The Vancouver Daily Province (Vancouver, B.C.), September 3, 1946
FORT NELSON, Sept. 3 - This important link in the northwest staging route for air travel across the world may soon become the centre of another famous Canadian holiday resort.
Plans are well advanced for construction of a modern hotel capable of catering to 50 transient tourists as soon as the Alaska highway is opened for unrestricted travel.
This is one of four hotels to be built on the northern part of the highway route this year as part of an intensive tourist drive into the north country under sponsorship of the British Yukon Navigation Company, a British controlled organization with headquarters in Anchorage, Alaska. Fort Nelson has been chosen as the southern point of the company's plan to cater to the expected influx of American tourists.
Under present plans construction of the hotel will be financed by the company and it will be turned over to an independent organization at cost price for operation.
NO BILLBOARDS
The other three hotels will be constructed at Lower Post, B.C., Whitehorse and at an undetermined point on the Yukon side of the Alaska border.
James Bell, present representative of the company here, revealed plans also include salvaging a number of buildings from now vacant construction camps. They will be converted into apartments capable of housing four families.
From observation of the country north of Fort Nelson the choice appears to be a wide one. The only real scenery encountered during my three days travel with exercise north began 50 miles north of the settlement. Entry into the rockies provided a continues panorama of mountain beauty, deep sweeping valleys and hidden lakes.
The untouched natural beauty of nature is here in abundance. For the 160 miles travelled since leaving Nelson there has been a notable absence of advertising signs and everything usually found along a tourist route.
WILL FINANCE HOTEL
Absence of advertising prompted an American newspaper correspondent accompanying the party to remark "I'd give a day's pay to see a Coca Cola sign or a Hot Dog stand."
Natives in the area say the country has a better climate than mid-west provinces.
Winter normally begins Nov. 15 and lasts until Feb. 15th. During this period, according to old timers, the temperature ranges from approximately 10 degrees cold dropping as low as 30 degrees below zero.
Snow in the Fort Nelson area disappears early in April, and navigation down the Nelson and Mackenzie rivers begins earlier than farther south.
However the weather changes greatly for every 200 miles farther north, most oldsters said.
Snow fall is light and the Alaska highway is kept open. In fact many residents in the area say they prefer driving in the winter despite the short days.
The mountainous terrain and broad valleys could provide ideal winter sport areas.
The most favoured centre for this would be close to the Liard, 200 miles north of Nelson. Hot-springs temperature in the pools varies from moderate warm to 190 degrees.
HUNTERS PARADISE
The whole area supports hundreds of trappers. From their information the country is a hunters paradise, with moose, mountain goat and an abundance of small animals.
The lakes and small streams throughout the area can lure any fisherman with trout and grayling. But if any Isaac Waltons are planning to come up this way they had better make sure they bring deep sea fishing tackle. Those special beauties love the
bottom and come in 24 pound size with amazing regularity.
