Toronto-Hood River-Anchorage-Vancounver Island

Gormley Green

Gormley Green

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Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
503
Location
Squamish, BC
So, time to move out of Toronto where I've spent my whole life. As a consulting geologist, I'm pretty free to move wherever - as I always get flown to work. My girlfriend quit her job and we're hitting the road. ETD is first week of May (I'm hoping May 3).

We have a wedding to attend in Hood River May 28th, but will be taking our time getting out there, thinking of going nearish to the I-90 along the way and pulling off to see things (like Mt. Rushmore, etc...) and I'm really keen to see Yellowstone. Never been, always wanted to.

After that, I drop her off in Vancouver and continue north to Girdwood, AK (near Anch.) to see friends and go on a motorcycle trip to Dawson City, YT and up the Dempster Hwy.

I'm pulling a 5x8 enclosed trailer behind my truck with motorcycle and gear, clothes (suit for the wedding :p ), etc.

We're pretty excited! I'll throw some pics up as we go and look forward to hearing any suggestions or maybe meeting some WTWers on the road. We haven't started yet really, but we'll be blogging away at www.rockboy.ca

Thanks for all the advice on here so far! Looking forward to moving out of my condo and into my camper, life is going to get a lot simpler real soon!
 
Dawson City is great. Lots and lots of history. I remember the graveyards mostly, they really tell a story about how hard things were back in the day.

Oh! Congratulations by the way :thumb:

Be safe on your long journey.

Tom
 
Thanks all. The road miles in the truck, including back down to Vancouver Island where we're going to establish ourselves in the fall will be ~12,000km. The motorcycle trip should be ~3,000km. If all goes according to plan, and my eyes don't explode from too much looking around, I'm going to enjoy the summer!

This site will be alot more useful when we're on the west coast! I feel like I haven't really been using my FWC at all here in the east, only because of this site :LOL: !! Hope to get down to desert country in the future, but lots of travel to do before then...
 
Stop by our place if you like on the way. Shower, laundry, meal, etc. we are in Watson Lake, Yukon. Lots of geologist work up here. Mining exploration is going crazy.

Have a great trip..

robbie
 
Thanks Robbie. Depending on timing I might just. Appreciate the offer. I've passed through Watson lake before but only stopped to get photos of the signs.
 
As we're leaving slightly before the 'season' starts I have a question. Are national forest campgrounds accessible even if they are closed? I.e. don't open until mid-May? Would we be able to pull in and camp for the night?
 
As we're leaving slightly before the 'season' starts I have a question. Are national forest campgrounds accessible even if they are closed? I.e. don't open until mid-May? Would we be able to pull in and camp for the night?

It might depend on the location, but some/many of them are gated-locked when they're not "open".
Last October I traveled down the east side of the Sierras in California, and NF campgrounds were already closed for the season and a gate blocked access at the entrance.
But it may not be the same everywhere.
 
That's what I was wondering, darn gates! Since I'll be pulling a trailer I can't poach spots as easily. Especially not in the east/Midwest. Really don't want to shell out everynight on RV parks!! We'll have to get creative!
 
Hospital parking lots are always a semi-decent parking option.

And congratulations on the trip. What an epic journey!
 
You can just pull down along a fire/logging road or something you'll be fine. If you're camping in NF land unless it's designated as a no camping area and you're practicing good ethics you probably won't be bothered by anyone.

Good point, BSS. I've done this many times...maybe most of the time. That's how to camp on NF land no matter what the season (snow-permitting). :)
 
Thanks for the tips. Moving out of my condo this weekend and getting pumped to hit the road! ~2 more weeks of packing and tinkering in th Hawk and we're gone. Pics and updates to follow of course, and as mentioned we'll be blogging at my site rockboy.ca and it has a map/link to my Spot tracker.
 
Sounds like a great trip.We are going to hit the Dempster later this summer.Have never been there or Denali.You can get into Yellowstone through the Gardenier entrance its open all year and the northern road to the NE entrance is open.Thats were a lot of the animals are.Check to see what campgrounds are open by that time of the year.We like Pebble Creek but I don't think it will be open at the time you get there.Indian springs is another good one and it opens earlier check the NP site.These camps are quiet no generators allowed.Keep us posted of your travels.Waiting for the Demspter report.

Frank
 
Yellowstone will be a highlight for sure. If you want to avoid the crowds and see a piece that rarely gets any attention enter the park through the southeast corner out of the Tetan Valley. The long gravel road runs along the Fall River and the hiking from the end of the road takes you past a number of really cool waterfalls.
Here is a pic of the Fall River:
Fall River.jpg
Hood River is my old stomping ground. Be sure to visit the newer brew house "Double Mountain". They have a neat little pub downtown.
Here is a shot of the Hood River Bridge over the Columbia River:
HR.jpg
My family used to have a cabin in Girdwood. Pee in the woods once for me while you are there (we didn't have any plumbing at the cabin) :LOL: .

Home Skillet
 
Thanks Home Skillet. Will definitely oblige the pee in the woods in Girdweed. My cousin just moved into a new cabin after 16 years without running water. I stepped outside a few times in my 10 month stint there.

Packed up the camper today with canned goods, spices (installed home made spice rack behind faucet), and other supplies from my condo today. We still have lots of space for booze (basically the entire under-couch area)! Clothes will be on backseat of truck (1/3 for me, 2/3 for her :rolleyes: ). And then loads of random space in the cargo trailer, though perhaps a little gasoliney due to the Triumph in there. I think we'll be smelling pretty good at the wedding, I set up a clothes rod in the trailer for my suit/her dress :D

Last minute decision as well to get another leaf added to the rear pack. Find the ride-rites can get a little bouncy on the highway with camper and trailer in tow. For a 12,000km drive it's worth it and I'll just take them off when I get settled out west.

Mike
 
As we're leaving slightly before the 'season' starts I have a question. Are national forest campgrounds accessible even if they are closed? I.e. don't open until mid-May? Would we be able to pull in and camp for the night?



Any of the Yukon Campgrounds you can drive into you can stay in..Snow is going but some too much snow.

In the Yukon Camp whereever you want pretty well..

Robbie
 
Taking your time. By chance are you going thru Sault St Marie or taking the southern route thru Chicago. Good places to see along I90, Badlands, Black Hills(Sturges) Bighorn just to mention a few. You might check out the web sites for The US National Forests and Grass Lands. They do have dispersed camping.
Waiting for the day when the trip begins to AK in Jul.

Robbie, if you see this give me a headsup on BC, AB, YT, NT, SK and MB.

If you need anything I'm 3 hrs north of Chicago and have a good trip. Looks like we both have the same FWC/yr.
 
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