Rare and relaxing
- Thread starter Ohtobbad
- Start date
67 AGAIN
Enthusiast
Nice!
Is that in the Interior somewhere, Okanagan or Nichola valley?
Looks too arid to be on the Island…
AC Bill
Well-known member
You have a good eye..
It's actually right in an interesting and spectacularly beautiful zone of the Province, where coastal climate and the dryer interior climate meet one another. Leaving from Whistler, the Duffy Lake Road travels through a moist and heavily forested region, typically fir, cedar, and hemlock trees of the coast. In just 80 miles (128 km), where it ends at Lillooet, you're into a much dryer climate, where there's pine trees, sagebrush, wild grass, and juniper. In comparison, annually Whistler gets 108 inches of rain on average, Lillooet gets 28 inches.
I love this area, and have travelled it extensively going back to when the Duffy Lake Rd, was still just a very slow, very rough logging road, and you had to have a four-wheel drive to navigate it. We often spent two days on the trip, as you needed a break, and you didn't dare to drive it in the dark. Mountain goats, deer, black and grizzly bears were commonly spotted along it's route. Today the entire route is paved, still beautiful, but has a very different ambiance. Mother Nature is trying to take it back, as nearly every year there are land slides and avalanches blocking the road, It can also be extremely challenging after a snow fall.
https://bcparks.ca/duffey-lake-park/
67 AGAIN
Enthusiast
Heard lots about that road but never been on it.
Been to Whistler often but never beyond.
Could it be driven in one if our cars today, in summer time of course?
AC Bill
Well-known member
Absolutely. If I lived over on the mainland, I would cruise that route in my Cobra. Might suck if you got stuck behind Grampa in a motorhome, or pulling a trailer, but there are many spots you could pull off and relax while taking in the views. There is a 650km round trip that is known as the Duffy Lake Loop (Vancouver return), that is popular run for bikers, and car clubs.
Because some winters it gets beat up a bit, there is sometimes road construction along the way. Easy to check beforehand on the DriveBC website.
Keep in mind there are no amenities other than the odd roadside outhouses, from Pemberton, till Lillooet. No gas stations, convenience stores, motels, or cafe's, but here are some nice wilderness camping spots along the way where you could pitch a tent.
650 km, I would have to behave something crazy to make it without fuel, thats a haul,
do bikes take extra fuel, many would not go that far on a tank.