I feel so blessed to live in this beautiful place in British Columbia, surrounded by mountains and river areas to explore! However, every year there are tragedies that serve as a reminder that these beautiful places can also be deadly.
If you are traveling on a Forest Service Road (FSR) then there are a few basic things you should know when going.
First of all, FSRs usually exist because of logging, hydro, or other industrial traffic needing to access the area.
These companies often deactivate the roads when they are finished, either by blocking access with gates and boulders, or by adding cross ditches that most vehicles cannot make it through.
The main thing to remember is that the industrial traffic always has the right of way. They are there to work, you are there for pleasure. Plus – they’re usually bigger and heavier than you!
There is an article from 2013 posted on TranBC that has some great information for people traveling on FSRs.
Below is a brochure from BC Forest Safe with some great tips and planning information for traveling on Forestry Road.
Another thing I always bring up an FSR is my “go bag”. It is not fancy, in fact it’s in a reusable grocery bag currently… lol
In this bag I have:
- A dry change of clothes including socks, undies, pants and sweater
- A warm, fuzzy blanket
- Gloves
- Water and snacks
- A water dish and food for my dog
This bag comes with me every time I plan to go FSR exploring!
Things that stay in my truck 24/7:
- Back Road Map Books
- Two Way Radios with Charger
- Inverter
- Phone Charger
- First Aid Kit
- Air compressor
- Tire Pressure Gauge
- Tire Plug And Patch Kit
- Backseat Air Mattress with Pump
- Hatchet
- Newspaper/Fire Starters
- Baseball Bat AKA The Mom Bat
My friends make fun of me but I am also known to keep nuts and other random snacks in my truck at all times. Eventually they need replenishing but I know if I’m ever stuck somewhere I have some filling, high protein snacks to keep hunger at bay (plus I’m a mom and they come in handy when the kids get hangry!).
Have a safety plan- I always let my husband know when to expect my return, as well as the approximate area I’ll be exploring (if I am undecided where I am going when I leave). I also always try to update that person before I lose cell service if I didn’t have a set trip plan that day.
I am sure there are more points to be covered, including the importance of radios when driving FSRs, but that is all for me today! I just wanted to cover the basics and share some great informational resources I found online.
As always, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post, if you did be sure to click that Like button and let me know!
“Don’t forget to take a backroad, not the highway every once in awhile.”
Hello Tina, Kudos for the beautiful photo and for taking many safety measures for your exploratory trips! We want you healthy and safe! All the best, my friend! 🙂
Thank you Fabio!!
Great safety tips. I look forward to getting to explore that area of the continent in the future! BTW – I nominated you for the travel photo challenge, if you are interested. You have some great pictures!
Thank you so much for the feedback and for the nomination!!! I love taking pictures, I am considering taking a photography course and upgrading from my iphone camera.