Traffic stoppers; doing business along the Alaska highway.

• Author: Maschmeyer, Gloria
• Position: Cover Story

Fifty years ago, Tetsa River at Mile 357 on the Alaska Highway in northern British Columbia was the site of a bustling U.S. Army construction camp. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was punching the first road north to Alaska. Smoke billowed from the laundry's massive steam boiler, and when the sawmill operated, particles of dust filled the air.

Today the scene is placid and tranquil. The camp's replacement, Tetsa River Services, beckons travelers along the highway to stop for gas or just a peaceful interlude with nature. The business, owned by Cliff and Loryne Andrews, fares well, compared to the many that come and go along this stretch of asphalt that originates in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and terminates 1,422 miles later in Delta Junction, Alaska. The road traverses a harsh physical environment, and hacking out a living along the highway is demanding.

The Andrews bought Tetsa River Services in 1977. At the time, the business consisted of a gas station, garage repair service and grocery store. Slow steady growth over the last 15 years has yielded a big-game-hunting guide service, rental cabins, campground and small bakery that produces some of the tastiest home-made bread around.

The recipe for their enterprise's success has been long hours of hard work and careful planning, the Andrews say. Doing business along the Alaska Highway is not unlike doing business in other places. All of the basic principles apply, but on the highway, logistics and remoteness amplify their importance.

Energy bills can run 10 times higher than in other places, because most businesses along the highway generate their own power supply. To the Andrews, that means dishing out $6,000 annually. They operate their power plant only during the summer; the rest of the year, they rely on a small generator for personal needs and pump gasoline manually.

Most tourists don't understand why gas is so expensive in Canada, Loryne Andrews says. Government taxes on gas are much higher than in the United States, and Canadians use the larger imperial gallon. "By the time I add on the cost of running my pumps and the expense of help, I'm nearly giving it away," she declares.

Harsh winters also add to the cost of doing business. Temperatures dipping to 60 below zero are unforgiving. "You can have breakdowns that are devastating," Loryne Andrews says. A loss of power usually means damage to other equipment. "You have to expect the unexpected," she adds.

Diversity has kept Tetsa...