We left from Prince George, following the Fraser River where paddle wheelers once operated during the gold rush in the 1860s and headed south to Williams Lake, got provisions and bear spray and continued west entering the Chilcotin, direction Bella Coola. Once you leave Williams Lake on hwy 20, the freedom road, you are off the grid. No cell connection, only spotty around communities maybe, you might as well turn it off. Quiet – at last. This is one of the healthiest things to do as it brings you right into the now, nothing else, no distractions, no news, no messages, no emails, no social media, no wifi – just peace.
Highway 20 is called the freedom road or freedom highway and so it feels. As if the world has slowed down all of a sudden, a different world, a different reality. But the name freedom highway does not come from this feeling of space and peace and very little traffic, it refers to the building of the highway. The BC government had decided it was too costly and impossible to connect Anahim Lake with the Bella Coola Valley on the coast. A group of determined locals thought otherwise and in 1952 started building the road themselves. To this day parts of the road through Tweedsmuir Park are gravel road onl
After crossing the Fraser River, our mighty salmon bearing river we entered the wide open spaces with big skies. Hardly any traffic, lots of horses at the side of the road and sometimes on the roads. Further west it is all open range, so watch for livestock as cattle do travel along the highway too.
Just before we reached Tatla Lake we left the main highway and turned south onto a gravel road heading to Eagle Lake and then continuing to Chilko Lake.
It’s about an hour on gravel roads. First passing Tatlayoko Lake and eventually coming out of the forest you have a breathtaking view of Choelquoit Lake, the Coast Mountains in the distance, and you can already spot the gap in the mountains where the Chilko River starts its journey coming from its source Chilko Lake.
This is the land of the Xeni Gwe’tin who passed the Nemiah Declaration to prevent clear cut logging of their lands on August 23, 1989 and who won rights and title to part of their traditional lands on June 26, 2014 winning the longest running court case in Canadian History and the first time the Supreme Court recognized Aboriginal title to a specific piece of land.
Check out the legend of Mt Ts’il?os (Mount Tatlow) and Mt ?eniyud (Niut Mountain) here and make sure you never point at the mountains out of respect or you will have bad luck in your travels.
We saw 2 bears on the way in, a grouse, chipmunks, and lots of wildflowers everywhere.
Passing Henry’s Crossing, the bridge across the Chilko River where the First Nations fight for their land started in 1989 by blocking the bridge to prevent clear cutting of their lands. Also a great spot to view spawning salmon in the fall.
We stayed at the Chilko River Lodge which is run by Hausi, a Swiss guy, super down to earth with a big heart and common sense. The honeymoon cabin is a true jewel, comfortable with a kitchen and even a bathroom! We enjoyed our first evening on the deck, had a terrific meal in the big lodge and slept deeply like in a cave. No sound, no noise, just deep stillness.
