Overview

The Fraser Canyon is a stretch of the Fraser River where it descends rapidly through narrow rock gorges in the Coast Mountains enroute from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia to the Fraser Valley. The Fraser Canyon begins north of Williams Lake, British Columbia at Soda Creek Canyon, and runs 170 miles south to Yale. The southern portion of the Canyon is a major transportation corridor to the interior from the coast. The Canadian National and Canadian pacific Railways, and the Trans-Canada Highway where carved out of the rock and in some spots are hanging over river. Simon Fraser who was a fur trader and explorer was the first person to explore the Fraser River. Because of that the river was later named after him.

Hell's Gate

Hell's Gate is a very narrow part of the Fraser River near Boston bar were the rock walls on either side of the river rise nearly 3,300 feet above the rapids. In 1913 a large rockslide caused by blasting of the rock for the CPR diverted the river. Because of that fish ladders had to be built to allow migrant salmon to pass through that point. Now there is an air-tram like the ones in ski resorts specially built to take tourist down to Hell's Gate, were visitors may view the fish ladders as well as the ragging of the Fraser River. Just down stream from Hell's Gate is an old double rail bridge where the continental mainlines switch sides of the river at the end of the rocky gorge.

Geology

The Fraser Canyon was formed by the river cutting into the uplifting Interior Plateau. From the northern Cariboo to Fountain, the river follows the line of the huge Fraser Fault, which runs on a north-south axis and meets the Yalakom Fault a few miles downstream from Lillooet.

Thing to do

There some camping sites along the river. One is located on the west side of the river on Seton Lake just west of Lillooet. There is boat access to the lake and it is very large, over 7 miles long. Be Extremely cautious when boating on Seton Lake because storm can hit very rapidly turning once calm water into 3 or more foot waves in a few minutes.
Camping here is free here.

Also white water rafting is availible on the Thompson river east of Lytton and on the fraser near Mount Robson. Here is what Mount Robson Whitewater co. says about it:

FRASER RIVER WHITE WATER - 14 KM
Exciting 3 hour return trip on British Columbia’s longest, most famous river.
*Class I - III+ rapids.
*Beautiful view of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.
*See Rearguard Falls.
*View spawning Chinook Salmon in mid to late summer.
*$85.00 per person
*Daily departures at 9:30 am, 1 pm, 4:30 pm

FULL DAY RAFT TRIP - 24 KM
Combine the morning float trip and then thrilling white water in the afternoon, for an unforgettable 24 km trip on one of the most scenic wilderness rivers in the world.
$125.00 per person

Climate

The Climate in the Fraser Canyon is Semi-arid with hot dry summers and mild cloudy winters. Temperatures range From in the single digits in the winter to the houndreds in the summer. The average anual precipitation is around 10 inches with more falling in the southern portion of the canyon.

Images



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