The Wrangell sentinel., 1939-08-11
Harper Reed Discusses Possible
Routes For International Highway
future

Z future.
Through this interior there are
several routes possible. three Of
which have been considered. and 50
we will now briefly lock them over:
No. l. viii be termed The Rocky
Mountain Trench Route, this jumps
off from a point al or near Prince
| George on the Canadian National
Railway, for there is no need to go
further south than a railroad that
connects with the heart of ciyili-
cation in the south. Going north
from this point following water le-
YeIs. we arrive on the Parsnip River
and going down same come TO the
point where the Finlay River turns
East and creates the Peace River
viz. Finlay Forks.
AT this point a satisfactory con
nection through a short canyon can
be created to attend to all the re
quirements of the huge districts co
the east. that is. the Peace River
Country. and allows a sget-thrOugh3
of the Rocky Mountain Range
From this point a run would be
made up the FinIay River to the
Fox coming in from the North. Go
ing up as good a grade as could be
found. our route would pass through
Sifton Pass at some little elevation.
Having accomplished this the
top end of the Big Muddy River Is
reached and that waterway followed
until the Lizard River. which runs
from the northwest to east, and
following this upstream an arrival
at Lizard Post is obtained. Here we
go still north on the Lizard River
until the Francis River is met with.
and following this up to its head
waters we arrive ar Francis Lake.
From here We shall have to go over
the Finlayson Portage. and eventual
ly arrive on the top end of the Peel
River, and following that down we
arrive on the Yukon River and SO
on East to Dawson and other points
necessary.
The advantages of this route is
that it will open up entirely new
country, how valuable is not known,
but it does allow of an eastern con-
nection at two points, one mention
ed into the Peace River and the
other down the Lizard Canyons to
the Mackenzie delta. It could not be
called a tourist route, being very
long and always monotonous, but
would serve one of the finest Big
Game Hunting Districts the world
produces. Mineral wealth in this
area is unknown but with an easy
access to same no doubt wealth will
be discovered, and produced Con-
struction through this area would
not be difficult for such an under
taking, but snowfall at 1.-THE several
elevations which occur against the
high ranges. would be considerable
and demand constant attention.
No. 2 Route. This route as con-
sidered now. might be called the
Middle Route, and has been consid-
cred in a favorable light as it is al
so the route by which all the north
ern birds come south for their win
ter season.
As its name implies it lies on the
way of least snowfall being in the
middle of a huge north and south
trench. Starting as route No. 1 it
proceeds up to Finlay Forks and
again allows of that valuable east
ern connection to the Peace River
District Then again as No. l.
Route, it follows up the Finlay Riv-
er to the mouth of Fox River.
At this point however, it follows
northwesterly direction and going
still up the Finlay River water shed
it moves up Two Brothers river into
the top end waters of the huge Sti-
kline River Basin, somewhere near
Caribou Hide area
From this point run down the
flat basin of the upper Stikine river
is very possible and one continues on
until a cut over to Dease Lake ARC
tic Divide is made by a low sum-
nit at Partingham Greek and Gnat
Creek is possible. From Dease Lake
into the Tuya watershed is quite
feasible and leaving this rivers bed
somewhat at its top end an entrance
into the White Swan District is
achieved. Here of course, the route
! is on the headwaters of the Yukon
River and so the simple course is
taken of following the Yukon water
ways down to its mouth, if neees-
sary.
However, being at White Swan
Lakes, there comes an option of two
excellent ways to arrive at the Yukon
River proper, the first being to run
down the western edge of Teslin
Lake and down its run to the Yukon.
The other, which is much more
( favored, is to run down almost at
| water levels into the south end of
/ AfliD Lake and sO on and link I'm