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18 Atlin Claim Special Visitor’s Edition Atlin Road Log A tlin was attracting tourists 60 years ago and was a hard place to get to. Even the summer-long scenic tours by sternwheel steamers from Ben- nett City and later Caribou Crossing (Carcross), served by the White Pass & Yukon railway from Skagway and Whitehorse, were lengthy. Crossing Tagish Lake and Graham Inlet to Taku Arm, travellers were re- quired to take a ride on the “world’s shortest rail line” to Scotia bay on Atlin Lake, for another steamer trip across the lake to the town. Winter called for travellers of even sterner stuff, using dogsleds or snow- shoes over snow-filled trails and across frozen lakes for almost 100 miles. Not many emulated E.J. DeLamare, of Paris, France, who, in April 1900, with driver and secretary, arrived over the ice in a three-wheeled French auto, pulling a sled with gasoline and spare parts. By the 1930s, tractor trains pulling freight-laden sleds and aircraft avail- able for charter proved faster, but more expensive access. In the spring of 1949, plans for a “fair gravel road to be constructed for $450,000” were being made in Ot- tawa. It was decided that the work would be handled by the Northwest Highway System, which had been maintaining the Alaska Highway for three years. e road which would link Atlin, with the Alaska Highway at a point near Jakes’ Corner, Yukon, at Milepost 856.5 (km 1392.1) was seen, from surveys made in 1946 to be 93.5km (58.01 m.) in length. Of this 42.4km (26.35 miles) were in the Yukon and 50.9km (31.66 m.) in B.C. Details were agreed to at a meeting in Ottawa. Tentative consent was giv- en by the deputy minister of public works, from Victoria, for the Army to undertake the construction of the pro- vincial section of the road. e Army advised that the N.W.H.S. would be able to undertake the construction of both sections of the road. A supervi- sor of construction was to be hired, as well as 100 casual labourers. In view of the short season, it was intended to double-shift earth moving equipment and dump trucks to a total of 400 working hours per month. e road which was opened to traffic early December 1949, was described as 4.2-5.5m (14-18 feet) in width, gravel surfaced, with 80 culverts and 11 bridges. e right-of-way had been cleared, proper shoulders and drainage ditches constructed. One more bridge remained to be built in the summer of 1950. It was found necessary to construct 98.2km (61 miles) of road rather the 93.5km (58 miles) expected, because of rock and muskeg so that the road deviated from the original survey of the route. Also, it was necessary to keep the road 4.5m (15 feet) above the high water mark of Atlin Lake, be- cause of potential power development in the district. Cost of construction of the Yu- kon section of the Atlin road was $318,789.70. Cost of the B.C. section was $362,040.74. “You will appreciate,” a report of the engineer said, “that the road so constructed is considerably superior in standard to what the envisaged for funds originally provided”... a view shared by the first party to traverse the new road into the old town of Atlin. 60 years R Atlin Road O V E R From the Alaska Highway at Jakes Corner turn west onto the Tagish Road. 2 km turn left onto the Atlin Road. [km o.o] Junction Tagish Road/Atlin Road [km 2.3] Fish Creek [km 3.9] Large turnout to the west on little Atlin Lake. Informal boat launch and camping possible. Good spot to see Mount Minto (elev. 2107m/6913feet). Close by lives a bald eagle family. ey often hang around the turnout. [km 6.1] Little Atlin Lodge [km 7.5] Small climbing wall with some bolts [km 8.0] Left turn off–300m gravel road to White Mountain Trail Head. In 1983/84 twelve mountain goats got transplanted from Kluane National Park to the White Mountain. ey can be seen from the road and sometimes they are even on the road. [km 13.1] Haunka Creek [km 19.4] 12mile Ranch [km 21.4] Great view over Little Atlin Lake and Mount Minto [km 25.6] Snafu Creek. e Atlin Road was build in 1949 by the Canadian Army who named the creek after an acronym with the meaning “Situation Normal–All Fouled Up” [km 27.2] Turn off to Snarfu Lake Camp- ground. Access road is about 1.1km and leads to Snafu Lake with 10 camp sites, pit toilets, tables, gravel ramp for small boats and good fishing. [km 30.7] Tarfu Creek. Another acronym: “ings Are Really Fouled Up”. ere is a little turn off the east, north of the bridge [km 31.0] Old cabin [km 33.8] Turn off to Tarfu Lake Camp- ground. Access road about 3.8km and leads to Tarfu Lake with 10 campsites, pit toilets. Steep grade near campground, not recom- mended for large RVs or trailers [km 34.0] A short narrow gravel road brings you the Marcella Lake, good fishing (stocked rainbow trout) and canoeing [km 36.3] Pull out to the west with a great view. You can see Mount Minto and Atlin Lake which is 798km 2 /307miles 2 and is the largest natural lake in B.C. You can see the Coast Mountains to the southwest. ere is also a welcome sign from the Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN), which traveled from the Taku River up to this area for hundreds of years. ey now live mainly in Atlin and in the summer month some of them in the Taku Valley. [km 39.6] Camp Yukon [km 42.6] Yukon–B.C. border pull out with pit toilets [km 42.8] Cut line for the Yukon–B.C. border on the 60st latitude. e road follows from here on the east side of Atlin Lake to Atlin. Continued on page 19 r r 100km/62miles. Open all year. Road surface circa 50% paved, 50% gravel. P Page sponsored by ATLIN BOARD OF TRADE p DESTINATION MILES KILOMETRES Jakes Corner (Alaska Highway) 60 100 Whitehorse 110 183 Carcross 93 149 Skagway 160 256 Teslin 120 192 Watson Lake 285 546 Smithers 808 1293 Dawson Creek 884 1414 Fairbanks 712 1139 Dawson City 440 714 Vancouver 1770 2450 DISTANCES FROM ATLIN If you are driving from Atlin to other points, this little mileage guide may help you out. r r Photo: Manu Keggenhoff
