North to Alaska … Day 11 – Thursday 5/13/10 to Junction City, YT
PETE: Well, I should have knocked on wood harder !!! After enjoying decent to good road conditions in Canada we finally hit what everyone at one time or another warned up about concerning the roads. Frost heaves and sections of gravel started just South of Dease Lake, BC and continued almost to the Cassiar Highway 37 Junction with the Alaskan Highway 1. Some of the gravel sections were so bad that I drove for many miles at 10 mph hoping and praying that no one would be coming the other direction cause there were too many stretches where the Cassiar Highway was barely wider than 1 lane. Road shoulders as we know them are non existent and there’s a 3 to 4 foot drop on each side of the highway. Even in the paved sections there are little red slow signs indicating a hazardous road condition. Under no circumstances should you ignore any of these warnings. On the Alaskan highway there are red flags on short poles and I made sure that I always slowed way down. Trust me, you don’t want to ignore those warnings … Here are some shots of the gravel road conditions.
We saw 2 more black bears today. The first one was heading towards the woods but Karen was able to catch the following bear shots. A little down the road we were fortunate enough to find our first performing black bear. This guy was in no hurry to run off into the woods and Karen was able to take the following black bear video. We also saw our first 3 Caribou. We’re able to get any shots of them but it was neat seeing them. You know you’re way up North when you start seeing Caribou.
If you love jade then you would be in heaven in Jade City, BC. Turns out that 90% of the whole world’s jade comes from British Columbia. Found out that jade is so expensive because it’s not only beautiful but it’s also the hardest rock in the world. You have to use diamond blades to cut it and has to be basically carved by hand. Too bad it cost so much $$$ cause Karen would have loved to buy more than she did. Here are photos of Jade City, BC.
Our mini impromptu caravan continued and we met Debbie and Terry at Junction City, YT. It was really comforting to know that they were about 20 minutes behind us on the Cassiar Highway. As I said, knowing that they were there protecting my six in the event of a problem was comforting. Nearby Watson Lake, YT really didn’t have any decent places to eat but a small establishment known as Sally’s provided us with a nice home cooked meal at a reasonable price. We took pictures of our friends cause we will be parting ways tomorrow and hope to rekindle our friendship in June in Wasilla, Alaska. Here are photos of our friends. They are heading to Skagway, Alaska and we are heading to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.
North to Alaska … Day 10 – Wednesday 5/12/10 to Iskut, BC
PETE: Today’s journey led us from Stewart, BC to Iskut, BC. Mother nature decided to bless us with a slight shower which was almost enough to wash off the dust. Here’s what the scenery is outside Stewart leading out of the valley. We decided to spend more time viewing the Bear Glacier since we only had a chance to drive by the glacier on the way into the valley. This is our first glacier and we’re looking forward to seeing many more glaciers during our Alaskan Trek.
Saw another black bear. I just love seeing wild creatures in their natural habitat. Hope we continue to see more bears. Having said that, we spotted our second bear of the leg of this trip. The black bear stuck around long enough for a couple of poses and then decided to go back into the woods.
The remaining part of today’s leg was nothing special until you remember that you’re in British Columbia, Canada and that it has wonderful scenery. Here’s a taste of what we saw down the road to our next RV Park.
A nice thing about traveling is the great people you meet along the way. One such couple we have met are Debbie and Terry from Iowa. We first met them briefly in Hazelton, BC. They left before we departed Hazelton for Stewart, BC. As we approached Stewart we checked out Bear River RV Park and decided to keep going to Hyder, AK to see what there was. As we were pulling out we spotted Debbie and Terry pulling in. Turned out they traveled into Hyder with their Class A RV only to find nothing worthwhile. After having driven the truck into Hyder later, we were very thankful for the information they provided. We later decided to meet again in Iskut, BC. We kind of formed an impromptu 2 unit caravan. Here is the priceless scenery at the Mountain Shadow RV Park in Iskut, BC where we spent the night.
So far, the road conditions of the Cassiar Highway have been relatively nice as long as you pay attention to the ‘slow’ signs that warn you. Hopefully, the road will continue to be decent. Knock on wood …
North to Alaska … Day 9 – Tuesday 5/11/10 to Stewart, BC & Hyder, AK’e
PETE: I can see where it’s going to take some adjustments as we head North to adjust to the longer days. Each day as we head North the daylight hours continue to stretch longer. Right now, the sun begins to set around around 9:30 going on 10 PM. You think and it feels like 6:30 but it’s actually 9:30. Strange but nice.
Today we experience our best day of bear sightings to date. We were fortunate enough to see 5 black bears today. One sighting was a mother bear with her cub. That brings the total to 7 bears to date. Unfortunately we can’t always be quick enough to get a candid shot but here is what we were able to capture.
The Cassiar Highway, route 37, has turned out to be just as good a highway in BC as Highway 1, 97, and 16. Traveling at speeds of 100 km/h is an easy drive. As we turned off Highway 16 and started up the Cassiar Highway we decided to stop off and visit the Gitaneow historic village and land of the Totems. Once you’ve seen a Totem you really haven’t seen them all cause no two Totems are alike. Here is the Gitaneow heritage. We then proceeded to get back on the Cassiar Highway only to find ourselves on a dirt and gravel road that made my cheeks pucker up a little. I quickly decided that this is not where I wanted to be with my 5th wheel. Even though a local informed us that we could get back to the highway if we continued on the dirt road I decided to swallow my pride and make a quick U-turn.
