The trail is usually a two day affair that on relatively dry conditions and is fairly straight forwards. Of course it can be done longer or even quicker, but for us time wasn’t the point. As soon as it becomes wet or snowed upon, things change somewhat. Still fairly navigable but the lower traction, often tighter confines of the BC woods and clay like mud add to the challenges!
Paul and I were lucky enough to find some spare mid week time and we able to cruise over to the trail and enjoy what it has to offer. We were lucky to have amazing weather, the trail was dry essentially so pretty straight forwards. Even luckier, we were the only ones out there, amazing and peaceful. We therefore set ourselves a small challenge, to enjoy the wheeling but to run it as simply and as quickly as possible without using diff locks, without touching, without spinning tyres, without using winches, spotting and other modern off road aids. Instead using, skill, knowledge, experience, good driving technique and standard vehicles. The challenge really was to build on trail driving experience using finesse and mechanical sympathy.
We managed to complete the trail in I think a healthy 9 hours including one stunning evening camp, with no drama. I think we got out twice to look, one spotted section, one failed climb very briefly by me but with a small direction change had no problems in the end. Sometimes it’s not about taking the biggest or hardest routes, sometimes it’s not about challenging the many mud holes, it’s about enjoying the scenery, enjoying the personal challenges you set, enjoying the flow of good off roading, enjoying continual technical movement, picking good lines and so on.
Such a great couple of days in the beautiful British Columbia woods on an iconic Canadian off road trail.