June 1997

Discovery Coast Ferry - Vancouver Island to Bella Coola

[ index of trips ] [ back to the EuroVan trip page

evcmap5.gif (75209 bytes)

Click on map for more detail

[Use back  to return here]

.

   One of the many cruise ships

   The ferry route took us through many of the same channels as the Alaska cruise ships.

.


 

Trip Highlight

The only road out and the Hill

  After a 16 hour ferry trip through some spectacular coastal scenery, we arrived in Bella Coola. The only way out was to return on the ferry, or tackle the 22 kilometre, 20% grade hill. Naturally, we chose the hill, but some of our fellow travellers, after talking to some of the locals, decided to go back on the ferry. The road goes through Tweedsmuir Provincial Park and ends up at Williams Lake, BC.

Trip Highlights:
  • British Columbia, Vancouver Island and the lower mainland. 

  • Ferry from Port Hardy (North end of  Vancouver Island) to Bella Coola, a 16 hour trip through some spectacular coastal scenery. (whales, eagles). 

  • Across the coastal mountain range to Williams Lake - 500 kilometres, mostly gravel - this leg features climbing a 20 km long stretch of narrow gravel road, with an 18% grade, no guard rails. 

  • From Williams Lake through the Thomson and Fraser River canyons to Vancouver - to pick up Elaine. Elaine spent a week with us on the Island. 

  • then the ferry home. We highly recommend this trip. Make sure your vehicle is capable of making the hill. If you're not sure, do the trip in reverse, but check your brakes.

  • trip stats: days: 8   distance: 1920 kilometres

Trip Index: May 1996 ] July 1996 ] September 1996 ] January 1997 ] [ June 1997 ] November 1997 ] February 1998 ] October 1998 ] February 1999 ] Cross Country trip 2 ] March 2000 ] Rendezvous 2000 ] March 2001 ] May 2001 ] September 2001 ] April 2002 ] May 2002 ] The last and final trip! ] [ index of trips ] [ back to the EuroVan trip page ]

   December 11, 2002