would like some help in planning a land trip in bc

[blue cruiser]

hi we our doing a two week cruise to alaska on the volendam in the fall and would like to befour or after travel from vancouver to edmonton, via watson lake in the yukon via the cassier highway , side trip to hyder ,then on to watson lake and back down the alcan to edmonton, also waould like to vist barkesville near quensell in bc historic park,

any idear on further places to visit on route , and how long to allow for this , do not want to rush it but can get better idear if planning if i understood how long the journey could be done in , in my mind it would take five days to do it with out stopping to enjoy it iwas thinking of ten to twelve days but will be guided by any tips that i am given .

many thanks for any advise or help you can give me on planning this land trip

[Urban trekker]

Ten to 12 days would be fine - it is a long trip and the biggest issue I see at that time would be the weather - it can turn cold and snowy in the north by September or it could be sunny and pleasant.

 

The trip up Highway 37 - the Cassiar highway is a great trip - the highway is being upgraded - I believe there still are some gravel sections left - the trip pass the Bear Glacier and into Stewart/Hyder is worth the short diversion. Coming down the Alaska Highway from Watson Lake is a breeze - the highway has been completely rebuilt - some of the older more scenic, slower and historical sections have been retained as alternate routes.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that many of the smaller lodges etc may not stay open that late in the season so you might want to check into that.

 

I assume that you will be renting a car - be sure to check and see if it is okay to drive it over gravel and the highways in the north - at one time the car rental companies restricted such use.

 

Hope this helps for a start and I am sure that there will be some others who may have some tips to offer. It has been more than 10 years since I last visited this area.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[blue cruiser]

thanks for the info , and i know now that i have alowed the right time for this in duration, picked up this year a guide to the backroads in bc so have a little understanding of the roads but not the duration#

 

thanks again

[Urban trekker]

A suggestion on how you might want to start your trip from Vancouver - while many people will simply take highway #1 north to Cache Creek and then Highway 97 north to Prince George and onwards to Highway 37 - I would suggest that you take the Sea to Sky Highway #99 north to Whistler/Pemberton and then over the Duffey Lake section and come out just north of Cache Creek - junction of Highways 99 and 97 - the Duffey Lake drive is very scenic - I actually think it is the best of the routes through to the Interior - a high mountain pass, spectacular alpine scenery, sparkling mountain lakes.

 

You want to get you hands on a copy of the The Milepost - it is a detailed mile by mile description of all roads leading to and from Alaska - it is deemed to be the bible on Alaska travel.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[LeftcoastBC]

I agree on the time frame also. One must get Hyderized when in Stewart of course so you will have to stay overnight there for sure.

 

It's been a lot longer than 10 yrs for me being up there. I actually worked the area from the Hazelton's to Watson lake from 72-78. Road opened with the Nass bridge completion in 73 I think it was.

 

444 miles from Hazelton to Cassiar in 1975 took us two days with a sleep over in Stewart. When we moved from Cassiar in 78 took only 8 hours. that's how much the road had improved but I new the highway almost blind folded by then :)

 

 

it has improved still more and most is paved.

 

The Weather will be iffy in the Cassiar Mountains for sure in the fall. We had several feet of snow at Halloween in the town of Cassiar. it is no longer of course the mine having been closed for some while and nothing much remains. Houses and buildings mostly moved.

 

There were several working claims along McDame creek back then and I believe that there are still some that cater to tourists.

 

Hazelton has Kasan Village a series of long houses with native art and activities at the junction of the Buckley and Skeena Rivers and is also a must stop. Lots of totem poles in the area. the bestones were in the village of Kitwancool just up #37 from the village of Kitwanga where you cross the Skeena River.

 

I never did get to do the road from Watson lake south on the AK highway but I've heard lots of stories and the "Milepost" is a must. Great hotsprings at Liard, south of Watson lake.

 

Prince George is a thriving city and although most people think it as being North it is just in the middle of the Province.

 

There are lots of stops and places along #37 between PG and Cache Creek in the Fraser Canyon... and Dennis's idea of the Duffy lake road also gives you a one way trip through the Canyon instead of both ways.

 

Another option if you have the time and schedule (also budget) works would be to take a ferry from the North end of Vancouver island to Prince

Rupert. Repeat a bit of better part of the Inside passage that you will not see on a cruise ship and approach the Hwy #37 junction from the West. You would miss Hazelton though unless you continued on a bit and then doubled back.

 

Lots of Suggestions. If you get down to the finer points I still have contacts in lots of the area.

[blue cruiser]

thanks for all the info . i was hoaping to go through pemberton so that sounds wonderfull ,have spent 5 weeks in alaska a couple of years back took bc ferries to prince rubert then alaska marine highway to haines and drove back so know the alcan , bur wanted to do the loop, northen bc in my mind is gods country , and just keeps pulling me back.

last year spent two weeks in the kootneys and that was spectacular as well.

 

this with a two week back to back cruise is going to be one hell of a vacation.

many thanks again