Driving through Woods and Water: Canada’s British Columbia

View over wooden buildings on poles over the water, in Telegraph Cove, BC, Canada

Wooden Buildings in Telegraph Cove
The historic buildings in Telegraph Cove, on the eastern coast of Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC), Canada, are a perfect example of the importance in this part of the world of wood – for beauty, economic livelihood, and building; and water – for growth, sustenance, and transportation.

I lived in Canada’s British Columbia (BC) for several years during my early childhood and again in my young adulthood. Even though I have lived many years in many other places, it still feels like “home”.

The end of the Covid19 lock-down years marked the end of a six-year absence.

For the first time in many years, I was going back on my own. This – amongst other things – meant breaking a long stay into manageable driving-bits.

British Columbia is not the easiest place to get around. Like the rest of the Pacific Northwest (PNW), it is renowned for its stunning, rugged coastline, lush temperate rainforests, and volcanic mountain ranges. This means great distance between places, lots of long and lonely winding roads, and expensive and time-consuming ferries to reach those many places that roads can’t get to on their own.

I carefully mapped out a large circuit which would take in requisite family visits with my scattered relatives, and would allow me to take care of business my husband left behind when he died. I also wanted to explore some “bucket list” places and catch up with old friends.

The plan was roughly 3000 km (about 1865 mi) with six ferry trips. The reality, with various opportunistic detours, ended up being considerably more. I have posted already about many of the places I visited (see: Wanders Canada 2022), but as always happens, I have photos remaining that didn’t quite make their own story. When I looked at these leftovers, I couldn’t help but think of two things that define British Columbia: wood and water.

And, the long roads that connect them …

Telegraph Cove
This was my first-ever foray to the northern end of Vancouver Island. I was headed to the ferry terminal at Port Hardy, and made the short detour off the main highway to visit one of Canada’s most picturesque villages. Named for a coastal telegraph station built over 100 years ago, Telegraph Cove grew into a logging and fishing hub before being virtually abandoned. Today, it is a popular summer eco-tourism destination and a gateway to Johnstone Strait, a mecca for whale watching, grizzly bear tours, and/or marine park exploration.

A dryland log sort facility surrounded by coastal mountains, Telegraph Cove, BC, Canada

Logging Operations
Johnstone Strait is still a logging hub. As I drive out of Telegraph Cove, I stop to look down over a dryland log-sort facility.

Floating Log Boom

Scotch Broom – Cytisus Scoparius

Sailboat at Rest
A short drive further north, I stop in Port Hardy (see: Once More into the Woods).

Port Hardy Mooring
Water is central to transportation here: whether it is via small sailboats like this one, seaplanes, or the BC Ferry that makes the approximately 15-hour voyage up and down the inside passage to and from Prince Rupert. That long ferry trip was what I was waiting for (see: Up Canada’s Inside Passage).

Street Mural – Quesnel
Just over two weeks later, I’m back on the mainland (See: In the North Country) and driving south – again through places whose names I know, but where I’ve never actually been.

Fire Damage
A forest fire has preceded me here along the Cariboo Highway (Highway 97).

Historic Anglican Church – 108 Heritage Museum at 108 Mile Ranch
The Cariboo Highway is dotted with places with rather unimaginative – but explanatory – names. Names like 70 Mile House, 100 Mile House, 141 Mile House, etc. The names are distance markers from Lillooet further south. Lillooet is the starting point of the historic Cariboo Wagon Road to Barkerville, the hub of the Cariboo Gold Rush. The discovery of gold in 1858 led to an influx of people – and the development of infrastructure to support the grueling 300-mile journey north. The 108 Heritage Museum has been preserved to mark this history – with most of the buildings there being original to the site.

Little Shuswap Lake from Lee Creek Bridge
I detoured east to meet a friend in Revelstoke; this took me through southern Interior region of BC, an area I remember from childhood.

Revelstoke Waterworks
Revelstoke, in the mountains of southern BC, was originally a railway town. It now relies more on forestry and tourism. Although the end of June was near, it was hardly warm enough to warrant the water park – and I was getting quite wet enough from the rain!

Time for a Selfie
In spite of the rain, I wanted to explore. I stopped outside the Firefighters Museum to admire the historical firefighting equipment and artifacts inside.

View over the Rivers
Revelstoke is near the headwaters of the Columbia River where the glacial Illecillewaet River runs into it. My walk takes me along the Greenbelt Pathway, which runs through the protected corridors on the banks of the rivers.

Big Eddy Bridge
The rains come and go and the sky changes every minute. Mountains are all around. In the distance, a historic metal multi-span truss bridge crosses the Columbia River.

Post Piles on the Hill
You are never far from signs of the lumber industry! The Greenbelt Trail takes me past the Downie Timber yard.

Clustered Bellflower – Campanula Glomerata
Rainwater collects in the wildflowers at my feet.

Bladder Campion – Silene Vulgaris

Highway Driving
British Columbia has no shortage of mountains. I continued southwest through the passes.

Pacific Dogwood
I had a few days in Mission, where the dogwood trees were in bloom – a sure sign summer is coming.

Room With A View
I paid a visit to a friend who was living overlooking Whonnock Lake.

Whonnock Lake Raindrops
This was our summer swimming place as teenagers. No one was swimming on this day …

Canada Geese on the Lake
… except the geese.

The Spirit of Haida Gwaii
Water and wood are central to all the British Columbia Coastal First Nation communities. The fabulous Jade Canoe in Vancouver Airport by renowned artist Bill Reid is representative of that, and brought me memories of the wonderful time I had spent on the magical northern islands of Haida Gwaii (see: Weekly Wanders Haida Gwaii).