Hazards on solo road trip through British Columbia (around Vancouver) in November

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One of the things to watch out for is subconscious bias. For many Europeans it's hard to intuitively understand just how big and empty the country is once you get away from the population centers. Canada has low population density to start with and 90% of all Canadians live within 100 miles of the US border. Once you are north of that, it gets real empty real fast.

Simple example: In Germany you think about "where is the next gas station" once your needle is mostly down or the light turns on. In rural Canada you should think about this directly after you have filled up! Same goes for food & lodging.

You will also have large areas without cell phone reception or internet connection. Make sure you have an offline mapping program! If something goes sideways, you can't just call 911.

Depending on where you are going: you can certainly get snow and difficult road conditions in November. Wildlife is less of a problem. There are bear attacks in BC but they are quite rare.

Things to consider:

  1. Plan your route upfront or at least for the next step: check road conditions, gas, food and lodging before you depart.
  2. Get a navigation app that works without Internet, i.e. where you can download maps. I use HereWeGo but there are other choices as well.
  3. Carry one or two USB power banks and keep them charged.
  4. Let a friend know where you are planning to arrive and when. If you do get stuck in the middle of nowhere and are overdue by XXX hours, they can alert the authorities.
  5. Get a vehicle and the equipment that's suitable for where you going.
  6. Don't stretch and play it safe: if you are not sure you can handle a certain route, take an alternative or sit it out. Canada is beautiful almost everywhere
  7. Watch a quick video on how to handle bear encounters. It's highly unlikely that you would need that but it doesn't harm and builds confidence.
  8. Have fun! That sounds like a great adventure.

Adding more suggestions from the comments (just to have a comprehensive list)

  1. Personal Locator Beacon for those times where you are in trouble and there is no one else around and there is no cell service. You can rent PLBs from various places
  2. Bring paper maps
  3. There is also no harm in asking the locals (general store, gas station) about anything to know about the route ahead
  4. Watch out for Moose and Deer while driving. See https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/traveller-information/routes-and-driving-conditions/wildlife

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