Canol Road
Encyclopedia
The Canol Road was part of a project to build a pipeline and a road from Norman Wells, Northwest Territories
to Whitehorse, Yukon
during World War II
. The pipeline no longer exists, but the 449 kilometres (279 mi) long Yukon
portion of the road is maintained by the Yukon Government during summer months. The portion of the road that still exists in the NWT is called the Canol Heritage Trail
. Both road and trail are incorporated into the Trans-Canada Trail.
The Canol Road starts at Johnson's Crossing
on the Alaska Highway
near the Teslin River
bridge, 126 kilometres (78.3 mi) east of Whitehorse, Yukon
and runs to the Northwest Territories border. The highway joins the Robert Campbell Highway
near Ross River, Yukon
, where there is a cable ferry
across the Pelly River
, and an old footbridge, still in use, that once supported the pipeline.
Construction and development of the Alaska Highway
and airfields along the Northwest Staging Route
and provision of military bases in Alaska
led to a determination that a source of fuel was required. High-grade oil was available at Norman Wells, and the scheme was to construct a pipeline to Whitehorse.
Assorted components, including pieces from Texas
, were moved to Whitehorse to construct a refinery
. A road was built to provide access to build and service the pipeline.
At first, the effort was to move all construction activity for the pipeline and road to Norman Wells from northeastern Alberta
. This required the use of winter roads and river movement, including several portages around rapids, and was soon found to be cumbersome, slow and a bottleneck. Ultimately, construction proceeded both from "Canol Camp" (across the Mackenzie River
from Norman Wells) and Whitehorse, and the roadway was joined in the vicinity of the Macmillan Pass in the Mackenzie Mountains
, on the Yukon
–Northwest Territories
border, in the winter of 1942–1943.
The 4 inches (101.6 mm) pipeline was laid directly on the ground, and the high grade of the oil allowed it to flow even at -80 F. Workers on the road and pipeline had to endure mosquitoes, black flies, extreme cold and other difficult conditions. One poster for the company that hired workers warned that the conditions could be life-threatening; emphasising that if people were not willing to endure the conditions, they should not apply for the work.
The oil flow commenced in 1944, but was shut down in 1945, having not performed entirely satisfactorily. Some supplementary pipelines were installed to distribute product from the Whitehorse refinery, which also closed in 1945. Some of the supplementary lines remained active into the 1990s, although the line to Skagway, Alaska
had its flow reversed, and it was used by the White Pass and Yukon Route
railway to move petroleum products into the Yukon.
The primary pipeline between Whitehorse and Canol was later removed and sold for use elsewhere. The refinery was purchased in early 1948 by Imperial Oil
, dismantled, and trucked to Alberta for the Leduc oil
strike.
The roadway is the surviving legacy of the Canol project. Although abandoned in 1946–1947, the southernmost 150 miles (241.4 km) was reopened in 1958 to connect Ross River, Yukon
with the Alaska Highway. A molybdenum
mine briefly operated along this part of the route in the late 1950s.
The next 130 miles (209 km) from Ross River to the Northwest Territories border was reopened in 1972, and soon after, mining exploration companies used the route to reach into the N.W.T., including the use of washed-out, bridgeless roadway to scout for minerals, although none beyond the border have been developed. A barite
mine has operated near the north end of the Yukon section.
The highway was designated as Yukon Highway 8 until 1978, when it became Yukon Highway 6.
Until the late 1980s, it was still possible for automobiles to reach some 15 miles (24 km) into the N.W.T., up to the second crossing of the Tsichu River. At the first crossing of that river, vehicles had to ford the river, since the wooden bridge from 1943 had long since collapsed. Since a washout occurred around the MacMillan Pass in 1987 or 1988, only the Yukon side is passable, as it was repaired by the Yukon government.
