Barb Rees
Babine Lake Sunset
By Barb Rees
What would you do if you had three weeks to cover 671 kilometres? That was our dilemma when we landed in Prince Rupert coming from Haida Gwaii. We didn't have to be in Fort St. James for three weeks to attend the Métis Day at the fort, so what to do with all this time? We decided to just wander.
We began our journey with some friends in Terrace, who took us to the ‘Kitselas Canyon National Historic Site' located 20.8 km east of the city. After a 30 minute walk through the forest, we came to the canyon with over 5,000 years of Tsimshian history. In the past two fortified villages guarded the canyon.
Sixty kilometers north of Terrace is the ‘Nisga'a Memorial Bed Provincial Park' known for Tseax Cone, a volcano that erupted in the 1700's, covering two Nisga'a villages and killing thousands. The park is the first to be jointly managed by a First Nation's group and by the province of BC. Sitting on a volcanic rock, while having a picnic is a unique experience. There is a 16 site campground in the park. Visit the Nisga'a Visitor Centre and ask for a guided tour of the Tseax Cone.
Barb Rees
Lava bed scenery
Leaving the #16/Yellowhead Highway we headed for Kitimat, which was 58 kilometres south, with a stop at the ‘Furlong Bay Provincial Park Campground.' The campground is massive with 156 sites, each one surrounded by lush rainforest with Devil's Club that at home is about three feet tall but here towers over my partner Dave's head. Some sites have power and the showers are free.
Kitimaat Village, "Home of the Haisla" is 11 kilometres from Kitimat's main road. At the village, we met Sam Robinson in his home/studio ‘Ka'Khan Carver' where he showed us his incredible carvings. He's 85 years old, still carving and winning awards. We enjoyed learning about his culture.
Barb Rees
Sam Robinson, Carver
Stop in at the Visitor's Centre on the highway coming into town - the staff is extremely helpful. Kitimat has several campgrounds but we opted to boondock along the river with the fishermen and their families. Some people leave their RV by the river all summer, even though the river could easily rise and the RV could become a houseboat. It's a fun, free environment. Behind the river is BC's largest living spruce at 11.2 m/36.7 ft around. It was once 50.3 m/165 ft. tall but the wind took its top off. Take time to explore this beautiful, well-laid out town built by Alcan. The museum gave us the history of the area, the Kenney dam and the resulting Ootsa Lake Reservoir that we would visit later on.
Barb Rees
Giant spruce Kitimat
On leaving Kitimat we dry camped at the ‘Hirsch Creek Park', which has limited sites that are surrounded by forest. It was here we had our wasp adventure. We had set up camp in a lovely site with a giant cedar towering over us; dinner was simmering on the barbeque while we relaxed with a glass of wine. Our little dog Pali digging for rocks at the base of the tree, when we noticed that wasps were starting to fly around him. He paid no heed to us calling him so we got the brainy idea to drop a big rock into the hole at the base of the tree. Bad idea! As soon as Dave dropped the rock in the wasps attacked. I grabbed the dogs and fled into the rig with Dave right behind but unfortunately, some of the wasps followed. After much yelling, and swatting later, we were okay but realized that our dinner was outside. We sprayed Dave with bug spray and he rescued our meal and the wine. We ate inside. The moral is, "Let sleeping wasps lie."
Taking #62 behind New Hazelton's Visitor Centre we took the single lane Hagwilget Suspension Bridge 80 m. above the Bulkley River Canyon. The ‘Ksan Heritage Village, Campground, and Museum' are nestled along the river. The museum includes several heritage buildings.
We stopped at Moricetown Canyon with the roaring falls on the Bulkley River where we saw a gentleman tethered to the rocks using a long-handled dip net for salmon jumping the falls. Now that's a dangerous job. Above the falls is Moricetown RV Park and Campground with a spectacular view.
Barb Rees
Moricetown Falls
Our friends had recommended that we visit Babine Lake. Just east of Smithers we left #16 and drove on the Chapman Forest Service Road, 66.7 km to Babine Lake. While in good shape for a gravel road, be aware that it is an active logging road. Even though the truck drivers know it is a public road, we remained cautious. ‘Babine Lake Marine Provincial Park is a small free campground with no services, but it's so peaceful to sit with a campfire by the beach watching the sun sink into the lake. Right beside the park is the Tukii Lodge, which is owned by the Hooper family. Their cabins are new, clean, well-equipped and reasonably priced if you want a break from the RV. They took us out fishing, and we caught some sockeye salmon. We laughed at ourselves because we've never caught a sockeye on the west coast, and had to come north to catch one in fresh water.
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My fish Babine Lake
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Takysie Lake sunrise
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Takysie Lake
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Tukii Lodge
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Ootsa Campground
At Burns Lake, with a free regional campground in town, we turned south to Francois Lake and the free ferry. A 15-minute ride later we landed in Southside and drove 22 kilometres up the road to ‘Takysie Lake Resort.' Takysie has a campground, cabins, store, post office, café, sani-dump, fuel, and propane. After a couple days of being off the road, we explored farther south to Ootsa Lake or the Nechako Reservoir. The campground is free thanks to BC Hydro. The lake is a result of the Kenney Dam for providing power to Kemano for Alcan Smelter in Kitimat. Each site is spacious, with a picnic table, fire pit, and free firewood. Ootsa Lake at 225 km. long is the second longest lake in BC.
Fraser Lake at ‘White Swan Park', with a free 10-site campground, provides level sites, free showers, and exercise equipment along the pathway. A misty morning sunrise had me outside in my housecoat taking pictures.
Barb Rees
Fraser Lake Fog
Our end goal three weeks previous was to be in Fort St. James for the Métis Day celebrations on September 16th. We said goodbye to the Yellowhead Highway and turned on #27 north, 52 kilometres to Fort St. James. What a lovely historical town, which includes the ‘Fort St. James Historic Centre.' Wandering and getting off the beaten path was the most fun we've had in years. We'll do it more often.
Barb Rees
Fort St James buildings
Barb Rees is Métis, a speaker, trainer and author of six RV Canada books from the working holidays her and husband Dave have made from coast to coast to coast of Canada. To learn more about the places mentioned above check out her newest book, "RV Canada A Year of Anniversaries." Her books can be found at: www.write2dream.com