Shulaps Range
Encyclopedia
The Shulaps Range is a subrange of the Chilcotin Ranges
subset of the Pacific Ranges
of the Coast Mountains
in southwest-central British Columbia
. The range is 55 km NW–SE and 15 km SW–NE and 2,970 km² (1150 mi²) in area.
The range is fairly high in elevation, with dryland-type summits with some very small icefields. Its highest summits are Shulaps Peak 2880 m (9449 ft) and Big Dog Mountain 2,862 m (9,390 ft). Another prominent summit is Rex Peak 2684 m (8806 ft), a conical mass dominating the southern end of the range, which is delimited by the buttress-wall of the Bridge River Canyon
.
mine.
Its southeast edge is the west rim of the Big Canyon of the Bridge River
, just below which (to the NE) is the confluence of the Bridge
and Yalakom River
s, which is the range's northeastern boundary. West across Tyaughton Creek and upper Churn Creek is the South Chilcotin which is not part of the Chilcotin, but of the Bridge River Country
(see Spruce Lake Protected Area
(a.k.a. the "South Chilcotin") and Big Creek Provincial Park
). To the east, across the Yalakom, is the Camelsfoot Range
, to the south the Bendor
. Southeast is the town of Lillooet
, near the southern tip of the Camelsfoot
.
The best view of the Shulaps Range to be had, other than from one of the neighbouring ranges, is from the former site of Minto City
at the confluence of Gun Creek and the Bridge River
(now Carpenter Lake Reservoir). From there, and along the upper end of Carpenter Lake, the range's west face is a familiar sight to travellers on BC Hwy 40 from Bralorne
and Gold Bridge
to Lillooet
.
word for the ram of the mountain sheep. The Yalakom River
is similarly named for ̓the ewe. This was once extremely rich big game country, and the names suggest the good hunting in this range (the Yalakom valley
and the Shulaps Range were shared hunting territory between the St'át'imc
and the Tsilhqot'in
).
Chilcotin Ranges
The Chilcotin Ranges are a subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains . They lie on the inland lea of the Pacific Ranges, abutting the Interior Plateau of British Columbia...
subset of the Pacific Ranges
Pacific Ranges
The Pacific Ranges are the southernmost subdivision of the Coast Mountains portion of the Pacific Cordillera. Located entirely within British Columbia, Canada, they run northwest from the lower stretches of the Fraser River to Bella Coola, north of which are the Kitimat Ranges.The Pacific Ranges...
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...
in southwest-central 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...
. The range is 55 km NW–SE and 15 km SW–NE and 2,970 km² (1150 mi²) in area.
The range is fairly high in elevation, with dryland-type summits with some very small icefields. Its highest summits are Shulaps Peak 2880 m (9449 ft) and Big Dog Mountain 2,862 m (9,390 ft). Another prominent summit is Rex Peak 2684 m (8806 ft), a conical mass dominating the southern end of the range, which is delimited by the buttress-wall of the Bridge River Canyon
Bridge River
The Bridge River is, or was, a major tributary of British Columbia's Fraser River, entering that stream about six miles upstream from the town of Lillooet.-Name:Its name in the Lillooet language is Xwisten , sometimes spelled Nxwisten or Nxo-isten)...
.
Terrain and location
The Shulaps' northeast flank is a series of high basins. Many contain alpine likes and which allow for road access to high up in various parts of the range. There is an active gold claim on the south flank of Big Dog Mountain in the basin of Blue Creek in the northwestern part of the range and, at the far southeast end high in the basin of Hell Creek, there was once a working jadeJade
Jade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:...
mine.
Its southeast edge is the west rim of the Big Canyon of the Bridge River
Bridge River
The Bridge River is, or was, a major tributary of British Columbia's Fraser River, entering that stream about six miles upstream from the town of Lillooet.-Name:Its name in the Lillooet language is Xwisten , sometimes spelled Nxwisten or Nxo-isten)...
, just below which (to the NE) is the confluence of the Bridge
Bridge River
The Bridge River is, or was, a major tributary of British Columbia's Fraser River, entering that stream about six miles upstream from the town of Lillooet.-Name:Its name in the Lillooet language is Xwisten , sometimes spelled Nxwisten or Nxo-isten)...
and Yalakom River
Yalakom River
The Yalakom River is a tributary of the Bridge River, which is one of the principal tributaries of the Fraser River, entering it near the town of Lillooet, British Columbia. In frontier times it was also known as the North Fork of the Bridge River, and joins the Bridge River proper at Moha, a...
s, which is the range's northeastern boundary. West across Tyaughton Creek and upper Churn Creek is the South Chilcotin which is not part of the Chilcotin, but of the Bridge River Country
Bridge River Country
The Bridge River Country is a historic geographic region and mining district in the Interior of British Columbia, Canada, lying between the Fraser Canyon and the valley of the Lillooet River, south of the Chilcotin Plateau and north of the Lillooet Ranges...
