Alaska-Canada Trek 2026-2. Bellingham, Washington to Cayoosh Creek, British Columbia

November 02, 2026

Alaska-Canada Trek 2026-2. Bellingham, Washington to Cayoosh Creek, British Columbia

August 10, 2026

On our first day on the road to Canada and Alaska, it was just 20 miles from Bellingham, where we'd been staying with Doug's son and daughter-in-law, to the Peace Arch border. The symbolic arch is within a park shared by Washington, Peace Arch Historical State Park, and British Columbia, Peace Arch Park.

The US inscription "Children of a Common Mother" & Canadian inscription "Brethren Dwelling Together in Unity" represent the 67-foot high Peace Arch's design to promote peace & serenity.

Canadian Maple Leaf flag in flowers entering Canada.

Marilyn is always excited by the prospect of speaking French.

At the federal level, Canada's official languages are English and French, but each province has its own laws. Only New Brunswick is officially English-French bilingual. Quebec is officially French monolingual, though in practicality many are bilingual or monolingual English and signage is often bilingual.

Downtown Vancouver skyline from Knight St Bridge over North Arm of Fraser River.

Hwy 1 looking toward the Coast Mountains.

Once through Vancouver, we turned west to the Sea to Sky Highway. We chose to go north through Whistler instead of more easterly due to the fires in Southern BC.

Whistler's name comes from the whistle of the hoary marmot.

The route to Lilloet follows Howe Sound north then winds northeast through the Coast Mountains.

North along Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway. With such spectacular scenery, your head on a gimbal trying to take it all in.

Looking across Montagu Channel to Anvil Island.

English/Indigenous bilingual road signs. Many Canadian provinces recognize regional & indigenous languages.

Now a popular winter sports and mountain biking area, Whistler was originally home to the Lil'wat and Squamish First Nations. Even after Europeans arrived beginning in the latter half of the 19th century, the town was accessible only overland and then by train.

It was the 1968 Winter Olympics that brought infrastructure to Whistler: electricity, water, sewage facilities, roads to Squamish and Vancouver.

Duffey Lake along Sea to Sky Highway.

On our 2022 trek north, Doug drove solo to Whitehorse in the Yukon. He raved about a campground on a river north of Whistler. He found it again, Cottonwood Recreation Site. We were not disappointed! We'd followed the 3-3 rule—drive no more than 300 miles a day and stop by 3 PM—and were on our site just after 3:00, having driven about 200 miles at a leisurely pace.

Our site was right on the confluence of Downton Creek & Cayoosh Creek.

In the trees on the water—it doesn't get better.

Day 1 in the van: Organizing to sounds of creeks flowing by.

Downton Creek.

Sturdy picnic tables.

3D-printed owl Marilyn's son made for her. She calls our van Uncle Robert, after Owl's uncle in Winnie the Pooh. Owl's comment about his uncle just tickled her fancy.