Southbound on the Cassiar - Return from the Yukon

 In the previous post, we were just turning off the Alaska Highway, onto the Cassiar highway #37 for our trip southbound.  Fuel price at the junction was almost the same as in Watson Lake, so we filled to the brim!  This provided enough range to complete the entire Cassiar highway, with room to spare once down on highway 16. 

Because it was late in the day, we started to scope out likely looking spots as we drove.

I have discovered that my Starlink stays connected most of the time while driving - with the dish simply set up in a horizontal position on the bed in the back of the camper!

  

That way, the satellite view of our surroundings is always visible on my trucks large screen.  I can spot lakes and roads and possible camp spots not easily visible from the road.

Found this nice river front spot on the Blue River not too far south of the Yukon line.

As traffic was very light, and the road fairly winding in spots we kept our speed to a bare minimum, with cruise control set on 63km/hr.  Additional benefits are much more time to enjoy the scenery, much less chance of meeting up with an unexpected moose on the road, and very few bugs get splattered on the windshield at that speed.  We were quick to pull over for the occasional vehicle behind us.

The northernmost section of this highway, north of Dease Lake, there is no centre line on the road.  Much of the area had been burned by forest fires in recent years.

Boya Lake Provincial Park was just a short detour off the highway, so we stopped in to check it out and have some lunch there.

We continued on down the Cassiar past Good Hope Lake, and Dease Lake, where the road gained a centre line, and even some shoulders!  When it was time to take a break for the night, there were quite a few options just over the Gnat Lake Summit at Upper Gnat Lake.  There were a few bugs, but a bit of a breeze to keep them at bay.  Overall, there were very few pesky or biting bugs to deal with this on the whole trip.

 

While we were parked there, this small float plane landed on the lake, taxied to the end, and took off again (see video below). 

 

Bailey gives the evil eye to the noisy drone hovering right over him!

A couple more provincial parks were checked out on the way through.

We continued on southbound for another day, at that same breakneck speed of 63 km/hr (40mph) till we reached the Yellowhead Highway #16.  It is a major route, so we had to resume driving more normal speeds! 

First stop was in Hazelton for a dump and fill at the convenient information centre.  Added a bit of fuel and some food in Smithers, then tracked down another retired Park Warden and his wife in the Telkwa area, where we spent the night at their isolated property.

We sure noticed the difference in daylight as we moved further south.  Down this far, it was actually getting dark at night for a few hours!

Next day, we headed east to Prince George where we filled up with fuel, and I got an overdue haircut.  I had lunch with a real estate agent who I met while we were both working fire lookouts in Alberta.  In fact, her tower was the very first one I worked in, when she had to leave for a family emergency.

My neighbour at home announced that he had mowed grass for me - so there was now no need to hurry home!  Instead, we turned south from Prince George down Highway 97 - and I think the northern section was to be my first time on it, as we cruised down through Quesnel.

A handy forest road provided a spot to spend the night, and some entertainment for Bailey!  

I have been in Williams Lake before, and the information centre there is one of a kind!  It is a monstrous beauty of log construction, and the interior is a sight to behold!  Do not drive by and miss this one.

(See video below) 

 

 

Next post: Back camping at the lake!