Onward to Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK. We took Highway 37A to get down into Stewart, BC. Once again the scenery was just spectacular and we were not only fortunate enough to see 4 of the black bear sightings but we also got a grand view of the Bear Glacier. Here are photos of our descent into Stewart, BC.
We originally were planning on staying an extra day in Stewart, BC and visit the area and spend time in Hyder, AK. However, once we drove into Stewart for some diesel and paid a quick visit to Hyder we decided to move on up the road North to Alaska. Here is what we found in Stewart, BC.
Hyder, AK must have a lot to offer in the summer and maybe May is a bit early but we could not find too many reasons to return to Hyder in the short term. Here is a view of Hyder and the famous river where hundreds of bears come in September to catch salmon. Been there … done that !! For my crazy and close Russian friend Harkov, here are photos of the infamous Glacier Inn where the original Hyderization got it’s roots and the gourmet bus diner. No, I did not have the opportunity to get myself Hyderized cause the bar was still closed. Maybe next time. But I can now say that I have been to Alaska. Course by the time our Trek ends we’ll have had the Alaskan adventure of a lifetime.
How many times have you heard … “does a wild bear defecate in the woods?” … (this is a family blog). The answer is yes and here is the proof. As we drive down the roads we have learned that when we see bear defecation on the side of the road we have a great chance to see a bear. Let me tell you, if the roads are any indication, the woods are full of them.
We stayed in Stewart, BC at the Bear River RV Park. All in all not a bad place to stay. Cable, WiFi were both good, 30A of power (you’re going to be hard pressed to find 50A), water, sewer, and a pull-thru for only $24 Canadian.
North to Alaska … Day 8 – Monday 5/10/10 @ Hazelton, BC
KAREN: Left about 10 a.m. for Terrace, BC. Not sure what we would find there. Saw a fox on the way. Woo! Hoo! Came around a bend to see Walmart, McDonald’s, KFC, and Taco Bell. Yup, very much Americanized in Canada. What’s missing are restaurants. See a Denny’s occasionally, but not other chains. A&W is everywhere. Shopped at Costco in Prince George. And malls? Well, we did stop at one here, but it’s nothing like we have back home. This would be something you would’ve seen in the ’60s. Yuck! There must be a lot of shopping on line. No UPS or Fed Ex trucks, wonder how they get their packages? We did see a couple of Greyhound buses towing trailers. That must be how they ship their packages.
PETE: On the way to Terrace, BC we ran into more spectacular scenery. As time progresses, I think I’m going to run out adjectives to describe the awe inspiring surroundings. Here is but a small example of what we saw.
We also saw our second black bear and this time he decided to pose for us before taking off into the woods. Here he is in his glory.
On our way home we decided to stop off at the Kispiox Village and visit the Totem Poles. Each Totem Pole tells a story about one’s family and their previous generations. Their kind our daunting and at times primitive but they offer an insight on the people and their struggles. View the Totems here.
North to Alaska … Day 7 – Sunday 5/9/10 to Hazelton, BC
The first part of today’s trek from Prince George, BC to Hazelton, BC brought more of the same type of scenery that we have seen since we left Hope, BC. Pleasant driving but not overly special. Then we saw a black mass in the distance … could it be our first bear? Why yes it was !!!!! Yahoooo … we just saw our first black bear crossing the road ahead of us. Karen was able to get a quick shot of the crossing but by the time we got closer he was gone in the bush. No matter, we have now officially spotted our first bear. We have seen all these crossing signs – deer, elk, moose, and even badger but have not seen any bear crossing signs. Guess they can cross anywhere they want to. Here are some photos leading up to the bear crossing and the 1st black bear.
As we travel on Highway 16 West we are finding some of these little towns to be quaint. Just when you think you’ve seen all there is to see you come to a little town called Houston, BC and there is the world’s largest fly rod. Here’s proof. The road conditions on Highway 16 are quite conducive to driving 100 km/h (60 mph). This allowed us to make good time.
Then it hits you – the spectacular Coastal Mountain Range pop up and it takes your breath away. I am convinced that the western part of British Columbia, Canada is where you need to travel to. Check out these photos … what do you think?
As we approached the RV Park in Hazelton we discovered that we had to cross one of the highest suspension bridges in Canada. Then as if the vertigo wasn’t enough it turns out that the bridge was only 1 lane. I know that if the truck can make it then the 5th wheel was sure to follow. Didn’t make it any easier. Made it OK but I was not a happy camper knowing that I would have to cross the bridge again when leaving. Here are photos of the bridge.
Finished off the evening by taking a short walk down by the river to Hazelton with some new found friends. Take a look at these and see if you’d like to be visiting this RV Park.
KAREN: Met up with the folks on the caravan to Alaska and I got to meet Lana and Jackie. We talked for quite a while, sipped wine, then shared dinner. Nice. They accepted our invitation to join us tomorrow driving to Terrace for sightseeing.