I have a nostalgia for road trips. When I first got my license, and in the years that followed, me and my friends had more than our share of fun taking road trips, and astoundingly, we survived. Over time, those road trips with friends turned into romantic getaway road trips with my future wife. I vaguely remember the time period of B.K. (Before Kids), when spontaneity was a word in our vocabulary, and an overnight bag, full tank of gas, and some beer money was the only requirement. These days, a road trip involves way to much planning, too many bags, and way to many pee breaks along the way. It’s like going from Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road”, to Chevy Chase’s “National Lampoons Family Vacation”. Sadly, I can totally relate to Clark Griswold, and the pressure to get to Walley World, only to find the park closed.
That being said, the road trip bug got ahold of us, and we decided to take our spring break this year with the kids and travel the 2300 kilometres from the Yukon to Vancouver. We hadn’t been back for quite a few years, and this seemed like a great opportunity to drive down with the truck and trailer, camp along on the way, see family and do some shopping in the big city. Simple enough, but Northern BC and Yukon were still buried in several feet of snow, sub zero temperatures, and compacted winter roads. Regardless, we pushed on, and loaded two adults, two teenagers and one dog into the truck to hit the road. After digging the trailer out of the snow bank, and de-icing the roof, we assumed, very naively, that with spring in the air we were beyond the worst of the winter weather…rookie mistake, and quite frankly, we know better.
Instead of being a relaxing road trip, mother nature reminded us who is in control. On the first day on the road we had a tire blow out on the trailer, which was a pleasure to change at -15 degree temperatures; which then caused us to take a few hour detour out of our way to stop and replace the spare. From the Yukon to Prince George, BC we fought the weather; snow, ice, slush and kamikaze logging trucks. Let me assure you that a thousand kilometres of white knuckle driving sucks the fun out of any road trip. The next day leaving Prince George we got turned back due to a highway closure because two semi-trucks had collided head on, and shut the only road heading towards the Fraser Valley; so we turned around and spent another night in Prince George. By this point in the trip a motel was in order, so we could get showered up and regroup. Luckily, the motel owner was gracious enough to let us leave our R.V. in their lot, so we could drive to Vancouver with just the truck.
As luck would have it, the next day was smooth sailing, and we made it to our destination. We only had a few short days in the big city, and then we had to start the 2300 kilometre journey back home. The return trip from Vancouver to Prince George was uneventful, and we fortunately missed another snowstorm that had blown through the area the night before. We grabbed our trailer, and headed out the next morning, grateful to find that the roads were generally in pretty good shape until Meziadin Junction, BC, where things started to go down hill again. The remainder of the drive home was the same slog of snow, ice, cold and crazy truckers, capped off by a heavy snow storm when we finally pulled into our driveway.
So, what makes this worthy of a blog post you ask? The drive from the Yukon to Vancouver will take you through some of the most beautiful country Canada has to offer. There are two routes to choose from, the Cassiar Highway, that runs south from Watson Lake, Yukon; or the Alaska Highway, that runs east from Watson Lake, Yukon. Both highways will converge at Prince George if your destination is the Fraser Valley. I’ve driven both many times, but my preference is the Cassiar Highway, for no other reason, than I like the views more. This is just a personal opinion, the views on the Alaska Highway are also very impressive.
Any time in late spring through to early fall are perfect to drive this corridor. For obvious reasons winter poses some serious hazards; and at any time of year, these roads can be very dangerous. To help you with your planning, here is some free advice. Make sure you are carrying a spare tire, and know how to change it. That may seem obvious, but I can’t tell you how many people I’ve stopped to help that have never changed a tire. I once stopped for a despondent newlywed couple, only to find that hubby had an anti-theft lug on his beautiful rims, and he left the lug adapter back at his home in Michigan….not a good start to the marriage.
Plan your gas stops carefully, especially in winter. The distance between communities can be significant, and pay at the pump options are very limited in the north; depending on the time of year, gas stations can also close quite early. You also need to be wary of road signs, because even though they advertise gas stations, you may arrive to find them closed, out of business, or simply out of gas. I make it a practice of topping my tank when I can, even if I have enough to the next community just to avoid this issue.
I also recommend you carry some cash. As travellers we are becoming increasingly comfortable with using credit cards, and assuming they are taken everywhere. Northern Canada is subject to frequent internet outages due to limited infrastructure. As a result, you can arrive in a community only to find their ATM’s, POS and Credit Card machines inoperable. The only salvation will be your stash of cash for this very situation.
Lastly, pay attention to the trucks. Semi-trucks travel these highways at an exceptionally high rate of speed, and they take up a lot of room on what can be narrow sections of road. I don’t mean to disparage truck drivers, but I do think that some of them travel the same roads so often they have a level of complacency and routine that can pose a real hazard; and trust me, the outcome for you in a passenger vehicle colliding with a semi-truck is at best, very bleak.
Keep in mind that, as a matter of etiquette, it is considered good northern form to stop for drivers in distress and ask if they need a hand; and I fully expect someone would stop for you should you be in that same situation.
Although the weather on this trip severely tested our resolve, experience and patience, as a family, I have no doubt that you will find the highway trip up the Alaska or Cassiar Highway a once in a lifetime experience. The views are phenomenal, there is an abundance of wildlife, and there are lots of quaint communities along the way. I highly recommend the trip, but maybe plan it for when the temperatures rise above zero degrees.
