Tuesday, 16 July
The Journey from Dawson Creek to Fort Nelson
We left Dawson Creek around 8 a.m. and headed north on BC-97 North, also known as the ALCAN Highway. Today’s jump took us 282 miles to Fort Nelson, BC. It was reasonably warm, with 63 degrees overnight and 88 degrees during the day and max wind speeds of 9 mph.
The terrain between Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, along the Alaska Highway (Highway 97), is mainly characterized by gently rolling hills, agricultural fields, and forests.
As we headed north, patches of boreal forest started to appear more frequently, particularly as we approached Fort St. John.
Eighteen miles out, we descended on a 6% grade to cross the new Kiskatinaw River Bridge.
At mile 29, we descended 6-10% to the Peace River Bridge. This was the first of many metal-decked bridges on the Alaskan Highway. The steep descents and ascents across major rivers are common.
North Peace Museum, Fort St John
About 43 miles from the campground, we arrived at the North Peace Museum in Fort St. John just as it opened. Fort St John is one of the largest cities on the ALCAN and the oldest European settlement in British Columbia.
The Fort St. John North Peace Museum tells the story of the Fort St. John region, including Indigenous history, the fur trade, agricultural settlement, the town’s growth, the construction of the Alaska Highway, and the start of the oil and gas industry. It was essentially a tiny historical museum with some historical buildings outside. Some highlights were a mushroom display and a 150-foot oil derrick outside.
The Journey from Fort St John to Fort Nelson
Fort St. John is situated at an elevation of 2,260 feet within a low-lying valley near the eastern foothills of the Muskwa and Hart Ranges of the Northern Rockies. The area was relatively flat, with rolling hills and prairies extending east and north, while the Rocky Mountains to the west created a rain shadow effect.
When we left St John, we saw rolling hills and dense forests. Just outside Fort St John, we passed Charlie Lake, where a monument was erected for 12 soldiers who lost their lives there in 1942 when their boat capsized in rough waters.
154 miles into our trip, we had a steep 9% descent down Sikanni Hill and crossed the Sikanni Chief River Bridge. At 220 miles, we had an 8% grade to the Bougie Creek Bridge.
At Mile 225, we passed the Prophet River Community of the First Nation Dene Tsaa community.
As we approached Fort Nelson, the terrain became more mountainous, reflecting its proximity to the Rockies. About 12 miles from our campground, we passed the Spectra Energy gas processing plant, North America’s largest Natural Gas processing plant.
Triple G Hideaway Campground
We were assigned a nice pull-through campsite with full hookups. Since this was an overnight stop, we did not bother unhooking from the truck.
Fort Nelson Heritage Museum
After setting up the camper, we walked to the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum, which featured a diverse collection of artifacts, vintage vehicles, and exhibits detailing the construction of the Alaska Highway. The main building is made of logs and is full of historical artifacts. Vintage vehicles were stored outside, from cars and trucks to old machinery. There was an old general store, an old oil derrick, old telephone equipment, old cars and trucks, a wildlife exhibit, heavy equipment used to build the highway, and several memorials to those who built it.