Rockslide on the Sea to Sky
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Anders Ourom
- Senior Member
- Posts: 328
- Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 10:38 am
There is a road from Pemberton to Harrison Hot Springs. It's probably not a realistic alternative, even if you have a suitable vehicle and experience, and it will still probably take less time to go via Duffey Lake and Lillooet.
After branching off the Duffey Lake road (highway 99), it's a gravel road down the east side of Lillooet Lake and River. It crosses to the west side near Douglas, which is at the head of Harrison Lake, and then goes down the west side of Harrison Lake. There are some small First Nations community along the river, plus some logging, so the road is maintained and probably ok as far as Douglas.
There have always been very rough and steep sections between Douglas and HHS. You generally need a serious, high-clearance 4WD, and a good driver, to get through. And a lot of time. That has been the situation for decades, and there is speculation that it is kept that way to discourage traffic.
Possibly the Ministry of Forests website would have more current information on conditions. But I suspect if the road was driveable, it'd be fairly widely know. There may be more in the news media in Vancouver tomorrow, at least to the extent of the government warning people away. Bound to be reporters asking about the possibility of people using the Pemberton-HHS route - they always do when the Squamish-Whistler highway is closed.
It wouldn't surprise me if, given the current rockfall, the government decided to spend even more on the highway project. Initial budget $600 million. The Auditor General said a year ago it was over $1 billion. Watch for more spending, though we probably won't know until after the fact. I doubt they'd spend enough to get the Pemberton-HHS road open, even if temporarily for the Olympics, though it doesn't seem out of the question.
After branching off the Duffey Lake road (highway 99), it's a gravel road down the east side of Lillooet Lake and River. It crosses to the west side near Douglas, which is at the head of Harrison Lake, and then goes down the west side of Harrison Lake. There are some small First Nations community along the river, plus some logging, so the road is maintained and probably ok as far as Douglas.
There have always been very rough and steep sections between Douglas and HHS. You generally need a serious, high-clearance 4WD, and a good driver, to get through. And a lot of time. That has been the situation for decades, and there is speculation that it is kept that way to discourage traffic.
Possibly the Ministry of Forests website would have more current information on conditions. But I suspect if the road was driveable, it'd be fairly widely know. There may be more in the news media in Vancouver tomorrow, at least to the extent of the government warning people away. Bound to be reporters asking about the possibility of people using the Pemberton-HHS route - they always do when the Squamish-Whistler highway is closed.
It wouldn't surprise me if, given the current rockfall, the government decided to spend even more on the highway project. Initial budget $600 million. The Auditor General said a year ago it was over $1 billion. Watch for more spending, though we probably won't know until after the fact. I doubt they'd spend enough to get the Pemberton-HHS road open, even if temporarily for the Olympics, though it doesn't seem out of the question.
sure, you can drive the Harrison West FSR, but you NEED 4wd. it's a bit nasty in some areas south of Sloquet Hot Springs... not to mention it takes a while... you're better off driving the long way around!?thesiger wrote:Does anyone know anything about the Harrison-Pemberton road? I have to get my sister-in-law to Van airport from Squamish by Friday evening ... driving via Lilloet looks tedious.
alternatives
If you have to get your sister to the airport, go to the information center, at the national (CBC news) they mention that some people are either changing their flights, or taking a boat charter to Horseshoe bay.
4WD exeperience level
Hi,
I'm coming over to Squamish next week and when looking at the road map, it looks like some roads are summer only or 4WD only. Someone mentioned previously you need a lot of 4WD experience for these. Is that really the case?
Never tried driving one before but I thought it could be fun to go to some of the more remote places as well while I'm there. Is that a really bad idea?
Francois
I'm coming over to Squamish next week and when looking at the road map, it looks like some roads are summer only or 4WD only. Someone mentioned previously you need a lot of 4WD experience for these. Is that really the case?
Never tried driving one before but I thought it could be fun to go to some of the more remote places as well while I'm there. Is that a really bad idea?
Francois
The road between Harrison and Pemberton isn't that bad. ANY SUV and even 4wd cars can drive it. Although if you are one of those SUV drivers that needs to look in your owners manual to put it in 4wd you may want to skip it. Better yet sell it and buy a hybrid.
It isn't going to be fast though so unless you want to do an exploring trip that will get you to Squamish you're better off sticking to the highway. There are also some unmarked turns so it is possible to get off route. You won't get lost (probably not) but you could suck up a lot of time.
One bonus is you will drive right by Sloquet Hotsprings so you might as well stop for a soak. However it will be stupid busy this weekend.
I am considering heading up that way tomorrow morning if anyone wants to follow me. The scenery along the shelf road next to Harrison lake is pretty scenic. PM me if you're interested or email me at tradman@telus.net.
Axel
It isn't going to be fast though so unless you want to do an exploring trip that will get you to Squamish you're better off sticking to the highway. There are also some unmarked turns so it is possible to get off route. You won't get lost (probably not) but you could suck up a lot of time.
One bonus is you will drive right by Sloquet Hotsprings so you might as well stop for a soak. However it will be stupid busy this weekend.
I am considering heading up that way tomorrow morning if anyone wants to follow me. The scenery along the shelf road next to Harrison lake is pretty scenic. PM me if you're interested or email me at tradman@telus.net.
Axel
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Anders Ourom
- Senior Member
- Posts: 328
- Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 10:38 am
From the news media today, it sounds like bus companies are trying to arrange buses to take people Squamish-Whistler-Pemberton-Lillooet-Hope-Vancouver. I suspect it'd be a six or seven hour trip by bus, as it's a fairly windy and hilly route - not a scheduled bus route, I suspect. But it may be an alternative.
There are small airports in Squamish and Pemberton, so if you have money to charter a small plane, that may be a possibility.
There are small airports in Squamish and Pemberton, so if you have money to charter a small plane, that may be a possibility.
Cheers! Though: sister-in-law (there is a difference!). If it was my sister I'd tell her to swim ...).Tenn wrote:For the person looking to get their sister to Van by friday evening: I heard from a reasonable source that local heli companies have a special from Squamish to Vancouver for 99$ during the highway closure. Worth a phone call anyway.
We watched a Greyhound bus dump a load of travellers at the yacht club around noon today, to take their chances with the water-taxi queue!Anders Ourom wrote:From the news media today, it sounds like bus companies are trying to arrange buses to take people Squamish-Whistler-Pemberton-Lillooet-Hope-Vancouver.
1991 just North of Lions bay rock fall closed the highway for 12 daysAnders Ourom wrote:The last lengthy closure of the Vancouver-Squamish highway that I can remember was in August 1975. There was a large collapse/slide about 2 km south of the current one, that closed the highway for a week.
There've been several short closures, both weather and slide related, but none of similar length for many years.
The Squamish-Whistler highway is another story.
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