Darwin Candidate ?

[CanadianBadass]

Hey guys Shawn ( BGSH ) asked me to post this as his phone was dead, He seen this posted on the Grande Prairie Buy and sell or something, The guy says he was on the Wapiti River with his truck....

http://i61.tinypic.com/14tc6iv.jpg


Is he just plain idiotic or have you seen trucks on rivers before ?

BGSH posts on Facebook

" Smartest guy I've seen in a long time 4x4 the wapiti river. Have fun paying your fine when you break through idiot. People gotta be safe this time of year.Yet alone all year driving here on a river in Alberta "

.

[BGSH]

X2 lol. Hope people don't follow in his footsteps. Play safe and have fun.

[EZM]

I can't comment on the Wapiti River but I know there are many rivers where many guys drive trucks onto them to ice fish. Out east this is not uncommon.

I was surprised to see all sorts of vehicles on the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio in the winter. I guess it depends on the river and ice conditions.

I can't say I've seen it here out west. I don't know I would ever be comfortable walking on the ice on a river let alone driving !!!

[Talking moose]

Seen it lots....

[tight line]

A few years ago i seen a 1 ton Ford with the front end broke through the RD river right by the hwy 2 bridge...i would be sceptical driving a quad on it in that area..lol

[Fishslayer99]

Definitely a contender for the award. I would never consider driving a vehicle on any river, too unpredictable with moving water. Maybe I am just a chicken s**t?

[45/70/500]

you boys have led a sheltered life we used to move drilling rigs on the river ice in the n/w territories I expect they still do

[Levy]

you boys have led a sheltered life we used to move drilling rigs on the river ice in the n/w territories I expect they still do

Im pretty sure its not allowed anymore. I personally don't work up there but talking with many people who have in the last ten years everything is helli moved. The kind of paperwork people have to deal with to run exploration programs up there is insane now and they are very strict when it comes to safety and environment. That being said. Many of the ferry crossings here in Saskatchewan are ice roads in the winter but I personally don't trust them.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/woman-rescued-from-sinking-car-on-south-saskatchewan-river-near-warman-1.2916852

[CanadianBadass]

Definitely a contender for the award. I would never consider driving a vehicle on any river, too unpredictable with moving water. Maybe I am just a chicken s**t?

I agree lol, Im to chicken lol...

I know they drive on lots of rivers up north, but ive never seen it on the NSR or any river for that matter, It would keep you awake that's forsure lol !

[waterninja]

Don't know anything about the Wapiti river, but there are plenty of rivers that people drive on in the winter. Guess it's like anywhere else when your driving on ice, though moving water must be considered more dangerous.
One thing I do see wrong with that pic is that the guy should have washed his truck before putting it in the buy and sell.
Edit... Did a quick google search and one river that people drive on till mid march is the Slave river between Ft. Mcmuuray and Ft. Chippewan

[M.C. Gusto]

you boys have led a sheltered life we used to move drilling rigs on the river ice in the n/w territories I expect they still do

I was about to say the same thing. Pretty common up north.

[dale7637]

I was about to say the same thing. Pretty common up north.

Difference is that the ice thickness is increasing by not only clearing the snow off the river to allow frost to drive in, but also flooding of the ice surface to increase thickness.

I crossed the wapiti, cutbank and sheep today south of gp. The wapiti was the only one that didn't have open spots. It's been warm. I wouldn't take a quad on it right now

[Mistagin]

Edit... Did a quick google search and one river that people drive on till mid march is the Slave river between Ft. Mcmuuray and Ft. Chippewan

Are you referring to the Ice Road that runs from north of Fort McMurray up towards Fort Smith, NWT? Since I just did that drive last week I can say the ice road does not drive on the rivers except for crossing at various places, and the delta is literally an ice road across the frozen water / ground. For big rigs the ice bridges must be 48 inches thick. At one ice bridge crossing we saw a guy with an auger drilling holes in the middle of the 'bridge'. I didn't know what he was doing so I stopped and asked. His job is to drill to make sure the ice is good. He told me he had drilled several holes on the crossings already that day and hadn't hit water yet - and his auger is 51 inches from tip to base of motor. I felt pretty safe :) When the ice gets thinner the load limits are reduced. When too thin, then the road is closed.

Note: the Slave River flows north from Lake Athabasca (near Fort Chipewayn ) to Great Slave Lake. It's the Athabasca that flows north from Fort McMurray to Lake Athabasca, the ice road does not go on the river. In some places along the Slave River the ice road goes through the bush following the river bank (not on the river itself). Just an FYI post :)

BTW: it was a great trip, well worth doing.

[Who Da Fisherman]

I agree lol, Im to chicken lol...

I know they drive on lots of rivers up north, but ive never seen it on the NSR or any river for that matter, It would keep you awake that's forsure lol !
Payton ferry crossing on the nsr just west of north Battleford had a winter crossing.
Also used to drive on there and ice fish.
WDF

[Mackinaw]

Have driven on and ice fished lots of rivers down home not uncommon at all. Use to hold ice races bikes and cars on the Grand when I was younger.

Mack

[Okotokian]

If it's illegal to drive into a river in the summer, is it legal to drive on it in the winter? Just wondering.

[Sooner]

It is still flowing water and the pic doesn't show any maintained ice road. With the temps we have had this winter, I would be way to chicken to try that. I guess knowing the river and it's depth is key.

[Stinky Buffalo]

I was told that back in the day, they used to have an ice road across the NSR. Not sure exactly where it was, though.

[waterninja]

I was told that back in the day, they used to have an ice road across the NSR. Not sure exactly where it was, though.
Speaking of back in the day, 2 places come to mind that were locations where you might have driven across the nsr in the winter and that is Vinca and Myrnam. Can't find any info on google.

[cube]

I was told that back in the day, they used to have an ice road across the NSR. Not sure exactly where it was, though.

I'm sure there were many, but that was before the dams were put up. Now water levels change multiple times a day so you don't get good solid ice. allot of the ice on the NSR around here is kind of like a Coffee Crisp candy bar, many thin weak layers.

[Stinky Buffalo]

I'm sure there were many, but that was before the dams were put up. Now water levels change multiple times a day so you don't get good solid ice.


That makes sense.