Skagit road conditions: Ice road truckin!

[caddisguy]

I left on Friday and it was a little sketchy, but I got to where I wanted to be for a few nights.

Friday night I figured it was a mistake and Saturday morning I knew for sure it was bad. I didn't see a vehicle or hear an engine... about 35-40km in... heard avalanches and trees falling all day and all night... couldnt even walk on the road. Not a soul... got my mind wandering... skagit in december and nobody... normally there's a hunter behind every stump... was like the world ended.

Sunday... I made my way out today. Put on these wimpy cables that I had and started trucking along. After a couple hours of white knuckling (normally 25 min drive) I thought I was out of the woods. Coming back out just after silver lake was crazy. Not much of a shoulder to hug and a tree down at the bottom I started inching off my shoulder to get to the other side of the road around the tree at the bottom... creeping down inch by inch... one inch is all it took.. lost it and just had to go for it... could steer a bit with some gas and had to settle for that. About 30m of steep hill without traction and, a big tree with a vehicle width to clear it next to an embankment... It all worked out luckily.

Anyway it's like a skating rink out there. Even guys with heavy chains were calling it off and turning around. I would too if I was going in, but I had to make it out. Probably still bad for a couple days. If you can make it past the lake though, that's the worst of it if you can keep in mind what goes up must come down.

That was my last trip for the year. The caddisguy grand finale! Getting the jeep and gear back in one piece... tag soup never tasted so great! Might have some fun dashcam footage too. Good luck and stay safe out there!!

[Iron Glove]

Well, considering how icy the side streets of Hope were this weekend, I'd imagine that the Skagit Road would've been a lot worse for sure.
I spent the weekend slip sliding away on the ice but at least it was on the ice at the rink playing in our Winter Carnival Old Timer's Hockey Tournament.
As the goalie for one of the lesser talented teams, I had more shots on me than a Buck on Lawless Road. :mrgreen:

[ryanonthevedder]

Pucker factor five!! Now you re gonna have to patch the hole where your ass took a bite out of the driver's seat. I got caught alone and stuck in the snow above Conkle Lake several years ago. Not a good feeling.

[Jagermeister]

Have you had a poop yet or is you sphincter still in super clamp?

[heatherdaddy]

Hopefully the road is in better condition this weekend as I am trying for one last shot at the season in there on saturday & sunday.

[WesHarm]

Glad you got home safe and in one peice! Thanks for the update!

[keoke]

I had stopped on that road with my jeep a few years back and the next thing i know the front end is swinging around heading for the river. I tossed it in reverse and decided it was better to put it in the ditch behind me. The road going into Skagit is right at the point of thaw and freeze and it is slick.

[Sylus]

That is to bad. I was planning a last ditch BT effort there this weekend. What do you think it will be like come Saturday?

[metalface]

was in there saturday/sunday it was ridiculous. couldn't even walk on the road

[caddisguy]

Here's some time-lapsed dashcam video from the trip in. It was a bit slippy, but overall not too bad. The times I did slide and start turning sideways, it wasn't a huge deal. There was a well cut out track and always places to get traction on the shoulder... no risk of sliding too far.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDWfWXoVIkI

[caddisguy]

After a couple partial thaws and re-freezing, I knew it was going to be bad heading out. I had not seen or heard a vehicle in two days. I knew the road was bad because I couldn't walk on it, but I honestly thought I would see a vehicle or hear an engine. It was nice to be completely alone, but a little spooky. I wondered how long I could be stranded of something happened to me or the car... started wondering if a bridge was out or there was a rockslide.

Decided to head out pretty early on the third day, once it was light enough to see. I knew the afternoon might be a bit less slippy, but I had no idea how long it was going to take and what problems I might run into along the way.

