History of The Hill
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 Rumours. It began to seem like that was all that was ever going to happen. The citizens of Bella Coola had been trying to get a road to William's Lake since before world war I. For years pack horse trails had been the only overland route to the outside world. Various provincial governments had scoffed at the idea of a road from William's lake to Bella Coola, saying it was neither practical nor possible. During the 1930's the citizens petitioned the government, but again nothing. Rumours. Again during World War II rumours came into the valley, saying soldiers were to commence construction of the road from Anahim lake to provide Canada with an alternative access to the coast which might prove valuable in wartime (pioneer Stan Dowling had already put a road to Anahim Lake from Kleena Kleene). But then another story filtered through saying that no road requiring postwar maintenance was to be built, and again the road was squelched. The Bella Coola board of trade sent Mr. Cliff Kopas as the valley representative to the annual convention of Highways and the Tourism in Vancouver. Mr. Kopas listened to representatives from all over the province complaining about the maintenance of their roads and how there were so many potholes. When he got the floor, Mr. Kopas suggested that, for Bella Coola, a string of potholes would be better than no road at all. Because of this, Mr. Kopas was called KING OF THE POTHOLES and presented with a small bag of cement to make a permanent pothole. The Board of Trade sent a telegram to the Department of Public Works, Victoria, British Columbia : "This is to advise you that we are going to start immediately building the road from Anahim lake to Bella Coola." They sent Elijah Gurr to Anahim Lake to find the best route for the road. Elijah explained there was a big basin between Anahim Lake and the rimrock of the Bella Coola Valley. This basin was 40 miles around or 30 miles across and he wanted to go straight across. He was told of swamps and bog holes that would be impassable, but he insisted on going straight across. Thomas Squinas, a native wold hunter, was asked to show Elijah the best way through the Basin. Elijah then went to Tatla Lake to talk to Bill Graham, as he wanted to hire Bill's D6 Cat. on an I.O.U. basis. The car started to follow the blazes put on the trees by Elijah on September 14, 1952 with Alf Bracewell at the controls. He was to build a road 50 km (30 miles) through the wilderness along the lip of deep canyons to the high rim rock of the valley. Elijah went ahead, from dawn to dark, blazing the way. Forty-two days later the Minister of Highways reserved $50,000 for this project. With money to spend, the Board of Trade rapidly brought what was needed and established a base camp at young creek at the foot of the mountain. George Dalshaug started the assault from there with a bulldozer (which had been brought into the valley via Northland Navigation Shipping for a logging company) working long hours and taking great chances, carving a road into the side of a rock mountain. The following summer Graham put his D6 back on the job, working from the Anahim Lake side. When the cats were less than a mile apart Ole Nicoli, with a 5 gallon can in each hand and a backpack on his back, supplied a construction camp with fuel and food, doing the work of four pack horses. When the two road ends were only 920 metres (2,800 feet) apart, the builders were told there would be no more money till the next fiscal year, seven months away. Now it was a personal challenge, wages and hours were of no concern to the men as they raced to finish this gigantic undertaking. On the final day the two cats waited about 138 metres (150 feet) apart for the spectators to get into position to watch the uniting of East and West. Elijah threw his hat in the air and shouted "FINISH IT". With a mighty roar that cats sprang toward one another with their blades lowered. In a very short time the last of the rubble was pushed over the edge of the mountain. The cats finally met, and Dalshaug and Bracewell stepped onto their respective blades and shook hands. THE ROAD HAD BEEN COMPLETED! What a Jubilant celebration. Everyone knew that Bella Coola was now joined to the outside world. Construction had taken place in the course of one year. The road was finished on September 26, 1953 and officially opened on July 18, 1955. The Minister of Highways, the Honourable P.A. Gaglardi, was to call the project "Magnificent in its conception and astounding in its completion!". The "Hill" is still the only land route in and out of the valley. It still has it's 18% grades and switchbacks that produce a measure of terror in most newcomers, but it is traveled daily (and nightly) by all kinds of motorized vehicles, including semi-trailers. There are still rumours of re-designing the road, of blasting out the narrow spots, of paving and of new routes farther up the valley. Maybe, someday, it will change, but once you've had the thrill of the hill, this old route will always have a place in your heart. |
