Smith River Falls

[gathto]

Has anyone ever hunted the area of Smith River Falls up near Liard?

[takla1]

Hi Gathto,yes I have and when seeing your post it brought back many memories...
takla

[scoutlt1]

Sure have. Nice part of the province!

[takla1]

then you know the history there,,very cool.when we used to go in there it was little more than a grown over goat trail as it had grown in from the days after the original Alaska hyw was pushed thru.we hadto shore up the numerous rotten small bridges and always damaged the truck and trailer just getting in.We used to camp at Crooked lake and hunt the back side.Always came out with big bulls!Fishing was awesome there as well
I understand the road in is much better these days.
We always used to stay at Liard river hotspring on the way in owned in those days by the imfamous "trapper Ray"...spooky fellow.Famous for his "Barking Spiders"...lol

takla

[scoutlt1]

then you know the history there,,very cool.when we used to go in there it was little more than a grown over goat trail as it had grown in from the days after the original Alaska hyw was pushed thru.we hadto shore up the numerous rotten small bridges and always damaged the truck and trailer just getting in.We used to camp at Crooked lake and hunt the back side.Always came out with big bulls!Fishing was awesome there as well
I understand the road in is much better these days.
We always used to stay at Liard river hotspring on the way in owned in those days by the imfamous "trapper Ray"...spooky fellow.Famous for his "Barking Spiders"...lol

takla

Definitely large bulls in that area. More than enough black bears and grizzly as well.
Couldn't get into Crooked lake site as of a number of years ago (but that might be different now), but West lake has a nice spot to camp. Agreed on the road in years ago, but yes, it's better now.
Was great fishing in both lakes for sure!

[takla1]

We sometimes camped at West lake as well until we got snowed in there once ...that hill comeing out was brutal.Come-alongs got us out that time..lol in the evenings the West lake would boil with fish raiseing to the fly.
The moose hunting was best around Crooked in the old burn area's.Ive still got a weight tag from the butcher somewhere here that stated dressed weight of one of our bulls @ 1028 lbs.was a small monster!!

takla

[scoutlt1]

Yea that little hill can be a bi*** for sure! :)
Loved heading in to those lakes when I lived in the area.
It's a shame there's not much left of the old airstrip/buildings. Was lots of cool stuff to look at.
Probably saw more porcupines in that area than anywhere else in the province! :)

[takla1]

Yea that little hill can be a bi*** for sure! :)
Loved heading in to those lakes when I lived in the area.
It's a shame there's not much left of the old airstrip/buildings. Was lots of cool stuff to look at.
Probably saw more porcupines in that area than anywhere else in the province! :)

Agreed...was the old brick smoke stack still standing ? I brought a few old licence plates and metal signs out of that country over the yrs.They had a old dump site there as well where you could find old glass china bottles and cutlery.Lots of old truck parts eccetra..
When was your last time in there Scout?

[scoutlt1]

Agreed...was the old brick smoke stack still standing ? I brought a few old licence plates and metal signs out of that country over the yrs.They had a old dump site there as well where you could find old glass china bottles and cutlery.Lots of old truck parts eccetra..
When was your last time in there Scout?

Feels like forever....maybe 6 years ago?
The year after I was last in there the road was closed because of a slide. Was fixed up apparently and has been good to go for a while now. Passed on going in there the last few times I was in the area....once I was pulling my trailer (no way that was coming out of West Lake :)), and the other time I was having transfer case trouble (no four wheel drive), and knowing what the towing rates are up there, I wasn't taking any chances! :)

[gathto]

Thanks for posts. Anyone have any pictures? Would you not recommend pulling in a camper?

[takla1]

Ive got pics but packed away after we sold our house a couple yrs back and their not handy.A camper shouldn't be a problem as Scout says the road has been improved.Its a haul getting in there tho.Make sure your self contained and have 2 spares,i always did.
As was mentioned the G-bears can be beligerant in there as well as the blacks.Liard river hotsprings had a serious mauling some yrs ago.I have a relative in FT nelson who's boss was there the day it happened...google it.It was just a small old black bear that did all the damage.
Scoot did you ever hear anything about "Trapper Ray" @ Liard river wonder if he's still alive?

takla

[scoutlt1]

[QUOTE=takla1;1709833]Ive got pics but packed away after we sold our house a couple yrs back and their not handy.A camper shouldn't be a problem as Scout says the road has been improved.Its a haul getting in there tho.Make sure your self contained and have 2 spares,i always did.
As was mentioned the G-bears can be beligerant in there as well as the blacks.Liard river hotsprings had a serious mauling some yrs ago.I have a relative in FT nelson who's boss was there the day it happened...google it.It was just a small old black bear that did all the damage.
Scoot did you ever hear anything about "Trapper Ray" @ Liard river wonder if he's still alive?

