Border Crossing

Does anyone know if you can legally cross the border when there's no border buildings around? Me and the woman went for a drive/ walk with the dogs..

we were walking through a feild and came up to a house ...then we started to wonder why there was a usa flag swinging in the wind. We turned around and started to walk back to the car and noticed we walked right by the peramid thing...

When rackmaster sees this, I'm sure he'll be able to help you out.

But I doubt its legal.

I woulda kept goin till I seen Cabbelas!!:lol ..jks..

i read a story that the USA is going to start flying unmanned surveillance drones along the border, so i wouldn't be walking around near it once they get those units whirling around :eek :eek :eek free trip to cuba anybody:\ :\

gunner, you think the read is good... You should see the documentary!!!

I just thought the law would state you have to go to youre nearest border crossing even if you cross. I can't find it anywhere. That picture is a generic one but gives you the idea what i mean.

According to the Canadian Customs Act, if you are seeking entry, you have to present yourself at a designated point of entry open for business.

I'm assuming that it's the same w/ the Americans.

Neat picture. I've got a similar photo somewhere in one of my albums showing my wife standing next to one of those markers and the cutline separating Waterton National Park and Glacier National Park in Montana in the background. The Boundary Bay hike from the Waterton townsite takes you right into the US. If a person wanted to go further you had to register or declare yourself at the nearest ranger station.

I have seen a old picture (80's) of a guy pulling a deer north bound with one of those posts in front of him. They still laugh about that day

Jamie

Is this near chief mountain?

Could be near Chief Mountain crossing as well. I can't say that I recognize it though. There is a group campgound on the Belly River north of the port that also has a trail that will cross into the States. Is this your photo?

No its a generic photo. I just know from having a boat when you cross you have to go to the nearest station to check in. But if youre hiking out in the middle of no where then you can't check in.

Like say im hiking and i do a big loop through the usa but heading back into canada on the same day i would have to check in? Like what the hell.

I got turned around while hunting antelopt and took the wrong gate out and ended up on a gravel road. The only way that would have happened was if we were a couple miles inside Montana. It took some back tracking and thinking about where we went wrong but eventually got back to Alberta. There usually is a barbed wire fence with 4 or 5 strands that would let us know where the border was but in this one quarter there wasn't.

Same thing if you're boating and stop in the U.S. good idea to check in with their customs boys even if you're only there to take a leak.

Its interesting how we were there checking out the mountains and everything for hours and nobody came and asked us questions why we were so close to the border...blah blah blah...i thought the border was more secured.

The trails near chief mountain have been used lately by human smugglers bringing asians into Vancouver across BC then taking them down into the US. A couple of summers ago a group of Koreans got turned around up there and spent a couple of nights out in the Pole Haven pasture before popping out onto the highway (still on the canadian side). They were covered in bug bites and pretty scared but unharmed otherwise.

There are lots of trails and roads and fields that will take you across the border with nobody around for miles. The Americans are watching closer but it is a huge area with lots of points to cross.

It used to be pretty quiet, just the occasional farmer sneaking a load of hay across or kids going back and forth with some booze but with the people smuggling, Drugs, etc. it is changing.

There are times I have sat against the border markers waiting for elk to "immigrate".

LOL.....The woman and i went down south again for a trip. The chief mountain road going into the usa has no snow on it anymore so we drove right to the border and there was nobody around so we decided to walk around with the dogs..

I didn't have my camera with me but there is just 2 little houses sitting in the middle of nowhere...

Anyone have a picture of that crossing?

Anyways we were walking around and about 10 hikers came out of the bush scared the shi% out of me. Thought it was a bear or something... no talking just rustling bushes...lol..

I think the yap about border security is just for show..These hikers which really were hikers" walked from the usa up to where we were talked with us awhile then turned around just to make a big loop in there hike.

But who knows....

This is a funny thread......and I cant beleive some of the comments.....pretty relaxed until you realize that when US Border Patrol stops you on entry to the USA you'll be SOL. Not a good idea to be crossing either way across the border unless you're at a port or have permission (boating, etc) to do so elsewhere.

The law states:

Presentation of persons on arrival in Canada

11. (1) Subject to this section, every person arriving in Canada shall, except in such circumstances and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, enter Canada only at a customs office designated for that purpose that is open for business and without delay present himself or herself to an officer and answer truthfully any questions asked by the officer in the performance of his or her duties under this or any other Act of Parliament.

If you're not following this law, you're in trouble. Plain and simple.....and then theres the US law that you're breaking.

The part about reporting to the nearest office, applies only to goods, and not persons....

Report

12. (1) Subject to this section, all goods that are imported shall, except in such circumstances and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, be reported at the nearest customs office designated for that purpose that is open for business.

I find it funny that some people think its a casual line they can cross and chat with other hikers. Big mistake, and if you think border security is merely 'talk' then you'd be sadly mistaken. Although it may not be a giant wall of chain link, there are several security measures along our border. More than one might think....

And of course the punishment....a dual procedure offence....

General offence and punishment

160. (1) Every person who contravenes section 11, 12, 13, 15 or 16, subsection 20(1), section 31 or 40, subsection 43(2), 95(1) or (3), 103(3) or 107(2) or section 153, 155, 156 or 159.1 or commits an offence under section 159 or knowingly contravenes an order referred to in subsection 107(11)

(a) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable to a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both that fine and that imprisonment; or

(b) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to a fine of not more than five hundred thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both that fine and that imprisonment.

Well the second time we were there we stayed on the canada side. The hikers just came over and talked to us.

Yep...and the hikers would be the ones breaking the law in that case......

Either way, not a smart idea to be crossing either way unless you're at a port or with permission or the right paperwork....