What the Troopers knew — what the RCMP knew — was that someone could take a car from the murder scene at Wells Gray Provincial Park, to the murder scene in Craig, Alaska. It was not, of course, an “as the crow flies” journey of 500 miles. To get there took a 732 mile, 12-plus-hour drive. And two ferries. But make no mistake. One could get there.
The drive starts in the rugged interior of British Columbia. The first big stop is Prince George, at the intersection of Trans-Canada 16. Take a left and keep driving.
Almost three hundred miles later, on a northwest heading, comes New Hazelton, B.C. With many First Nations people nearby, it is famed for its totem poles. It is also a terminus for the CN railroad, which was the original impetus for the town.
New Hazelton has its own infamous crimes, dating from the turn of the 20th Century. In November 1913, the Union Bank at New Hazelton was robbed by gunmen. In the commission of the crime, a young bank teller by the name of Jock McQueen was mortally wounded. The second robbery occurred on April 7, 1914, with four of seven robbers mortally wounded.
At New Hazelton, you’re almost to the coast, and the ferry that awaits you in Prince Rupert.
In Prince Rupert, one has a choice of ferries. There are the BC Ferries, which run throughout the Inside Passage of British Columbia. Prince Rupert is also a terminus for the Alaska Marine Highway. From Prince Rupert to Ketchikan takes up to seven hours. You’re almost to Craig.
The overall journey? A good two days, easy. More if you happen to miss the ferry. But a killer could get there. It’s doable.
Copyright Leland E. Hale (2019). All rights reserved.
Order “What Happened In Craig,” HERE and HERE. True crime from Epicenter Press about Alaska’s Worst Unsolved Mass Murder.