by John Crouch
There are two important facts a cyclist should know when leavingWilliams Lake for the journey to Bella Coola. One, that there is a descent known as "the hill", which takes the rider from the eastern boundary of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park down to the Bella Coola Valley. And second, that Willaims Lake is at elevation 2,000 feet, while the elevation at the top of "the hill" is 5,000 feet.
The importance of this information lies in the fact that "the hill" is no ordinary hill. It's beginning at the top of Heckman Pass provides the only vehicular route through BC's mid-coastal mountain range. The hill is steep and at times precipitous. Over a distance of thirty kilometres, it descends along a narrow switch-backed riddled gravel road. Grades range from 6% to 18% and travelers are frequently advised to use extreme caution in it's navigation. The distance between Williams Lake and the top of the hill in Tweedsmuir Park is a little area over 350 kilometres. Knowing that there is an elevation gain of 3,000 feet between these two points, suggests a long gradual climb. While this is largely true, there are some parts along the route where the topographical features of the landscape demand the road take a more vigorous and contracted ascent.
Aside from the journey's final phase through the coastal mountains, the dominant topographical consideration is the Chilcotin Plateau. This plateau has it's eastern edge on the west flank of the Fraser River - a river that cuts deep into the sedimentary rock east of Williams Lake - and has it's perimeter in the foothills of the coastals.
As a consequence of this plateau the highway out of Williams Lake, ( Highway 20), rises steeply for seven kilometres on a 5% to 6% grade. The elevation gain is largely lost within the next six kilometres, as the road dips down to, and then crosses, the Fraser River. The present bridge is a single
span, metal construction built in 1962. It's wooden predecessor was given the name Sheep Creek Bridge. Some say the name derives from the California big horn sheep that inhabit the area, while others say it's so named because the bridge was used to herd sheep across the river.
Once across the bridge, the road ascends steeply for eight kilometres, with an initial grade of 9%, then "flattens out" to 8% for the majority of the hill. For a cyclist this uphill provides a major challenge, especially with 50 lbs of paniers on the back wheels. The long toil is sweetened somewhat by the spectacular views of the Fraser River as it flows south along its canyon. This ascent places the rider firmly on the plateau and although there are some demanding short 9% and 10% grade hills over the next 300 kilometres, the journey to the top of "the hill" is very manageable.
In "the hill's" short history it's reputation has grown to legendary proportions. One of it's more romantic pseudonyms is the Freedom Highway, because, at it's completion, it gave the residents of the Bella Coola Valley their long asked for link to the interior communities of BC, and a land route to Vancouver. For half a century before "the hill's" completion in 1953, the residents of the Valley had been asking the provincial government for a corridor through the mountains. The government response was that the road wasn't feasible. In 1949, Cliff Kopas, a respected resident and merchant in Bella Coola, represented the Valley at a municipalities conference in the Lower Mainland. He heard
mayors complaining about the lack of government funding for new roads and the maintenance of existing ones. One mayor moaned about the pot- holes in the roads of his community. Kopas rose to suggest that he and his community would love to have pot-holes to complain about. After this remark he was dubbed "King of the Pot-holes" for years after.
In the summer of 1953, the locals took matters into their own hands. With little money but lots of spirit and willingness to work, two bull- dozers - one starting from the eastern side, and the other from the west - began clearing a roadway through the mountains. On September 26th, the two bulldozers met and touched blades. Freedom had been attained.
Pausing at the top to the hill, to prepare for the descent, one is mindful of the cautious approach needed by all who plunge downward. Roadside notices are bold and to the point - Caution; Very Steep Grades; Check Brakes Frequently, Grades of 6% to 18%.
For a cyclist there is another concern- that of balance. With 50 lbs of paniers either side of the back wheels, braking too quickly can be dangerous, especially on a steep downhill with hairpin bends. But, despite the precipitous decline, "the hill's" reputation for being difficult, and the gravel surface, the journey to the valley below was an exciting and marvelous mini-adventure. The visual impact of the Young Creek Canyon, which the road follows is stunning and the Atnarko River into which the Young flows is wild and redolent with the prospect of a grizzly sighting.
The weather was good and there was no moisture on the road. However, while hurtling down over compressed gravel, earth and powdered calcium ( the highways department is experimenting with this latter material in an effort to harden the surface and minimize the dust), one felt that had it been wet the road surface would have become very slick and dangerous for a cyclist with a bike's relatively narrow tires. Immediately following "the hill" is the gradual drop, over sixty odd kilometres, to the town of Bella Coola, situated at the estuary of the Bella Coola River, as it empties into the North Bentinck Arm of the Burke Channel fiord. Along the banks of the Atnarko and Bella Coola Rivers sightings of grizzly bears are frequent, especially in late summer and early fall when the chum salmon are spawning. Fortunately, this cyclist did not encounter a solitary beast. The journey to the end of the road and the ferry ride back to Vancouver Island was scenic and as always when travelling in the midsts of mountains, awe inspiring.