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RE: Vax Passports
Here is what the province of BC will require after Sept 13/21. Every province is different some have them, and some don’t, so homework is required before you travel when it comes to Covid / travel restrictions, and the best place to get that information is from the official gov’t websites, in my opinion.
Scroll down in the link I provided and it showed what international travellers will require, pretty easy I would say.
Theses British Columbia “passports” are to be used between Sept 13, 2021, and January 31, 2022, but there could extend their use if things don’t change for the good..
Proof of Shot passport
Stay safe everyone
Soup.
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SideHillSoup
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09/09/21 08:49am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Vax Passports
Lots of CDC’s from different countries.
Canadian CDC COVID info.
Soup.
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SideHillSoup
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08/29/21 10:26am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Anybody crossed over yet?
On southern Vancouver Island I have not yet seen an American plate, no RVs, no cars. We are seeing a few from Alberta however.
We always have Alberta plates all the time, 1/2 the people in our area works there….:B
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SideHillSoup
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08/21/21 08:24pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Anybody crossed over yet?
Lots of American cars around my area of British Columbia all ready. Lots from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, plus Arizona, Illinois, and one from New York.
Stay safe out there.
Soup.
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SideHillSoup
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08/20/21 02:14pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Just beginning to do homework
Be prepared: 4 incidents that I was aware of. Met a couple in Dawson Lake that was their 19th day there. Drove over a railroad (I didn't ask how fast) blew the tires (no big deal) and bent the 5er hitch (big deal). One in Watson Lake wanted to leave a roadside decoration - one trailer axle. A tour person spend 2 weeks in Fairbands and of course the tour group waited. :SA MH in Haines could not get his Cummins fixed, he could drive somewhat - He decided to take the ferry to Vancouver Island - 800 ferry miles is $$$$, but what a fantastic diversion.
It’s a beautiful ferry ride
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SideHillSoup
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08/13/21 09:30pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Just beginning to do homework
Isn’t camping (RVing) an adventure, where you do what you want and when?
Before I retired my wife and I tried doing either a “long” cruise or spend 5 weeks in Maui. We made a budget and mostly stuck to it, we do the same for “long” camping trip adventures.
For camping trips we budget $150 per day for fuel, and $50 per day for food drink etc... and $50 per day for campsite. Now when we dry camp in the bush or park our butts someplace for a few days or decide to go out for a nice lunch / dinner and or take a tour the amounts I wrote down change a bit, but not much. Like when your in a campsite for 4 days, your not spending $150 per day on fuel, but you may go on a tour or go out for dinner, or like we do just carve a hunk or wood and read a book sometimes, then your not spending nothing but maybe for a campsite.
So we budget $250 everyday, plus ‘approximate” the number of days that we will be gone from home then there is THAT number $$$$ that we see before we even leave the driveway, so we aren’t surprised when the credit card bill comes in.
My wife keeps a travel log ( she’s a book keeper) and when we first started the big long camping trips our daily budget was $175.00, times have changed in 23 years.
I worked a lot of multi million dollar Maintenance Shutdowns where I used to work. Every contractor that put in a bid on a particular job always added ‘fluff” to the dollar figure, not that we didn’t cut that fluff out, but they tried... grin...
Well I figured that that works well when your spending your own money, add more dollars to the budget, that way you don’t have a jammer when you total the costs up at the end of your trip.
One last comment on price of a trip.
All those years that we traveled to Maui or on a long cruise, there was a couple guys at work never went anywhere, they said they were saving for retirement. Well I have run into both of them from time to time since we all retired. I asked both of them, have you guys done any traveling.... they both said... “do you know how much a trip to xxxx costs?” So I travel the world ( before COVID) they sit at home counting their money and drinking coffee.
I would never do a guided RV tour, heck we only did the tours that the cruise ship offers, when we can’t find a tour on our own when we hit ports.
Have fun on your adventure
Soup.
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SideHillSoup
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08/13/21 02:22pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaska Sept 2022
A little info on the Fall in BC:
I can’t speak for Alberta, however usually when BC sneezes, Alberta wipes it’s nose when it comes to weather in the fall and winter, and 99 times out of 100 it’s worse in Alberta.
