My Visit To The Hazeltons The Land Of Totem Poles

Monday morning,the 20th,I set out for my day trip to the land of Totems,a short drive from the campground at Seely Lake.First into New Hazelton on Highway 16 to gas up and get propane.I love this north country...so quiet...no gas station line-ups....not crawling with tourists.....great weather......all was done in quick fashion and I was on the way to Old Hazelton about 7 K's up the road.First stop,the very high, single lane bridge over the Bulkley river.The top picture was taken looking waaaay down.

Historic old Hazelton is a sleepy town with quite a pioneer history.For centuries it was the home of the Kitksan and Wet'suwet'en peoples.Since the 1860's bustling pioneer communities have arisen in this area which is the confluence of the Skeena and Bulkley rivers.This was the upriver terminus for a fleet of sternwheelers like the one below.

Its still a living breathing town with stores and restaurants,but ooooh so quiet...you could hear your own footsteps echoing as you walk the streets.Echo's from the past as crews from the Collins Telegraph arrived in 1866.Following them the Omineca gold miners,Hudson bay pack strings and the "gandy dancers" of the Grand Trunk Railway,all tramped these streets.

Just before you enter the town proper,off to the left is the "Ksan Historical Village",with a nice museum and large full service campground.A great place to stop. Ksan is a reconstructed Gitsan village with traditional style buildings that house a museum,gift shop,administrative office and the Kitanmax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art.

The pic below was taken in the museum.

Willy has to practice taking pictures of himself as He's still having trouble understanding the new camera....Had to get a nice German tourist couple to help me work my own camera for self timing.I got it to work before but the crazy thing keeps doing something different every time I try......Note.....I always wear my signature "free willy"Tee shirt when I enter "Indian Country."

Next I'm off to the Native Village of Kispiox which is a few miles north of Old Hazelton.This is where stands a cluster of ancient totems that I've seen in pictures for many years and I always wanted to visit this spot.An interesting thing I noticed on this Reserve,was at the sleepy junction of 2 dirt streets was a set of regular city stop lights complete with the walk and wait lights....must be someones idea of a joke....I was going to stop and take a picture but a native on a bike met me at the intersection and because I had the green....couldn't stop.....Hey maybe they do need it, although he was the only person I saw in the area.

I found this (below) to be an interesting read.You can see the totems in the background of this shot.

Now on the way back to camp,I took this shot from the highway above the Skeena,looking down on Old Hazelton.

Now I'm up to yesterday,setting off at 9am for my present location.It was a short 2 hour run to Terrace,then south on the Kitimat highway for about 15 minutes to Lake Lakelse Provincial park.Below is a nice rest area along the Skeena, just east of Terrace on Hiway 16.

Settled in just before noon.This is a large destination type park,more family oriented,with 156 sites at $22. per.

I will hunker down here for several days and do day trips to Prince Rupert and Kitimat........Today is Wednesday....so this must be Kitimat.
MY NEW LOCATION

Seeley Lake Provincial Park near Hazelton B.C.

Yesterday when I set out from the Fraser Lake campground,I was only going to travel some 220k's to Tyhee Lake P.P. at Telkwa,near Smithers,but although it was a nice campground and almost empty,I couldn't justify paying $22. per night.So since it was only noon when I arrived,I had some lunch and moved on figuring another 1.5 hours would get me to Seeley Lake PP.This was a good choice because at $15.per night it was even nicer and also almost empty although there are are only about 20 sites.

This small park is in a real pretty setting with a large mountain to the south.I starting getting into the mountains back at Smithers.I meant to stop there as it seemed like a very pretty city,decked out with a Swiss appearance to its downtown.
Below is a view from my campsite here at Seely.

Its a small lake ringed with reeds.Isn't that a relaxing scene?

Every time I looked up during my set-up,I would see the 2 fishermen below catching a trout,so when I was done I sat and watched for a while through the binoc's and it was obscene.......they were catching big fat trout constantly,several times they both had one on the line at the same time........It was good to see them releasing them for another day.....I haven't seen fishing like that for a long time.

Check out this "Monster Truck Camper" up the road from me.I've seen smaller versions, usual people from Europe,but this one had California tags.Sure was a stinky diesel as he passed through twice before picking his site.

