Took me first drive, since last fall, up the Black Sturgeon Road on Thursday, 3 June, 2004. Normally I would have been up there several times already but med problems have prevented me from going.
To my amazement the Black Sturgeon Road is in the best condition I have seen it in for at least the last 20 years. There are rough spots to be sure but even perennial sections of washboard have been cleaned up along this well used road. From km 48 - 53 is rough, with soft surface sections and some pot holes ... but it is easy to slow down and avoid them almost entirely. Km 57 - 64 has been the roughest section of that road for the last 15 years ... it still holds true today. But slowing down and carefull driving will save a lot of hard knocks on your rig.
It's almost as if two different grader operators worked on the road, one from start to km 53 and an apprentice with much to learn from km 53 to 64.
Seen 5 deer, a fox and an even dozen bears on the round trip. Didn't see any cubs or real big fellows.
bigguy