Jocelyn Timmermans
- May 19, 2020
- 3 min read

Tikwalus

Stats: 13.1 km / 990m gain / 4:50 hours MT / 920m high

This historic trail was originally an ancient Nlaka'pamux route bypassing the cliffs of Hells Gate and the Black Canyon along the Fraser River. The Hudsons Bay Co. used this route in 1848-1849. In the first season 70 horses died making the trip between Fort Langley and Fort Kamloops. Thereafter the HBC Heritage Trail became the way to cross the Cascade Mts.

We hike this trail every spring with our club. This was the first time we saw it so moist and green.

For the most part the trail was cleared and in good condition.

1) Peavine. 2) Arnica 3) Lady Slipper 4) Indian Paintbrush 5) Red Currant

Make sure to take lots of water because this was the only good source of it and we were only 25% of the way to the destination.

When you get to this Chief Pahallak viewpoint where you can see Spuzzum & McGavin Mts, you've got most of the steep stuff behind you (2 km). There are 9 interpretative signs on this trail so that you can learn about its place in Indigenous, fur trade, gold rush and railway history.

3 pic slider

Passing through a grove of ancient Western Red Cedars. They were the most versatile tree for the Nlaka'pamux. The outer bark was used for roofing and flooring for their lodges and the fibrous inner bark was pounded soft and used for clothes, baskets and mats. The roots were dug up in spring when they are soft & white and then they're peeled, dried & split and used for baskets.

3 pic slider. This junction is at the 4.2 km mark. From here the trail forms a loop. We stayed left, on the Bluff Route that takes you up on the Lake Mt. ridge overlooking Black Canyon. The Lakes Route was used by the HBC 1847-49. The Bluffs Route was used later by the gold miners 1858-60. The fur traders that arrived in the early 1800s could not have survived without the help of the Nlaka'pumax who guided them through this rugged landscape and provided them with food. In the spring of 1858 over 30,000 gold miners poured into Nlaka'pumax territory and put an abrupt end to good relationships with the Nlaka'pumax. They dug up salmon spawning channels and harassed the natives, burning 5 of their villages. War was avoided when the miners sought formal permission to continue prospecting.

Hell's Gate is just around the corner.

Black remnants of the 2004 fire. In 1883 the Canadian Pacific Railway was built on the north side of the Fraser River. In 1912 the Canadian Northern Railway was built on the south side. The Fraser Canyon Hwy. came into existence in 1926 and became the Trans-Canada Hwy. in 1962.

The Black Canyon Viewpoint. Despite its challenging terrain, the Fraser Canyon became the main colonial thoroughfare to BC's interior.

There is plenty of room for tents at the campsite located at the east end on the loop. It's also equipped with an outhouse, bear cache, picnic table & fire pits. We assume the absent campers had gone on to hike Gate Mt.

The Lillooet Range.

Four of us are members of the COC: Case & I, Irene H & Margaret T. Rico is our guest from Germany (he works for our company).

From our lunch spot, we then continued on, past the outhouse onto the Lakes Route trail. pics 1 & 2) Love those Chocolate Lilies. pic 3) There were just a few lingering Avalanche Lilies blooming yet.

The unusually dense Yew tree section. The Nlaka-pamux used this strong wood for bows, snowshoe frames, axes + wedges. Yew bark, collected in the morning from the east side of the tree, is boiled and the tea used to treat many illnesses.