Sportsman's Quest

The fishing is exceptional in north-central British Columbia, but as we continue our sunbird migration west on Highway 16, towards the port city of Prince Rupert, we are tempted by a side trip North on the Stewart Cassiar Highway (Highway 37).

This is one of the most scenic routes in Western Canada. It starts at the native community of Kitwanga, B.C. We make sure the fuel tank is full and the tires, including two spares, are in good condition. As we leave civilization we plan on being able to take care of ourselves; there is an automobile club in this direction.

Highway 37 travels north between the coastal mountains to the west and the Northern terminus of the Rocky Mountains to the east.

The first major landmark is the Cranberry River area, which has rich salmon streams, lush wild berry patches and abundant wildlife, including moose, black bear and grizzlies.

The next major landmark is the suspension bridge over the Nass River. The bridge was not completed until the late 1970s. Prior to this, people who lived north of the Nass would travel the Alaska Highway to Watson Lake and then head south on the gravel road. This added many days and hundreds of miles to their travel time. The bridge virtually opened up this Northern area, creating an alternate and quicker route to B.C.'s north country, and to Alaska.

Many of the native and mining communities on this route remain today much as they were prior to "the road," but are in the process of change as more people find this treasure of beauty, and access to a time past.

As we head further north we pass small lakes and rivers, many with excellent salmon, trout and steelhead fishing. This is an area of large fish, which have seldom seen fly or lure, and where even my humble fly fishing techniques are capable of success.

We pass Meziadin Lake and the junction heading west to Stewart, B.C., and neighboring Hyder, Alaska. On one side of the border is mining and fishing; on the other side is one of Alaska's last outposts. In Hyder, people can still be seen carrying side arms and if you are so inclined you can get yourself 'Hyderized' with a large shot of everclear alcohol, a tradition which goes back to the old mining days.

The communities of Tatoga, Edontedajon and Iskut come next. All are famous for their rich professional guiding industries, which thrive. Many of the most famous writers of our and our parents' age traveled with the pioneers and Indian guides of this region. Jack O'Connor helped make this area famous as the Stone Sheep hunting capital of the world. This area and the mountain ranges north of the Spatsizi plateau are the only places this rare and beautiful animal can be found.

Filmmaker Gordon Eastman also contributed to the legend of this area with his historical landmark documentaries of wolves in their natural habitat. His camp at Lake Edontedajon is still in existence. The landscape and his films remind us of how recently this was considered pioneer country.

Dease Lake is another reminder of recent history. It was originally considered an alternate route to the Yukon during the Gold Rush of 1898. Many of its prospectors stopped in this region, struck gold and stayed. This initiated the Cassiar gold rush, smaller than the Yukon's, but it is still going strong today, as are the miners and prospectors in this area. This was also the location of one of the world's purest concentrations of asbestos. Some of the richest and finest jade quarries can also be found here. Evidence of the history of Northern B.C. remains strong today.

The Native Indians (First Nation's People) of this area and to the north, including those at Iskut, Telegraph Creek and Good Hope Lake, see things a bit differently though. Rather than the opening up of the North, they see it as an invasion of European society, with both its beneficial and negative attributes.

The natives were doing fine prior to "the road," with the abundant wildlife, a strong cultural heritage and even stronger family ties. This was a land of abundance, but also a harsh land, where people had to rely on each other - a land where obligations could be traced back several generations and life was much less complicated by modern "necessities." This is changing at an alarming pace.

My first experience in this area - just after the bridge came - was as a game warden and teacher. We had log houses, outdoor plumbing, and water was hauled from the lake. There was only high frequency radio communication, with no AM/FM radio or television, but lots of peaceful solitude. I also came to rely on my neighbors during the minus-40 to minus-70 degree winters. It was a good time.

One of my neighbors, Ike, had an interesting solution for family inheritance. At age 65 he gave all of his considerable wealth and belongings to his children and started over. He set up a tent at the junction of Highway 37 and the Alaskan Highway and made arrangements with a bulk gasoline dealer to provide him with some gasoline and a pump. This was the beginning of what is today a major refueling station for travelers on both the Stewart Cassiar and Alaska Highways. Ike exemplified the true north entrepreneur and taught me a lesson about "things" and their importance when lost.

The Stewart Cassiar Highway is my spirit's home. If you also like adventure, put this route on your list of "must do" travels; you won't be disappointed.

Next time it's on to Prince Rupert and the Pacific.

What's new

In the isolated Northern wilderness you need to depend on your pals.

I have one that's been with me for over 30 years and I still count on it. It's a Sportspal canoe made of lightweight, impact-resistant, marine aluminum.

It weighs only 40 pounds, and as I gain experience, I appreciate it even more than I did when I could carry one of my friend's 70-pound canoes over a portage or to a secret small lake.

Unlike other metal canoes it is quiet, because of its foam lining. This one has served me well on waters from the Yukon to the Colorado.

The Sportspal canoe comes in several models, and Sportspal Products have been making my favorite model since 1947.

For more information on this canoe, go to www.sportspalcanoes.com.