the
Skeena
River

High in the coastal mountains of northwestern British Columbia, at the edge of the Spasizi Plateau, the Skeena River begins its 570 kilometre run to the Pacific. Draining a total area of 54,400 square kilometres, the Skeena is the second largest river in the province, and one of the longest un-dammed rivers in the world.

History Bites Persevering Packer Despite remote routes and rugged terrain, legendary Hazelton pack train operator "Cataline" never failed to deliver on a freight contract. Fishy Facts Steady Steelhead Steelhead trout migrate up the Skeena river year-round, in one of the largest runs of wild steelhead in the world.

Fast and furious at its outset, the river is virtually un-navigable in its uppermost reaches. Though it broadens and slows on its way to the ocean port of Prince Rupert, its currents remain strong. To the straining canoe brigades and riverboats that once pushed their way inland to the trading hub of Hazelton, even the lower Skeena commanded respect. But swift, cold waters mean big, healthy fish, and the Skeena is full of them - up to 5 million spawning salmon a year, and one of the largest runs of wild steelhead on the planet. In places like Terrace, sport fishing and eco-tourism now supplement logging and mining as mainstays of the economy. For the soul of the Skeena, look to the totem carvings of 'Ksan, Kispiox and Kitwancool. Listen to the songs and drumbeats of the Giselau and the Gitskan. Marvel at the artistic genius of the Tsmishian, ancient people of the "River of Mists."