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Trans-Taiga Road (2004)

jamesbayroad.com

91–97 of 97 posts

Re: Trans-Taiga Road (2004)

#91
post #67
post #42

> Along this road is also the farthest north point you can travel on a road in eastern Canada. Not to belittle the remoteness of this road, but I just find it interesting that the farthest north point you can travel on a road in eastern Canada is further south than most of Sweden (not to mention Norway or Iceland, which also have very extensive road networks). Another reminder of how important the Gulf Stream is for…

There’s that and of course the sheer lack of people who live in that vast wilderness larger than Sweden.

With climate change this will change in the coming decades perhaps. Kind of exciting, a whole new landmass that few people have ever considered exploring and know very little about.

Re: Trans-Taiga Road (2004)

#92
post #42

> Along this road is also the farthest north point you can travel on a road in eastern Canada. Not to belittle the remoteness of this road, but I just find it interesting that the farthest north point you can travel on a road in eastern Canada is further south than most of Sweden (not to mention Norway or Iceland, which also have very extensive road networks). Another reminder of how important the Gulf Stream is for…

I think it's also because of water. There is too much water in the northeast - central to make permanent roads.

What? You’ve never heard of a causeway? Or a bridge?

Re: Trans-Taiga Road (2004)

#93
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

.. then you're golden and just waiting for some one to pop on out the David Carnegie Road, or out into the Tanami. Communication is only part of the issue here. In the above linked recent incident the police when contacted couldn't make it out from Kalgoorlie (despite an initial indication) and handed off to a station owner who was able to make a 600 km+ round trip across a broken road to resupply water. That was luc…

In a truly life-threatening situation, the emergency authorities can send help by air If they don’t and someone dies as a result, they are going to have an awful lot of explaining to do at the coronial inquiry, it isn’t going to end well for them Of course I realise in this 1986 tragedy the coronial findings (whatever they were) seem to have made very little impact - but again, I think standards and expectations toda…

Dangers now are much as they were then.

That's just my opinion, of course, from working in such environs.

Ideally (hear me out) SMS messaging via Starlink won't operate in large swathes of the Murchison in any case, assuming Musk and other operators carry through on vague promises to turn ground|orbit comms off over Radio Quiet Zones for Radio and Microwave astronomy.

Further, I'm not sure you're grasping the practicalities of sending search and rescue teams to remote locations even when messages get through. Naturally emergency authorities want the best outcomes and make the best efforts they can.

In reality resources have to be available and not directed elsewhere at the time, sufficient to the task (eg: able to land or drop aid that can be used at the correct location ) and numerous other problems that crop up in every post mortem of such incidents from well before the 1980s all the way through until today as people still die in the outback despite your thoughts about standards and expectations.

Forty years ago we prepped to go deep into areas and to have backup on standby (of our own and not "the authorities"). Today it's the same.

Re: Trans-Taiga Road (2004)

#94
post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a truly life-threatening situation, the emergency authorities can send help by air If they don’t and someone dies as a result, they are going to have an awful lot of explaining to do at the coronial inquiry, it isn’t going to end well for them Of course I realise in this 1986 tragedy the coronial findings (whatever they were) seem to have made very little impact - but again, I think standards and expectations toda…

Dangers now are much as they were then. That's just my opinion, of course, from working in such environs. Ideally (hear me out) SMS messaging via Starlink won't operate in large swathes of the Murchison in any case, assuming Musk and other operators carry through on vague promises to turn ground|orbit comms off over Radio Quiet Zones for Radio and Microwave astronomy. Further, I'm not sure you're grasping the practic…

It would be interesting to study coronial findings/records - I don’t have the time (or even expertise) to do so properly - to understand to what extent recent fatal incidents have been due to being so unprepared (or unlucky) that they lacked the means to contact the authorities for help versus the authorities were unable to promptly send any due to resource limits (or bureaucratic ineptitude). I suspect the former is (especially nowadays) much more common than the latter, but of course I could be wrong-such a study could turn this discussion from a difference of opinion/perspective into something much more objective.

Re: Trans-Taiga Road (2004)

#95

no settlements or towns aside from Hydro Quebec's settlements for workers (these are private and are not open to the public - they will kick you out) Will they really kick a passing driver out when it's freezing outside? Heck, wherever the population is this sparse and conditions are this harsh people normally actively invite you to their places. This sounds so weird.

> people normally actively invite you to their places.

I've recently watched a Youtube vlog made by some tourists who went there on motorbikes and they stopped just to have a look at one of the Hydro settlement, they were invited in, given coffee and when they mentioned they wanted to find a spot nearby to pitch a tent they were told they could sleep in a hut that was unused at the time. So I guess they are indeed very nice with passersby, I guess they just have a general "rule" because they don't want travellers to rely on them.

Re: Trans-Taiga Road (2004)

#96
post #95

no settlements or towns aside from Hydro Quebec's settlements for workers (these are private and are not open to the public - they will kick you out) Will they really kick a passing driver out when it's freezing outside? Heck, wherever the population is this sparse and conditions are this harsh people normally actively invite you to their places. This sounds so weird.

> people normally actively invite you to their places. I've recently watched a Youtube vlog made by some tourists who went there on motorbikes and they stopped just to have a look at one of the Hydro settlement, they were invited in, given coffee and when they mentioned they wanted to find a spot nearby to pitch a tent they were told they could sleep in a hut that was unused at the time. So I guess they are indeed ve…

I have found the video, it was Brisay Station, relevant part starts at 9:20. This is the second of a three-video series and I've really enjoyed it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX9U2cI2uxk

Re: Trans-Taiga Road (2004)

#97
post #6

Intersting! I know that in the contiguous USA, you will never be more than 20 miles from a road no matter where you are, but have no idea how far one can drive from a town.

So if you're ever lost, you just walk? (Assuming nothing kills you in nature) Edit: Wait, no. You could be extremely unlucky and be walking parallel to the closest road, lol.

No guarantees that people actually use the road.
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