Mackenzie to Stampede Campground in Williams Lake, British Columbia

Jenn drove our coach and I followed in our truck (due to the tow failure) 273 miles / 439 km, about five hours of driving, from Azouzetta Lake Lodge & Campground in Mackenzie to Stampede Campground in Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada, continuing to return home.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading south:

Route map

An interactive map, with potential stops pinned:

Again, not a lot of pictures of this trip (and the next couple), since I was driving. But I had to take a few more of Azouzetta Lake Lodge & Campground:

Our site

Views

We went to the cafe again for breakfast, and got some croissants for today and cinnamon rolls for later:

Croissants and cinnamon rolls

More views:

Views

Views

Views

Rest stop on our way:

Rest stop

Fuel stop for the coach and truck:

Fuel stop for coach and truck

Arriving at Stampede Campground in Williams Lake:

Arriving

Campground reservation board:

Campground reservation board

Campground map:

Stampede Campground map

Our site, #45:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Fort St John to Azouzetta Lake Lodge & Campground in Mackenzie, British Columbia

After our truck decided it didn’t want to go to Alaska after all, we made the difficult decision to head home, rather than try to continue our trip in a sub-optimal way, by either driving separately or leaving our truck in Fort St John and renting a car in Alaska. We’ll try again in a year or two.

Jenn drove our coach and I followed in our truck (due to the tow failure) 150 miles / 241 km, about three hours of driving, from Rosco’s RV Park in Fort St John to Azouzetta Lake Lodge & Campground in Mackenzie, British Columbia, Canada.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading southwest:

Route map

An interactive map, with potential stops pinned:

No pictures of the road from this trip (and the next few), since I was driving, but still a bunch from our stops.

We stayed at Rosco’s RV Park for two nights, and had lunch at TJ’s Country Kitchen, out front of the RV park:

TJ's Country Kitchen

TJ's Country Kitchen

TJ's Country Kitchen

TJ's Country Kitchen

I zip-tied the loose truck components before departing:

Zip-tied components

Zip-tied components

Checking on the truck at a rest stop:

Checking on the truck at a rest stop

Lunch stop at A&W in Chetwynd:

Lunch stop at A&W in Chetwynd

Lunch stop at A&W in Chetwynd

Lunch stop at A&W in Chetwynd

Arriving at Azouzetta Lake Lodge & Campground:

Arriving at Azouzetta Lake Lodge & Campground

Check in at the cafe:

Check in at the cafe

Campground map; we booked site #22:

Map

Opening the gate for our coach:

Opening the gate for our coach

Our site, #22; no hookups, but very scenic:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Nice views all around:

A nice view

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

We had pizza and poutine for dinner at the cafe:

Pizza and poutine for dinner at the cafe

Back to our site:

Our site

Our site

Dawson Creek to Rosco’s RV Park in Fort St John, British Columbia

Not what we had planned!

We drove our coach just 46 miles / 74 km, about one hour of driving, from Mile 0 Park in Dawson Creek to Fort St John, British Columbia, Canada… where our truck’s front frame broke off while leaving a fuel stop, leaving our truck behind while being towed! So we stopped for the night at Rosco’s RV Park.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading northwest:

Route map

An interactive map, with potential stops pinned:

The Mile 0 RV Park site was rather unlevel, which may have contributed to the failure, though perhaps not:

The Mile 0 RV Park site was rather unlevel

The Mile 0 RV Park site was rather unlevel

Wildlife corridor:

Wildlife corridor

Kiskatinaw River bridge:

Kiskatinaw River bridge

Kiskatinaw River

Steep grades ahead:

Steep grades ahead

10% grade:

10% grade

Taylor bridge over Peace River:

Taylor bridge over Peace River

We attempted a fuel stop at a Co-Op Cardlock station, as they alleged they accepted credit cards:

Attempted fuel stop

But we couldn’t get the machine to accept a credit card:

Couldn't get the machine to accept a credit card

The truck was still fine here:

Co-op Cardlock fuel fail

We gave up on that, and headed to a Petro-Canada station:

Heading to a Petro station

Petro-Canada fuel stop:

Petro-Canada fuel stop

Soon after leaving the fuel stop, the front frame broke off our truck, ripping off the bumper, and leaving the truck behind:

Soon after leaving the fuel stop, the front frame broke off our truck, leaving it behind

Broken truck

Stay tuned for a post in a couple of weeks with a summary and update on this incident.

