British Columbia’s Ookpik Lodge

By Adventure Travel writer Don Quilici

There is a very special fishing vacation destination in central British Columbia known as Ookpik Lodge. "Ookpik" is an Aleute word that means "Snowy Owl," so an owl has become the logo for the lodge.

Ookpik Lodge is on the remote northeast arm of Babine Lake, which is British Columbia's longest lake with a length of 110 miles. Babine Lake is approximately a two-hour drive by paved road from the small city of Smithers, midway between Prince Ruppert and Prince George in the north central part of British Columbia. Because of its remoteness, the lodge is accessible only by boat or floatplane. In a large speed boat, it is a 45-minute, high-speed ride (one way) from either Granisle or Smithers Landing, both on the west side of Babine Lake.

Ookpik Lodge is unique in that it has no neighbors, no roads, no telephone, no radio, no television, and no electricity. Its only electricity is a diesel generator, with night lighting normally provided by either kerosene lamps and/or candles. As a matter of interest, to take a shower, you must give at least a 30-minute advance notice. That provides enough time for the diesel generator to be used to pump water from the lake and then for the propane heater to heat the water.

In addition to overnight accommodations within the main lodge building, there are also four small, very comfortable cabins situated on the banks of the lake. Between the main lodge and the four cabins, Ookpik can accommodate up to 18 guests at one time. It also has a total of 14 different boats including four brand-new dories with motors, several sailboats, kayaks, and three canoes.

The lake offers excellent fishing for a variety of fish including lake trout, rainbow trout, king salmon, sockeye salmon, and burbot. Fishing is good all year, but the best time of the year for catching larger fish is from late June to early July.

In mid-August, three of us spent a very memorable three days and two nights at Ookpik Lodge. The two nights I spent in the cabin furthest from the main building was an unforgettable experience. The little cabin had four rustic, wooden bunk beds with soft, down-filled pillows and thick, warm, very comfortable down comforters. There was a small wood-burning stove, a stack of firewood, and a wooden table with several chairs. On the table there was an oil tablecloth and a kerosene lamp with matches. A counter top with a small propane stove, a sink (no running water) and several cabinets with some basic cooking utensils completed the cabin's furnishings.

Reading a hard-back book each night by the warm, cozy light of that kerosene lamp is still a very pleasant memory. Both mornings, just as it began to get light outside, I was awaken by the howling of wolves; an awesome reminder that you were in the far north.

However, what makes Ookpik Lodge so memorable is not its remoteness, nor its uniqueness, but rather its owner. She is a truly remarkable lady by the name of Carol Morey. She is probably one of the most resourceful, pleasant, cheerful, upbeat, and smiling persons that has ever been my pleasure to meet. Morey has been widowed for about four years. Her husband, Dave, died from a heart attack while water skiing in front of the lodge. The lodge was originally meant to be their home, but since her husband's death, she has converted it into a superb destination location for its many visitors. Morey has lived at Ookpik Lodge for as long as seven weeks, totally alone, surrounded by the dense pine forest and grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, coyotes, moose, deer, beaver, fox, ermine, martins, and squirrels. She has been as close as the other side of her front-room window from a curious grizzly bear. She loves the beauty, remoteness, and the solitude of that area. Most of all, she told me she loves "the noise of the quiet." And in just three days and two nights, I realized what she meant by the noise of the quiet. I, too, came to appreciate the quiet and serenity of that special place.

Morey is also widely noted for her superb gourmet cooking and many people travel to her lodge specifically for those gourmet meals. The first night that we stayed at Ookpik, there were a total of 14 people at dinner (a complete roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings). Eight of us were staying overnight. The other six had come by boat from Granisle just for the turkey dinner.

She does her own baking, and during our short stay we were treated to such tasty "goodies" as sticky buns (my breakfast favorite), cinnamon rolls, chocolate brandy cheesecake (my dinner favorite), assorted cookies, pumpkin pie, and apple pie.

It is extremely difficult to remember that this is a different world when you are sitting at her large, elegant dinner table with its fancy lace tablecloth, china plates, crystal glasses, and silverware enjoying a fabulous gourmet dinner. For you see, everything (dinning room table, chairs, several couches, recliners, coffee tables, stove refrigerator, kitchen table, cooking equipment, diesel generator, propane tanks, furnishings, pictures, clothing, bedding, food, supplies, etc.) in that lodge, had to arrive by boat or float plane from either Granisle or Smithers Landing. Then, it all had to be hand-carried up to the lodge from the boat dock.

Our visit to Ookpik Lodge was the highlight of all of our travels this past year and we are already busy planning a return visit next year. So, if you're looking for a superb hideaway in a remote location that offers very comfortable accommodations, memorable gourmet meals, excellent fishing, beautiful scenery, and a truly remarkable owner, the correct answer just might be Ookpik Lodge in British Columbia.

For more information, you can do the following:

1.  Spring or Summer Call: 250-697-6316, let the phone ring once, listen for the beep, and then dial 03 and wait.

2.  OR Spring or Summer Call: 250-697-2502 and leave a message

3.  Winter call:  250-749-6369 in Lake Cowichan, BC.

No matter what you do, Ookpik Lodge should be high on your list of places to visit in 2006. You won't go wrong.  I guarantee it!