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Western Tungsten Mine Road
 
 
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Description: A large abandoned mine site south of South Hazelton, full of broken lumber and old buildings. Also known as the Juniper Creek Road. Lots of history here and much to look at. Good place for older children as long as they are careful to avoid stepping on old rusty nails.
Near: Kitseguecla Village, southwest of South Hazelton

Difficulty: Moderate

Click for a photo of the railroad high on the hill to the north

Click for a photo of an old house in the townsite

Click for a photo of the road and the town site in the Juniper Creek valley

 
Trail near Hazelton in northern BC
Location: Map NW
Rating: four stars
Road Conditions: Good logging road to the gravel pit. Rough four-wheel drive road from the gravel pit.   Trail Length: Two hours hike from end of a rough road. The road is grown in with alders but easy to walk.
Directions: 122.5 km west of Smithers on Highway 16 and just before crossing the bridge at Kitseguecla Village, turn left (east) on the Kitseguecla Forest Service Road. Watch for a gravel pit on the left side less than one kilometre from the highway. There are two roads through the gravel pit, ignore the first and choose the second rather hidden road that passes to the right of the pit and a large berm. You will be able to drive about 7 kilometres in 4WD and park. Walk up the main road about one hour to a "Y" (see photo). Keep left and it will take about one more hour to reach the townsite.   Features: The Western Tungsten minesite was first staked in 1911 and developed in 1914. The mine shut down until 1929, and again re-opened in 1951 during the Korean war. Notice the row of fallen down houses on the left of the road. A school was built in the 1950s and a taxi brought groceries to the townsite from town every day , all year round. The large pipes on site were part of a 1600 hp hydroelectric plant that supplied electricity and telephone. You can see where a tramway climbed the hill to the north. Ore was loaded on a narrow gauge railroad that crossed high across the ridge to an aerial tramway that extended down to a loading dock on the Skeena River. At the time, it was the longest gravity-powered aerial tramway in Canada.
A ball mill building is close to collapse

Also known as the Western Uranium minesite

Keep left to go to the Western Tungsten minesite at the "Y"

Road to Western Tungsten mine in northern BC Canada

 

Local BCNorth Group members that supply trail guiding services or hiking equipment include:
BC North Member Bear Mountaineering
Smithers
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