Dawson worked for the International Boundary Commission and the Geological Survey of Canada. He surveyed the 49th parallel, vast tracts of land in British Columbias Interior, and many rivers in the Yukon. He knew the value of the Klondike gold fields ten years before the rush of 1898.
William Chalmers leads sea kayaking expeditions on the Central Coast of British Columbia, Queen Charlotte Islands, and Baja, Mexico. He teaches outdoor education, communications, and survival skills. Chalmers holds a B.A. from the University of Victoria and a Masters degree from Concordia. In 1996, he published a novel, No More Worthy