The Cariboo-Chilcotin

One of my favorite regions to ride in British Columbia, Canada, is the Cariboo-Chilcotin, stretching from the Pacific Coast to the Cariboo Mountains. Tourism calls it the land without limits, and with a myriad of diverse ecosystems packed into one awesome area, there are plenty of riding options. Highlights include the dry landscapes near the Fraser River, dense forests, wilderness camping, alpine mountains, and vast grasslands. And… you can get all that from only five days of riding.

- Naomi Tweddle

One of the WR250Rs got badly stuck in the mud while we were considering our options. We were hopelessly lost, the tracks on the GPS having diverged from our path some 15 miles back, and since then we’d encountered countless unsigned intersections. That’s the trouble with forestry cut blocks—too many roads, not enough directions, too many guesses. The bike was buried to the swing arm with no indication it was getting out under its own steam. There were three of us, and a complete team effort was required to unstick the poor little Yamaha. For every inch of progress we made, the bike sunk further into the muck. Finally, we pushed, pulled, dragged and forced the bike back onto solid ground but it cost us an hour and most of what little energy we had left.

The jumping-off point for our journey was in D’Arcy, perched at the south end of Anderson Lake, near the resort town of Whistler—our gateway to backroads and lightly populated terrain. The Highline Road between D’Arcy and Seton Portage is a gem for anyone interested in going off pavement. High above the lake, it carves its way through the valley along a steep mountain edge. On the low side lies a significant drop-off, and what the rider gets while cruising the dusty trail are amazing lake and mountain views.

From the village of Seton Portage we headed over Mission Mountain and on to Carpenter Lake, which you can follow to Gold Bridge, riding about 35 miles along the lakeshore.

The road in the opposite direction serves up some twisties and leads to Lillooet, the region’s largest town, through a beautiful canyon and along a river’s edge. We camped along Carpenter Lake Reservoir and, with mild overnight temperatures and ample firewood gathered from the lake’s edge, it made the perfect, peaceful stop.