Out of the Box
Ross Lake and me
They say that the sense of smell is the greatest trigger of memory, although music seems to inspire many a vivid remembrance of things past (not to mention Marcel Proust’s madeleine!) When a person enters an entire setting, however, there’s enough sensory input to conjure up whole ‘highlight packages’ of reminiscence.
Last summer I was riding the challenging Rainbow Trail Loop around Ross Lake near New Hazelton. An extraordinarily rooty single-track, it’s probably better suited for hiking than mountain biking. At one point I became wedged between two cottonwood trees. I extricated myself and, while I was still, looked out onto the water. I realized I hadn’t swum in it for over 20 years.
This struck me as ludicrous, and occupied my mind for the remainder of the ride. How could an activity that was synonymous with a Hazelton summer when I was a kid become so neglected? I realized it might be that the lake has changed.
When I was a young child, before I moved to Hazelton in 1981, I only saw the town in the summer. It was part of a regular summer circuit of Smithers—with Babine Lake as its focus—and Hazelton with its destinations of the Lookout (which I fell off in ’71), Leary’s store (with its candy and comics), and the provincial park at Ross Lake. There used to be a U-shaped dock at the ‘beach,’ and a raft anchored offshore. The water was always frothy from kids splashing and diving.
Part of the excitement of the lake was a minor menace: leeches. In a way, you feared not getting one as much as finding one attached to your leg. Parents always seemed to have a salt-shaker on hand for parasite removal. There were tadpoles and minnows to spot near the shore, but you always wanted to see a leech on the move.
Now, I’m not even sure if there are still leeches there. People certainly don’t talk about them the way they used to.
Some Hazeltonians prefer Seeley Lake, which is west of South Hazelton. It’s a smaller lake, and more easily accessible since it’s right on Highway 16. But it’s Ross’s remoteness—being a whole three kilometres off the highway—that makes it more appealing.
As teenagers, we’d climb the tough hill heading east from New Town on our bikes and then face the gravel road to the lake, a bit challenging in the 10-speed era. We’d arrive feeling that we’d earned a refreshing dip. Although the 20 km round trip from New Town to Seeley was actually a longer ride, we didn’t consider it to be our lake.
There’s another route to Ross Lake. On foot or by bike, ATV or ‘sled,’ you can take the Old Road, something that has devolved into a wide trail. This winter I hiked this course to the lake and found it abuzz with activity spread out all over the place. There were a couple of dozen people ice-fishing it and ambitious cross-country skiers had made a track that described the perimeter of the lake.
My favourite time at Ross these days is when I run into my aunt and uncles out birding when I’m there biking. Never the busy, crowded place that it used to be, even on the hottest summer weekend, it’s a little sanctuary. There are now houses and lots for sale along the road to the park, but the lake will always be a place for repose. I’ve vowed to jump in and take a few clumsy strokes this summer—even I have to do it in full biking gear.
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