Fraser Canyon Expedition
The Fraser CanyonThe Fraser Canyon is a stretch of the Fraser River where it descends rapidly through narrow rock gorges in the Coast Mountains en route from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia to the Fraser Valley. The canyon walls rise about 1,000 meter (some 3,300 ft) above the rapids. We run those rapids year round and the water conditions and common sense of your guide determine how far we can get into the canyon at a time.
"A massive tree sitting on a huge rock - a natural high water mark".
History
The Fraser Canyon is part of our interesting history. Simon Fraser (20 May 1776 – 18 August 1862) was a fur trader and an explorer who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. Fraser was employed by the Montreal-based North West Company. By 1805, he had been put in charge of all the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains. He was responsible for building that area's first trading posts, and, in 1808, he explored what is now known as the Fraser River, which bears his name.
"Just before entering a narrow passage in the Canyon with raging water". A party of twenty-three left Fort Georgia in four canoes on May 28, 1808. The aboriginal inhabitants warned Fraser that the river below would be all but impossible to pass. Worse, even the portages were extremely difficult, and Fraser's crews frequently ran dangerous rapids to avoid even more dangerous or laborious portages. Thirteen days after setting out, Fraser abandoned his canoes above present day Lillooet, and his party continued their journey on foot, occasionally borrowing canoes from the aboriginal communities they encountered.At the mouth of the Canyon, an archeological site documents the presence of the Stó:lō people in the area from the early Holocene period, 8,000 to 10,000 years ago after the retreat of the Fraser Glacier.
During the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of 1858-1860, 10,500 miners and an untold number of hangers-on populated its banks and towns.
The Expedition
Our jet boat expedition tours take off directly at the shore of our lodge. After a scenic 70 minute jet boat ride, we pass the town of Hope and enter the Fraser Canyon with 1,000 foot high mountains on either side of the River. The valley tightens from 5 miles wide to a few Hundred Yards wide and on some spots you can see the walls going vertical up into the sky almost 3,000 feet high. The further we enter the canyon, the narrower it gets until at some points we pass through 30 yard wide canyons. During your expedition trip we prepare a delicious BBQ such as bison, steaks or salmon on a scenic spot. That can be in 100 foot high sand dunes that exist in the canyon creating a climate only known from desert areas in the United States such as Arizona or Nevada.
Trip length: Approx. 6 hours. Includes BBQ shore lunch.
Cost: $ 900 for up to 4 guests, $ 1,000 for 5 and $ 1,100 for 6 guests.