(see Spruce Lake Protected Area
Spruce Lake Protected Area
The Spruce Lake Protected Area, was a 71,347-hectare Protected Area in the British Columbia provincial parks system 200 km north of Vancouver. The area had been the subject of an ongoing preservationist controversy since the 1930s. Formerly known variously as the Southern Chilcotin Mountains...
(a.k.a. the "South Chilcotin") and Big Creek Provincial Park
Big Creek Provincial Park
Big Creek Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.It is adjoined on the south by the Spruce Lake Protected Area and on the west by Ts'il?os Provincial Park. Neighbouring on the east is the Churn Creek Protected Area.- References :...
). To the east, across the Yalakom, is the Camelsfoot Range
Camelsfoot Range
The Camelsfoot Range is a sub-range of the Chilcotin Ranges subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in British Columbia.* The range is c...
, to the south the Bendor
Bendor Range
The Bendor Range is a small but once-famous subrange of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains, about It is approximately 7,000 square kilometres in area and about 40 km long and about 18 km at its widest...
. Southeast is the town of Lillooet
Lillooet, British Columbia
Lillooet is a community on the Fraser River in western Canada, about up the British Columbia Railway line from Vancouver. Situated at an intersection of deep gorges in the lee of the Coast Mountains, it has a dry climate- of precipitation is recorded annually at the town's weather station,...
, near the southern tip of the Camelsfoot
Camelsfoot Range
The Camelsfoot Range is a sub-range of the Chilcotin Ranges subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in British Columbia.* The range is c...
.
The best view of the Shulaps Range to be had, other than from one of the neighbouring ranges, is from the former site of Minto City
Minto City, British Columbia
Minto City, often called just Minto, sometimes Minto Mines or Minto Mine, was a gold mining town in the Bridge River Valley of British Columbia from 1930 to 1936, located at the confluence of that river with Gun Creek, one of its larger tributaries...
at the confluence of Gun Creek and the Bridge River
Bridge River
The Bridge River is, or was, a major tributary of British Columbia's Fraser River, entering that stream about six miles upstream from the town of Lillooet.-Name:Its name in the Lillooet language is Xwisten , sometimes spelled Nxwisten or Nxo-isten)...
(now Carpenter Lake Reservoir). From there, and along the upper end of Carpenter Lake, the range's west face is a familiar sight to travellers on BC Hwy 40 from Bralorne
Bralorne, British Columbia
Bralorne is an historic underground gold mining community in the Bridge River District, some sixty dirt road miles west of the town of Lillooet.-Background:...
and Gold Bridge
Gold Bridge, British Columbia
Gold Bridge is an unincorporated community in the Bridge River Country of British Columbia, Canada. Although numbering only around 250 inhabitants, Gold Bridge is the service and supply centre for the upper basin of the Bridge River Valley, which includes recreation-residential areas at the Gun...
to Lillooet
Lillooet, British Columbia
Lillooet is a community on the Fraser River in western Canada, about up the British Columbia Railway line from Vancouver. Situated at an intersection of deep gorges in the lee of the Coast Mountains, it has a dry climate- of precipitation is recorded annually at the town's weather station,...
.
Origin of name
The Shulaps name is an anglicized version of the St'̓át'̓imcetsSt'at'imcets language
Lillooet or Lilloet, also known as St’át’imcets , is the Interior Salishan language of the St’át’imc, spoken in southern British Columbia, Canada around the middle Fraser and Lillooet rivers. The dialect of the Lower Lillooet people uses the name Ucwalmícwts as St’át’imcets properly means "the...
word for the ram of the mountain sheep. The Yalakom River
Yalakom River
The Yalakom River is a tributary of the Bridge River, which is one of the principal tributaries of the Fraser River, entering it near the town of Lillooet, British Columbia. In frontier times it was also known as the North Fork of the Bridge River, and joins the Bridge River proper at Moha, a...
is similarly named for ̓the ewe. This was once extremely rich big game country, and the names suggest the good hunting in this range (the Yalakom valley
Yalakom River
The Yalakom River is a tributary of the Bridge River, which is one of the principal tributaries of the Fraser River, entering it near the town of Lillooet, British Columbia. In frontier times it was also known as the North Fork of the Bridge River, and joins the Bridge River proper at Moha, a...
and the Shulaps Range were shared hunting territory between the St'át'imc
St'at'imc
The St'át'imc are an Interior Salish people located in the southern Coast Mountains and Fraser Canyon region of the Interior of the Canadian province of British Columbia.St'át'imc culture displayed many features typical of Northwest Coast peoples: the...
and the Tsilhqot'in
Tsilhqot'in
The Tsilhqot'in are a Northern Athabaskan First Nations people that live in British Columbia, Canada...
).