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Once the home of a vast fur trading empire,
North by Northwest is a truly exceptional place.
In this land of majestic fjords and snowcapped
mountain ranges, you can be in absolute
wilderness at one moment and enjoy an elegant
dinner in the centre of town just an hour later.
Explore the silent, primordial rainforests on
the
Queen Charlotte
Islands
or experience adventure along the Stewart-Cassiar
Highway, gateway to
Alaska and the
Yukon.
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Meet British Columbia's famous Princes.
Once a fur trading post, the city of
Prince George
is now the northern capital of British Columbia.
Prince Rupert,
on the coast, is an important port on the Inside
Passage. From here, you can hire a deep sea
charter to fish for giant halibut, head off to
visit the historic century-old North Pacific
Cannery near Port Edward or sail to the
Queen Charlotte Islands,
a picturesque 6 hour voyage. Prince Rupert is
also the home of the fascinating Museum of
Northern British Columbia. |
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Haida Gwaii: The Queen Charlotte
Islands.
The Haida have called these lush islands
their home for 10,000 years. Today, you
can still see their ancient village
sites and beautifully carved poles, as
well as more of their art and culture at
the Queen Charlotte Island Museum near
Skidegate. The islands also shelter many
rare plants and animals in their
pristine wilderness setting; watch for
grey whales, Sitka deer and the rare
Peale's peregrine falcon as you walk in
places like Naikoon Provincial Park.
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Totems of the Gitksan
Another area that's rich in the history
of the First Peoples is the Hazelton -
Kitwanga area, |
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with its seven historic Native townsites. In
Kitwancool is the world's oldest standing totem
pole, along with 22 others, some over 100 years
old. In 'Ksan Village, six authentic long houses
have been reconstructed to create a "living
museum" of the rich and fascinating Gitksan
culture. |
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Tales of the fur trade.
They start on the Yellowhead Highway (hwy 16),
named after a legendary blond trapper. In Prince
George, you can visit the Fort George Park and
Museum, and in Vanderhoof, the restored
pioneer village site. For the whole story,
travel on to Fort St. James National Historic
Park, an original Hudson's Bay Company fur
trading fort that has been restored to the
period of the 1890s. |
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Our Legendary waters.
Trout, whitefish and char abound in British
Columbia's largest lake district. For the finest
wild steelhead fly fishing in North America, try
the Babine, Morice, Skeena, Bulkley, Copper and
Kispiox rivers. And some of the best freshwater
salmon fishing the world has to offer is found
in the Skeena River. A multitude of saltwater
fishing experiences also wait the zealous angler
- whether you hire a charter out of Kitimat to
fish the Douglas Channel or visit a luxurious
floating fishing resort near Langara Island in
the Queen Charlotte Islands |
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Great mountain towns.
The following towns have settings that
set them apart. McBride is
surrounded by the Cariboo and Rocky
Mountains; Houston and Smithers lie
nestled in the lovely Bulkley Valley;
and Stewart, along with its American
neighbour, Hyder (Alaska), has a
wonderful historic charm. Stewart, by
the way, is located along the
adventure-filled Stewart Cassiar Highway
(Hwy. 37), which more and more people
are choosing as an alternative to the
Alaska Highway. Other major stopping
points along this fascinating highway:
the exquisite eggshell-blue Bear Glacier
(near Stewart); the salmon filled waters
of the Skeena Valley; historic Telegraph
Creek; and jade-rich Dease Lake. The
highway also takes you to the edges of
three unique areas - Mt. Edziza
Provincial Park and the Stikine
Recreational Area. For a close up look
at our Klondike gold rush history, visit
the charming town of Atlin. |
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