Fraser Pass
Encyclopedia
Fraser Pass is a mountain pass
in British Columbia
's Rockies
. Although immediately adjacent to the Continental Divide
, the pass does not cross it; rather, it bridges the drainage basins of the Fraser River
and Columbia River
, both Pacific
-draining rivers.
The pass is drained to the north by the Fraser River. A dripping spring just west of a pond at Fraser Pass is the actual source of British Columbia's longest river. The south side of the pass is drained by Hugh Allan Creek; it flows into Canoe Reach, the north arm of Kinbasket Lake
which is the reservoir behind Mica Dam
on the Columbia River
.
Fraser Pass is difficult to reach. Access by foot requires about 40 km (25 mi) of bush-whacking from the Yellowhead Highway
near Lucerne Campground. The most feasible access is by a 25-minute helicopter flight from Valemount
. Beautiful British Columbia Magazine first identified the source of the Fraser River during an expedition to Fraser Pass in 1985. Group tours by helicopter to the source of the Fraser are offered every few years by Wells Gray Tours.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
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...
's Rockies
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
. Although immediately adjacent to the Continental Divide
Continental Divide
The Continental Divide of the Americas, or merely the Continental Gulf of Division or Great Divide, is the name given to the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas that separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those river systems that drain...
, the pass does not cross it; rather, it bridges the drainage basins of 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...
and Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, both Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
-draining rivers.
The pass is drained to the north by the Fraser River. A dripping spring just west of a pond at Fraser Pass is the actual source of British Columbia's longest river. The south side of the pass is drained by Hugh Allan Creek; it flows into Canoe Reach, the north arm of Kinbasket Lake
Kinbasket Lake
Kinbasket Lake is a reservoir on the Columbia River in southeast British Columbia, north of the city of Revelstoke and the town of Golden. The reservoir was created by the construction of the Mica Dam. The lake includes two reaches, Columbia Reach and Canoe Reach , referring to the river valleys...
which is the reservoir behind Mica Dam
Mica Dam
The Mica Dam is a hydroelectric dam spanning the Columbia River 135 kilometres north of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. Completed in 1973 under the terms of the 1964 Columbia River Treaty, the Mica powerhouse has a generating capacity of . The dam is operated by BC Hydro...
on the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
.
Fraser Pass is difficult to reach. Access by foot requires about 40 km (25 mi) of bush-whacking from the Yellowhead Highway
Yellowhead 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...
near Lucerne Campground. The most feasible access is by a 25-minute helicopter flight from Valemount
Valemount, British Columbia
Valemount is a village of 1,018 people in east central British Columbia, Canada. It is situated between the Rocky, Monashee, and Cariboo Mountains. It is the nearest community to the west of Jasper National Park, and is also the nearest community to Mount Robson Provincial Park, which features...
. Beautiful British Columbia Magazine first identified the source of the Fraser River during an expedition to Fraser Pass in 1985. Group tours by helicopter to the source of the Fraser are offered every few years by Wells Gray Tours.