Here it is - mile "0" on the Alaska Highway, right in the middle of the bustling town of Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Located right behind the marker is Alaska Highway House, a museum that has artifacts and pictures of the building of the Alaskan Highway in 1942. They also show a PBS film, from the American Experience series, on the construction.
The basic route from Dawson Creek to Fairbanks. Built during the first year of the Second World War to move men and equipment to Alaska to protect against Japanese attacks. It was an engineering feat of immense proportions and took only 8 months and 12 days.
Not wild flowers but some dahlias outside the Visitor Information Center along with...
some gorgeous snapdragons.
This afternoon we went in search of a local hike and were directed to Bear Mountain Wind Park about 15 miles from downtown, half of those miles on an "improved" gravel road. Bear Mountain Wind Park is British Columbia's first commercial wind facility that was begun by Peace Energy - a renewable energy cooperative in 2009. Thirty four turbines, among the largest in the world today, each produces 3 million watts of energy, enough to power 1000 homes.
The Rim Rocks hiking trail stretches about 7 kms from Turbine 25 to Turbine 0 and offers spectacular views west to the Rocky Mountains.
The steel towers were made in Saskatchewan, are 256 feet tall and weigh 236 tons each. Frederick is standing at the base for scale.
Each blade weighs 7.7 tons and is 135 feet in length for a full rotor diameter of 270 feet.
It was just us and a grader "improving" the gravel road between the turbines.
Views across the Peace Valley.
This evening was the banquet along with a presentation by the Director of the Visitor Center. Here she's talking about the building of the Alaskan Highway.
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