Alaska '08 Day 64, Prince Rupert to Prince George

Thu Aug 14, 2008

We arrived in Prince Rupert at 5:15 AM (4:15 AM Alaska/our time). The drive out of Prince Rupert follows the Skeena River. The Skeena River is really wide at Prince Rupert. Its hard to tell where the river channel is but it looks shallow all the way across. There are bolders all across the river and I couldn't see any channel markers so maybe this river is not navigatable. The road to Prince George doesn't go over the mountains but through them along the river. There are great views of the river, mountains and waterfalls all along up until just before New Hazelton. When 16 first meets the Skeena, the view reminds me of Turnagain Arm. After 30 miles or so the river narrows and then it is like the Klutina, swift whitewater, and further up it is glacial green. Lots of the 20' aluminum welded river boats here. We noticed lots of people fishing the banks. Looked like there were some fishing lodges from outside Prince Rupert to up around the Cassiar Highway. It was not raining but cool and foggy when we got off the ferry. Sun was shining by New Hazelton. By the time we got to Houston BC the sun was shining and it was almost 80 degrees. At the New Hazelton gas station a guy told me they get all salmon in Skeena River, springs (kings) to 35 lbs., cohos (don't call them silvers), sockeyes (only the indians catch them because they don't bite unless you "floss" them), humpies and steelhead. They are fishing cohos now. I see a lot of fly fisherman on the river. Lady in the gas station said you can get 20 lb s. steelhead, the record from here is 33 lbs. After Moricetown and Smithers you are onto the interior plain and this looks to be pretty good farm land the further inland you get. There are actually a lot of people living along here, outside the towns, not like the roads to the north. There looks to be an interesting indian village in Hazelton; 'Ksan Historical Village. We didn't have time to stop but Milepost says they have 7 communal houses and lots of totem poles. Moricetown had an interesting water fall on the Skeena that the indians dip net salmon but we couldn't get into the pull off.

518 miles today.

7217 miles so far.

- Jon