Now the weather and snow can happen anywhere in BC and western Canada any month of the year, and usually doesn’t stick to the roads longer that 24hrs until later in the fall... usually....
But, there have been occasional snow storms in August and September, for those you can “usually “ just stay putt for a day or two at the most and it will clear up.
However.....
BC has some pretty strict winter tire requirements that start October 1st
Winter tire requirements in BC
Now, if the roads are dry and the sun is shining there won’t be a road side check for tires.
However, I live 3 hrs north of Spokane Washington and only 30 minutes from the Highest mountain pass open year round in Canada and 10 minutes from #5 & #7 of the highest passes in BC open year round, and if the weather does take a turn for the worst and that weather person says there is a heavy snow fall warning, the RCMP and or DOT will put up road blocks and check the tires on vehicles before they will allow them to pass. Most people around here have the correct tires on by Oct 1st but a few don’t. Those are usually the people that will get turned around, and sometimes get a fine. Truck drivers that don’t have their chains hanging / with them will get a fine at those roadside checks.
So know the rules, if it snows hangout and read a book until thing clear up and carry on.
I don’t winterized my camper until mid October when I park it for the season. If it gets super cold, run all the water for a bit, turn on the Fce in your rig for a bit and our heat up the hot water tank before you travel.
We came back from Nevada a few years back on Dec 1st and we had snow and freezing temps from just outside of Ely Nv. all they way home to BC. I didn’t have a problem with anything freezing after using those tricks above.
Also think about heading straight south on Hwy 97 from Prince George into Washington state at Osoyoos and then join up with I-90, there are no mountain passes South of PG on Hwy 97.
So head north to Alaska on the Alaska Hwy and then south on Hwy 37 ( The Cassiar) to join up with Hwy 16 east to PG where you join up with Hwy 97 south all the way.
Weather is always a good thing to check anytime you travel especially in the fall and winter in northern BC.
Have Fun.
Soup.
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SideHillSoup
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08/07/21 02:39pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Why won't the borders allow rvs across?
This was posted this morning and is just a FYI. There's just too much "what if" flying about on this thread.
Border Crossing/ Canadian
Canadian Border
That first link is not an official Canadian Govt website, and it doesn’t matter if they are right or wrong in what they are saying, it’s not and Official Gov’t of Canada website.
The second link is to the Canadian Gov’t website, and that’s the only site to get current and correct information on any topic, not just this one that is Gov’t of Canada related. And if you don’t understand ot believe the website, phone them.
YouTube is not the place to ever get official information unless it is linked back to the government website. And even that info could be out of date by the time you see it on YouTube.
There are a lot of people asking questions about crossing the boarder going either direction on this, and many other sites, the answer to all their questions is go contact the Canadian or USA Govt by what ever means to get the answers to the questions your looking for.
Soup.
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SideHillSoup
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08/03/21 10:45am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Touring British Columbia
Someone suggested waiting till next year -- but will the smoke be any different? Ten years ago, we could count on clear air in September in the Canadian Rockies. But for the last several years, it has been bad.
yes it will, we havent had smoke in the interior for at least three years now. the two befor that was a little haze off and on the clear for a few years befor that. this year is probably the worst in a long time as the whole southren interior of BC is covered with firesso it comes in from every direction. normaly here on a bad year it will be mostly clear then blow in for a couple days. this year its pretty much all haze with the odd clear day then it blows back in at night. my buddy just drove to alberta yesterday and he didn't hit clear skys till jasper. this fire season will most likly go down as a record season for BC.
Steve
I live approximately 5.5 hrs drive south east of Steve, we also didn’t get hardly any smoke the last 2 summers.
We do get smoke for time to time in the “fire” months not just from fires in BC, but also from the western USA as well.
Figuring on when / where/ and for how long the smoke will invade an area is like saying the Leafs are going to win the cup this year, it’s just unpredictable.
If you decide to come next year, you could run into the same smoke and or wild fires again.
I posted that picture of our Main Street in town with all the smoke 4 days ago, and then the next day skies were clear. The 28th was the last day for us valley dwellers to see blue sky’s. Today I can’t see the tree tops 1000 ft away from our house.
We took a drive up onto the mountain passes yesterday to get “some” fresh air and blue skies. We had to get up to 5800 ft to get out of the really bad smoke.