I have lots of pics from years ago, but just "regular" pictures, nothing on my computer.
Shouldn't be a problem getting in there with a truck camper, but I wouldn't pull a "travel trailer".
As with any areas up north that are "out there", make sure you are self sufficient, prepared, etc. If you get hurt or stuck, it's an expensive and not always successful return trip. And yes, the bears can be pretty damn grumpy!

Not sure about Ray takla, but I believe he passed a few years ago.

....and FYI gathto, if you head up that way, stop in at Jack's place (Double G service).....he's a grumpy old sh*t but he makes the best breakfast around! :)

[boxhitch]

When I came south through there this fall , it looked like Double G is closed and for sale ? Was in the middle of the night , so not sure.

[scoutlt1]

When I came south through there this fall , it looked like Double G is closed and for sale ? Was in the middle of the night , so not sure.

Closed up at night, and he's selling lots in the "back forty", so that's why there's a "for sale" sign up.

I'll call and check when I get a chance though...

[takla1]

My favorite memory of "Trapper Ray" was pulling in there to fill up with my trailer and quad behind my truck and ol'trapper comeing up to fill us..takeing his goddam sweet time as always,I turned away to get something from my truck cab for a couple minites and caught him rifleing undernieth my tarped trailer to pinch what ever he had his eye on..lol
When I called him on it he immediately swung one hand around and dug deep into his butt with all four fingers and started scratching...was nervous manorism I supposed...He also had a very lazy eye that made one nervous..
Was much like a scene from the movie "Diliverance"

takla

takla

[scoutlt1]

My favorite memory of "Trapper Ray" was pulling in there to fill up with my trailer and quad behind my truck and ol'trapper comeing up to fill us..takeing his goddam sweet time as always,I turned away to get something from my truck cab for a couple minites and caught him rifleing undernieth my tarped trailer to pinch what ever he had his eye on..lol
When I called him on it he immediately swung one hand around and dug deep into his butt with all four fingers and started scratching...was nervous manorism I supposed...He also had a very lazy eye that made one nervous..
Was much like a scene from the movie "Diliverance"

takla

takla

He was "different" for sure, but a legend on the Hwy, with an interesting and well deserved reputation :).
Good guy though.......
Typical of many who lived, and still live up there.

[takla1]

Surely was a different time,and the charactors who inhabited those "tradeing posts" all along the Alaska Hyway were colourful to say the least.
Lovely country,great hunting,and some unique caractors livened up all our trips up north!

ps some of those old sets of antlers in my avatar pic come from Smith river

takla

[gathto]

Funny you say like a scene from deliverance. We stopped for fuel one year in Won O One and bought the movie.
Now every year when we come out of the North Country we play it on the way home..

[scoutlt1]

I know this is an old thread but what the hell....

I'm heading up that way next week and am planning to head in to West Lake.

Has anyone been up there lately? If so, what's the road like?

Thanks!

M

[100MileGord]

Hi ScoutIt1:

Have you made it back yet? How's the road?

Mid-October can be winter up there.

I was planning to check the area out next summer as a "camping/fishing" trip before the season opens.

Let us know: thanks for bumping the old thread.

G

[REMINGTON JIM]

Interesting Area Near to the Yukon border ! Pretty Remote Back in there for Sure - I like it ! RJ

[Jojo]

My favorite memory of "Trapper Ray" was pulling in there to fill up with my trailer and quad behind my truck and ol'trapper comeing up to fill us..takeing his goddam sweet time as always,I turned away to get something from my truck cab for a couple minites and caught him rifleing undernieth my tarped trailer to pinch what ever he had his eye on..lol
When I called him on it he immediately swung one hand around and dug deep into his butt with all four fingers and started scratching...was nervous manorism I supposed...He also had a very lazy eye that made one nervous..
Was much like a scene from the movie "Diliverance"

takla

takla

Hey Takla,

Trapper Ray is well and alive, if you have some stories about him to share on pm, I will tell them to this grand son.

Take care,

Jojo