Quesnel is known as the goldpan city and is situated in the heart of British Columbia at the confluence of the Fraser and Quisnel rivers. In the gold rush days of the 1860’s, this rural community was a stopping-off point for thousands of fortune seekers from all over the world. It is incidental that in this year of 2008, with the price of gold soaring, there are signs that the prospectors may once again become a factor in the economy of Quesnel.

I arrived in Quesnel on the Rocky Mountaineer Train. This picturesque community of 26,000 is the first stopping point for the train after leaving Vancouver. The station was decorated with gigantic colorful hanging baskets of flowers and the local chapter of the Red Hat Society was on hand to greet us. One glance at the downtown area made it obvious that this was a town that took great price in its appearance. Everywhere we went were well tended gardens and flower lined walking trails. The beautiful, dry climate of the Cariboo, makes Quesnel a recreational paradise. It is minutes away from unspoiled wilderness, rivers, lakes, wildlife, world-class fishing, canoeing and winter recreation. Four distinct seasons contribute to a series of outdoor activities sure to interest everyone.

Although I at first wondered what I would do to keep busy in this laid-back Cariboo town; it soon became apparent that I would not have time to see everything. I decided that I would spend part of a day in nearby historic Barkerville and another day on the river with the Cariboo Rivers Fishing and Wilderness Adventures. I was not equipped for fishing and not particularly adept at fly-fishing so I choose instead to explore the wilderness while floating down the river. My hosts, Doug and Teri Mooring assured me that they would be happy to teach me the finer points of fishing for trout, but I wanted to see as much of the area as possible.

Billy Barker discovered gold on Williams Creek in 1862 and this triggered a stampede of thousands of miners to the area. Barkersville was a typical gold rush boomtown. It was a jumble of log shanties perched on stilts along a narrow, muddy street. Businesses of every description sprang into existence to provide for the needs of the miners. The town burned to the ground in 1868.

Barkersville today, a rebuilt heritage site, remains a town of discovery and adventure. It has over 125 buildings, including theatres, restaurants, hotels and museums. Thousands of visitors every year can pan for gold, ride the stagecoach, see live theatre or eat some of the best Chinese food and ice cream in the province. History is alive and well in Barkersville.

I passed up the golf course and took a quick look at the Quesnel & District Museum and Archives which is rated as one of the top 10 museums in B.C. I got to look at Mandy, the famous “haunted” doll and was spellbound by the collection of early photographs by
C.D. Hoy. The museum is literally crammed with over 30,000 items used by the early settlers.

Doug Mooring picked me up and we drove to a spot on the Fraser River that suddenly seemed like the middle of nowhere, but was in reality quite close to Quesnel. Doug tried to convince me that I should stay a few more days and go fishing on one of the 20 lakes or seven rivers where he conducts fishing expeditions. It was tempting, especially when he showed me pictures of a few of the “trophy fish” that he and his anglers had caught over the years.

As it was, I had to settle for a leisurely afternoon on the river. We watched the salmon swimming up-river, always staying close to the banks. Several times we saw eagles overhead, who were no doubt hoping for a salmon dinner. At one point, a lone deer was picking its way along the cliffs until it reached the top and disappeared. Doug knew all the river lore and was never at a loss for words when recounting the glorious and infamous moments of river history.

Late in the afternoon we ended up at the Cariboo Rivers Lodge which is both home to Doug and Teri and a delightful bed and breakfast. Guests can relax at the lodge which sits high on a hill overlooking the Fraser River. They can walk to the riverside Gazebo or soak in the hot tub on the sundeck. But most of all, they prepare to do some serious fishing.

My time in Quesnel was over much too quickly. I really would like to return. After all, I had not had a chance to play golf or go fishing. And getting there on the Rocky Mountaineer was half the fun.

Contact Information:
mooring@uniserve.com. or www.caribooriverslodge.com
www.northcariboo.com or www.city.quesnel.bc.ca
www.barkerville.ca or e-mail: barkerville@barkerville.ca
rockymountaineer.com