Plan for Day Two: An ice slalom at the Gold Pan Raceway (oval). Depart Quesnel at 10 am. A 22 mile TSD section at 10:30 am. Arrive at Dawson Creek by 5pm for a Passage Control and photo ops at Mile 0 marker and visitor's center. Arrive at Fort Nelson at around midnight.
1879 During the search for a suitable rail route through the Rockies, Dr. George Mercer Dawson led a survey party through this valley.
1898-1914 Fur traders, prospectors, police, survey parties, and settlers, came on foot, by ox team, or horse drawn vehicles, over the old trails to this area.
1929-1931 The railroad pressed through to its present site and the old town buildings were moved to what is now the City of Dawson Creek.
In some cases it is easier to buy a postcard than to take a picture!
At this spot in the spring of 1942 at the height of World War 2, the U.S. Army Engineers began the construction of the overland route to Alaska. Nine months later at the cost of over $140,000,000 the road was completed. This is a road construction feat unsurpassed in modern times. 11,000 troops & 16,000 civilians were employed in this project. There are 133 bridges & 8,000 culverts embodied in the 1523 miles of gravel highway. The rattle and the roar of the mighty bulldozer was a source of amazement to both the local white man and the Northern Indian.
Over this lifeline to the Northwest, thousands of troops, food & war supplies have been transported. In more recent times the mighty H Bomb was known to travel this route. It was maintained by the Canadian Army until April 1964, maintenance was then taken over by the Dept. of Public Works, Ottawa.
(Text of a sign at the visitors center)
One of many photo ops for the Oldsmobile Bravada team. And yes, they did bring their own video crew (as did the Isuzu Rodeo team).
Fort Nelson Motor Hotel
The outside of the hotel was as plain as a building could be, and I was expecting the worst.inside, boy was I surprised! For a northern B.C. resident, with cabin fever in the middle of winter, this place is probably the next best thing to a trip to the South Pacific.
