July 8, 1972 the Nass River Bridge was opened
which tied Stewart Meziadin area to Kitwanga
and Highway 16

Originally the Meziadin site was accessed, by road,
via the Stewart-Meziadin 40 mile gravel road,
then the 1 mile fisheries road to the site.
The Fisheries road ran 9 miles, to the Fish Ladders,
at the Nass River.
Later on this road was tied into the new Nass Bridge,
all gravel, and one lane, with few pullouts.
First there was a Chev Panel, replaced by unit #1140, (I think?),
an International Panel truck.
This truck was brought up from Vancouver
by Don Parr and Stan Miller, in the winter of 1968.
They got as far as Kamloops, and called up in the morning,
saying their new truck wouldn’t start. It was 40 deg below F!

In the mid 60’s you would stay at Nass Camp, if working at Aiyansh,
or de-load the Snowmachine and go to the Tee-Pee at Brown Bear.
This machine was hauled up on the old equipment tilt trailer.
This trailer was used prior to getting the 5th wheel trailer,
the flat deck truck, (single axle) then double axle.
As logging progressed, Johnny Williams Camp was started
and the road was kept open to the Cranberry.

Birke Brookbank crossing the New Nass Bridge
in May 1972 via Thiokol Spryte Snowmachine

The Nass bridge was built by the Forestry in 1971,
The first 2 winters, the road wasn’t plowed.
We had to snowcat north from the Cranberry Junction,
south of Brown Bear.

Imagine today not plowing Highway 37!

Prior to the Nass River Bridge being built,
Forestry built a Wire Rope Suspension Bridge,
just to the right of this picture.  It was in operation
for about a year before the bridge was built and it was removed.
There is a picture of it's construction on the Terrace History Page
I remember one day packing groceries and test gear
over this suspension bridge, when I was out in the middle
of this very long span, Brookbank started to jump on
the bridge and get it bouncing.  I was forced to drop the box
I was carrying on the wooden deck and hang on.
Thought I was a goner that day!
Scared the hell right out of me!

Speaking of scaring the hell out of a person
the 2 pictures from Brian Wolfe below tell another scary story.

Again when the bridge and road was not plowed,
the snow piled up and was higher, and overhanging the sides.
We had a Thiokol as in picture above, cross the bridge,
thinking they were in the center,
but as you can see from the scrape marks in bottom picture
the tracks dug into the wood.
I don't think they broke that top rail,
I think that was grader damage.
Anyway I will get the names that fit this story soon. 

Those marks were made by the grouser bars on the Thiokol Tracks, story above.