In 1968, Bjorn Norheim was working for Northwood Pulp Mill in Prince George, BC, and was in charge of building the logging road into the Raven Lake / GrizzlyDen area (Hungary Creek FSR), and placed 2-3 times more gravel on the road into the cutblock. In 1971, Bjorn explored the area with 4 other Sons of Norway members skiing with Pat and Barry Hagen, Vern Fraser, and John Konkal. Bjorn is credited with creating the trails in 1973-1974 into Raven Lake and Grizzly Den with Northwood, and ultimately leading to their inclusion in the SugarBowl/GrizzlyDen Provincial Park.

The park was named GrizzlyDen due to a Grizzly Den having been located on the side of Leprechaun Ridge in the early 1970’s (which lasted for 2-3 years).

The lake was named Raven Lake after Barry Hagen, and Bjorn went outside their snow cave to look at the scenery. Five minutes to the east was the lake, and Doctor Barry noticed a raven flying over, so Bjorn named the lake “Raven Lake”.

The area known as Olga’s Pass is named after Bjorn’s Finnish friend, Olga Coltman, who skied the connector from the TuMuch FSR into Olga’s Pass and beyond into the Raven Lake/Grizzly Den area.

More details of the Raven Lake and Grizzly Den story, as well as Bjorn’s life story, are documented in his book titled: ‘Viking to Canuck’

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