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04-14-2013, 07:47 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Strongsville, Ohio
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
Posts: 137
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Camping suggestions after Chilliwack
In July we will be picking up our new Escape 19 in Chilliwack. We are planning to see some of the Pacific Northwest while checking out our new trailer. While we have always preferred National Parks and Forest campgrounds, it might make sense to stay at a full service RV park on the first night. But if the tanks are full, I know the mountains, or coast will be calling! Then after 5 or 6 days it will be time to head east, so we are looking for suggestions on the trip back to Ohio as well. Ideas?
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04-14-2013, 09:29 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,363
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There is so much to see that it will take multiple trips. My first to Chilliwack ended up being 111 days, and the next year I was gone for 138. For a general area, you can't beat southern Utah. Many wonderful national and state parks.
As for specifics - My favorite national park is Glacier, but Canyonlands is a close second. You can combine visits to Dead Horse Point State Park, Canyonlands & Arches, as well as visiting Moab since they are all in the same area. While I also enjoyed Zion & Yosemite, both were a bit more crowded than I would have liked. State parks - Goblin Valley, Dead Horse Point, & Kodachrome Basin in Utah were favorites. If you dry camp, Goosenecks State Park in UT is a good central location for a number of great hikes & drives. If you want full hookups, there are locations in Banding, or across the state line at Gouldings, in Monument Valley, AZ.
On the way home, I'd recommend a night at Craters of the Moon National Monument in ID, and Devils Tower in WY.
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04-14-2013, 11:03 AM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 45
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Here's a suggestion for Pacific Northwest oceans and mountains after Chilliwack. Basically, it's heading through Vancouver and up Hwy. 99 into the interior of BC.
First night, head to Cultus Lake just south of Chilliwack. That way you're close to Escape if there are any issues with the trailer.
Second night, go to Porteau Cove, a provincial park (reservation suggested). It's near Squamish on Hwy. 99.
After that check out Whistler and the Peak to Peak Gondola. There is a RV Park in Whistler, or you can head 25 km north to Nairn Falls, another provincial park.
Next take Hwy 99 over towards Lillooet and Cache Creek, this route has some long steep hills and will be a test of your mountain driving skills. However, the scenery is spectacular.
After here, there are a number of options, the Okanogan (Hwy 97), Canadian Rockies (Hwy 1), or head down to the Kootenays.
Enjoy your new trailer when you get it.
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04-14-2013, 12:34 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Strongsville, Ohio
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
Posts: 137
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Unfortunately this trip can only be two weeks. Don't think we will make it to Moab or Glacier on this trip. We have camped in both of those places before, several times, I love the southwest and the mountains of Montana. Devils Tower has been a nice stop in the past on the way to the Big Horns. Craters of th Moon may work. Idaho along with Washington and Oregon are fairly unknown to us.
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04-14-2013, 12:41 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Strongsville, Ohio
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
Posts: 137
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Thanks for th input Mike. Someplace close to Escape is a good idea for the first night. Because we talke procession in the US, I'm wondering if it makes sense to not cross the border again on that day? How busy is that crossing? Maybe we need a campground in Washington?
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04-14-2013, 02:30 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2012 15A
Posts: 398
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The Sumas border crossing is generally not a busy one.
The Oregon coast is an amazing place to visit and camp. I found the northern portion of the coast to be the most spectacular. It is more rugged and rocky with numerous high vantage points along the road to take in the views as well as low sections along the water. When I figured it could not get any better, I would go around another curve in the road and it was better. The southern portion is flatter being sand dune country.
I have not been down there for a number of years but a visit with the trailer, rather than the old tent, is now on my To Do list.
I have no experience with Washington State camping in the Sumas area to help you decide.
Mike’s suggestion of Cultus Lake is a good one as it is only about 16km (10 miles) S.E. of the Escape factory. Close to Escape and Chilliwack should you need to go to town to get something? The Sumas crossing is about 30 km S.W. from the factory. The BC Parks web site does not mention any hook ups at Cultus Lake Provincial Park. There may be private RV parks with full lookups in the area but I have not searched for any.
