Chehalis River (British Columbia)
Encyclopedia
The Chehalis River is located in the southwest corner of British Columbia
, Canada
near the city of Chilliwack
. It flows south-eastward out of the Douglas Ranges
of the Coast Mountains
, draining into the Harrison River
.
Though the river's valley is heavily logged—earlier in the 20th century the area was covered by a dense network of logging railways—the river itself flows through a small canyon before a short relatively flat stretch leading to its confluence with the Harrison. The Chehalis is a fishing stream and, together with its tributaries such as Statlu Creek, offers opportunities for class III and IV whitewater kayaking
.
The Chehalis River starts in the mountains above and just west of Statlu Lake, which it soon flows into. Shortly after exiting the lake, it drops over impressive Statlu Falls, which is difficult to view without putting yourself in real danger. People have died when they have slipped and fallen over the falls. After the falls, the river turns south, eventually flowing into Chehalis Lake
. After it exits the lake it continues its journey south to the Harrison River.
The river's canyon and the peaks and cliff-faces of the range encircling its basin, which comprises most of the area of the Douglas Ranges
, is popular with rock-climbers and hikers, who call the area "the Chehalis". There is a small ski resort, Hemlock Valley, on the eastern side of the Chehalis River basin.
A road penetrates the northeast rim of the range into the Harrison Lake
basin and on to historic Port Douglas
, at the head of that lake, and beyond up the Lillooet River
via Skookumchuck Hot Springs to Pemberton
–Mount Currie
. This road, to be named the Sasquatch Highway was proposed to be paved before the 2010 Winter Olympics
to connect Hwy 7 (Lougheed Highway) at the community of Chehalis
with Hwy 99 (the Sea-to-Sky Highway) at Mount Currie
.
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...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
near the city of Chilliwack
Chilliwack, British Columbia
Chilliwack is a Canadian city in the Province of British Columbia. It is a predominantly agricultural community with an estimated population of 80,000 people. Chilliwack is the second largest city in the Fraser Valley Regional District after Abbotsford. The city is surrounded by mountains and...
. It flows south-eastward out of the Douglas Ranges
Douglas Ranges
The Douglas Ranges are a subrange of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains of the Canadian province of British Columbia, about 70 km east of downtown Vancouver, north of the Fraser River and between the valleys of Stave and Harrison Lakes. They are approximately 4900 km² in area...
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...
, draining into the Harrison River
Harrison River
The Harrison River is a short but large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it near the community of Chehalis, British Columbia. The Harrison drains Harrison Lake and is the de facto continuation of the Lillooet River, which feeds the lake....
.
Though the river's valley is heavily logged—earlier in the 20th century the area was covered by a dense network of logging railways—the river itself flows through a small canyon before a short relatively flat stretch leading to its confluence with the Harrison. The Chehalis is a fishing stream and, together with its tributaries such as Statlu Creek, offers opportunities for class III and IV whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a kayak on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater kayaking can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...
.
The Chehalis River starts in the mountains above and just west of Statlu Lake, which it soon flows into. Shortly after exiting the lake, it drops over impressive Statlu Falls, which is difficult to view without putting yourself in real danger. People have died when they have slipped and fallen over the falls. After the falls, the river turns south, eventually flowing into Chehalis Lake
Chehalis Lake
Chehalis Lake is a lake on the Chehalis River in the Lower Mainland of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The lake and the river share the name with the community of Chehalis, British Columbia, which is the home of the Sts'Ailes people, a Halqemeylem-speaking Coast Salish group...
. After it exits the lake it continues its journey south to the Harrison River.
The river's canyon and the peaks and cliff-faces of the range encircling its basin, which comprises most of the area of the Douglas Ranges
Douglas Ranges
The Douglas Ranges are a subrange of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains of the Canadian province of British Columbia, about 70 km east of downtown Vancouver, north of the Fraser River and between the valleys of Stave and Harrison Lakes. They are approximately 4900 km² in area...
, is popular with rock-climbers and hikers, who call the area "the Chehalis". There is a small ski resort, Hemlock Valley, on the eastern side of the Chehalis River basin.
A road penetrates the northeast rim of the range into the Harrison Lake
Harrison Lake
Harrison Lake is the largest lake in the southern Coast Mountains of Canada, being about 250 square kilometres in area. It is about 60 km in length and at its widest almost 9 km across. Its southern end, at the resort community of Harrison Hot Springs, is c. 95 km east of...
basin and on to historic Port Douglas
Port Douglas, British Columbia
Port Douglas, sometimes referred to simply as Douglas, is a remote community in British Columbia, Canada at the head of Harrison Lake, which is the head of river navigation from the Strait of Georgia...
, at the head of that lake, and beyond up the Lillooet River
Lillooet River
The Lillooet River is a major river of the southern Coast Mountains of British Columbia. It begins at Silt Lake, on the southern edge of the Lillooet Crown Icecap about 80 kilometres northwest of Pemberton and about 85 kilometres northwest of Whistler...
via Skookumchuck Hot Springs to Pemberton
Pemberton, British Columbia
Pemberton is a village north of Whistler in the Pemberton Valley of British Columbia in Canada, with a population of 2,192. Until the 1960s the village could be accessed only by train but that changed when Highway 99 was built through Whistler and Pemberton.-Climate:The climate of Pemberton is...
–Mount Currie
Mount Currie, British Columbia
Mount Currie is a small community in British Columbia, 164 kilometres north-west of Vancouver and 40 kilometres north-west of Whistler along Highway 99....
. This road, to be named the Sasquatch Highway was proposed to be paved before the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
to connect Hwy 7 (Lougheed Highway) at the community of Chehalis
Chehalis, British Columbia
Chehalis, British Columbia is a small forestry, agricultural and First Nations community in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia located on Highway 7 on the west bank of the Harrison River between the town of Mission and the resort community of Harrison Hot Springs.Chehalis is the site of...
with Hwy 99 (the Sea-to-Sky Highway) at Mount Currie
Mount Currie, British Columbia
Mount Currie is a small community in British Columbia, 164 kilometres north-west of Vancouver and 40 kilometres north-west of Whistler along Highway 99....
.