The prospect of the N.W.T. portion being repaired for automobile use is unlikely, as it is an extremely difficult route in sections and the road condition has badly deteriorated. If the demand existed for a road between Ross River and the Sahtu
region, it would make more sense to build along an entirely new route that was actually recommended in 1942 by the First Nations
member who was called upon to locate a route. Such a route would emerge from the mountains opposite Tulita, Northwest Territories
.
The Yukon section of the road is little changed from 1945, although culvert
s have replaced some of the original one-lane bridges, and several one-lane Bailey bridge
s remain. There are very few two-lane bridges on the road. Many are marked with a sign indicating differing vehicle weight limits above and below −35 °C (−32 °F), seemingly redundant since the road is closed in winter, when such temperatures would happen.
It is a winding, hilly road, resembling the original Alaska Highway
(which has since been substantially upgraded); the road is not recommended for RVs, and traffic is very light. Occasionally, the road's alignment is emphasized with signs that show the symbol for winding road. There are few guardrails, and other than a government campground, no facilities except at Ross River.
Former Yukon Member of Parliament
Erik Nielsen
owned a cabin for a retreat at Quiet Lake, and at party meetings, some people showed up with signs identifying themselves as delegates for Quiet Lake. Quiet Lake was the location of a small boat used by military officers for recreation during the war; that boat is now at the Transportation Museum in Whitehorse
.
Adventurers have hiked or biked the 225 miles (363 km) of Canol Road (the Canol Heritage Trail) from McMillan pass as far as the Mackenzie River, reporting spectacular scenery. Relics of the Canol project are still seen; abandoned trucks, wanigans (steel bottom sledges), cabins, but there are no bridges. A group of cyclists took nine days to travel from Canol Camp to Ross River, a distance of some 355 miles (572 km), but just a day from there to Whitehorse (230 miles or 370 km).
Norman Wells, Northwest Territories
Norman Wells is the regional centre for the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada...
to Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The pipeline no longer exists, but the 449 kilometres (279 mi) long Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
portion of the road is maintained by the Yukon Government during summer months. The portion of the road that still exists in the NWT is called the Canol Heritage Trail
Canol Heritage Trail
The Canol Heritage Trail is a 355 km trail running from Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, through the Mackenzie Mountains, to the Yukon border. Because of its remoteness, length and river crossings, it is considered one of the most challenging trails in Canada...
. Both road and trail are incorporated into the Trans-Canada Trail.
The Canol Road starts at Johnson's Crossing
Johnsons Crossing, Yukon
Johnson's Crossing is a settlement in the Yukon territory of Canada, located at historical mile 836 of the Alaska Highway, at the junction of the Canol Road where the highway crosses the Teslin River. The community had a population of 15 in the Canada 2006 Census.-Climate:...
on the Alaska Highway
Alaska Highway
The Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It begins at the junction with several Canadian highways in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon...
near the Teslin River
Teslin River
The Teslin River is a river in southern Yukon Territory and northwestern British Columbia, Canada, that flows 393 miles from its source south of Teslin Lake to its confluence with the Yukon River....
bridge, 126 kilometres (78.3 mi) east of Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
and runs to the Northwest Territories border. The highway joins the Robert Campbell Highway
Robert Campbell Highway
Yukon Highway 4, also known as the Robert Campbell Highway or Campbell Highway, is a road between Watson Lake, Yukon on the Alaska Highway to Carmacks, Yukon on the Klondike Highway. It is long and mostly gravel-surfaced...
near Ross River, Yukon
Ross River, Yukon
Ross River is an unincorporated community in the Yukon, Canada. It lies at the juncture of the Ross River and the Pelly River, along the Canol Road, not far from the Campbell Highway. Primary access to the Campbell Highway is a nine-mile access road of superior alignment, not the six-mile Canol...
