Nass Valley Oolichan Grease Trail

We were living near the path of Native history - transportation, trade, fishing and battles. I only knew it was a deep, lush forest with a long winding trail.

The northern British Columbia logging camp itself was not a beautiful place, with gravel roads that turned into mud when it rained, dreary rows of square homes for managers and several rows of mobile homes for the rest of the workers. Ugly gray board fences poked up around a few of the small, rocky yards, hiding even uglier contents of animal pens or old cars. Surrounding the camp, gorgeous, green forests climbed snow-capped mountains. In the forest, lush leafy ferns, hearty Devil’s Club plants and nettles thrived.

Behind our mobile home in the back row of Nass Camp, about 70 miles north of Terrace, an inconspicuous wide path crept into the woods. It wound deep into the thick forest, curving and then diving down suddenly. A small unused cabin was on one side in the dale, encircled by huge trees as tall as the sky. The path continued on, diving deeper and deeper into the woods, further than I was prepared to go. Only rustling leaves and chirping birds made any sound in the cool, sheltered forest. It was the most peaceful place I had ever been.

Returning home, I learned more about the trail. Not a newer path, it was the scene of hundreds of years of native history. Part of the Grease Trail in Nisga’a territory, it was a busy passageway travelled by Gitxsan, Ksan and other Northwest clans for Oolichan fishing in the Nass River and moving inland to the Babine River. It was an essential transportation route for the trading of livelihood goods – oolichan grease, furs and a multitude of other items such as blankets and fishing equipment. Further along, sections of the trail were sites of refuge from ferocious battles between tribes.

The Oolichan Grease Trail was designated a Provincial Heritage Site in 2000.