Big Creek, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Big Creek is a roughly 120 kilometre-long tributary of British Columbia
's Chilcotin River
.
Its source is remote Lorna Lake, located deep in the midst of the Chilcotin Ranges
, near the vertex of the boundaries of Big Creek Provincial Park
, the valley of the Taseko River
and Taseko Lakes, which lies to its west, and the Spruce Lake Protected Area
to its south (aka the "South Chilcotin" even though it's in the Bridge River Country
, part of the Lillooet
region). Near Lorna Lake is a location known as Graveyard Valley, believed to be the site of the final battle of a 19th Century war between the Tsilhqot'in
and St'at'imc
peoples over control of the upper basin of the Bridge River
, which lies over the mountains to the south of Big Creek. The Big Creek basin is the easternmost of three southern tributary basins of the Chilcotin, the others to its west being the Taseko River
basin and, west of it, the Chilko River
basin. The largest stream to its east is Churn Creek
, whose headwaater creeks share a divide with the Big Creek basin, and which drains directly to the Fraser River
.
Only the uppermost reaches of Big Creek are in mountain country, however. About 30 km from its source the creek emerges onto the Chilcotin Plateau
, which lines the lea of the Coast Mountains
, and for most of its length it meanders across a mix of rangeland and subalpine forest and swamp.
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...
's Chilcotin River
Chilcotin River
The Chilcotin River is a long tributary of the Fraser River in southern British Columbia, Canada. It drains the Chilcotin Plateau, which lies between the Fraser River and the Coast Mountains...
.
Its source is remote Lorna Lake, located deep in the midst of the Chilcotin Ranges
Chilcotin Ranges
The Chilcotin Ranges are a subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains . They lie on the inland lea of the Pacific Ranges, abutting the Interior Plateau of British Columbia...
, near the vertex of the boundaries of Big Creek Provincial Park
Big Creek Provincial Park
Big Creek Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.It is adjoined on the south by the Spruce Lake Protected Area and on the west by Ts'il?os Provincial Park. Neighbouring on the east is the Churn Creek Protected Area.- References :...
, the valley of the Taseko River
Taseko River
The Taseko River , or Desiqox in the original Chilcotin, is a tributary of British Columbia's Chilko River, a tributary of the Chilcotin River which joins the Fraser near the city of Williams Lake....
and Taseko Lakes, which lies to its west, and the Spruce Lake Protected Area
Spruce Lake Protected Area
The Spruce Lake Protected Area, was a 71,347-hectare Protected Area in the British Columbia provincial parks system 200 km north of Vancouver. The area had been the subject of an ongoing preservationist controversy since the 1930s. Formerly known variously as the Southern Chilcotin Mountains...
to its south (aka the "South Chilcotin" even though it's in the Bridge River Country
Bridge River Country
The Bridge River Country is a historic geographic region and mining district in the Interior of British Columbia, Canada, lying between the Fraser Canyon and the valley of the Lillooet River, south of the Chilcotin Plateau and north of the Lillooet Ranges...
, part of the Lillooet
Lillooet Country
The Lillooet Country, also referred to as the Lillooet District., is a region spanning from the central Fraser Canyon town of Lillooet west to the valley of the Lillooet River, and including the valleys in between, in the Southern Interior of British Columbia. Like other historical BC regions, it...
region). Near Lorna Lake is a location known as Graveyard Valley, believed to be the site of the final battle of a 19th Century war between the Tsilhqot'in
Tsilhqot'in
The Tsilhqot'in are a Northern Athabaskan First Nations people that live in British Columbia, Canada...
and St'at'imc
St'at'imc
The St'át'imc are an Interior Salish people located in the southern Coast Mountains and Fraser Canyon region of the Interior of the Canadian province of British Columbia.St'át'imc culture displayed many features typical of Northwest Coast peoples: the...
peoples over control of the upper basin of the Bridge River
Bridge River
The Bridge River is, or was, a major tributary of British Columbia's Fraser River, entering that stream about six miles upstream from the town of Lillooet.-Name:Its name in the Lillooet language is Xwisten , sometimes spelled Nxwisten or Nxo-isten)...
, which lies over the mountains to the south of Big Creek. The Big Creek basin is the easternmost of three southern tributary basins of the Chilcotin, the others to its west being the Taseko River
Taseko River
The Taseko River , or Desiqox in the original Chilcotin, is a tributary of British Columbia's Chilko River, a tributary of the Chilcotin River which joins the Fraser near the city of Williams Lake....
basin and, west of it, the Chilko River
Chilko River
The Chilko River is a 75 km waterway in the Chilcotin District of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, connecting Chilko Lake to the Chilcotin River. Its main tributary is the Taseko River....
basin. The largest stream to its east is Churn Creek
Churn Creek
Churn Creek is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.-Course:Churn Creek flows generally northeast, joining the Fraser River just south of the headquarters of the Gang Ranch and opposite the community of Dog Creek and associated creek...
, whose headwaater creeks share a divide with the Big Creek basin, and which drains directly to the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
.
Only the uppermost reaches of Big Creek are in mountain country, however. About 30 km from its source the creek emerges onto the Chilcotin Plateau
Chilcotin Plateau
The Chilcotin Plateau is part of the Fraser Plateau, a major subdivision of the Interior Plateau of British Columbia. The Chilcotin Plateau is physically near-identical with the region of the same name, i.e...
, which lines the lea of the Coast Mountains
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
, and for most of its length it meanders across a mix of rangeland and subalpine forest and swamp.