Highway 20 between Williams Lake and Bella Coola is 448km long. Before you reach the
Bella Coola Valley you must conquer 'The Hill'.
Built by locals in in the early 1950's it was finished in October of
1952. The Hill or 'Freedom Road' as it is called by locals is a narrow winding road that joins the Chilcoltin Plateu with
the Bella Coola Valley. The Hill's highest point, Heckman Pass, is 5000ft / 1524m and decends to near sea level in
only 20km of switchbacks and grades as high as 18%. In the 50 years that the pass has been open, there has only
been one accidental death.
There is a 62km section of road that is gravel between Anahim Lake and the bottom of
The Hill. The pass in some places is only one lane traffic with pull-outs without guard-rails. It is recomended that you
gear down and drive with caution and if you plan on coming to the valley in the winter months, tire chains are required.
Just take your time and enjoy the scenery and the wildlife.
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