My brother in-law was camping in Banff last week for 3 days, no smoke, today, it’s “kinda” smoky, but nothing near as bad as us.
So it’s a **** shoot.
Calling for 10 mm of rain tomorrow and we are all crossing our fingers.
Maybe by September “IF” we start getting more rain... it will help, but the fire service people are saying theses fires will smoulder until the snow flies.
......
Soup.
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SideHillSoup
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07/31/21 10:31am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Touring British Columbia
Our Oldest Daughter lives between Banff and Calgary, so we got to enjoy the drive through Kootenay and Banff National parks all the time.
This is just after Numa Falls, and before the BC / Alberta Boarder ( Kootenay National Park)
https://i.imgur.com/vAdv4ptl.jpg
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SideHillSoup
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07/28/21 05:03pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Touring British Columbia
And today clear skies.
Yesterday we were inside all day, today it’s coffee on the sundeck.... so far
https://i.imgur.com/NgPxisCl.jpg
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SideHillSoup
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07/28/21 12:15pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Touring British Columbia
I know this is in alberta but consider spending a couple of days at Tunnel mountain rv park (national park) in Jasper. Our favourite rv park of all time.
only problem with this is tunnel mountian is in Banff.
I am not sure where you are coming from, but I can tell you this fall BC will most likly still be covered in smoke the way the forest fire season is going now. a lot of places are under evacuation alerts and such. unless you are going to vancouver I would not comitte any money to reservations or such so you can cancle if conditions are not improved.
Steve
Good point Steve, I never saw the date, yes this year would not be a good time to visit southeastern BC
Castlegar today.
https://i.imgur.com/mgsminKl.jpg
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SideHillSoup
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07/27/21 09:54pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Touring British Columbia
There are a lot of places to visit up here. Banff / Lake Louise (LL) and Jasper are located in Canadian National Parks ( Canadian Rocky’s) and are very popular, so even in September if you have a “guesstimate” of when you will be in the area make reservations.
Note: the campground in LL is right by the CPR mainline Railways that crosses Canada.
Between now and when the National Parks system open for reservation for 2022, make an account and familiarize how it works well before the reservation opening date. Theses three towns I listed are very very very busy, and a reservation with hookups is a must.
Parks Canada
British Columbia Parks system also have a reservation system so same goes here with getting familiarized with it before next spring. However, 98% of all BC parks stop taking reservation after labour day weekend, and most close up for the season the last weekend in September. You can still drive in and get a FCFS site, and some of the park facilities may have also closed for the season on Labour day weekend. On the BC Parks page for making reservations you it will tell you how big a rig will fit into the site and most have pictures as well.
BC Parks
Lots of Private campgrounds all over BC and there are a lot of hidden gems out there. Easiest is to just Google a town or area you will be in a type in Campgrounds, most show up.
Some of the areas you should be googling over the fall and winter are: Okanogon Valley, Thompson Region & West & East Kootenays
As I live in the Kootenays check out:
Slocan Lake, Kootenay Lake, Arrow Lakes, Jewel Lake, Christina Lake, Moyie Lake, Kootenay River, Columbia River, Wasa Lake, towns of Nelson, Castlegar, Rock Creek, Greenwood, New Denver, Silverton, Ghost town of Sandon, Kaslo, dry docked paddle wheeler SS Moyie, Nakusp, Kimberley Revelstoke. Revelstoke Railway Museum,
Railway cam
Spiral Tunnel, Rogers Pass, Golden, Raduim Hot Springs, Fairmount Hot Springs, Ainsworth Hot Springs , Nakusp Hot Springs, Halcyon Hot Springs, Fort Steele Historic Site. Kootenay Lake Ferry, which is the longest free ferry ride in the world. Creston Valley ( fruit and Vegie, Hwy Stands)
Most of theses committees that I listed are small towns with a scatter of small cities, and most have small community campgrounds. As well PC Parks are scattered everywhere and some are not close to towns.
Note: there are two differnt ferry systems in BC. The Inland Ferries ( fresh water ferries) in BC, are all free.