This is a video of the trip out. Not a single vehicle in this video. Sadly I stopped running the cam after Silver Lake which is what actually shows why there was no people, along with my crazy slide. I thought I was "out of the woods" so to speak. Then things got ugly. Big hills, pure ice, no white stuff or much of a shoulder cling onto for a couple bad hills. The worst was where I had my slip... tried to creep down a few inches at a time and became a sled. About halfway down felt I was turning sideways so I hit the gas and aimed for a little gap to get around a fallen tree. I think that area is so bad because it gets a lot more traffic... people just trying to get to the lake or gravel pit, or people deciding to turn around... made for just ice and nothing else.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTq2BVbkQYo

After a couple more almost-as-bad hills I started seeing people but they were all giving up. Saw a couple guys putting on aggressive chains... while I was taking my cables off and making some phone calls, I think I had seen them and just about everyone I passed turn around and leave.

Nothing wrong with taking a crack at it. It might be fine next weekend if the temps and rain can melt that stuff off. See how far you can get. You can always turn around. I think if you can get past the lake, you're completely fine for the rest of the road. Just keep in mind that if you're staying for a night or two that the conditions can change and there might be new trees/rocks down. If I was able to get out this weekend, I'd definitely take one last crack at it.

[Busterpayton54]

V-bar chains... Problem solved.

[caddisguy]

V-bar chains... Problem solved.

Anything would be better than cables. I'm actually skeptical whether the cables were helping or hurting the traction. Definitely going to carry proper chains from now on.

[Tīɡ]

Sounds like a helluva white-knuckled slide down the hill, too bad on striking out. At least you got home safe!

[bigredchev]

vbar chains for xmas me thinks.


ive quaded up there in the winter and know what you are talking about, I wouldn't hesitate to go up with a chain'd quad.

[ryanonthevedder]

I ve got a pair of v-bar chains for my toyota and they make the truck unstoppable. I ve climbed it up switchbacks that were covered in pure smooth ice. Slow and steady kah kunk kah kunk ka kunk up the hill. They've paid for themselves many times.

[caddisguy]

I decided to go with the v-bar. $190 and free shipping!

I'm thinking with the higher temps and all this rain, the Skagit was probably warm and wet enough that it's fine now. Might have been more snow higher up causing some more movement. There were already lots of tracks and a temp drop this weekend might make for fresh snow. Wish I could get out but I'm all booked up.

Someone go shoot me a Skagit buck this weekend. I want pics and maybe a steak.

[redthorn]

Someone go shoot me a Skagit buck this weekend. I want pics and maybe a steak.

HeatherDaddy should be all over that for you. I think he really likes that valley.

[keoke]

I decided to go with the v-bar. $190 and free shipping!

I'm thinking with the higher temps and all this rain, the Skagit was probably warm and wet enough that it's fine now. Might have been more snow higher up causing some more movement. There were already lots of tracks and a temp drop this weekend might make for fresh snow. Wish I could get out but I'm all booked up.

Someone go shoot me a Skagit buck this weekend. I want pics and maybe a steak.
I am putting my money on all the heavy rain + snow melt there will be wash outs on that road.

[elkhunter1]

Hi Caddis,
where did You order the V Bar Chains from.
thank,s.

[Busterpayton54]

$190. Jfc. I got chains from Canadian brake for $120 that for my 35x14.5x15 and 38.5x11.5x15 tires, although they are designed for transport truck, 11r20's and so on.

[caddisguy]

Keoke good point about washout... there could be a bit of that and maybe some rocks down... hopefully all passable. Probably lots of new trees down too.

Elkhunter1, I haven't ordered yet but I was looking on canadianchains.ca. I see Canadian Tire has them too though for not too much more.

[keoke]

I had my truck stuck behind one for a week before heavy machinery rebuilt the road. That sucked a big one.

[caddisguy]

Busterpayton54, I think a friend of mine mentioned good chains for cheap at Canadian Brake. Maybe I should should around more before I impulse-buy

Keoke I heard about that! Did you get helichoptered out and dropped and Tim Hortons with your rifle? I had those thoughts on my last trip. Chopper ride would have been fun... maybe give them some cash to scout around the valley a bit j/k ... that last bridge after Hicks Creek FSR is getting a little sketchy
too.

