The modern mapping apps available for devices ranging from laptops to your smart phone have continued to improve over the years. But isn’t exactly a good thing. The last time Alberta had a comprehensive trailmap developed, the Government used that very map to target and shut-down popular trails.
History is repeating itself thanks to the plethora of mapping apps; specifically GAIA GPS & onX Off-Road.
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With the final trip of the summer season, I knocked off two birds with one stone. First, we checked out the Alberta Ourdoor Adventure Expo. This was the first time I’d been to AOAE; the last time I was at anything of a sort was in 2016 when I shot an episode of my documentary series “Come Drive With Us” at an RC Rock-Crawling festival known as AXIALFEST. To be honest, I saw a lot of similarities. My daughter Rey, wasn’t super impressed; she was here for the trail.
Without any more delays, we headed over to Brule Lake which is located right between Hinton & Jasper Alberta. The trail was one of the most unique I’d ever been on. I really did feel like I was doing the trench run from STAR WARS. Or was it Beggars Canyon. Either way, it was super cool!
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There are two proceedures that most off-roaders HATE. Airing down & airing back up! I’ve got the airing back up covered with my ARB twin compressor, but airing down with my VIAR tire deflator takes me 25-30 minutes. When I hit the trailhead, I am always excited to get on the trail, so waiting for my tires to get the correct pressure…SUCKS!
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I was asked to do a video on what tires & wheels I run on my Jeep. It’s hard to answer that quesiton because it’s not black and white. What I can say with 100% certainty, is what tires NOT to buy!!! More specifically, what rim size to target if off-roading is what you have in mind! “To eath their own” has NO PLACE out on the trails!!!
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Overview
It’s time to hit up the mecca of off-raod: MOAB Utah!
What to bring?
Daily Morning Meeting Point (9:30 AM)
EXXON– 299 S Main St, Moab, UT 84532, United States
Day 1: Fins & Things
Day 2: Top of the World.
Day 3: In the morning the plan is to checkout Arches National Park for a bit of hiking. In the mid-afternoon we will head over to a really cool trail called the 7-Mile Rim. This is around a 4-hour trail and I’m hoping to time it well so we can take in a desert sunset.
Day 4: Hell’s Revenge (Bypasses are available for the main trail as well as Hell’s Gate*). There is a small $10 trail fee to use this traill. This is considered difficult, but there are bypasses available.
* I have absolutely zero desire to do Hell’s Gate. I will absolutely check it out from the top and if anyone wants to do it, I will be there to film you 🙂
My Planned Routes
Where to stay?
Do I need a Permit?
You will only need a permit if your vehicle is NOT street legal. Then you will need to complete the OHV course either on-line or at the visitor center in MOAB. You will need a few passes though:
BLM has shut down over 300 miles of trails in the MOAB area; it’s only a matter of time before trail runs here are no more; for me, this might be a once in a lifetime opportunity; would be nice to do it with some like minded off-roaders!
Due to Fires, this trip has been altered.
Day 1 (Aug 19): Travel from Edmonton to Princeton
Day 2 (Aug 20): Whipsaw
Day 3 (Aug 21): Whipsaw & Drive to Castlegar
Day 4 (Aug 22): Rail Trail & Drive to Invermere
Day 5 (Aug 23): Farnham Glacier
Day 6 (Aug 24): Travel back to Edmonton
What to bring?
– Gear for some back-woods camping
– Food
– Water!!!
– Extra Fuel
– GMRS Radio (Channel 18)
Meeting Point (9:30 AM)
Whipsaw South Trailhead (49.369298, -120.576310)
Join us for a wander south of Highway 3. This is a 3-day trip with some epic scenery including the Crevice Fire Lookout recreation area. Now there is some debate as to wheather or not we can actually go there as there is some confusion around the two water crossings of the Calder Creek. As far as I can tell it is a legally marked trail crossing and there are no vehicle prohibitions indicated in this area; so we should be able to make it to the lookout without any drama. That being said, we may not make the destination but there are still TONS of trails in the area!
Route
Click here to download my route in GPX format.
What to bring?
– Gear for 2 nights of back-woods camping
– Food
– Extra Fuel (Trail is 107.4KM Long each way) – Staging area is 30KM from Coleman
– GMRS Radio (Channel 17)
Meeting Point (9:30 AM)
ESSO – 7825 20 Ave, Coleman, AB T0K 0M0
My Jeep ain’t no Pavement Princess! I love doing challenging trails; the more challenging the happier I am.
That being said, trails like this tend to increase the likelyhood of nicks and scratches to your body, and if you own a JEEP like I do, the Hard-Top. I just went on a trip to the Crowsnest Pass in southern Alberta; it was an amazing trail, but it was very narrow. As a result, the trees took their toll on both my clear coat on my body as well as the Fiberglass Hard-Top. The body I can wax out; the same is NOT true for the Hard-Top.
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As long as I can remember I’ve been a GoPro user; they have always been my action camera of choice. Like all filmmakers, I have had my GoPros fail at the worst possible time due to over heating or some other random glitch.
I did go out and scoop a Hero 11, but I also got the new DJI OSMO Action 4 Camera! All the online reports indicate that the OSMO is more reliable; and that’s what I need. I’m also a big fan of the more cinematic color science.
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