9 day Chilcotin/Cariboo Wilderness Adventure

Overview

This adventure is really something unique. We created this trip to bring you the ultimate experience of exploring British Columbia through the regions that were once home to over 8000 first nations and later explored by Simon Fraser in the 1800s, soon after erupting in a gold rush during the 1860s and soon after settled by ranchers & cowboys alike.
We start off by giving you a quick dose of snow-capped mountains and endless river systems at the beginning of the journey before making our way through the famous yet controversial Gang Ranch landscape before taking you back into the mountains and down to the coastal fjords of Bella Coola.
This trip not only boasts historic greatness but the riding is truly amazing too.
From mountain passes, old gold rush trails & hidden valleys to rough 4×4 tracks and private single track, combined this creates a trip like no other.

With high-end lodges combined with old mining cabins & farmhouses you really get to step back in time and take in the raw beauty of this magnificent land.

“The legacy he leaves is as great as the miles he has ridden”

Daily Overview:

DAY 1. Vancouver to Tyax – Depart Vancouver heading north through Squamish, Whistler & Pemberton (150kms) on tarmac before saying goodbye to the pavement & heading off-road and into the mountains. We ride a series of switchbacks and up over a mountain pass into the gold bridge valley. From here we make a stop at a lookout before continuing on to Tyax wilderness lodge arriving early afternoon to indulge in the resorts facilities and possibly reel in some trout from the lake.

Day 2. We set out along Carpenter Lake for some truly stunning morning views, before hitting the small town of Lillooet. From Lillooet, we venture through a series of logging roads and trails heading north through the Fraser Canyon to Big Bar Ferry, a cable ferry located at one of the few places possible for a river crossing in this region. From the ferry we travel through wide-open ranch land, carving our way through stunning gorges and pass through the famous ground of the Gang Ranch arriving at our accommodation for the evening at The Historic Chilcotin lodge. Here you’ll be spoilt with the region’s best cinnamon buns and a warm welcome from the owners Kurt & Brenda Van Ember.

Day 3. We head out west along Highway 20, but don’t be disheartened about a paved road day, highway 20 swings beneath the forested flanks of Dessous Mountain, crosses the swirling currents of the Fraser River, then contours up the other side of the valley towards our destination for the next two days, Bella Coola. It’s here, with the vast Chilcotin Plateau unfolding toward the Coast Mountains, that a sense of adventure, of leaving behind one world and entering another, truly sets in. Of all the ribbons of asphalt we have travelled throughout British Columbia, Highway 20 stands out as a place where frontier spirit still burns strongly, and the country feels wide open and full of possibility. It’s a place that calls out “Adventure.”

The road descends 43 Km (27 mi) of steep, narrow road with sharp hairpin turns and major switchbacks to the Bella Coola Valley. The descent includes a 9 km (5.6 mi) section with grades of up to 18%. Tourists who have driven to Bella Coola from Williams Lake have been known to refuse to drive back and have had to be taken out by boat or floatplane, but for us adventure riders this is what we have come for!

Day 4. A rest day in Bella Coola. Now when we say rest day that can be whatever you want it to be. Staying at the Bella Coola Grizzly Bear Lodge we are fortunate enough to have the option of multiple activities for today. You can go on a grizzly bear viewing river tour, try your hand at fly or lure fishing, take a boat ride through the sound to secluded hot springs while looking out for orcas and whales or you can spend the day doing some local adventure riding with your guide up to some high alpine lakes and glacier viewpoints. The options are endless!

Day 5. We backtrack along highway 20, climbing back up the 18% gravel grade, through the switchbacks and through the mountainous Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park, which contains a great deal of wildlife, including grizzlies, black bears & moose. Then through the most desolate country of the Chilcotin Plateau where we leave the asphalt behind and head south towards White Saddle Ranch.

Day 6. It’s almost impossible to explain the area that White Saddle Ranch is located in, but you’ll be left breathless with views across Bluff Lake and the towering mountains that surround it. The owner, Mike King has his own private motorcycle museum we can take a walk through and he also operates as a heli-ski outfitter in the winter, so he owns a number of helicopters that we have the option to book for a scenic flight at a reasonable rate. We will also spend a good part of today if not the whole day riding local trails and roads, really getting a feel for the area we are so fortunate to be in.
For the more experienced riders, we can really test your skills on some technical single track through White Saddles privately owned land.

Day 7. The first time we rode this section it was hard to contain the excitement. We set out from white saddle ranch and link up to a series of old forest roads and tight double track along rivers and lakes that offer countless photo opportunities and adrenalin-filled riding. You really get the feeling that you’re miles from civilization on this section, and that’s because you are! We join civilization in the first nation’s reserve of Nemaiah. The afternoon has 200kms of open scenic FSR roads that take us east to Big Creek Ranch.

DAY 8. Today is one of the more technical days. Now when we sat technical we mean FUN! We link up a series of old logging trails that take us right into the heart of the mountains as we say goodbye to the rolling hills of the Caribou region. This route often changes due to rains reforming the trails each year and that makes for an exciting time! Teamwork can really come into play here as we often need to assist one another through some wild terrain. We are unable to take the support truck through this section so we will be left to our own demise. Depending on the trail condition, we will sometimes have another guide waiting for us to assist for the day. This section is always scouted before the trip as there are multiple ways to get through so we always do our homework to ensure a smooth but exciting trip. Just when you think we can’t get any further into the mountains, we will surprisingly arrive back at Tyax Lodge for well-deserved refreshments and our final night’s feast!

Day 9. Taking a different route than previously ridden, we will start off riding alongside carpenter lake heading east again like earlier in the trip. We will link up to the “Highline” trail that will steer us south and drop us into the Pemberton Valley and back on to tarmac. We will then make our way back through whistler and Squamish and on to Vancouver where the trip will sadly come to an end.

Please note: all routes are subject to change depending on weather, fire danger and group skill level. All routes are public forest service roads and open trails and there are options for the more advanced to put their skills to the test along the way with easier options for the less experienced riders.

Riders must have previous off road riding experience and be in good health and physical condition.