[keoke]

No, i missed out on the chopper ride!! I almost walked back across the wash out to get one lol. When i asked the cop that dropped us off if its okay to take our rifles into timmies she replied "if they call the cops its going to be me" lol.

[Liveforthehunt]

Looks like you passed lots of guys ? When you sayed not s soul I thought you ment know one bur then again I'm not used to hunting traffic that ridiculous

[caddisguy]

Looks like you passed lots of guys ? When you sayed not s soul I thought you ment know one bur then again I'm not used to hunting traffic that ridiculous

On the way in I passed a tow truck and 2 pickups. After that, not a soul for 2 days. On the way out (the second video) I didn't see anyone until I was pretty close to pavement. Normally in December it's a busy valley but I stayed near the 35k mark and saw/heard no vehicles until I was back around the 10k mark. If anyone did make it down Saturday or Sunday feel free to chime in, but I'm pretty sure I had the valley to myself for two days. Kinda nice but gave me a dose of anxiety too.

[MtnBoy]

I was in there all day sat.

[caddisguy]

I was in there all day sat.

Wish I'd seen you or heard your engine. How far did you end up going? See any critters?

[heatherdaddy]

I will be in there on saturday for sure. Will let you all now how I do.

[metalface]

was in there with a buddy sat eve and all day sunday. didn't make it far. maybe 20k in

[howa1500]

With all that rain and wind the last couple of days, I winder if the valley got hammered, was thinking of going as well, but maybe will have to call it for the year..

[caddisguy]

With all that rain and wind the last couple of days, I winder if the valley got hammered, was thinking of going as well, but maybe will have to call it for the year..

It's been very warm and wet... up to 15C degrees. I think the lowest temperature this week for Hope was around 6C. The Hope temperature needs to hit around 4C before snow starts landing anywhere along the Silver-Skagit.

I would expect the ice and a lot of the snow to be gone. Saturday will bring some lower temps and freeze things a little... should be a bit of snow coming down then too.

There's a decent chance of some washout and rocks down... trees down is a certainty so hopefully for you someone with a chainsaw has been through.

Those are my guesses. Go for it and see how far you can get. Whack one of those elusive bucks and post pics along with the road report. Good luck!!

[caddisguy]

was in there with a buddy sat eve and all day sunday. didn't make it far. maybe 20k in

Sounds like you got passed the crappy part. Pavement to the first gravel pit was the worst section, at least heading back to the highway. Gravel pit to the provincial park was mostly decent.

Oddly enough, most of the tracks that I saw along the main road were around the 21-24K marks. Heck I saw more tracks there than the spot I hunt which is further down and deep in. Perhaps a hint for anyone heading there this weekend who doesn't already have a spot in mind :)

[Iron Glove]

It's been very warm and wet... up to 15C degrees. I think the lowest temperature this week for Hope was around 6C. The Hope temperature needs to hit around 4C before snow starts landing anywhere along the Silver-Skagit.

I would expect the ice and a lot of the snow to be gone. Saturday will bring some lower temps and freeze things a little... should be a bit of snow coming down then too.

There's a decent chance of some washout and rocks down... trees down is a certainty so hopefully for you someone with a chainsaw has been through.

Those are my guesses. Go for it and see how far you can get. Whack one of those elusive bucks and post pics along with the road report. Good luck!!

Yup, it's been pretty yukky here the past week but at least it is a bit warmer. I haven't been up the Skagit for awhile but the hills around Hope have been pretty wet, the rivers and creeks are high and there have been rock falls on some of the trails ( Othello Tunnels for example ). Even Highway #1 had a small detour around an overflowing "creek" on Tuesday. I wouldn't bet against there being washouts on the Skagit Road.
We were going to head out to whack an Xmas tree but I really don't want to be anywhere out there this weekend. OK, I admit I'm a wuss. :redface: