Wokkpash/Churhill Mine road

[ribber]

Hi Guys, there are probably numberous posts on this but it seems they are fairly old, so here goes anyway. Does anybody out there have any current info on the access to the Wokkpash Corridor/Churchill Mine road area? I don't want anybody's honey hole ,just clarification on the creek/ river crossings, also there seems some confusion on how far you can drive with a pick-up truck or quad. Thank in advance for your help, ribber

[geoskier]

I talked to a CO in Toad River a couple weeks ago and they said that you could "possibly" get over the Macdonald but definitely not over the Racing... Maybe call the Fort Nelson conservation office.

[Robert]

probably lookin at 2ft deep on the Wookpash river, it gets crossed by numerous people every year including myself with no problem, drive to the Racing the using a small boast to cross, then hike from there. Some folks take pickup's and quads across but it sounds like it is to high right now. I took a cheap 6ft rubber boat, it's easy to row across.

[geoskier]

I meant Wokkpash instead of Macdonald there. There were lots of thunderstorms in early August and they brought the water level up quite a bit.

[ribber]

I would love to talk to the Fort Nelson CO, but he is not accepting messages and only a machine answers the phone, thanks for the replies, ribber

[Darksith]

fort nelson tourism is someone to call

[Jim Prawn]

Was in the area a week ago, quite a bit more water than when I was there 2 years ago, and I didnt think we could drive a truck across MacDonald 2 years ago. But its been hot and dry since then and things change fast there. How's that for a definite maybe?
JP

[sheepsheen]

I looked at crossing it and I said no way but there had been alot of rain early august.

[ElectricDyck]

Mcdondald will go up and down with rainfall, 1 foot deep when you cross, then 4 feet after some rain and you have to wait. Wokkapash to me is scary, when we crossed it was to the bottom of a horses belly and waved over the hood of my landcruiser. If you follow the trail on foot down the east side of the racing you can cross where it braids if the water is not too high. No point in crossing the racing as it's closed to vehicles on the other side.

[sheepaholic]

When you get to the wokkpash if you can see a big square piece of Timber sticking out of the water on the side you pull up to you can cross with a quad if you can't seethe timber don't attempt it I just about lost my rhino

[ribber]

Thanks for all your help guys, we have never been there, driven past but not stopped at the crossing , but as our plans are very flexible, we shall see what we will see when we get there. Thanks again, ribber

[Dre]

I was there around the 1st of Aug., the McDonald was high, I wouldn't chance it in my truck, but the park rangers made it across in a F350. Lots of water lately though, rained for a short while every day, usually in the evening or overnight + thunder. A quad could do, it I think.

[Kalum]

We got caught on the wrong side of the macdonald quite a few years back. Big rain event and the river went to flood. 3 days wait and then went for it, water still came over the hood, good times....

[sheep hunter]

Mcdondald will go up and down with rainfall, 1 foot deep when you cross, then 4 feet after some rain and you have to wait. Wokkapash to me is scary, when we crossed it was to the bottom of a horses belly and waved over the hood of my landcruiser. If you follow the trail on foot down the east side of the racing you can cross where it braids if the water is not too high. No point in crossing the racing as it's closed to vehicles on the other side.
You can run a vehicle on the other side of the racing, you can drive up to the guides air strip just before the concentrator.

[ElectricDyck]

I thought it was restricted to quads once you crossed the racing?

[ElectricDyck]

http://www.northernrockies.ca/assets/Visitors/PDFs/resident_hunter_pkg.pdf

Wokkpash Corridor

Location: Mile 382 (km 619) Alaska Highway
A 54 km route with several unbridged creek crossings; one
at McDonald Creek; one at Wokkpash Creek; and the other
at the Racing River. This is a full sized vehicle route (400m
restriction off each side of trail) until just after crossing the
Racing River. Then it becomes an ATV trail until it ends.

[swampthing]

I would love to talk to the Fort Nelson CO, but he is not accepting messages and only a machine answers the phone, thanks for the replies, ribber

I have left a couple messages on the answering machine and a CO has always called me back with the info I requested.

[sheep hunter]

http://www.northernrockies.ca/assets/Visitors/PDFs/resident_hunter_pkg.pdf

Wokkpash Corridor

Location: Mile 382 (km 619) Alaska Highway
A 54 km route with several unbridged creek crossings; one
at McDonald Creek; one at Wokkpash Creek; and the other
at the Racing River. This is a full sized vehicle route (400m
restriction off each side of trail) until just after crossing the
Racing River. Then it becomes an ATV trail until it ends.

gov.bc.ca/slrp/lrmp/fortstjohn/muskwa/maps/access_routes_legal/wokkpash.pdf

This is the link for the access route to the Wokkpask/Racing corridor.

[ElectricDyck]

The link didn't work...found this:

http://archive.ilmb.gov.bc.ca/slrp/lrmp/fortstjohn/muskwa/maps/access_routes_legal/wokkpash.pdf

Seems you can drive about 6km down the west side of the Racing before it's quads only... interesting, some incorrect information out there. Here's a vid of some guys quading across the racing at the legal crossing, good entertainment :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw3Xxp4fDkM&list=FLlJTDjEOefYFveARiWyqjQA

Be interesting to see a truck cross there :)

[Krico]

Have made those crossings in low water of late season, this time of year could get downright scary. Buddy of mine watched guys dump quads and lose all kinds of gear, including a Swarovski spotter a few years ago. I imagine the racing eats a small fortune in sheep hunting gear each year.

[sheep hunter]

Have made those crossings in low water of late season, this time of year could get downright scary. Buddy of mine watched guys dump quads and lose all kinds of gear, including a Swarovski spotter a few years ago. I imagine the racing eats a small fortune in sheep hunting gear each year.

I'm sure that was me your buddy seen, i lost my Swarovski spotter down that river, it cost me around $10k between gear down the river or damage to my rifle and quad.

I ended up having to pull my partner out of the river who was trapped under his quad, I broke my hand and smashed a knuckle.

[Krico]

Sounds about right...small world.

[mudbud]

I drowned my quad crossing 2 years ago, did a 5 day hunt and came back to find the river had risen several feet making crossing back impossible. Met up with some other guys from Quesnel that were stranded for nearly a week. Took us another couple days and some real sketchy crossings to get back.

Not sure when you are heading up, but it sounds like it will be busy up there this year. I know of a few groups heading up

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

Just talked to a buddy that just left there moose hunting....water is high....and lots of people ....they left to go somewhere else .

[ribber]

Wow, we don't need that, this is supposed to fun , from the sounds of thing, we will go right to PLAN B, and maybe skip the Wokkpash all together, I'll let you know when we get back,, thanks again for all your help , ribber

[Everett]

Was pissing rain there early this morning when we drove past heading south.

[danwar3]

anyone been down the road recently and tried crossing the Racing River?