2009-06-19 50 -121
| Fri 19 Jun 2009 in 50,-121: 50.8978579, -121.4387649 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox |
Contents
Location
At the junction of Highways 99 and 97, 1km from a logging road near Hat Creek Ranch.
Participants
Plans
I was going from Vancouver to Timothy Lake (in the 100 Mile House graticule) for Father's Day weekend, via highways 99 and 97. How could I not try for this one?
The Veasy Lake Forest Service Road met highway 99 right about where I would have wanted to park, and gave me an opportunity to get the car off the highway while I was hiking, so I decided to go as close to the point as I could along that road. The terrain in that area is fairly open rangeland; treed but not dense, and the underbrush is similarly not dense. I didn't anticipate any major problems.
Expedition
Expedition report to come after I finish unpacking and have dinner. In the mean time, here is a photo of a lesson I learned on this expedition:
Driving
The Sea to Sky highway is beautiful, but the Duffey Lake Road (keep following highway 99 past Whistler and Pemberton into the mountains) is simply gorgeous... if you can find a way to safely take your eyes off the road for a half second.
The road has seen many improvements over the years. Some 30 years or so ago, it was paved all the way through. Some 15 years or so ago, it had road lines painted all the way through. Right now, some of the 1-lane bridges are being expanded to 2 lanes, so cars going in both directions will soon be able to use them at the same time. Amazing!
There are some pretty intense grades and tight switchbacks going up and then down again. Logging trucks and tourists in campervans take the road anyway, although I'm not sure how prepared the tourists were for the 17% grade with 20km/hr hairpins...
The drive was uneventful, consisting of a lot of speed changes and gear shifting, including 2nd gear at 70km/hr to get up some of the hills - and also to get down them without constantly riding the brakes.
Road closed gates
It's paved all the way through - usually
Lots of tourists in campervans
Interesting section of road
Oops
Hiking
Onward
Photos
- 2009-
Witty Comment
- 2009-
Witty Comment
