here are the photos Frank is talking about. I believe I read (maybe in the Milepost) that when the road was originally built it was much higher on the slope than it is today because back then the glacier extended all the way across the valley to where todays road is located.

Thanks for posting your photos Frank, for comparison. Pretty stark.

 

[Occidental]

Thanks for that great trip to take us back to 1990 on our first visit there.
We arrived by the Alaskan Marine Hwy ferry Aurora a very small one.I think it's still moored in
Ketchikan waiting for some one to buy it.
The Bear Glacier was almost out to the road just a small lake in front.
Then by our visit in 2009 it had retreated back into the valley.
Yes that border crossing is very strange.
Thanks again for the trip.
On our two visits to that area we had a great time.
There are photos on my blog site about the 2009 visit.
Frank

Thanks Frank, I'm always amazed at the detail you recall your trips. Do you keep a journal with all the details?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Ed, wonderful TR, beautiful country! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks Frank, I'm always amazed at the detail you recall your trips. Do you keep a journal with all the details?

Sharon always keeps journals of all our trips.She's very good at that.
Thanks for the comments on the photos.
I was shocked at the retreat of the ice from your 2024 photo.
Another glacier we have viewed over the years is Mendenhall in Juneau.
We first viewed it in the summer of 1992 then again 2009,2011,2016.
It's retreat is also shocking.
We have always camped at the CG next to the lake so you get a nice view of the face and bergs floating along.
That first trip we had our canoe and went out in the lake.Paddled close but safe distance to the face.Quite a sight looking up at the massive wall of buleish ice.
On our successive trips the face has retreated up into the valley,still lake at the face though.
I think I have photos from those trips.I'll search and post.
Frank

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Here are the photos of Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau.
1992, 2009,2011.The change is also stark in these photos.
At the visitors center there is a trail along the right side of the glacier and markers with dates
where the ice was at that date. In

1919 the ice would have covered the visitors center.
Frank

 

[goinoregon]

thx for the nice TR. u counted the bears - how were the skeeters??

 

[AWG_Pics]

Excellent and fun trip report. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Occidental]

thx for the nice TR. u counted the bears - how were the skeeters??

There were plenty - I'm sure we lost track on the first day. We had one miserable night - a swarm of them found a weakness in our vent - a tiny bit of screen had a tear in it and as we were trying to go to sleep they just kept coming in. We finally figured that out and locked them out. Otherwise, the thermacel kept it tolerable in camp.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Thermacell, don’t leave home without it!

 

[Vic Harder]

Fantastic write up, thank you for sharing!

 

[Occidental]

Here's a link to a couple more videos to finish up the report:

 

[buckland]

Wonderful TR! A very memorable adventure. Thanks!

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Wow thanks for the great trip. What beautiful lakes.
Frank

 

[ski3pin]

Your trip reports are always a joy and we sure enjoy them! What a grand time you had!

 

[Occidental]

Thanks all, I enjoy putting together a TR, it makes the trip more memorable for me. Thanks for giving it a look.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Thanks all, I enjoy putting together a TR, it makes the trip more memorable for me. Thanks for giving it a look.

Ed, your trip reports are a joy! Thanks so much!