, where there is a cable ferry
Cable ferry
A cable ferry is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by cables connected to both shores. They are also called chain ferries, floating bridges, or punts....
across the Pelly River
Pelly River
The Pelly River is a river in Canada, and is a headstream of the Yukon River. The river originates west of the Mackenzie Mountains and flows 530 km long through the south central Yukon. The Pelly has two main tributaries, the Ross and Macmillan rivers.The river was named by Robert Campbell in...
, and an old footbridge, still in use, that once supported the pipeline.
Construction and development of the Alaska Highway
Alaska Highway
The Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It begins at the junction with several Canadian highways in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon...
and airfields along the Northwest Staging Route
Northwest Staging Route
The Northwest Staging Route was a series of airstrips, airport and radio ranging stations built in Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during World War II. It was known in the Soviet Union as Alsib ....
and provision of military bases in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
led to a determination that a source of fuel was required. High-grade oil was available at Norman Wells, and the scheme was to construct a pipeline to Whitehorse.
Assorted components, including pieces from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, were moved to Whitehorse to construct a refinery
Refinery
A refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value.-Types of refineries:Different types of refineries are as follows:...
. A road was built to provide access to build and service the pipeline.
At first, the effort was to move all construction activity for the pipeline and road to Norman Wells from northeastern Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. This required the use of winter roads and river movement, including several portages around rapids, and was soon found to be cumbersome, slow and a bottleneck. Ultimately, construction proceeded both from "Canol Camp" (across the Mackenzie River
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
from Norman Wells) and Whitehorse, and the roadway was joined in the vicinity of the Macmillan Pass in the Mackenzie Mountains
Mackenzie Mountains
The Mackenzie Mountains are a mountain range forming part of the Yukon-Northwest Territories boundary between the Liard and Peel rivers. The range is named in honour of Canada's second Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie. Nahanni National Park Reserve is in the Mackenzie Mountains.The Mackenzie...
, on the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
–Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
border, in the winter of 1942–1943.
The 4 inches (101.6 mm) pipeline was laid directly on the ground, and the high grade of the oil allowed it to flow even at -80 F. Workers on the road and pipeline had to endure mosquitoes, black flies, extreme cold and other difficult conditions. One poster for the company that hired workers warned that the conditions could be life-threatening; emphasising that if people were not willing to endure the conditions, they should not apply for the work.
The oil flow commenced in 1944, but was shut down in 1945, having not performed entirely satisfactorily. Some supplementary pipelines were installed to distribute product from the Whitehorse refinery, which also closed in 1945. Some of the supplementary lines remained active into the 1990s, although the line to Skagway, Alaska
Skagway, Alaska
Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. It was formerly a city first incorporated in 1900 that was re-incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 862...
had its flow reversed, and it was used by the White Pass and Yukon Route
White Pass and Yukon Route
The White Pass and Yukon Route is a Canadian and U.S. Class II narrow gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska, with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. An isolated system, it has no direct connection to any other railroad. Equipment, freight and passengers are ferried by ship through the...
railway to move petroleum products into the Yukon.
The primary pipeline between Whitehorse and Canol was later removed and sold for use elsewhere. The refinery was purchased in early 1948 by Imperial Oil
Imperial Oil
Imperial Oil Limited is Canada's largest petroleum company. The company is engaged in the exploration, production and sale of crude oil and natural gas. It is controlled by US based ExxonMobil, which owns 69.6% of its stock...
, dismantled, and trucked to Alberta for the Leduc oil
Leduc No. 1
Leduc No. 1 was a major crude oil discovery made near Leduc, Alberta, Canada on February 13, 1947. It provided the geological key to Alberta's most prolific conventional oil reserves and resulted in a boom in petroleum exploration and development across Western Canada...
strike.