We took the truck to a nearby Chevy dealer, but it was beyond them. They referred us to an auto body shop, but they didn’t have availability to help any time soon, though were kind enough to take a look at it, and investigate whether or not it could be fixable:

Took the truck to an auto body shop, but they couldn't help

We looked around for a nearby RV park, and found Rosco’s RV Park just down the road. We drove the truck there to check in, then went to get our coach, which we had left in a yard near the incident.

The managers of the RV park were very friendly and sympathetic, as were everyone else we encountered.

Our site, #67:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

We stayed there two nights, while waiting to hear back from the body shop and insurance, and deciding what to do.

Dawson Creek’s Alaska Highway Mile Zero

We visited the Alaska Highway Mile Zero monuments and other Canadian icons in Dawson Creek, British Columbia.

Mile 0 Alaska Highway marker:

Mile 0 Alaska Highway marker

Mile 0 Alaska Highway marker

Mile 0 Alaska Highway marker

Mural:

Mural

NAR Park:

NAR Park

NAR Park

NAR Park

“You Are Now Entering the World Famous Alaska Highway”:

You Are Now Entering the World Famous Alaska Highway

You Are Now Entering the World Famous Alaska Highway

You Are Now Entering the World Famous Alaska Highway

Stickers:

Stickers

RVs:

RVs

Visitor Centre:

Visitor Centre

Visitor Centre

Canadian Tire… not just a tire store, but more like Ace Hardware in the US:

Canadian Tire

Canadian Tire

Canadian Tire

Canadian Tire

We went to Tim Hortons to get some coffee and Tim Bits:

Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons

Then felt like lunch, so went to A&W‘s drivethru for lunch:

A&W drivethru for lunch

A&W drivethru for lunch

A&W drivethru for lunch

The Surveyor Statue:

Surveyor Statue

Surveyor Statue

Passing by the Alaska Highway sign again:

Passing by the Alaska Highway sign again

Prince George to Mile 0 Park in Dawson Creek, British Columbia

We drove our coach 263 miles / 423 km, about five hours of driving, from MamaYeh RV Park & Campground near Prince George to Mile 0 Park in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading north then east:

Route map

An interactive map, with potential stops pinned:

Leaving MamaYeh RV Park:

Leaving MamaYeh RV Park

Prince George’s mascot:

Prince George's mascot

Hart Highway:

Hart Highway

Paladin sitting on the couch:

Paladin sitting on the couch

A newer Tiffin Allegro Bus:

A newer Tiffin Allegro Bus

Snowy mountains:

Snowy mountains

Bears!

Bears!

Bears!

A stop at Bijoux Falls:

Bijoux Falls

Bijoux Falls

Bijoux Falls

Snowy mountains:

Snowy mountains

Snowy mountains

Snowy mountains

We stopped at Azouzetta Lake Lodge for lunch:

Azouzetta Lake Lodge stop for lunch

Azouzetta Lake Lodge stop for lunch

Azouzetta Lake Lodge stop for lunch

Chetwynd has lots of chainsaw carvings:

Chetwynd has lots of chainsaw carvings

Chetwynd has lots of chainsaw carvings

Pine River bridge:

Pine River bridge

Welcome to Dawson Creek:

Welcome to Dawson Creek

Arriving at Mile 0 Park:

Mile 0 Park

Campground map:

Map

Our site, #36:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Very unlevel:

Very unlevel

They had just finished making our site somewhat more level (I hate to think how bad it was before), and were working on the neighboring site when we arrived:

Working on the neighboring site

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

70 Mile House to MamaYeh RV Park & Campground near Prince George, British Columbia

We drove our coach 206 miles / 332 km, about four hours of driving, from a boondocking spot in the parking lot of Mount Begbie Fire Lookout near 70 Mile House to MamaYeh RV Park & Campground near Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading north:

Route map

An interactive map, with potential stops pinned:

Begbie Summit elevation 1232 m (4041 ft):

Begbie Summit elevation 1232 m (4041 ft)

Barn and 130 Mile Lake:

Barn and 130 Mile Lake

Williams Lake rest area:

Williams Lake rest area

Turn to Prince George:

Turn to Prince George

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Bridge over Quesnel River:

Bridge over Quesnel River

River and BC-97 highway:

River and BC-97 highway

Arriving at MamaYeh RV Park & Campground:

MamaYeh RV Park

MamaYeh RV Park

MamaYeh RV Park

Campground map:

Map

RV park playground:

Playground

Our site, #1:

Our site

Not particularly level:

Not particularly level

But very long:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

That evening we went into Prince George for dinner at A&W:

A&W

A&W

Root beer in frosty mugs, grass-fed beef burgers, and fries; all very tasty:

A&W

Back to our site:

Our site