google.com, pub-1183232341631896, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 We Discover Canada And Beyond: June 2014
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29 June 2014

Yukon and Alaska Bound, Part 7 - Meziadin to Dease Lake


Meziadin to Dease Lake


The storm is coming in around the bend

Wet and loud!
Last night a thunder storm all of a sudden blew in over the lake.


I had the hamburgers cooking over the coals on the fire and we managed to put everything away before it hit.


And hard it hit, rain was coming down in buckets. The lighting flashed through the sky and thunder echoed through out the mountains. Exciting (Liz does not agree). It lasted about 20 minutes.


We packed up in the morning and realized some water had come in by the back window. This will require further inspection.


Once on the road we drove towards Dease Lake it was some fog and mainly overcast so we did not see all the vistas.


We drove again an are that is very sparsely populated.

On the road again!

Logging trucks come very frequently.
Along the highway is a new transmission line being constructed and is providing lots of jobs.


We arrived early in Dease Lake and checked in at Dease Lake RV Park.


We booked for two nights. Good location but the park looks a bit tired. The park is for sale.


Good drive through sites with full hook ups. The Wi-Fi is weak so bring your Wi-Fi booster.


When we got all set up, Liz started a few loads of laundry and I investigated the water leak. It looks like it came from around the window and the caulking was cracked there so I filled in some new stuff and it seems to be fine now.


The parks offer a pay per use high pressure wash. It works good, but no hot water or soap. Sure get's the dust off though.

We walked over to the store and it is run by the Tahltan First Nation's People. It is called the Stikine Region.

Tomorrow we are planning to take the truck and go to Telegraph Creek.


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Yukon and Alaska Bound, Part 6 - Stewart, BC & Hyder, USA


Drive to Stewart and Hyder


On our way to Stewart and Hyder
June 23rd 2014  we left camp early, driving Hwy 37A in the mist, clouds, and sometimes a bit of rain, is was a moody morning.

Highway 37A is nicknamed "The Glacier Highway" because you can see many glaciers from the road just hanging high up on the mountain crevasses.

Even though it was misty we could see many of them, they are so beautiful.

Traffic was light, except  for some logging trucks hauling logs in a hurry to Stewart. Stewart has a deep sea port on the "Portland Canal".

A black bear walking across the Main Street in Hyder

Looking for something to eat?
In Steward the info center was not yet open ( it was 8:30am ) so we continued over the border to the USA ( no US boarder guards ) to Hyder.


As we drove up main street in Hyder a nice looking black bear crossed the road.


We continued and soon another brown bear crossed the road down to the river.


We arrived at a wild life watching area with nice board walks. We strolled the boardwalks, but no luck here.


The salmon are not yet running. When they do later in the season, bear watching from here will be excellent.







Another black bear crosses the road, he is not happy about our presence.

The Salmon Glacier

The road up is a bit challenging at times
We drove on for 30 km on gravel road up to the view point of the Salmon Glacier.


Wow, what a road, it is not for the faint at heart, but I loved it. It is narrow, with sharp curves, no guard rails and at this time of year, half the road can be still covered with snow.


Once you are at the view point, you are again in British Columbia and the glacier is also in BC.


At the top, we took a bunch of pictures and up there a wonderful man sells DVD's and pictures from his car.


His name is Keith Scott, he is very knowledgeable about the glacier and the bears around there. Keith lives up there in a small tent and has done so for 15 plus years.


He is from New Brunswick and travels back there in late fall and comes back to BC again in spring.


Keith is a very interesting man. He has written 10 plus books, produced 10 plus DVD's and also played basket ball for the Canadian version of the "Harlem Globe Trotters"









Anders and Liz above the Salmon Glacier

Keith Scott and Anders

A Panorama

Liz in Stewart

Main street in Stewart

Liz and Anders on the boardwalk in Stewart, BC
Carefully we drove back to Hyder. We stopped in at the general store and chatted with some nice local people.


There are some colourful characters living there.


After the Canadian border control, we walked around in Stewart. Stewart is a quaint little village, and more interesting people are living there.


A wonderful day with many memories. Here are some more pictures from this trip.
















































































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Yukon and Alaska Bound, Part 5 - Meziadin Lake Provincial Park


The Drive to Meziadin Lake Provincial Park


Leaving Smithers, BC.

Gitwangak Battle Hill National Historic Site

Gitwangak Battle Hill National Historic Site

Camped at Meziadin Lake Provincial Park

Fishing in Meziadin Lake

Small Island in the lake
We had a late start leaving Smithers. When we did our daily light check after the trailer was hooked up, one signal light on the trailer did not work.


We drove over to Canadian Tire and picked up a replacement bulb.


The drive west on Hwy 16 was very nice with sun and clouds dotting the sky. Life is Good!


In Kitwanga we turned North onto Hwy 37, "The Cassiar Highway". Just a few kilometers north we stopped at Gitwangak Battle Hill National Historic Site.


There is no info center, but simple info panels. We walked the steep mound located right on the river bank, known as Ta' awdzep or battle hill.


Here once stood five cedar plank homes or longhouses that the Gitwanga People occupied for over 100 years.


The fierce Chief Nekt defended his domain from there. He had spiked logs attached by rope at the top of the hill. Once attacked, he would cut lose the logs, and they rolled down and crushed the attackers.


We continued on the Cassiar to Meziadin Lake Provincial Park.


The road was good. We did not see a house for over 100 km, total wilderness, just trees, hill and lakes.


We soon arrived at Meziadin Lake Provincial Park and got a wonderful site right on the lake.


We checked in for two nights. New 30 amp power are on the sites. Very nice.


I tried fishing a bit, but no luck.