The roadway is the surviving legacy of the Canol project. Although abandoned in 1946–1947, the southernmost 150 miles (241.4 km) was reopened in 1958 to connect Ross River, Yukon
Ross River, Yukon
Ross River is an unincorporated community in the Yukon, Canada. It lies at the juncture of the Ross River and the Pelly River, along the Canol Road, not far from the Campbell Highway. Primary access to the Campbell Highway is a nine-mile access road of superior alignment, not the six-mile Canol...
with the Alaska Highway. A molybdenum
Molybdenum
Molybdenum , is a Group 6 chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42. The name is from Neo-Latin Molybdaenum, from Ancient Greek , meaning lead, itself proposed as a loanword from Anatolian Luvian and Lydian languages, since its ores were confused with lead ores...
mine briefly operated along this part of the route in the late 1950s.
The next 130 miles (209 km) from Ross River to the Northwest Territories border was reopened in 1972, and soon after, mining exploration companies used the route to reach into the N.W.T., including the use of washed-out, bridgeless roadway to scout for minerals, although none beyond the border have been developed. A barite
Barite
Baryte, or barite, is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate. The baryte group consists of baryte, celestine, anglesite and anhydrite. Baryte itself is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of barium...
mine has operated near the north end of the Yukon section.
The highway was designated as Yukon Highway 8 until 1978, when it became Yukon Highway 6.
Until the late 1980s, it was still possible for automobiles to reach some 15 miles (24 km) into the N.W.T., up to the second crossing of the Tsichu River. At the first crossing of that river, vehicles had to ford the river, since the wooden bridge from 1943 had long since collapsed. Since a washout occurred around the MacMillan Pass in 1987 or 1988, only the Yukon side is passable, as it was repaired by the Yukon government.
The prospect of the N.W.T. portion being repaired for automobile use is unlikely, as it is an extremely difficult route in sections and the road condition has badly deteriorated. If the demand existed for a road between Ross River and the Sahtu
Sahtu
The Sahtú are an Aboriginal peoples of Canada Dene people living in the vicinity of Great Bear Lake , Northwest Territories, Canada...
region, it would make more sense to build along an entirely new route that was actually recommended in 1942 by the First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
member who was called upon to locate a route. Such a route would emerge from the mountains opposite Tulita, Northwest Territories
Tulita, Northwest Territories
Tulita, which in Dene language means "where the rivers or waters meet," is a hamlet in the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It was formerly known as Fort Norman, until 1 January 1996...
.
The Yukon section of the road is little changed from 1945, although culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
s have replaced some of the original one-lane bridges, and several one-lane Bailey bridge
Bailey bridge
The Bailey bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge. It was developed by the British during World War II for military use and saw extensive use by both British and the American military engineering units....
s remain. There are very few two-lane bridges on the road. Many are marked with a sign indicating differing vehicle weight limits above and below −35 °C (−32 °F), seemingly redundant since the road is closed in winter, when such temperatures would happen.
It is a winding, hilly road, resembling the original Alaska Highway
Alaska Highway
The Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It begins at the junction with several Canadian highways in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon...
(which has since been substantially upgraded); the road is not recommended for RVs, and traffic is very light. Occasionally, the road's alignment is emphasized with signs that show the symbol for winding road. There are few guardrails, and other than a government campground, no facilities except at Ross River.
Former Yukon Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Erik Nielsen
Erik Nielsen
Erik Hersholt Nielsen, PC, DFC, QC was a Canadian politician, and longtime Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Yukon....
owned a cabin for a retreat at Quiet Lake, and at party meetings, some people showed up with signs identifying themselves as delegates for Quiet Lake. Quiet Lake was the location of a small boat used by military officers for recreation during the war; that boat is now at the Transportation Museum in Whitehorse
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
.
Adventurers have hiked or biked the 225 miles (363 km) of Canol Road (the Canol Heritage Trail) from McMillan pass as far as the Mackenzie River, reporting spectacular scenery. Relics of the Canol project are still seen; abandoned trucks, wanigans (steel bottom sledges), cabins, but there are no bridges. A group of cyclists took nine days to travel from Canol Camp to Ross River, a distance of some 355 miles (572 km), but just a day from there to Whitehorse (230 miles or 370 km).