6 days riding + 1 rest day
Dist. 276 km
Elev. gain 1641 m
Have you ever heard of Haida Gwaii island ? To us, the name didn’t mean anything. Until my cousin Thibaut, living in Vancouver, suggested that I go and have a look (or rather a few pedal strokes).
Located 93 nautical miles off the coast of British Columbia, this small island, formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, has a temperate climate perfect for a unique rainforest that is unexpected in these cold latitudes, as well as ancient First Nations villages.
You can get there by ferry from Prince Rupert for 40$ per person and 5$ for a bike (Check the schedule here https://www.bcferries.com/schedules/inside/qci.php).
The crossing takes about 8 hours and crosses the Hecate Strait with its strong sea currents, before disembarking at Skidegate.
Haida Gwaii actually consists of two islands: the southern island, Moresby Island and the northern island, Graham Island.
Moresby Island is the object of a particular protection of its environmental and cultural heritage and is essentially accessible by boat or private tour… out of budget for us. We will therefore content ourselves with visiting Graham Island, which alone promises some nice discoveries.
Arriving at Skidegate, we don’t waste any time and ride 5km west, towards the small town of Queen Charlotte, where the nearest campground is located. The place, run by an old sailor with a long grey beard, seems a bit abandoned. We nevertheless find a patch of grass where we can pitch our tent and I close my eyes to avoid seeing the hundreds of spiders that have taken over the place.
In the morning, the sky, threatening the day before, lets glimpse bits of blue, and large vaporous clouds slide over the sea before disappearing completely. The day is looking good, let’s go for the first ride.
The Balance Rock
Day 1: Queen Charlotte – Tlell (45 km)
The road follows the coastline for 45 kilometres, leaving us plenty of time to admire the landscape. As we pass through Skidegate, we must not miss the numerous totem poles, witnesses of the strong identity of the natives of the island. A little further on, a new stop that will make you wonder about the laws of physics with the famous “balanced rock” that taunts its neighbours on this pebble beach licked by the waves. We find a perfect spot for lunch, with small benches and a view on the sea. We arrive at the Misty Meadows campground, tucked under the pines just a few metres from the beach, which offers a nice little walk through the dunes at the end of the day.
Day 2: Tlell – Port Clement (22 km)
For the second ride the next day, we chose to do only 22k to reach Port Clement in the late afternoon. This gives us time to start the day with a 2 hour walk from the camp along the river to its mouth, ending at the old wreck of an old timber trade ship. The walk takes us through a beautiful pine forest, covered with moss and lichen. From the shore of the river it is possible to watch otters playing, swimming and fishing.
We arrive at the Sunset Park campground in Port Clement in the late afternoon. The campground is located on the banks of the Masset Inlet, an inlet fed by several rivers, the largest of which is the Yakoun River. The Masset Inlet and its tributaries are of great importance to the Haida communities and provide a haven for a myriad of birds and fish, including salmon and trout.
The Pesuta’s shipwreck – Tlell, Haida Gwaii
Day 3: Port Clement – Masset (45 km)
The road stretches, a little monotonous, in a succession of low ascents and descents. From time to time we spot deers hiding in the tall grass or running away on the adjacent paths.
The rain surprises us at Masset and forces us to take shelter in the nearest campsite.
Day 4: Masset – Tow Hill (23 km)
The sun returns on this fourth day on the island and we cycle to the northernmost part of the island, Tow Hill. On the way, we find the perfect place for a coffee break: the colourful and short-lived Moon Over Naikoon bus, which in addition to hot drinks, offers an array of breads, pastries, cakes, muffins, scones, croissants and other delights, each more appealing than the last.
About 15 kilometres further on, the asphalt gives way to a wide dirt road that serves small coastal houses and numerous guest houses, then goes into the forest, still parallel to the sea, before leading to Agathe Beach and its campground, open to the ocean.
There are several walking routes in the vicinity, one of which allows you to reach the extreme northern tip of the island, Cape Fife, over several days.
We simply walk along the River Hiellen and climb to the viewpoint at the top of Tow Hill, which overlooks the Naikoon area with its rivers, forests, marshes, sand dunes and long beaches. This area is home to a number of important cultural and spiritual sites, as well as historical villages and many food gathering areas (berries, herbs, seafood…)
Moon over Naikoon Bakery
Day 5: Tow Hill – Port Clement (67km)
There are no other routes from Tow Hill to the other side of the island, thus completing the Northern Peninsula loop. It is therefore necessary to go in the opposite direction to reach Port Clement. However, taking the same road is not as boring as you might think, everything looks different from the opposite direction
Day 6: Rest
It rains. Back at the Port Clement campsite, we stay under the tent and plan our itinerary for the next day. We meet Jane, a bike traveller like us, and hear the story of the Golden Spruce from an old man living in the village:
This is the story of a tree, a magnificent pine tree that a rare genetic mutation had created with unreal golden coloured needles. This Kiidk’yaas tree had grown along the Yakoun River and was sacred to the people of Haida. A myth tells that a young boy and his grandfather were in the forest during a storm. The grandfather ordered the boy “Don’t look back, nothing will ever be the same again”. But the boy disobeyed. Immediately he turned into a tree. The story teaches us to respect nature and the wisdom of the ancients.
In 1997, an unemployed timber industry engineer, Grant Hadwin, cut down Kiidk’yaas, then ran away. All of Canada was outraged by the affair, and he was summoned to stand trial in Port Clement. Hadwin decided to show up for his trial on Haida Gwaii by kayaking across Hecate Strait. He never arrived. Some believe he died at sea, but many remain convinced that he orchestrated his escape to Alaska to escape justice.
Day 7: Port Clement – Skidegate (75km)
Up and ready to go under cloudy skies, we decide at the last minute to make a diversion to see the remains of the Golden Spruce, 4km away. This little fork in the road made us change our route completely and we continued along the logging road. Pedaling through the huge pines, with that little smell of earth and wet moss, without a sound except for that of the rivers, is a unique experience. The traffic is almost non-existent, we won’t see any trucks from the wood industry on this Sunday. On the other hand, a couple will give us a good advice about mushroom picking!
We finally reach Skidegate in the late afternoon, just in time to catch the next ferry to Prince Rupert.
