▁of ▁Y ale . ▁However , ▁steam ers ▁could ▁make ▁it ▁to ▁Y ale , ▁good ▁pil ots ▁and ▁water ▁conditions ▁perm itting , ▁and ▁the ▁town ▁had ▁a ▁busy ▁dock side ▁life ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁bars , ▁restaur ants , ▁hot els , ▁sal o ons ▁and ▁various ▁services . ▁Its ▁maximum ▁population ▁during ▁the ▁gold ▁r ush ▁era ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁range . ▁More ▁generally , ▁it ▁hous ed ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 - 8 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁higher ▁figure ▁was ▁counted ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁ev acu ation ▁of ▁the ▁C any on ▁during ▁the ▁F ras er ▁C any on ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁ ▁Most ▁of ▁today ' s ▁population ▁are ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁self - g over ning ▁Y ale ▁First ▁Nation . ▁Non - native ▁business es ▁include ▁a ▁couple ▁of ▁stores , ▁restaur ants ▁and ▁a ▁few ▁mot els ▁and ▁other ▁services , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁gas ▁stations , ▁and ▁autom ot ive ▁repair ▁and ▁rescue ▁out f its . ▁The ▁Y ale ▁area ▁is ▁the ▁lowest ▁main ▁destination ▁for ▁the ▁F ras er ▁River ▁ra ft ing ▁expedition ▁companies ; ▁several ▁have ▁water front ▁camp ground s ▁and ▁facilities ▁near ▁town . ▁All ▁Hall ows ▁is ▁now ▁a ▁camp ground ▁and ▁host el . ▁Not ▁much ▁of ▁gold ▁r ush - era ▁Y ale ▁surv ives , ▁as ▁the ▁do cks ▁van ished ▁long ▁ago