Massie's Travels

From Skagway we drove to Dease Lake. The next day we drove to the town of Telegraph Creek. 70 miles one way on a dirt road to see what John Muir called “the northern Yosemite.”

Locally it’s called the Grand Canyon of Canada. Carved by the Stikine River, basalt cliffs rise a thousand feet above the fastest navigable river in North America.

The canyon is really beautiful, especially this time of year with all the trees turning color.

Settled by the Tahltan First Nation, the word Stikine means the Great River. To this day, Tahltan fish camps line the river. Every summer families return to fish, put up salmon, tell stories and reconnect with family. Each camp has specially constructed sheds for air drying salmon. Most of the year the camps are empty, the Tahltans have moved away to the cities to find work.

Loved this little house at fish camp. Spruce logs and old saws painted a happy blue and moose racks on the roof, what a fun place!

Here's the salmon drying shed. Small spruce logs are nailed to the frame with gaps in between to allow air to flow.

At the end of the road is the town of Telegraph Creek. 350 people live in this tiny turn of the century town. Tourism is the towns only industry, B&B’s, jet boat rides, kayak & canoe trips and fishing pay the bills here.

We were having lunch at the only cafe in town when in walked two Canadian Mounties. The Mounties said Telegraph Creek is a REALLY QUIET duty posting.

At least half the buildings are abandoned. It's a shame so much of the towns history is is rotting away. This house had beautiful retaining walls in the back. The Mountain Ash tree in the front makes such a pretty picture.

OK, so much for the canyon and town. Let’s talk about the road. Did I mention it was steep, really narrow, steep, tortuous, steep, lots of drop offs, steep. Here are my favorite signs from the drive.