My Canada - US Travels

BC - Winnipeg
Winnipeg - Quebec
Quebec - Winnipeg
Winnipeg - BC
Epilogue

Washington
Oregon
California
Nevada
Utah
Colorado
Utah again
Idaho & Montana
Alberta
BC
Epilogue

Langley Detour
Okanagan
Cariboo
Prince George to Prince Rupert
Return to Vancouver
Epilogue

Cariboo and Chilcotin

Saturday 20th
Start the day off with Caffeine, so across the highway to Starbucks, inside the Chapters. Anyway, the Chapters has a great view of the city, if only the visibility would allow us to see further than 200 yards. Today we’re going north into the real snow country.

It’s an hour west along highway 1 to Cache Creek. For about half the journey, Kamloops Lake follows below, before it turns into the Thompson River. We’re already seeing roadside ads for Historic Barkerville, an old gold mining town, beautifully preserved, but still 5 hours drive north of us.

At Cache Creek, Highway 1, or “The Trans Canada Highway” heads south, following the Thompson River. The Coquihalla following parallel on the other side of the canyon has taken most of the traffic away from this road. Cache Creek, calling itself “Gateway to the North”, ‘cause it is really, looks like just a collection of gas stations. Leaving town we see the Bonaparte Indian Band winery - all sold out!

After a little over an hour we reach 100 Mile House (pop: about 2,000), stop for lunch in the best we can find – Smittys. There isn’t much here, it just seems to be a place to refuel body and vehicle. I’m now into new territory, only having got as far north as 70 mile house before.

After another hour and a bit we reach Williams Lake (pop: 11,000). Now I feel like we’re getting into serious lumber country. We accidentally drive along Mackenzie Avenue to the lumber processing plant at the north end of the city. I’ve never seen so many felled trees before, and that’s just the wood I can see, poking through the snow. It feels a big town, with lots going on, not somewhere I’d necessarily live or visit, but a place to go and pick up supplies.

The land starts out at Cache Creek as fairly flat and open. After 100 mile house it becomes mountainous, and from Williams Lake becomes massive rolling mountains. The only white is either a lake, or the few farms beside the road. As the early evening air cools, mist forms above the fields of snow and periodically drifts onto the road. Otherwise it’s trees as far as you can see.

We see periodically the train tracks heading up to Prince George. Back on the Coast we had considered traveling by train. Unfortunately after checking websites this was neither sensible from a route or price point of view.

The routes that Via, the only regular train service it seems still operating west of Ontario, are limited to say the least. For example, in order to get from Vancouver to Prince George you must take the train to Jasper (way east of where you should have to go). Overnight (it’s TWO nights on the way back). Take another train west to Prince George. This is great I’m sure if you are doing a relaxed holiday in summer around the whole region. In fact why not stay on the train to Prince Rupert and then take the ferry down to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island.

The only other passenger rail service in the area is Rocky Mountaineer, better known for it’s trip from Calgary to Vancouver, overnighting in Kamloops. They tried for the first time last year traveling Kamloops north to Prince George, the route that we are taking. Unfortunately they only operate in summer and command a luxury price tag; they’re after the tourist market, not the commuter. Otherwise it’s just a freight route.

Yet again, another hour and a bit, we arrive in Quesnel (pop:10,000). The streets are enshrouded in mist, like a London Pea Souper, but without the pollution. We go to the Best Western first; it seemed to be the “Least Bad” from TripAdvisor guest comments. After seeing a room, we decide not to stay, not least the elevator music being piped down all the corridors, and even audible in the room.

The most “In your Face” building as you drive around town is the Billy Barker Casino Hotel. It’s a 1960’s Inn that has gone through several renovations, inside and out, so that it now resembles a paddle steamer all lit up. It’s fun. So against M’s better judgment, ‘cause of the casino we take a look. We get a charming room on the top floor – we never hear anything from the casino and a fair price. Accommodation is getting progressively cheaper – 30% cheaper than Kamloops, which was 20% cheaper than Kelowna! The place has character, in a good way. Billy Barker was the man who put the area on the map for gold mining. He later had the town of Barkerville named after him. We’re going there tomorrow.

We drive across to West Quesnel for dinner in a pub – quiet, reasonable food, just took for ever to get the food – as if we have anything else to do.


Sunday 21st
The snow is coming down thick and fast. We check out early, we are going to the big metropolis of Wells (pop: 200-300, no I'm not missing a zero). It’s 75km away and there’s very little else on this road, so we doubt it will be terribly clear or well traveled. We’re right, what fun!

Wells is a beautiful quaint toy town from the 1930s gold mining era. Did I mention, in the middle of nowhere. It’s where the Buckley brothers, of Buckley’s Cough Syrup, hail from. LOTS of snow! In fact the area is known for being a ski-doo paradise, not that we hear them. We did pass a small ski hill, about 15km before getting to Wells. There are few businesses, only one restaurant open, the main place seems to be the Wells Hotel. The place seems to rely on tourism, being the gateway to the Bowron Lakes and Barkerville. Both of these places as we are about to find out are only open in summer, and out of season there is absolutely NO ONE there.

We look around the Wells Hotel, it’s beautifully restored, 14 rooms I think, with a great hot tub on the roof. After lunch we drive about 15 minutes further to the end of the road – Bakerville. The town is CLOSED (until May 16). The only vehicles are those of ski-dooers. We’re here anyway, so we walk around the deserted town.

It’s buried in several feet of snow, except the main paths, no doubt for ski-doos and winter maintenance. From what little we can see, it’s like Wells, another beautiful old reconstructed town. It’s very popular in summer, with lots of outdoor shows and the ilk. Bowron Lakes nearby - we are not going to, because nothing is there - is a series of lakes people canoe or kayak around, portaging between lakes and a week later ending up where they started. It is extremely popular and you need to book a launch time. Seems like the West Coast Trail (Port Renfrew - Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island), or at least a water based version of it.

Heading back, the weather has not improved, we don’t see a car for 40km, and we’re the only fools out. Once at Quesnel, we continue our drive north to Prince George. It’s only a little over an hour away, well maybe when the roads are clear.

We check into the Ramada. Swanky looking lobby, but mediocre rooms. A little incongruous, but fine by us. We try a couple of restaurants recommended to us, but it being Sunday evening they are closed. We end up at the Coast Hotel eating in their Tepanyaki Restaurant, because it is so busy. We have a fun meal. Prince George seems to be reversing the trend of being “Cheaper the further north you go”. I suppose if you are known as the “Capital of the North” and booming, you can afford to be.