June 16, 2025 - Driving to Alaska
Cassiar Highway to Watson Lake
|
|
Today we would be driving the Cassiar Highway to Watson Lake. It would be a nine hour (488 mile) drive through pure wilderness, with no cell coverage, and only a few gas stations.
We started out from New Hazelton continuing west on Highway 17 for about 27 miles . Then we turned north onto Highway 37: the Cassiar Highway.
|
| |
 |
|
| Bear sighting! It's a Mama bear and a couple of cubs. |
| |
 |
|
|
They don't seem interested in the minivan.
|
| |
 |
|
|
A typical scene on the Cassiar Highway.
You want to have a reliable vehicle on the Cassiar Highway. Notice there is not much of a shoulder if you had to pull over. Then there is no cell coverage. If you needed help you would have to flag down someone and hope they have a satellite phone. Then wait a long time from someone to come from hundreds of miles away.
|
| |
 |
|
|
Our first sign of civilization at Meziadin Junction. Left turn goes to Stewart. Right turn is the Cassiar Highway.
|
| |
 |
|
You can get gas, food and a bunk, here at Meziadin Junction. I believe it exists to serve mostly the construction and logging workers. It is also popular with adventure motorcyclists heading to and from Alaska. It's 123 miles from New Hazelton.
|
| |
 |
|
|
Continuing on in the rain.
|
| |
 |
|
| Crossing some raging river in British Columbia. |
| |
 |
|
|
Another patch of civilization; a place called Bell II. You can get gas here. There is also a lodge and restaurant. Bell II is 57 miles from Meziadin Junction.
|
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
 |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
 |
|
| More bears! |
| |
 |
|
| Next exciting stop was at the Bob Quinn Lake Airport. |
| |
 |
|
|
Everything you need to know.
|
| |
 |
|
| Gravel runway. |
| |
 |
|
|
Not much in the way of facilities, but has a pretty view.
|
| |
 |
|
| It was 97 miles to the Kluachon Grocery Store and Cafe. We topped off with gas here, and had lunch at the cafe. |
| |
 |
|
|
The view from the cafe.
We still have 210 miles to go to Watson Lake. Our minivan has long legs and could have made it from New Hazelton to Watson Lake without refueling, but out here it's like flying an airplane, you don't cut it close. You top off when you get the chance.
|
| |
 |
|
| Passing by long Dease Lake to the west. |
| |
 |
|
|
It's still Dease Lake.
|
| |
 |
|
|
Towards the end of the Cassiar Highway but before reaching the province border between British Columbia and Yukon we passed through some serious wildfire devastation.
This damage was caused by two large wildfires that occurred in 2010 and 2011. Lightning storms sparked the fires. The two fires were allowed to burn and expand naturally in most areas, while some specific areas were extinguished to protect the highway.
|
| |
 |
|
| I'm surprised how little recovery has taken place in the last 14 years. |
| |
 |
|
|
The damage was on both sides of the highway.
|
| |
 |
|
|
We arrive at the British Columbia -- Yukon border, which is two miles south of the intersection between the Cassiar Highway and the Alaska Highway.
Notice the motorcyclist at right. We saw quite a few of them on the Cassiar Highway, and even some bicylists!
|
| |
 |
|
| Looking south towards British Columbia. |
| |
 |
|
| Looking north. We're in the Yukon! |
| |
 |
|
| We reached the Alaska Highway -- Highway One -- and turned east -- away from Alaska -- to drive the ten miles to Watson Lake. |
| |
 |
|
| We're finally on the Alaska Highway; albeit heading the wrong direction! |
| |
 |
|
| We pull into Watson Lake and check out their main attraction: the world famous signpost forest! |
| |
 |
|
|
As of 2023, there were over 100,000 signs here: license plates, road signs, handmade plaques, etc.
|
| |
 |
|
|
The tradition began during the building of the Alaska Highway, when U.S. soldier Carl K. Lindley was recovering from an injury at an aid station in what has come to be known as Watson Lake, Yukon. A commanding officer asked Lindley to repair and erect directional signposts, and while completing the job, he added a sign that indicated the direction and mileage to his hometown of Danville, Illinois. Other homesick soldiers followed suit and the trend caught on eventually growing from a single signpost to a full Forest.
|
| |
 |
|
|
In 1992, while celebrating the 50th anniversary of the building of the Alaska Highway, Lindley and his wife returned to Watson Lake and erected a sign replicating Lindley's original sign.
|
| |
 |
|
| Lost in the signpost forest. |
| |
 |
|
| Heavy equipment used in the building of the Alaska Highway is scaattered around the signpost forest. |
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
 |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
 |
|
|
Of course Lynnette had to see Watson Lake Airport -- about a seven mile drive from town -- to see where I had camped flying to and from Alaska last August.
|
| |
 |
|
| Lynnette loves the big old hangar built during World War II. |
| |
 |
|
| The airport terminal building. The control tower is no longer used as this airport doesn't get much traffic. I showed Lynnette the spot where I camped by the fuel tank, the pilot's lounge, the flight service station, and inside the terminal with all the photographs. |
| |
 |
|
| Some history for you. |
| |
 |
|
|
We stayed in Watson Lake at Andrea's Hotel, which is right off the Alaska Highway.
|
| |
 |
|
|
Besides lodging, Andrea's has a restaurant, bar and store.
Notice how dirty our minivan is after driving the Cassiar Highway.
I'm glad we drove the Cassiar Highway, but I would not do it again. I think the Alaska Highway from Watson Lake to Fort St. John is much more scenic.
|
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|