Monkman Pass
Encyclopedia
Monkman Pass, 1061 m (3481 ft), is a mountain pass
in the Canadian Rockies
, located southwest of the coal-mining town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia
. Located in the Hart Ranges
, it is sometimes reckoned as the southern limit of the informal grouping known as the Northern Rockies, although those are sometimes reckoned as extending farther southeast to Mount Ovington and even to Mount Robson
. Located on the Continental Divide, it is lower than the Yellowhead
and Pine Pass
es. In 1937-39, a proposal to build a highway through the route led to a survey exploration, but the route was not completed. A highway access from other parts of British Columbia to the Peace Country was not made until much later, with the construction of the John Hart Highway through the Pine Pass
; the route is now the Monkman Pass Historical Trail, built in 2006-07 and opened in 2008. The pass is at the head of the Murray River and south of the height of land at the head of the Parsnip River
, and was discovered by accident by its namesake, Peace River Country
fur trapper Alexander Monkman
in 1922 who crossed it by sled and dogs.
Monkman Pass and Monkman Falls
are part of Monkman Provincial Park
.
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 the Canadian 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...
, located southwest of the coal-mining town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia
Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia
The District Municipality of Tumbler Ridge is a small town in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies in northeastern British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Peace River Regional District. The municipality of , with its population of 2,454 people, incorporates a townsite and a...
. Located in the Hart Ranges
Hart Ranges
The Hart Ranges are one of the main geographic subdivisions of the Canadian Rockies and are the main part of the area that is meant by the Northern Rockies, although the much larger Muskwa Ranges to the north are more deserving of that term — but also much more inaccessible and much less...
, it is sometimes reckoned as the southern limit of the informal grouping known as the Northern Rockies, although those are sometimes reckoned as extending farther southeast to Mount Ovington and even to Mount Robson
Mount Robson
Mount Robson is the most prominent mountain in North America's Rocky Mountain range; it is also the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. The mountain is located entirely within Mount Robson Provincial Park of British Columbia, and is part of the Rainbow Range. It is commonly thought to be the...
. Located on the Continental Divide, it is lower than the Yellowhead
Yellowhead Pass
The Yellowhead Pass is a mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies. It is located on the border between the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and lies within Jasper National Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park....
and Pine Pass
Pine Pass
The Pine Pass, 875 m , is a mountain pass in the Hart Ranges of the Northern Rockies of British Columbia, Canada. It is used by BC Highway 97 and the Canadian National Railway formly BC Rail to connect the Peace Country of the province's Northeastern Interior, and is the location of the...
es. In 1937-39, a proposal to build a highway through the route led to a survey exploration, but the route was not completed. A highway access from other parts of British Columbia to the Peace Country was not made until much later, with the construction of the John Hart Highway through the Pine Pass
Pine Pass
The Pine Pass, 875 m , is a mountain pass in the Hart Ranges of the Northern Rockies of British Columbia, Canada. It is used by BC Highway 97 and the Canadian National Railway formly BC Rail to connect the Peace Country of the province's Northeastern Interior, and is the location of the...
; the route is now the Monkman Pass Historical Trail, built in 2006-07 and opened in 2008. The pass is at the head of the Murray River and south of the height of land at the head of the Parsnip River
Parsnip River
The Parsnip River is a 240 km long river in central British Columbia, Canada. It flows generally north-westward from the Parsnip Glacier in the Hart Ranges to the Parsnip Reach of Williston Lake, formed by the impounding of the waters of the Peace River by the W.A.C. Bennett Dam in 1968...
, and was discovered by accident by its namesake, Peace River Country
Peace River Country
The Peace River Country is an aspen parkland region around the Peace River in Canada. It spans from northwestern Alberta to the Rocky Mountains in northeastern British Columbia, where the region is also referred to as the Peace River Block.- Geography :The Peace River Country includes the...
fur trapper Alexander Monkman
Alexander Monkman
Alexander Monkman was a Canadian Métis trading pioneer.- Early life :Alexander Monkman was born at Manitoba House on March 29, 1870 and grew up around Fort Garry, however he and his family fled to Edmonton after the Red River Rebellion and received his education from mission schools...
in 1922 who crossed it by sled and dogs.
This pass, 162 feet lower than the Yellowhead Pass, had been used as a route for Indian travel for some 300 years. "Mr. LeBreton Ross, the Department of Railways representative on the [Geographic Board of Canada] has this morning shown me a blueprint accompanying a report of Canadian Pacific and Canadian National railway engineers on railway connection with Peace river. A possible route is by this pass which crosses the divide at the head of Murray River, south of the height of land at the head of Parsnip river. The engineer's report states that the pass which is only 3,550 feet elevation was discovered by Alexander MonkmanAlexander MonkmanAlexander Monkman was a Canadian Métis trading pioneer.- Early life :Alexander Monkman was born at Manitoba House on March 29, 1870 and grew up around Fort Garry, however he and his family fled to Edmonton after the Red River Rebellion and received his education from mission schools...
, a pioneer trader and trapper of the Peace River country, while on a trapping and hunting trip in the fall and winter of 1922 with pack dogs and on snowshoes. He ran into trappers who had come into the country with canoes by the Fraser ?River and was surprised to find he had crossed the continental divide without knowing it." (11 August 1925 letter from Ron Douglas, Secretary, Geographic Board of Canada, to G.G. Aitken, Chief Geographer of BC, file M.2.54)
Monkman Pass and Monkman Falls
Monkman Falls
Monkman Falls is a waterfall on Monkman Creek in the Northern Rockies of British Columbia, Canada. It is one of a series of ten waterfalls on Monkman Creek known as "the Cascades". It is named for Alexander Monkman, a fur trader then based in the Peace River Country who discovered Monkman Pass....
are part of Monkman Provincial Park
Monkman Provincial Park
Monkman Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada south of the communities of Tumbler Ridge and Chetwynd, British Columbia and northeast of Prince George.-History:...
.