DEASE LAKE, BRITISH COLUMBIA

August 7, 2011

Another travel day from Northern Beaver Post, Yukon Territory to Dease Lake.  The road was scenic although it was narrow and winding with some blind hills. There was evidence of a fire on both sides of the road.  It must have been a big burn as hundreds of acres were scorched. Then you could see the Cassiar Mountains rise to the south.  A red fox came out of the ditch and started running in front of the passenger side. I prayed we wouldn't run it over as I lost sight of it.  LeRoy confirmed the fox made it back into the woods as he saw it in the outside mirror. The Milepost indicated there was still active gold mining in this area.

We are supposed to be in the heart of jade country.  We stopped in Jade City where we visited Cassiar Mountain Jade Store, owned by a family that has mined and designed jade for over 30 years. They claimed no one could beat these factory prices.  The jade boulders that are cut here are from the Princess Jade Mine which is located about 90 miles away.  They claim these jade deposits are of the highest quality.  The Cassiar Mountain Range supplies 92% of the jade in the world market, one of the largest jade claims in the world.  Alas, the family has sold either the rights to the property or the property to the Chinese for not only the jade but other stones as well. 

Just as stated in the Milepost, there was a marshy area to the west of the road where there was good moose pasture.  Amazingly, We spotted a moose cow feeding in the shallow water.  Then, we spotted a calf hiding in the reeds about 300 yards from her. It was as if Mama Moose looked up, saw us, and signaled that calf to get down, which it did, while she continued grazing.

We arrived at the Dease Lake RV Park. Dease Lake claims to be the Jade Capital of the World and the Northern Bear Gift Shop/Visitor Center claimed it had a huge inventory of jade and the lowest prices.  OK then.

Dease Lake has a population of about 500 but I don't know where they are.  This area had two major gold rushes, one in 1864 and one in 1873.  There was a failed attempt in 1866 to build a telegraph line to link North America with Europe.  In the 1940s it was a main supply route for the Alaska Highway and the wartime construction of airports and airstrips in Alaska and northwest Canada. Dease Lake is also famous for huge Lake Trout.