Inland ferries
The BC Ferries Corp. cost $$$$, theses ferries are located on the BC coastal areas of BC ( salt water ferries)
BC Ferries
BC Hwy Cams
The Kootenay region alone from ( Alberta Boarder) east to west is about 5.5 to 6 hr drive, USA boarder) south to north is a 5 to 6 hrs drive. So there is a lot of other places you can see in BC, and hopefully others from theses areas will chime in with that info.
Your biggest dilemma is how much road traveling do you want to do, and or how much relaxing do you want to do. As in days between travel time.
Good luck with your quest and adventure.
Soup.
This picture was taken in June from our BC Parks campsite on Kootenay Lake.
https://i.imgur.com/igdvoSwl.jpg
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SideHillSoup
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07/27/21 05:58pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Open in August 9th
This is the official site
Canadian Govt
Note: "and who qualify as fully vaccinated travellers,"
Did you take the time to open any links on the page I supplied and read them?
Click on this link under the heading ( Check if you qualify for the exemption) or the page that Steve so kindly opened.
It’s pretty straightforward
Soup.
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SideHillSoup
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07/20/21 08:45am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Open in August 9th
This is the official site
Canadian Govt
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SideHillSoup
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07/19/21 03:16pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Possible Canada boarder opening mid August
To all of you vacationers think you have it bad, it seems the residents of Point Roberts have it worse. It is a unique location, that land travel to the the rest of the US, requires travel through Canada.
Point Roberts
Point Robert’s USA isn’t the only place isolated for “land” travel because of boarder restrictions.
There are even places within Canada that have strict isolation protocols. Haida Gwaii, was closed to non residents and has just opened up to the rest of Canada approx 1 month ago, “lots” of First Nations territorial lands were closed and has strict protocols in place, the NWT are still closed to non essential travel and have been since the start of Covid, the Atlantic Bubble is slowly opening ...etc.
The Province’s and Territories are “slowly” opening up, when it is deemed safe to do so.
Yes Point Roberts, Hyder Alaska and other places that use Canada for road access are in a tough way, however they are far from the only ones, they just have one of the smallest foot prints.
Let’s “hope” for the best for everyone.
Soup.
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SideHillSoup
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07/17/21 09:50am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Possible Canada boarder opening mid August
Uniform vaccine identification program will never work in my opinion. Nor should we want it (also my opinion). What's to stop "the world" from using that process for other things. Slippery slope to world policing.
I think the vaccine cards we get when we get our vaccine should be enough to prove vaccine. Sure, someone can maybe buy a fake one, but the number of people who would do that would be small.
I hope the border opens up soon. Tourism has taken a big hit, and the industry can use the relief.
And PackerBacker - hope you get to see your RV soon. Hope it held up to the elements for the past two years.
Mike
I agree, people that are going to cross the boarder into Canada have to use a Passport.( same for USA)
If they spend the money and time to acquire a passport and then use a counterfeit immunization card / document at the boarder, that means they will most likely get a Red Card and get booted from the game so to speak.
Using a counterfeit document at a federal facility like at the Boarder & Customs crossings in this case for either country, can’t be a good thing... in my thinkin anyways.
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SideHillSoup
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07/17/21 08:50am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Possible Canada boarder opening mid August
The interesting part of this will be if they want proof of vaccine before you enter Canada, just what will that “proof” document look like?
Stay safe out there.
Soup
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SideHillSoup
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07/17/21 06:13am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Possible Canada boarder opening mid August
There is a possibility that the Canadian boarder May open for “fully vaccinated” USA travellers by mid August., and world travellers by September.
Time will tell.
Boarder opening possibility
Soup
I am still sticking to the after sept long weekend, we are not suposed to even be fully openen internaly till september..
Steve
I had my money on after Canadian Thanksgiving in October, but with the news of cruise ships opening up with health restrictions in place for November 1st, this “could” happen.
Hope you staying safe up your way with the Fires Steve. Clear sky’s down here this morning, but fires all around us, just not as bad as you guys.
Soup.
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SideHillSoup
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07/16/21 07:35am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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Possible Canada boarder opening mid August
There is a possibility that the Canadian boarder May open for “fully vaccinated” USA travellers by mid August., and world travellers by September.
Time will tell.
Boarder opening possibility
Soup
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SideHillSoup
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07/16/21 06:21am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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