If you decide to go back to Cultus Lake from Sumas I suggest driving back east through the farm lands along the base of Sumas Mountain rather than back to the Highway 1 freeway. This route would be more scenic as well as a calmer drive giving a better opportunity to get a feel for the trailer behind you. Make sure you have a good map or a GPS as you have to do several jogs because of Sumas Mountain cutting diagonally N.E. whereas the rural roads are mostly a north-south, east-west grid.
Another provincial park suggestion is Sasquatch Park N.E. of Chilliwack in Harrison Lake area. It is about 50 km (30 miles) from the Escape factory. It is a more remote area than Cultus Lake. There are three camp areas in the park, Bench, Hicks Lake and Deer Lake, which are close to each other. There are no hook ups in this park. It does have some gravel roads to travel to get there.
BC Parks - Province of British Columbia
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04-14-2013, 03:11 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Parksville, British Columbia
Trailer: '07 17B
Posts: 151
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There is the Vedder River Campground Vedder Campground
or Cultus Lake Campground (Sunnyside)
About Sunnyside
I haven't stayed in them, but was considering it at one time. They look ok, but it would be a good idea to maybe get Tammy's opinion.
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04-14-2013, 04:42 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,363
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When I stopped off in Chilliwack last summer to have some refrigerator work done I stayed on the US side in Lynden, 12 miles from Sumas. The first night at the Hidden Village RV Park & Campground, and the second at the Lynden KOA. I preferred the Hidden Village.
One interesting drive and possible camping location in the area is the Mount Baker Highway. While you don't want to tow your trailer to the top (the last 7 miles gains 3000') there are campgrounds at mile 36 (Douglas Fir) mile 46 (Silver Fir). Unfortunately, both were booked solid when I drove the highway in late July, but they were beautiful non-hookup campgrounds. The view from the top (Artist's Point) is suppose to be beautiful - I say suppose to be because the day I went fog settled in & I didn't see much. There are a couple of photos on the July 27th entry in my travel blog. I do hope to get back on a clear day!
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04-14-2013, 08:27 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,051
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye
One interesting drive and possible camping location in the area is the Mount Baker Highway. While you don't want to tow your trailer to the top (the last 7 miles gains 3000') there are campgrounds at mile 36 (Douglas Fir) mile 46 (Silver Fir). Unfortunately, both were booked solid when I drove the highway in late July, but they were beautiful non-hookup campgrounds. The view from the top (Artist's Point) is suppose to be beautiful - I say suppose to be because the day I went fog settled in & I didn't see much. There are a couple of photos on the July 27th entry in my travel blog. I do hope to get back on a clear day!
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I can highly recommend this drive as it is my backyard...my cabin is east of Glacier and a mile or so from Doug Fir Campground. On a clear day, the views from Artist Point are world-class.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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04-15-2013, 06:26 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: _, Texas
Trailer: Escape 5.0 SA
Posts: 544
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You indicated that you were planning to spend time in the northwest. We picked up our new Escape in July/2012 and also explored the Pacific Northwest for three weeks. I would recommend Bay View SP the first night. Just a short pull down I-5 west of Burlington, WA. A small park with power & water close to Walmart & Camping World to get camping supplies and RV stuff. A good place to get aquainted with your new Escape.
Someone correct me if I am wrong, July is the start of the summer dry season. Expect full campgrounds as people that have be pinned up in cool, wet weather come to the woods and beaches. Check availabilities and stay somewhere through the weekends.
Look at this journey as a vacation and not the trip to get the trailer!
Enjoy, David
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04-15-2013, 06:55 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Strongsville, Ohio
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
Posts: 137
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These are some great ideas! Can't wait. And yes it is a vacation, without a doubt. And I like your pick of the word "journey". So many people are shocked when I tell them where we are going and why. But for us the journey has always begun and the end of the driveway. There is so much to see on this continent that is best seen on the road. Well, hiking or canoeing beats that, but not when you need to travel a few thousand miles!
A couple more years and we can take some longer trips. This is all new ground for us, and that is always exciting. Thanks for the ideas.
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