Alexandra Falls, NWT, August 2013.
lined with chainsaw carvings from the previous years – 120 or more in all. Another worthwhile side trip. From Chetwynd we leſt
the DEHCHO route traveling on Highway 97 over the Pine Pass to Prince George. T e weather
throughout
the trip was excellent – warm and sunny. For the 4,000+ kilometres
we experienced no problems with our fi ſt h wheel, other than the breaking of the dishes and appliances. Fuel prices were somewhat
an RV is concerned, than many of the paved roads. T e only major problem on the gravel road was the tremendous amount of dust that just hangs in the air whenever you meet another vehicle. T e good thing is that we met only about six to seven vehicles in the whole 200+ kms to “Checkpoint” where Highway 1 to Fort Simpson meets with Highway 7 to Fort Laird. Travelling from Checkpoint to Fort Simpson, we crossed the Laird River on a free Government
of Canada Ferry. It was a short six-minute ride. We checked into the Fort Simpson Territorial Park on the southern edge of town (population of about 500), unhooked the RV and went into town stopping fi rst at the Visitor’s Centre. T e young man there suggested we drive around town until we fi nd their historical buildings and we fi nally found the barn built in 1906. On the way back to the Territorial Park we stopped at the “golf course” where we noticed a black bear foraging outside the “pro shop”. Folks there chased it off with a quad! From Fort Simpson we again backtracked to Checkpoint and then onto Fort Laird 200+ km on a very dusty gravel road south. Again on this road we met less than 10 vehicles so the
dust presented little problem. We did not stay over in Fort Laird, but proceeded south, crossing the 60th
Parallel
almost unnoticed except for the very welcome beginning of a very good paved BC highway. Aſt er overnighting in Fort traveled
Nelson we south
28 RVT 156 • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 Break time.
toward Fort St John, turning off just north of the city to drive to Hudson’s Hope, where we toured the famous W.A.C. Bennett Hydroelectric Dam – one of the largest “earth fi lled” dams in the world. It is a tour worth taking. From there we traveled on to Chetwynd, the chainsaw carving capital of Canada. T eir streets are
higher in the NWT and BC, but that was expected. Overall we averaged slightly more than 15 miles per gallon (5.3 kms per litre). T us the cost of fuel was about 25 cents per kilometre. While this was an enjoyable
trip for us, I wouldn’t recommend the
Fort
Simpson part to anyone who is not experienced with gravel roads. If you are prepared for rough roads and take your time, it is well worth the cost. k
Our Savoy Holiday Rambler fi fth wheel at the Aspen Ridge Campground, High Level, Alberta.
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