Pemberton to Bella Coola route?

[roverdevin]

I am planning a trip From Squamish up north through Pemberton to Bella Coola, then returning south on Vancouver Island via Port Hardy ferry. Actually, we're leaving Monday.

Can anyone recommend a route that's a must see? We are well prepared, but traveling solo so I don't want to get into anything too tricky or technical. It would be nice to travel some of the beautiful backroads in that area though.

We would like to hit Goldbridge, and from there I am open to suggestions. I understand the route via Mud lakes and Swartz lake is pretty remote and difficult/impassible? East along Carpenter lake to Yalokom road? Is there anything in particular to watch out for or avoid?

I would love to hit the Big Bar ferry, but I think it's closed with the high water. We have all kinds of time (7 days to get to Bella Coola).

Thanks for any suggestions, and hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Devin B

[ANDYD]

Hi Devin,
It's a great area to explore, a few places jump to mind like Seton lake, Poison Mountain, China Head, Mud Lakes, Big Bar Ferry and lots of off shoots on the way over to Bella Coola. Unfortunately all the times I have headed up that way i was following someone so I cant really help with directions.
A few members have GPS coordinates but I think they are already on route to the Overland event so wont see this posting until they return next week.
Best idea to take a good back roads map book of that area and explore a bit.
Have a great trip and share your photos when you return...
Cheers, Andy
http://roverlanders.bc.ca/gallery/view_ ... e=album243

[roverdevin]

A follow up (a year or 2 later).

We did the trip, and it was great. There is a passable route beyond mud and swartz lakes straight through to the hwy 20 Bella Coola road, staying west of the Fraser. We kept heading north, and the road got smaller and smaller till it was little more than a quad trail through an old cut block. Then it started getting bigger and bigger-finally onto the FSR "superhighway" that passes by gang ranch. Nothing too tricky or difficult. A stock LR with decent tires would have no problems.

We spent another few days exploring the roads west of Williams lake and then onto Bella Coola. A highlight was the campsite way up the mountain just beyond Bella Coola. We met a Swiss couple driving the world in a very well prepared Td5 Defender there, we were the only 2 camp groups at the lake.

The ferry to Port Hardy costs a fortune, but we had dolphins swimming with us much of that way, and amazing. Then a drive down the island and home to Squamish. All in all a beautiful trip. I recommend it!

Devin B

[Greg S]

Erica and I did it a couple years ago but stuck to the paved road pretty much. I started planning almost a year in advance, partly because I had to book my vacation time almost that much ahead of time. I check ferry schedules carefully and planned stops and visits along the way. Two day s before leaving I checked current ferry schedules to make sure of the timing because the ferry only goes out of Bella Coola on certain days, twice a week I think. I wanted to time it right with the camping and B&B. So much for planning a year in advance. I used the regular fall schedule for the ferry in my pre-plan. When we were going, the ferry was out of service for two or three weeks for maintenance. We drove both ways and visited family a bit more on the way back. I still haven't been on that ferry. It's still on my bucket list.

Bella Coola and the trip is awesome! I recommend it to everyone! A word of warning though! I DID NOT tell my wife about the hill before we were going down it. She still hasn't forgiven me. I think that not telling her was the right way to do it or she would have worried about it the entire trip and weeks before hand too.

Oh! Did somebody not tell you there is a hill?

[ishapiro]

A follow up (a year or 2 later).

We did the trip, and it was great. There is a passable route beyond mud and swartz lakes straight through to the hwy 20 Bella Coola road, staying west of the Fraser. We kept heading north, and the road got smaller and smaller till it was little more than a quad trail through an old cut block. Then it started getting bigger and bigger-finally onto the FSR "superhighway" that passes by gang ranch. Nothing too tricky or difficult. A stock LR with decent tires would have no problems.

We spent another few days exploring the roads west of Williams lake and then onto Bella Coola. A highlight was the campsite way up the mountain just beyond Bella Coola. We met a Swiss couple driving the world in a very well prepared Td5 Defender there, we were the only 2 camp groups at the lake.

The ferry to Port Hardy costs a fortune, but we had dolphins swimming with us much of that way, and amazing. Then a drive down the island and home to Squamish. All in all a beautiful trip. I recommend it!

Devin B

Hi Devin, we are planning for a 7 day drive from Bella Coola to Gold Bridge in a few weeks in our well outfitted LR4 towing a custom off-road trailer. Looking for nice route to make the drive interesting with good spots for camping and etc. Could you please recommend a rough route (main connecting points on the map)?

Thanks!

[rgallant]

I did this in my Pathfinder a few years back. I used the Cariboo Chilcotin backroads book
Go over the Hurley Pass and down to Gold Bridge, you could go via Anderson lake too but the reserves may be closed
Then in down through along Carpenter lake through to Lillooet and take the highway to Pavilion/Jesmond FSR and take that up to the Little Big Bar lake area lots of camping options in that area (map 5)
From there you can follow that FSR north until you hit Dog creek (map 17) hang a left to the Fraser and the bridge crossing in and through Gang ranch (map 16)
From the Gang Ranch you can follow FSR's back to the Hiway at Hanceville (Lee's Corner) Map 15

After that it get's tricky you can just pickup the Hiway to Bella Coola or go south to Chilko lake and the North along the lake shore it's is a bit of a goat track but my R50 pathfinder got through without an issue. It could be tight with a trailer in a few spots

If you go south follow the Taseko FSR (map 15) until you hit the Nemaiah FSR (map 14) follow that to the lake then you will see a trail heading north to Tsuniah lake, dotted on the map. This area also may be closed so you may want to check 1st if possible.

From there you follow FSR's north and west to Talta Lake (Map 13) after that you are basically on the hiway


I would check to see what is open on htat hiway it is a long slog to Bella Coola, and you likely need fuel.