At Kitwanga we left the Yellowhead Highway and turned right heading north along BC-37 the Stewart-Cassiar Highway toward Yukon Territory. Limited accommodation along this stretch of road - we booked in at Meziadin Junction Service Center. After 357km of highway we were looking forward to some R&R.
Turns out a Service Centre is way different to a Hotel. It's a camp for workers living away from home. With 75 Rooms built into Shipping Container type structures, things were pretty basic. Our Room, BC, had a small Double Bed, small TV, small Sink, limited Air-Con, small Window and a shared Bathroom with Toilet & Shower - OK really - but no frills. The other 74 Rooms were occupied by Roadcrews, Loggers & Truckers. Oh yes - plenty of Trucks!
Amanda's photos show the place way better than I can describe it.
Restaurant was Transport Caff style - serving hearty portions of Man Food to hearty portions of Men.
Oh, nearly forgot several billion Mosquitos live there too. They introduced themselves en-masse each time we walked from one Shipping Container Block to another!
As we were about to leave next morning, after a hearty portion of Breakfast, Sydney arrived in the back of a Pickup Truck. Wasn't the real Sydney, obvs, but a darn good likeness! Even came to the Truck window for a photo when we called his name! Missing you Syd - hope you're following our Blog?
Located 10km south of Meziadin Junction, Meziadin River Fish Ladder is a popular stop for fish and wildlife viewing. Large Chinook and Sockeye salmon can be seen leaping into the air as they navigate the ladder in late summer. Grizzly and black bears, eagles, moose and wolves may often be spotted here. The original fish ladder built for salmon to navigate through Victoria Falls was built in 1914 and replaced with the current one in 1966. Today, 70 to 80 percent of the Nass River Sockeye Salmon run return to the Meziadin system, accounting for over 200,000 fish counted each season.
Historically, this place is called Lak-an-Zoq by local First Nations, representing the Nisga’a and Gitanyow people, as it was the site of their daily fishing activity. Today, this significance is still seen in seasonal fishing camps and smokehouses along the north bank of the Meziadin River, and the use of traditional dipnet fishing methods by the Gitanyow.
We visited the Fish Ladder, but were too early in the Salmon Run Season to see any fish climbing up the channel - shame - maybe next time we're passing this way!?
From Meziadin we headed north once more along 360km of Highway 37 to Dease Lake - passing snow capped mountains, ocean sized lakes and country sized pine forests, we understood why local Licence Plates are headlined 'Beautiful British Columbia'.
Northway Motor Inn is the only game in town as far as Dease Lake accommodation goes. Luckily we got their last room - with en-suite Kitchenette for Dinner Tonight. Alison, English co-owner of the Hotel used to work as a Midwife at Kings College Hospital in South London - where both George and Albert were born! Funny old world isn't it!
