Battle Mountain (British Columbia)
Encyclopedia
Battle Mountain is a mountain in east-central British Columbia, Canada, located in the south-east region of Wells Gray Provincial Park
. The Clearwater River
flows to the west, Stevens Lakes are to the east, Philip Creek is to the south and Hemp Creek is to the north. Battle Mountain is part of the Shuswap Highland
. There are three summits in the group, ranging from 2306 m (7,566 ft) to 2369 m (7,772 ft).
Battle Mountain is accessible by road and trail. It is a popular summer tourist attraction and is especially noted for colourful alpine meadows. The access trail is longer and more strenuous than the one to nearby Trophy Mountain
to the south, so fewer people visit Battle Mountain and the Caribou Meadows. The hike to the meadows can be accomplished as a day outing, but hikers who want to attain Fiftytwo Ridge
and Battle Mountain summit should plan two days and carry overnight equipment.
. The gravel road is passable by all vehicles for the first 2.4 km (1.5 mi), then it becomes steep and rough, and a high-clearance vehicle is necessary, for the next 4.9 km (3 mi) to the parking lot.
A well-used trail starts here. The first section is the steepest and climbs 225 m (738 ft) in 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi) up the canyon of Philip Creek to a hanging valley where Philip Lake is located. Then it continues at an easier grade, ascending 150 m (492 ft) to the beginning of the Caribou Meadows. The trail meanders through the meadows, along the west shore of Fight Lake, then climbs to the top of Fiftytwo Ridge. Beyond there, it is a hiking route through meadows and rock which first descends into Bull Valley, then climbs onto Battle Mountain itself. The hiking season on Battle Mountain is from late June through September.
Wells Gray Provincial Park
Wells Gray Provincial Park is a large wilderness park located in east-central British Columbia, Canada. The park protects most of the southern, and highest, regions of the Cariboo Mountains and covers 5,250 square kilometres...
. The Clearwater River
Clearwater River (British Columbia)
The Clearwater River is the largest tributary of the North Thompson River, joining it at the community of Clearwater, British Columbia. The Clearwater rises from glaciers in the Cariboo Mountains and flows in a mostly southerly direction for to the North Thompson. Its entire course, except the...
flows to the west, Stevens Lakes are to the east, Philip Creek is to the south and Hemp Creek is to the north. Battle Mountain is part of the Shuswap Highland
Shuswap Highland
The Shuswap Highland is a plateau-like hilly area of in British Columbia, Canada. It spans the upland area between the Bonaparte and Thompson Plateaus from the area of Mahood Lake, at the southeast corner of the Cariboo Plateau, southeast towards the lower Shuswap River east of Vernon in the...
. There are three summits in the group, ranging from 2306 m (7,566 ft) to 2369 m (7,772 ft).
Battle Mountain is accessible by road and trail. It is a popular summer tourist attraction and is especially noted for colourful alpine meadows. The access trail is longer and more strenuous than the one to nearby Trophy Mountain
Trophy Mountain
Trophy Mountain is a mountain in east-central British Columbia, Canada, located in the south-east region of Wells Gray Provincial Park. The Clearwater River flows to the west, Raft River to the east and Spahats Creek to the south. Trophy Mountain is part of the Shuswap Highland...
to the south, so fewer people visit Battle Mountain and the Caribou Meadows. The hike to the meadows can be accomplished as a day outing, but hikers who want to attain Fiftytwo Ridge
Fiftytwo Ridge
Fiftytwo Ridge is a mountain ridge in east-central British Columbia, Canada, located just southwest of Battle Mountain at the southeastern end of Wells Gray Provincial Park.-Geology:...
and Battle Mountain summit should plan two days and carry overnight equipment.
Access
Battle Mountain Road turns east off Clearwater Valley Road (also called Wells Gray Park Road) 26.4 km (16.4 mi) north of the Yellowhead HighwayYellowhead Highway
The Yellowhead Highway is a major east-west highway connecting the four western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Although part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, the highway should not be confused with the more southerly, originally-designated...
. The gravel road is passable by all vehicles for the first 2.4 km (1.5 mi), then it becomes steep and rough, and a high-clearance vehicle is necessary, for the next 4.9 km (3 mi) to the parking lot.
A well-used trail starts here. The first section is the steepest and climbs 225 m (738 ft) in 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi) up the canyon of Philip Creek to a hanging valley where Philip Lake is located. Then it continues at an easier grade, ascending 150 m (492 ft) to the beginning of the Caribou Meadows. The trail meanders through the meadows, along the west shore of Fight Lake, then climbs to the top of Fiftytwo Ridge. Beyond there, it is a hiking route through meadows and rock which first descends into Bull Valley, then climbs onto Battle Mountain itself. The hiking season on Battle Mountain is from late June through September.
Origin of names
- Battle Mountain: The names “Battle Mountain”, “Battle Creek”, “Fight Lake” and “Indian Valley” all arise from a legendary Indian battle between the ChilcotinTsilhqot'inThe Tsilhqot'in are a Northern Athabaskan First Nations people that live in British Columbia, Canada...
and ShuswapSecwepemcThe Secwepemc , known in English as the Shuswap people, are a First Nations people residing in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Their traditional territory ranges from the eastern Chilcotin Plateau and the Cariboo Plateau southeast through the Thompson Country to Kamloops and the Shuswap...
bands around 1875. In the mid-nineteenth century, great herds of caribou migrated each spring through the Clearwater Valley in an east-west direction. The Chilcotin Indians dominated most of the migration route, except for the Battle Mountain area where the Canim Lake bandCanim Lake BandThe Canim Lake Band is a First Nations government of the Secwepemc Nation, located in the Central Interior region of the Canadian province of British Columbia. Its main Indian reserve is located at Canim Lake, British Columbia, near 100 Mile House. It was created when the government of the...
and the Shuswap band at Chu Chua hunted. At some of the small lakes on the floor of Indian Valley, the Chilcotins built long wire and stone fences leading to a narrow opening on the lakeshore. The caribou were then chased through the V-shaped traps into the water and speared as they swam to shore. The battle took place near these traps and was apparently a showdown over the caribou hunting grounds, since the numbers of animals began to decrease around this time. - Fiftytwo Ridge: Named because a biological study by Pat Martin and Ralph Ritcey was conducted there in 1952.
- Philip Creek: Named for Clearwater Valley land-owners E.M. Philip and William Philip.
- Mount Philip: Although near the head of Philip Creek, it was named for Mr. C. Philips, an assistant on Robert Lee’s 1914 land survey of the Clearwater Valley and Murtle Plateau.
- Stevens Lakes: This chain of six lakes along Snookwa Creek is east of Battle Mountain and near the treeline. The lakes are named for Whitney W. “Pat” Stevens of the British Columbia Forest Service who conducted a forest reconnaissance survey in the Clearwater Valley in 1921. He was 22 that summer, a graduate of the University of New Brunswick, and spent most of his life in forestry work. He died in 1960.