Roads
to
Come
out O Little Mocassins and frolic on the
snow My vast domain
spans half of Canada, the world's second largest
country, with ports facing three great oceans. I
follow the trails of natives and voyageurs westward
from Lake Winnipeg and the forks of three historic
rivers to the misty *Haida Gwa'ii, where British
Columbia meets the North Pacific. Near majestic
Mount Robson, Canada's highest peak, my second
branch meanders south via Kamloops to Hope, gateway
to the Fraser Valley. Crossing me is a journey into
history, with Indian encampments older than Egypt's
great pyramids, pristine national and provincial
parks, ancient shrines and battle sites. Ethnic
dances and pageants salute every facet of Canada's
heritage, and if you love the magic of serendipity,
a new surprise awaits around each bend. If you find
some parts of the country a l There's
a land where the mountains are
nameless This story is
from the opening of a half hour commemorative
video, written by Jerry W. Bird for the Canadian
Government as a salute to the Alaska Highway's 50th
Anniversary. See
photos taken during construction phase In the 1850s,
BC's Gold Rush drew prospectors from around the
world, most of whom made their way by various forms
of conveyance, up the Mighty Fraser, from its mouth
near Sea Island (Richmond) to the head of
navigation at Yale. North of Hope, the is a rugged
stretch or road and trail that hugs the shoulders
of the Fraser Canyon, as down below, the foamy
white rapids churn and roar. Places to visit along
the way include Hope, Hell's Gate with its famous
Air Tram, Spuzzum, Boston Bar, Lytton, Lillooet
(original Mile 0 of the Cariboo Trail) and a string
of frontier towns.
We visited
the historic Fraser Canyon again last summer,
heading west from Merrit to Spence's Bridge, and
took the time to truly appreciate the awesome
scenery. You can see how challenging it was for the
gold prospectors in their difficult quest. This
route between Hope and Cache Creek is a 'great
drive' experience you'll never forget, with its
sharp turns, railway tunnels, historic sites and
exciting view points. So take your time, and don't
forget to stop and smell the flowers. They were
blooming on every hillside on our last
trip.
More-> The eternal
icefields wear a "necklace of thermal springs", fed
from water trapped in fissures and caverns deep in
the roots of the Rockies. Raging rivers, glutted by
the seasonal runoff, churn and boil like some
concoction from a giant soda fountain. Oh the joys
of steamy, bubbly-hot, sulfur-scented waters; Solus
Par Aqua (health by water) to the Romans; a sacred
rite to Canada's native peoples, and Shangri-La to
we hot springs fanatics. Speaking of natural spas,
the Kootenays have them in spades; Ainsworth,
Halycon, Nakusp, Ram Creek and Wild Horse. Many of
these natural spa
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ittle
"behind the times " ... a popular Saskatchewan
Tourism poster says, "Count yourself lucky. You've
discovered the true Canada." Get a copy of my
official Road Map, or a reasonable facsimile?
Stretch it out on the table or across the hood or
your vehicle. Glancing from east to west, you'll
see that my eastern terminus is Winnipeg, Manitoba
at the foot of two large lakes. Tracing my path
westward, I parallel the North Saskatchewan River
to Edmonton, and follow the Athabaska River into
Jasper National Park, Canada's Rocky Mountain
playground. Further west near Mount Robson, I give
motorists the option of heading directly west via
Prince George, or south via Kamloops to the town of
Hope at the entrance to the Fraser Valley and port
of Vancouver. On these segments I follow the North
Thompson, the Mighty Fraser and Skeena
Rivers.
Canada's
Historic Route. To begin your journey down my
pathway to pleasure, imagine your auto or RV is a
time-capsule, as you cruise along this broad ribbon
of Canadiana, in the wake of nomadic hunters,
voyageurs, missionaries, traders, sodbusters,
fortune-seekers and railroad builders. Before we
dim the lights and start the movie, you're curious
to know how the name Yellowhead was derived --
right? In the 1870s, a roving Iroquois Metis guide,
dubbed Tete Jaune for his golden locks, gave title
to a mountain pass near Jasper House, and gained
instant immortality. Fly-Drive Holidays are all the
rage, in an age when time has become more valuable
than money. You can fly the "Air Highways" to
dozens of gateway airports from east to west, then
take your pick of ground transport, be it an
automobile, van or RV rental or Via Rail Canada's
Yellowhead- Skeena Route to Prince
Rupert.
A
Taste of Canada. I appeal to nature lovers and
adventurous souls with a taste for the finer
things. So, get out the fishing rod, thermos jug
and picnic basket! This great drive might easily be
called a Great Canadian Taste Tour. Why? -- the
Yellowhead crosses and parallels famous rivers and
nameless streams, skirts many lakes great and
small, visits orchards, ranches, farmers markets
and unique dining spots. You can feast on Winnipeg
Goldeye, rainbow trout, Pacific salmon, Alaska king
crab, oysters, mussels and clams, prairie chicken,
moose steak, buffalo burgers, award-winning Alberta
beef and Okanagan wines. Add the world's finest
cereal grains and 1001 varieties of ethnic fare --
how near to heaven can you get? And if you like to
sing on long car trips, there's always a
cinemascopic backdrop to enhance the performance;
prairie skies, tumbleweed, moose
pasture,.
s
along the Columbia Valley and Continental Divide
are so enticing, you'll want to stop the car right
there and take the plunge.