This interesting sign at the entrance seems to spell Seeley differently from the park sign in my first pic.(Sorry Kathy,I know you had this pic in your blog also)

And now a few practice bird shots,but I think I need some help with the ident's.
This is either a Least or Western Sandpiper,All I know is that he was very tiny and noisy.Some help please.

These were taken at Fraser lake.

And I believe this is a Song Sparrow,below.

So today I go back into Hazelton and and Old hazelton to find the large group of totem poles that is so famous.Something I've wanted to see for years.
My New Location

A Visit To The Fort St. James National Historic Site Of Canada.

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My Daytrip To Historic Fort St. James.

Yesterday was a cloudy but warm and muggy day,a good day to day trip back along highway 16 almost to Vanderhoof,then take highway 27 north for 53 K's to Fort St. James on the south shore of Stuart lake,a lake about 40k's long.
I first stopped in just before town to check out the Provincial park campground at Paarens Beach(below)36 sites in 2 sections,$10. per night.One section of about 13 sites along the beach(all full)the rest of the campground almost empty.

The town reminds me of Lillooet,strung out along the lake,a mostly native(first nations) population.It has all the services including a Radio Shack(pardon,I mean The Source).

The town was founded back just over 200 years ago by Simon Fraser and John Stuart as a fur trading post.Below is a pic of the still used,built in 1873 church,being repainted.

Below is a small camping area in a larger, quite nice town park at the north end of town,just across the road from the church.

Here are a couple of street scenes taken from in front of the RCMP office,and looking in 2 directions.There are many of these logging trucks on the road up in this neck of the woods,makes me cringe every time one passes me.

Below is a wood carving in front of the RCMP office,there are several similar carvings throughout the town.

After taking these pictures I went over to the National Historic site and enjoyed an interesting tour of the old original fort.I will make a separate blog entry for this next time.On the way back I headed into Vanderhoof for a gas up and late lunch at at my old friend Albert&Walters place for another "mozza burger platter."Then found a Large Co-op store for grocery's....geeze! I haven't been in a Co-op since the 70's when we lived in Moose Jaw Sask.It brought back memories. On the way out of town I noticed 3 large trailers parked in a big truck parking area on the western outskirts.The writing on them caught my eye as they were the horse trailers for the RCMP Musical Ride,so had to stop and take a photo or 2.I did notice a sign in Fort St. James advertising the musical ride there today.

Had to say hi to the horses,surprisingly no-one seemed to be around,just the horses.

Beaumont Provincial Park...Fraser Lake

Another 8 a.m. start from 10 mile yesterday and wouldn't you know it...just as I was driving out I saw quite a bit of bird activity and some interesting colors of yellow flitting around the site...too late to stop...blocking the roadway...next time.
It was another nice sunny day as I headed toward Prince George...Light traffic,the way I like it but there has been a lot of road construction all along highway 97 the past 2 days...make hay in the short season I guess.No rough stuff to drive over,just small delays.I was glad I was using my Garmin255w as I entered Prince George because there was plenty of road construction right at the intersection of highway's 97 and 16,and without it would have missed the confusing turn off.
Below is a quick bathroom break in front of the big Harley-Davidson shop in the southern outskirts......hey! Another silver bullet Tundra parked next to me.

Below is one example of the countryside west of Prince George.Most of the area is forest,but this farm was a nice break in the scenery.I'm trying "on the go out the window shots"which is a dangerous practice I guess,but sometimes its difficult to stop for a pic.

Coming into Vanderhoof just after the sign in the first pic.I don't see the camera picking up all the windshield bugs,so that's a good thing.

The landscape is getting a little more mountainous as I near the Fraser Lake area and my stop for the day.I arrived at the campground just before noon.I've had enough driving for awhile,2.5 days of it with the very tiring trip home and back on Monday from Tunkwa with only 2 hours sleep the night before.I seem to have a hard time sleeping prior to a travelling day.

The Provincial Park,"Beaumont"is a well wooded 49 site campground on the eastern shore of Fraser Lake.When I arrived,the place was pretty well deserted but filled to over half full with overnighters by 7pm.

Its a well treed campground....very hard to see your neighbors....I like that.

I'm going to spend a few days here and today take a day trip up to Historic Fort St. James.A new "National Historic Site Visitor Center"just opened up this year,so may check that out.They say to give yourself at least 2 hours to really take in everything,so we will see.....Can I hold it that long?Heh Heh!


My present location