Attacked at Kitwanga

garyhaupt wrote:

joe b. wrote:
That area around Kitwanga has been a troubled place for some time. Young women have been disappearing, never to be see again. The last time I stopped at the restaurant at Kitwanga Junction, there were signs up inside warning young women not to hitch hike or be by themselves outside at night.

That's The Highway of Tears..the entire length of Highway #16. Of course, the powers here won't allow an investigation..the women just keep disappearing and or being murdered.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Tears_murders

I too live very near Kitwanga and have spent time there fishing and staying with a friend.

It can be a little rough around there. The local band council have taken a stand against white people launching their boats and fishing on that stretch of river. Like most places, there are those hard core against white people and those that think everyone should all get along. I expect the guy on the side of the road was a hard core with a chip on his shoulder.

As for highway of tears. There is and has been a long and exhaustive investigation that is ongoing by the RCMP. What the government is resisting is a National enquirery. This would supposedly get to the route of the problem and come up with recommendations to prevent more deaths. In reality it would just put a lot of people and lawyers to work for a year or more, cost millions of dollars, and solve nothing.

The question is how do you prevent someone from stepping out on the highway late at night and putting out their thumb to catch a ride to the next town? This is how several of the women disappeared. There are huge social and economic issues at play here. The answers are not easy or simple.

I would not let any of this stop anyone from coming up here. It is truly beautiful country.


Gary Haupt

joe b. wrote:
That area around Kitwanga has been a troubled place for some time. Young women have been disappearing, never to be see again. The last time I stopped at the restaurant at Kitwanga Junction, there were signs up inside warning young women not to hitch hike or be by themselves outside at night.

explorenorth wrote:
I saw a thread here a few months ago about vandalism and theft against Rvers in central BC, and I want to add to that. While heading north on Highway 37 through the little Native village of Kitwanga 10 days ago, a guy walking along the shoulder of the highway suddenly fired a handful of rocks and smashed both of my windshields - there are 24 breaks in the windshields, which will cost over $4,000 to replace.

explorenorth wrote:
I saw a thread here a few months ago about vandalism and theft against Rvers in central BC, and I want to add to that. While heading north on Highway 37 through the little Native village of Kitwanga 10 days ago, a guy walking along the shoulder of the highway suddenly fired a handful of rocks and smashed both of my windshields - there are 24 breaks in the windshields, which will cost over $4,000 to replace. I called 911 and the RCMP responded but of course nothing was done - their report does make my deductible small, though. I'm sure that his red toque is well known in the community, and from his actions, I doubt that this was his first attack.