Babine Lake
Encyclopedia
Babine Lake is the longest natural lake
in British Columbia
, Canada
.
Babine Lake is located northeast of the town of Burns Lake
in central British Columbia, some 177 km (110 mi) west northwest of the city of Prince George
. It is 153 km (95.1 mi) long, 2–10 km (1.2–6.2 mi) wide, and has a net area
of 479 km² (184.9 sq mi) and a total area of 495 km² (191.1 sq mi). It lies at an elevation of 711 m (2,332.7 ft).
It drains northwest into the Babine River
, a tributary
of the Skeena
.
There are several provincial parks on Babine Lake:
is a campsite located about 12 km north of the Portage Yekooche Reserve along a gravel road, on the west end of Babine Lake. The name originates from when the site was used as an entry point for canoes portaging to the Hudson's Bay Company
post.
In the past, there were five cabins on the east side of the creek and seven on the west side, but in 2003, all but three were ignited by grass fires and burned down.
Although people from Tache, Fort St. James, and Prince George visit the area, it is mostly used by members of Yekooche First Nation
, who spend most of the summer there before returning to Portage Reserve in the fall. The lake provides them with salmon
and kokanee
, while moose
, deer
and bear
hunting can be done nearby around Salt Lake, Frank's Meadow, and a lagoon west of the camp. People also fish at 4 Mile and 6 Mile Creek, east of the camp near Quarter Island. People from Yekooche rely on their catch from Babine Portage for winter food.
An important local tradition at Babine Portage involves t'es-ing up first-time visitors, which means to rub coal on their cheeks to ward off bad weather at the camp. (t'es means charcoal in the Babine
language.)
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Babine Lake is located northeast of the town of Burns Lake
Burns Lake, British Columbia
thumb|309px|right|Burns Lake's welcome signBurns Lake is a rural village in the North-Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, incorporated in 1923...
in central British Columbia, some 177 km (110 mi) west northwest of the city of Prince George
Prince George, British Columbia
Prince George, with a population of 71,030 , is the largest city in northern British Columbia, Canada, and is known as "BC's Northern Capital"...
. It is 153 km (95.1 mi) long, 2–10 km (1.2–6.2 mi) wide, and has a net area
Area
Area is a quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional surface or shape in the plane. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat...
of 479 km² (184.9 sq mi) and a total area of 495 km² (191.1 sq mi). It lies at an elevation of 711 m (2,332.7 ft).
It drains northwest into the Babine River
Babine River
Babine River is a river in central British Columbia, Canada. It drains Babine Lake and is a tributary of the Skeena River, and is about 60 mi long....
, a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Skeena
Skeena River
The Skeena River is the second longest river entirely within British Columbia, Canada . The Skeena is an important transportation artery, particularly for the Tsimshian and the Gitxsan - whose names mean "inside the Skeena River" and "people of the Skeena River" respectively, and also during the...
.
There are several provincial parks on Babine Lake:
- Babine Lake Marine Provincial ParkBabine Lake Marine Provincial ParkBabine Lake Marine Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It encompasses two distinct parks on Babine Lake, separated by approximately 100 kilometres: Pendleton Bay and Smithers Landing....
- Pendleton Bay site
- Smithers Landing site
- Topley Landing Provincial ParkTopley Landing Provincial ParkTopley Landing Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.-Climate:-References:...
- Red Bluff Provincial ParkRed Bluff Provincial ParkRed Bluff Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada....
Babine Portage
Babine PortageBabine Portage, British Columbia
Babine Portage, British Columbia is a locality in located about 12 km north of the Portage Yekooche First Nation Reserve along a gravel road, on the west end of Babine Lake, in Central British Columbia, part of traditional Babine territory. Its elevation is 2565 ft.Although people from...
is a campsite located about 12 km north of the Portage Yekooche Reserve along a gravel road, on the west end of Babine Lake. The name originates from when the site was used as an entry point for canoes portaging to the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
post.
In the past, there were five cabins on the east side of the creek and seven on the west side, but in 2003, all but three were ignited by grass fires and burned down.
Although people from Tache, Fort St. James, and Prince George visit the area, it is mostly used by members of Yekooche First Nation
Yekooche First Nation
Yekooche First Nation is based 75 kilometers northwest of Fort St. James, British Columbia at the north end of Stuart Lake on Yekooche reserves . It is known in English as Portage due to its location along the portage route between Babine Lake and Stuart Lake.Yekooche is a small community reserve...
, who spend most of the summer there before returning to Portage Reserve in the fall. The lake provides them with salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and kokanee
Sockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon , also called red salmon or blueback salmon in the USA, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it...
, while moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
and bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
hunting can be done nearby around Salt Lake, Frank's Meadow, and a lagoon west of the camp. People also fish at 4 Mile and 6 Mile Creek, east of the camp near Quarter Island. People from Yekooche rely on their catch from Babine Portage for winter food.
An important local tradition at Babine Portage involves t'es-ing up first-time visitors, which means to rub coal on their cheeks to ward off bad weather at the camp. (t'es means charcoal in the Babine
Babine-Witsuwit'en
-External links:****** Note, however, that the Carrier-speaking region is marked incorrectly on this map and that Babine-Witsuwit'en is not indicated. The area around Babine Lake and Takla Lake, included in the Dakelh region on the map, is actually Babine speaking...
language.)