Topley Landing
Topley Landing is an unincorporated community at the outlet of the Fulton River on the western shore of Babine Lake in northwest British Columbia, Canada.[1]
Topley Landing | |
|---|---|
  Topley Landing Location of Topley Landing  Topley Landing Topley Landing (Canada) | |
| Coordinates: 54°48′44″N 126°8′59″W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Time zone | UTC−08:00 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (PDT) |
| Area code(s) | 250, 778 |
Topley Landing is located just off Highway 118.[1] It is within the Pacific Time Zone and observes daylight saving time.[2] The largest local settlement is Smithers, about 65 km (40 mi) west of Topley Landing.[3] Topley lies about 40 km (25 mi) to the south.[1]
Description
The community has 83 homes, with a few full-time residents, most of the homes being seasonal dwellings for the large influx of tourists visiting in the summer months. The sockeye salmon fishery, which opens for six weeks from the beginning of August, attracts many campers and boaters to the area.[1]
The Nat'oot'en Nation, a First Nations band government, has a community called Tachek (or Tachet) nearby.[1]
History
Topley Landing dates back to 1822, when it was established by the Hudson's Bay Company for local natives to trade furs for other goods,[4] and named after an early settler, William J. Topley.[5] Catholic missionaries took up residence in 1848 and a small church was built.[4] A post office opened in 1921, followed by a one-room school, which was stocked with five hundred books by the retired Topley who was living in Alberta.[5]
The church was used until 1988, when much of the population moved to nearby Granisle, where two copper mines had opened, and the church became disused. Then between 1993 and 1995 the old church building was relocated and restored, a pump organ was installed, and the church was opened to visitors in the warmer months and used for weddings, memorials and special occasions.[4]
Climate
| Climate data for Topley Landing, BC (1981-2010): 722m | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 10.0 (50.0) |
12.8 (55.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
24.5 (76.1) |
33.0 (91.4) |
32.8 (91.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.5 (92.3) |
31.0 (87.8) |
24.5 (76.1) |
17.8 (64.0) |
11.0 (51.8) |
34.4 (93.9) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −5.0 (23.0) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
3.7 (38.7) |
9.4 (48.9) |
14.6 (58.3) |
18.5 (65.3) |
20.7 (69.3) |
20.4 (68.7) |
15.4 (59.7) |
8.1 (46.6) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
8.4 (47.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −8.5 (16.7) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
3.6 (38.5) |
8.4 (47.1) |
12.4 (54.3) |
14.6 (58.3) |
14.1 (57.4) |
9.7 (49.5) |
4.0 (39.2) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
3.4 (38.1) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −12.0 (10.4) |
−10.4 (13.3) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
2.2 (36.0) |
6.3 (43.3) |
8.4 (47.1) |
7.7 (45.9) |
4.1 (39.4) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
−9.8 (14.4) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −41.7 (−43.1) |
−36.5 (−33.7) |
−35.0 (−31.0) |
−20.6 (−5.1) |
−10.0 (14.0) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−20.5 (−4.9) |
−34.0 (−29.2) |
−41.0 (−41.8) |
−41.7 (−43.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 54.4 (2.14) |
34.5 (1.36) |
29.6 (1.17) |
25.0 (0.98) |
42.2 (1.66) |
58.5 (2.30) |
46.4 (1.83) |
42.1 (1.66) |
43.1 (1.70) |
54.4 (2.14) |
57.0 (2.24) |
51.1 (2.01) |
538.1 (21.19) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 4.9 (0.19) |
3.6 (0.14) |
4.7 (0.19) |
16.8 (0.66) |
40.6 (1.60) |
58.5 (2.30) |
46.4 (1.83) |
42.1 (1.66) |
43.1 (1.70) |
42.8 (1.69) |
14.6 (0.57) |
3.8 (0.15) |
322.0 (12.68) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 49.5 (19.5) |
30.8 (12.1) |
24.8 (9.8) |
8.2 (3.2) |
1.6 (0.6) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
11.5 (4.5) |
42.4 (16.7) |
47.3 (18.6) |
216.1 (85.1) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 15.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 13.9 | 12.5 | 12.8 | 15.0 | 16.0 | 14.6 | 158.7 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 2.2 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 7.6 | 13.0 | 14.8 | 13.9 | 12.5 | 12.8 | 13.6 | 5.7 | 1.8 | 102.8 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 13.9 | 10.1 | 7.3 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 12.0 | 13.4 | 63.0 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 45.2 | 90.7 | 156.9 | 201.9 | 237.4 | 232.0 | 260.0 | 243.5 | 173.0 | 100.0 | 42.0 | 28.4 | 1,811 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 18.5 | 33.2 | 42.8 | 47.8 | 47.6 | 44.9 | 50.2 | 52.6 | 45.2 | 30.6 | 16.5 | 12.5 | 36.9 |
| Source: Environment Canada[6] | |||||||||||||
Topley Landing Provincial Park
Topley Landing Provincial Park, was established in 1964 along the western shore of the Lake.[7]
References
- Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako Planning Department (November 7, 2011). "Houston, Topley, Granisle Rural Official Community Plan" (PDF). Retrieved January 8, 2012.
- "Topley Landing (British Columbia): Community Profile". Roadside Thoughts. December 20, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
- "Topley Landing (British Columbia): Around the Neighborhood". Roadside Thoughts. December 20, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
- Debi Smith (January 19, 2004). "Topley Landing Angels". Hiway16 Magazine. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
- G. P. V. Akrigg; Helen B. Akrigg (1997). British Columbia place names. UBC Press. p. 270. ISBN 978-0-7748-0637-4. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
- "Topley Landing, BC". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 (in English and French). Environment Canada. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
- Ray Lowrey; British Columbia. Forest Service (1956). Report on recreational possibilities at Topley Landing. B.C. Forest Service. Retrieved January 8, 2012.