For the next twelve years the "Charlotte" faithfully plied the route between Soda Creek and Quesnel, delivering the mail and other cargo for the pioneer communities. Her owners saw little need to take her any further north and risk her in the Cottonwood or Fort George canyons. However, by 1907, it was widely known that the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway would be coming through the province via the Yellowhead Pass and would be going right through Fort George. Tingley, Reid and Irving began considering the feasibility of extending the "Charlotte's" route further north. Though the "Enterprise" had successfully navigated those two canyons on her historic trip to Takla Lake thirty-six years earlier, the "Charlotte's" owners knew that in no ways guaranteed that a regular route could be maintained without great risk. The town of Quesnel was also planning to build a river steamer, one that would be launched for the season of 1909. Local man, Captain DA Foster was to be her pilot and upon inspecting the canyons in the fall of '07, he petitioned the federal government for funds to remove the obstacles to navigation. His petition was granted and he received $13,000 for this purpose and personally supervised the clean-up of the two canyons. In light of these improvements and the news of the impending railway, the Charlotte's owners gave her an overhaul, widening the bores of her engine and replacing her old manual capstan with a powerful steam-driven one. During this period they also hired Captain Owen Forrester Browne to be her pilot. Throughout the navigating season of '08, Captain Browne took the "Charlotte" to the foot of the Cottonwood Canyon several times and became familiar with the area. Finally, after much consultation with some of the local First Nation's men, Browne decided to attempt the trip.