Here are more pictures from this part of the trip.































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Yukon and Alaska Bound, Part 4 - K'san Village & The Hazeltons


Gitxsan People - K'san Village


Liz at the Smithers' Farmers Market
It's June 21st and we had a nice leisurely morning. After breakfast we took in the local "Farmers Market", with all kinds of fresh baking, vegetables, produce, crafts and more.

We dropped our stuff off at the trailer, and then we headed to the town of Hazelton.

On the way there we stop in Morristown. This one of many places where the local natives catch fish in the rapids by netting and spearing.

We were a bit too early in the season, so no one was there fishing. No salmon were running yet.

Ksan Historical Village

One of the Long Houses

The Village of Ksan

Close up of the art on the Long House
Once in Hazelton, we stopped at the tourist office and got some good maps with directions to the "Ksan" (gesan) Museum and village.

Once there we took a guided tour and visited three long-houses on the inside with the guide. It was very informative.

Even though the buildings and even the totems are re-constructed  on can feel the Spirit of the Gitxsan People.

The artifacts on the inside were originals and very beautiful.

The Gitxsan People call their gatherings "Feast or Yukw" and not potlatch like other Native people do.

During the "Feast" you were given the "talking stick" from the chief, and only then were you allowed to speak your mind.

We spent about three hours in the Ksan village. It was also nice, many local people were at the village taking graduation pictures.

Nice to see everyone so nicely dressed up. The actual village where the Gitxsan people live looks nice, clean, and happy.

From here we drove 14 km north to the Kispiox Village where a row of Totems still face the river. Nice!

We then stopped in at Historic Hazelton.

After this nice day, we drove the High Tewkla gravel road back to Smithers.

More pictures from this trip here.

















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Alaska and Yukon Bound, Part 3 – Smithers, BC.


Smithers, British Columbia


Wonderful landscape around Smithers, British Columbia
We had a nice drive from Fort Fraser to Smithers. Nice vistas and pretty good roads.

As we got closer to Smithers the mountains started to show. So nice

What can we say, we loved Smithers, how can you not?

We stayed two days at the Riverside Municipal RV Park and Campground located directly on the Bulkley River. It is very nice.

We booked in for two nights. The campsites are fairly good size, full hook ups, but only 15 amp electric. The price was just under $30.00 per night. Firewood was free!

Camping on the Bulkley River
We set up camp and then head off to the tourist office, the museum which was flying a Swiss flag and the art gallery.

The exhibit there was by the First Nations artist Arlene Ness www.arlenes-art.com It was excellent.

She had everything from prints, paintings, carvings and sculptures. She combined traditional native with modern art..... very nice.

We walked up main street and visited the stores and chatted with the merchants. Everyone was very friendly.

Outside the Sausage Factory in Smithers

Time for Coffee

Liz at the campsite by the Bulkley River
One promoted the Northern Music festival, the other talked about the mining and construction on the Cassiar Hwy., and the third even knew late John Schibli.

Lots of Swiss people had settled in Smithers.

Walking down main street, we stumbled on the “Sausage Factory”, and I had to buy some sausages of course.

There were lots of “Help Wanted” signs, the economy seems to be pretty good in Smithers. Apparently fishing is really big here in late summer and fall.

Many people from all over the world come here to fish. There are so many lakes and rivers in the surrounding area.

There is also a fair amount of new construction in the area. New homes are selling in the $400,000 range.

We drove up to the ski hill. There too, construction of homes that offer fantastic views over the valley and other mountains were going on.

Back at camp we had a nice evening with a campfire.

Tomorrow morning (Saturday) we will take in Smithers' Farmers market. It is the largest in Northern BC.

More pictures here.

We love Smithers!



























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25 June 2014

Yukon and Alaska Bound, Part 2. Fort St James


Fort St. James National Historic Site of Canada


Fort St. James, British Columbia

It was wet and windy

The main storage building
It was June 19th, and we left Prince George on Hwy 16
toward the west.


Our main goal for the day was to visit Fort St James National Historic Site of Canada in Fort St.James.


It was a grey and rainy day as we headed out, with OK traffic. In no time we came through the town of Vanderhoof, it looks like most little towns.


The surrounding Nechako Valley with large farms looks very nice and well tended to.


We turned north on Hwy 27 to Fort St James. Fort St James is mostly a First Nations village.


The historic site looks good and the staff greeted us with a big welcome.


In the entrance building is a small museum that is very interesting. In the theater next door the staff will show you a short 15 min. video, just ask to see it, if it is not offered. The information in it is very interesting.


The main building has the only washrooms on the entire site, so do your thing before you head out.


Once out on the grounds there are several original buildings with interpreters in each building.


They were all very knowledgeable and willing to answer our questions. The Carrier people in this area were rather poor, and often malnourished, and were therefore of short stature.

Inside the storage building

Other buildings

Inside the dining room of the Hudson Bay Factor's house
The fort was established by the Hudson Bay Company in 1806 and the currency was Beaver Pelts.


To give you an example, you could buy a medium sized cast iron pot for four beaver pelts.


In the early days this area did not have any Moose. They came as the railroad cleared their path to this area.


There is a restaurant on the grounds and the view is spectacular from there.


The food was not to our liking, maybe an off day for the cook? We had ribs and salmon...... Coffee and pie would have been a better choice.

We enjoyed our visit to this Fort with the reenacted history.

We left the Fort and drove back south to Hwy 16, then west through Fort Fraser to Beaumont Provincial Park.


This is a very nice park right on Fraser Lake. The camp sites are large with fire pits/rings. The fire wood is expensive.


More pictures from this part of the trip and the Beaumont Provincial Park, check out our on-line album.





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