North Pole Stream
Encyclopedia
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
to the Little Southwest Miramichi River
Little Southwest Miramichi River
The Little Southwest Miramichi River is a Canadian river in Northumberland County, New Brunswick. In Mi'kmaq it is referred to as "Tooadook".....
, with its headwaters in the Christmas Mountains
Christmas Mountains
The Christmas Mountains are a series of rounded peaks at the headwaters of North Pole Stream and the Little Southwest Miramichi River, west of Big Bald Mountain, and south of Mount Carleton in northern New Brunswick, Canada. The mountains, in part, separate the Miramichi River watershed from the...
of north-central, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, 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...
. It is an important spawning stream for Atlantic Salmon
Atlantic salmon
The Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
, and renowned among fly fishers
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
.
The Mi'kmaq referred to the stream as "Kadunnatquegak" (watching salmon in a pool).
The English name seems to have originated with lumbermen, about 1840. Two theories have been suggested for its origin:
- the most northerly point they had lumbered
- very cold conditions
The name inspired A. F. Wightman to name the adjacent peaks after Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
' reindeer. These peaks are now referred to as the Christmas Mountains
Christmas Mountains
The Christmas Mountains are a series of rounded peaks at the headwaters of North Pole Stream and the Little Southwest Miramichi River, west of Big Bald Mountain, and south of Mount Carleton in northern New Brunswick, Canada. The mountains, in part, separate the Miramichi River watershed from the...
.