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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
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    211

    Car totaled on ski road trip - Looking for a ride from Golden BC to civilization

    I wish this could have been a post looking for touring partners for Roger pass but alas...
    About halfway through my 2-month ski road trip, I flipped and subsequently totaled my car on a nasty patch of black ice in the Kicking Horse Canyon near Golden, so now I'm looking on how to get back to San Francisco with all my gear (might be too much to fly). If anyone happens to be in the neighborhood and will be heading to any major city in the next few days (Calgary/Vancouver/Seattle/Spokane/Portland/San Franciscco/...), I'd love to get a ride. The closer to San Francisco, the better. I'm totally fine if there's skiing involved on the way; I was only supposed to be back in San Francisco by March 15th so I theoretically have time for more ski shenanigans. Have IKON pass and touring gear.

    Any other help/tips would be appreciated too. I'm lucky to be alive and unhurt after all this but it's still a kinda shitty situation being stuck here in Golden with a car's worth of gear.

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    Thanks!
    Gerrit

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    2,616
    You are sure you cant limp that back to San Fran?

    I'm sure you've done this already but talk with some locals and see what methods they recommend for putting the word out.

    Good luck getting home.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    you see a tie dye disc in there?
    Posts
    4,631
    Shit, sorry for the bad luck but glad you are safe.

    hope works out, no where near you or destination. ship some gear home?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    North,NorthEast
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    3,547
    Looks like that should just buff right out

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    cordova,AK
    Posts
    3,681
    I guess you don't have full coverage. Buy something and keep going
    off your knees Louie

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    6,385
    Weeklong car rentals are pretty affordable and would give you some breathing room to not need find something immediately, as well as transpo to go look for something to buy, or else just get back home.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    211
    Quote Originally Posted by BFD View Post
    I guess you don't have full coverage. Buy something and keep going
    Correct, car was too old to justify collision insurance, althoug in hindsight it wouldn't have hurt given the sketchy roads you encounter on ski road trips. I wish it was as easy as just buying a replacement car, but being in Canada temporarily complicates things (I'm pretty sure I can't just buy a care here and drive it to the US). It's also my friend's car, which complicates things further.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    211
    Quote Originally Posted by Rideski View Post
    Weeklong car rentals are pretty affordable and would give you some breathing room to not need find something immediately, as well as transpo to go look for something to buy, or else just get back home.
    Except for a Uhaul there are no rental companies in Golden unfortunately. But it seems like it should be fairly easy to get a rideshare to Calgary where there's obviously tons of availability. Based on my current research, one way car rentals are ridicilously expensive though, and I think I need to get back to the US before I can buy a new car (can't simply import a Canadian car into the US - insert Mordor meme here)

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
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    30,810
    Quote Originally Posted by gerritkwood View Post
    Correct, car was too old to justify collision insurance, althoug in hindsight it wouldn't have hurt given the sketchy roads you encounter on ski road trips. I wish it was as easy as just buying a replacement car, but being in Canada temporarily complicates things (I'm pretty sure I can't just buy a care here and drive it to the US). It's also my friend's car, which complicates things further.
    you might check into it

    you could buy it but the big question might be what do you do on the other end?
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Moose, Iowa
    Posts
    7,908
    Just get your shit to Spokane somehow and then rent a minivan one way home for however long. Sometimes one ways are a lot and other times not bad at all. Maybe a couple car payments. Shit happens.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    cordova,AK
    Posts
    3,681
    Quote Originally Posted by gerritkwood View Post
    Correct, car was too old to justify collision insurance, althoug in hindsight it wouldn't have hurt given the sketchy roads you encounter on ski road trips. I wish it was as easy as just buying a replacement car, but being in Canada temporarily complicates things (I'm pretty sure I can't just buy a care here and drive it to the US). It's also my friend's car, which complicates things further.
    sorry about your situation. I rolled one mid winter Kluane lake. Bought one in Whitehorse and drove home. Just needs to meet emissions and recalls and tell customs you bought it in Canada. There is a thread here somewhere about buying cars in Canada. good luck you could always take a bus to Calgary and fly home.
    off your knees Louie

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    SF & the Ho
    Posts
    9,262
    Ever see the movie Cruising?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    211
    Quote Originally Posted by BFD View Post
    sorry about your situation. I rolled one mid winter Kluane lake. Bought one in Whitehorse and drove home. Just needs to meet emissions and recalls and tell customs you bought it in Canada. There is a thread here somewhere about buying cars in Canada. good luck you could always take a bus to Calgary and fly home.
    That's good to know, thanks for sharing.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    the gach
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    5,661
    Quote Originally Posted by BFD View Post
    I guess you don't have full coverage. Buy something and keep going
    This, buy a $500 beater and rock on. Don't let this ruin your trip.

