Day 5.....Bella Coola to Nimpo Lake

Today the weather was with us. The prediction was for rain and mixed snow and rain up in the Chilcotin. We woke up to sun and clouds making everything look very pretty. After a Popeye Bennie at the Inn we started off up the Bella Coola Valley and made the bottom of the Freedom Road at about midday.

....."The "HILL" (380km) through Heckman's Pass in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park is known for its 18% grade into the Bella Coola Valley. Provincial authorities did not believe that a road should be built over the Coast Mountains. The locals then decided to build one themselves. With only two bulldozers, working from opposite ends, supplies bought on credit and a work force that often had only the promise of being paid, they finally ended Bella Coola’s isolation in 1953 by completing the "Freedom Road" up out of the Bella Coola Valley to the plateau. Heckman’s Pass, the highest point on Highway 20 (elevation 1524 meters or 5000 feet) is the beginning of the 30km / 20mi. descent on a narrow and winding gravel hill to the Bella Coola Valley. The hill consists of a 9km / 6mi. stretch of switchbacks with a grade up to 18%."

The dirt road certainly had some breathtaking moments and I was very happy no big trucks came down since most of the way there was barely enough space for us to feel secure. Needless to say Mum was freaking out thinking she was going to have a heart attack or faint or something.

Rising from the lush valley floor up the mountainside the vegetation changes to very dry pine forest and as we got to the Heckman Summit at 1524mts the full devastation of the pine beetle infestation was quite midblowing. This beetle has over the last ten years destroyed almost 65% of this Province's forests. A huge fire had just weeks ago taken out a large swath of the trees on either side of the road so at times it was like driving through a martian landscape.

After Heckman Summit the road flattened out to a rolling, bog-lake type of smaller tree look. From here it was dirt road until we got to Anhim Lake. Our next stop was Nimpo Lake where we have a log cabin for two nights. This is a very pretty spot that is right on the water with Loons and Beavers under the deck. The rain set in and we went back to Anhim to get food supplies since this all self catering and there are no restaurants open anywhere round here till the Spring .....they (well it) closed today for the Winter. The store has the motto on the front that says "If we don't have it you don't need it." I really needed a vegeburger and they didn't have any so there!

Of course I was looking for some "Hill" momento and at the back of the store found a "I survived the Hill" tee shirt for Mum to brag about when she gets home.

Tomorrow we will try and get a flight over the Hunlen falls, Rainbow Range and the glacial icefields of Tweedsmuir so here's hoping the weather clears up and that my sore throat does the same. 

......some time for R&R from the go go of the road.