Babine Portage, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Babine Portage, British Columbia (population ~13) 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 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. Frank's Meadow was likely named after a hermit named Frank who inhabited the area. 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.
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. The cabins on the west side of the creek were used by the Yekooche Indians during the summer hunting and salmon catching season. On the east side of the creek, one of the cabins was the original built by the Hudson's Bay Company while the 4 others belonged to Joseph Chase Ells and Company during the second half of the 20th century.
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...
Reserve along a gravel road, on the west end of Babine Lake
Babine Lake
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 west northwest of the city of Prince George. It is long, wide, and has a net area of and a total area of...
, in Central 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...
, part of traditional Babine
Babine
In its broader sense, Babine refers to the Athabascan Indians who speak the Babine dialect of the Babine-Witsuwit'en language in the vicinity of the Babine River, Babine Lake, Trembleur Lake, and Takla Lake in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada....
territory. Its elevation is 2565 ft.
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. Frank's Meadow was likely named after a hermit named Frank who inhabited the area. 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.
History
The name originates from when the site was used as an entry point for canoes portaging to the Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson'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. The cabins on the west side of the creek were used by the Yekooche Indians during the summer hunting and salmon catching season. On the east side of the creek, one of the cabins was the original built by the Hudson's Bay Company while the 4 others belonged to Joseph Chase Ells and Company during the second half of the 20th century.