    rolling in Kluane is waaaaay worse than Golden geez.
    But Ellen kicks ass - if she had a beard it would be much more haggard. -Jer

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Duluth
    Posts
    2,695
    Glad your OK. That thing is a mess. I murdered a whitetail 2 weeks ago coming home from Bridger, new rig being picked up Friday.
    If the shocker don't rock her, then Dr. Spock her. Dad.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    SEA>DEN>Spokanistan
    Posts
    2,962
    If you can get to Spokane we have an extra bedroom you can crash in until you get shit figured out.

    Shoot me a PM if you want more details.

    Glad you’re okay!


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    5,531
    I suggest...

    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    the situation strikes me as WAY too much drama at this point

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    211
    Found a ride to Calgary with someone I met skiing at Lake Louise the other day. Local Facebook rideshare group is pretty active FYI with lots of people doing the Calgary-Golden section (less so to Vancouver).
    The Spokane route would have been hard given that I lost my Green Card in the crash and I just learned I need to go to a US Embassy to get the proper documentation (and fork over a grand to uncle Sam for the inconvenience).

    I'll probably try and fly out from Calgary and ship some of my stuff (looks cheaper than one way car rental). If I was earlier in my trip I might have looked into buying a beater and continuing but doesn't seem worth the hassle for just 2 weeks.

    Thanks for the help (and interesting movie suggestions)

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Golden
    Posts
    6,383
    Hey man - just saw this, looks like you are getting on but if you need any help in Golden let me know?

    Random but my wife is wanting to sell her subaru, it'd be 2-3k and it's an american car, so no import issues. It's actually a pretty good deal. I'd guess you could even re-sell it for more in Cali...just a thought?
    Drive slow, homie.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    At the beach
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    19,061
    Quote Originally Posted by gerritkwood View Post
    I lost my Green Card in the crash and I just learned I need to go to a US Embassy to get the proper documentation (and fork over a grand to uncle Sam for the inconvenience).
    Jeezuz, talk about bad luck. Your wallet went flying out the window when you flipped? I am glad your hanging in there as your situation blows.
    Quote Originally Posted by leroy jenkins View Post
    I think you'd have an easier time understanding people if you remembered that 80% of them are fucking morons.
    That is why I like dogs, more than most people.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Missoula DMV
    Posts
    1,527
    If you can get as far as Cranbrook/Fernie I could drive you back to Missoula. Flights are cheap enough there, and you'd get some turns in along the way.

    Edit: Saw the Calgary post and the embassy thing. Very sorry to hear about that part, and best wishes.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,810
    an american stuck in Canada, forced to wear plaid and eat poutine
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Shuswap Highlands
    Posts
    4,336

    Car totaled on ski road trip - Looking for a ride from Golden BC to civilization

    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    an american stuck in Canada, forced to wear plaid and eat poutine
    He said he has/had a green card. i suspect he might have plaid and poutine jeans already

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    211
    Quote Originally Posted by Z View Post
    Hey man - just saw this, looks like you are getting on but if you need any help in Golden let me know?

    Random but my wife is wanting to sell her subaru, it'd be 2-3k and it's an american car, so no import issues. It's actually a pretty good deal. I'd guess you could even re-sell it for more in Cali...just a thought?
    Bummer, if I was still in Golden I'd be seriously interested. Currently in Calgary so it might be hard to get this arranged. PM me if you think there's an easy way?

    @liv2ski: Yep, pretty much lol. After entering Canada a couple days earlier I had shoved my passport and green card in the glove box and it opened during the crash and spilled everywhere (together with a couple boxes of food/supplies; it was a mess). Someone found my passport but Green Card was nowhere to be found. Also lost my shoes (found them in the wreck later) so a nice trucker gave me his spare sandals.

    Ironically, the passport and green card were inititally safely stowed in my backpack. When entering the Canadian border I'm pretty sure my whole car got searched because I didn't have the passport/green card directly accessible, so I figured I'd keep it within closer reach. It was mildly entertaining to see the border patrol go through all the shit in the car (a somewhat organized mess of boxes of food/supplies, ski gear, cold weather sleeping stuff, and other random crap)

    On the upside... just checked out the new public library in Calgary, it is pretty nice!

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    10,870
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    an american stuck in Canada, forced to wear plaid and eat poutine
    Ugh.

    His poor guns.

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