Northern Canada in March?

explorenorth wrote:
I actually just got a copy of the very hard to find book "Cassiar" by Suzanne LeBlanc yesterday. She says that the highway was completed in 1972, but I can assure you that I was not able to get through in the summer of '75.

Thanks for the comments, Joe. Yes, I still have an aunt living in Telegraph Creek - she spent more than 50 years at a remote ranch 25 or so miles downriver from Telegraph. The road in from the Stewart-Cassiar is a superb adventure, but is for small vehicles only (even a 30-foot C would make it a nail-biting trip for a few miles). When Billy Connolly filmed "Journey to the Edge of the World", I was his guide for a few days in that region. To say that he was wonderful to work with is an understatement - I still find the trailer on Youtube exciting (my aunt Nancy is at 3:24).

Murray,

Lots of good memories. I first drove up to Stewart in a city car in the summer of 72 not long after they built the bridge across the Nass. Had to be towed through mud around Meziadin lake.

The next time I traveled that road was in Early October/75 to Dease Lake for a property auction. The road was very rough and full of pot holes but definitely drivable. This time I drove a truck.

First time to Telegraph Creek was in the late 70's and the switch backs in the canyons were quite the adventure. Today, the road has improved immensely but long vehicle are still banned I believe.

Joe,

Cassiar mine trucks started hauling con to Stewart shortly after the bridge was built over the Stikine River in the early 70,s replacing a small ferry. The asbestos would be loaded up on ships and the empty super "B" trains with large tanks would haul diesel back for the large gensets. The mine closed in 1992.

Materials and equipment to construct the Alaska highway were transported down the Dease River to the Liard River and then on to the staging area at Watson Lake.

Dave