Kitwanga (Gitwangak) Skeena River

British Columbia BC, Canada

A personal travel view
 
Visit the NotSorry Index for page selection
Previous Page - Totems: Gitanyow Next Page - Totems: Gitwangak
In 1974 I spent eight months working and living in the Kitwanga railway station.
I returned for a picture-taking visit in June 2007.
Kitwanga means Place of Rabbits. Kitwanga is situated on the Skeena River at the southern end of the BC Highway 37 from Dease Lake and the Yukon. Totem poles in Kitwanga are shown at my Gitwangak page.

My arrival to work in the local train station was in the middle of a week-long rain.
When the clouds rose, I was surprised to see the great wall of the Seven Sisters mountains rising just across the Skeena River. They rise as a cliff and dominate the scenery when clouds reveal.
The last two photos were taken in 2007. There is now a new Seven Sisters Provincial Park.

Kitwanga station and mountains Kitwanga mill and sunrise Kitwanga: Seven Sisters range Baseball stadium and Seven Sisters Seven Sisters from Kitwanga 2007

By the time of my quick return visit in 1988 the station was closed and shuttered; but in 1974 the station was the busiest place in town.

Kitwanga station closed Doug Smith station operator at Kitwanga Kitwanga railway clock Kitwanga station: Gregory 1974 Kitwanga station operator: Gregory Kitwanga tracks CNR engine 4227 Kitwanga station maintenance crew fun

This view in 2007 shows the track-side station site just to the left of the photo. I also show the nearby sawmill operation which is considerably smaller. BC used to have many beehive sawdust burners. This is one of the few ones that is still up and operating.

Kitwanga station site 2007 Kitwanga sawmill burner 2007

The Gitksan people of this area once had a earth and wood fort on a hill near town. This fort was destroyed in the 1830's. The site is now the Kitwanga Fort National Historic Site. (Though I never heard this mentioned during the time that I lived in Kitwanga).
There is a Parks Canada book Gitwangak Village Life - A Museum Collection which illustrates artifacts collected in this area.
These 2007 pictures shows the battle fort hill and a view of Kitwanga River from the top.

Kitwanga fort hill 2007 Kitwanga River view 2007

During my time the new highway bridge was under construction. The alternatives were the Cedarvale river ferry or a long drive on a very muddy road east to New Hazelton.

Kitwanga Skeena bridge construction Cinammon dog at Kitwanga Kitwanga Skeena River new bridge

The first two pictures look west down the Skeena Valley toward Cedarvale. The third looks east towards Hudson Bay Mountain and Smithers.

Kitwanga friend and Skeena River from Kitwanga towards Cedarvale toward Hudson Bay Mountain and Smithers

Previous Page - Totems: Gitanyow Next Page - Totems: Gitwangak

Corrections, useful comments and opinions are always welcome.
The programming, written content and photos for this site were created by Gregory Melle.
Visit My Contact Page for email, feedback info and blog links.
The content of this web site -- including this page, all images and photos -- is Copyright © between 1996 and 2008 by Gregory Melle.
All publication rights are reserved but freely provided upon request.


Visit the NotSorry BookingWiz for Travel Deals and Daily Specials
A quick way to compare travel reservation web sites.
Kiva.org - I am a loaner
Gems of Hope CODE