Off to Alaska

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After 2 days in Langley, BC visiting our friends Glen and Lori, we started our Alaska trip. The Fraser River, which we will follow for the first 500 miles, is one of Canada’s major rivers. It is BC’s longest, flowing some 900 miles from its source in the Canadian Rockies to empty into the Pacific Ocean at Vancouver. The first hundred miles takes us east though farm country to Hope, where we turn north and enter the Fraser Canyon, a narrow gorge through the Coast Mountains. This is a major transportation corridor where the Fraser is joined by railroads and Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway, which have been carved into the rock walls of the canyon. It is an interesting drive, with many tunnels and nice views of the river and the railroad tracks below hugging the riverbank and crossing from one side to the other frequently.
After overnighting in Cache Creek, we left Hwy 1 and followed Hwy 97 north to Prince George. Called the “Northern Capital” of BC, Prince George is a busy city of 75,000 and a decision point for us. We can head northwest and take the Stewart-Cassiar Highway, with rougher roads but spectacular scenery, or go northeast to Dawson Creek and follow the Alaska Highway, the traditional route. The two highways come together in the Yukon Territory and from there the route to Alaska is the same. After sleeping on it, we decided to take the Alaska Highway and leave the Cassiar for the return trip.
Just out of Prince George the next morning we spotted our first bald eagle, standing guard over its nest in a roadside tree. As we approached Dawson City we were greeted with brilliant yellow canola fields--quite an impressive sight. Dawson Creek is "Milepost 0" on the Alaska Highway, and is the funneling point for Alaska traffic coming from BC and Alberta. The town's visitors center, service stations, grocery stores, banks, etc. were all buzzing with RV'ers making final preparations for the big trip. After finding a nice campground downtown we joined right in, loading up on fuel, food, libation, etc. Tomorrow we hit "The Highway".

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Photos

Fraser Canyon Tunnel
One of many along the canyon road.

Weather Report
It was very warm in the "cool north woods"--102 F

Another Canyon Shot
The trains were always with us.

Close Up and Personal
Never seen so many long trains.

Visitors Center at Dawson Creek
This was at 7AM. This place was a beehive of activity the previous afternoon.