Canadian Fur Trade & Trails

Started by Marilynx, July 19, 2015, 10:16:52 AM

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Marilynx

Greetings. I stumbled across this Forum via a search which turned up the following article:
http://thehunterslife.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-11582.html

I'm working on a fictional account of a journey from what was then Fort William on the western side of Lake Superior (now Thunder Bay, Ontario) to Fort Garry (Winnipeg), and then following the Carlton Trail to Ft. Edmonton.

The time frame is 1834-1835.

I have more to the journey -- my plot calls for the journey to continue to Jasper House, across the Yellowhead Pass, possibly down  the North Thompson, THompson, and Fraser Rivers to the mouth of the Fraser and the Pacific Ocean.  (Well, actually, the Strait of Georgia, and Juan de Fuca Strait -- originally had it going to Ft. Vancouver, then discovered Ft. Vancouver was not at the site of modern Vancouver or the mouth of the Fraser.

Return will be back up the Fraser and the Thompson to Ft. Kamloops, then up the South Thompson, ultimately past modern-day Revelstoke, Golden, Field, and into the Bow Valley, u8p into what is now the Skoki area, and out the Red Deer River past the modern site of Ya-Hah-Tinda Ranch.

What I haven't found are accounts of travel between Ft. William and Ft. Garry, nor traveling the Carlton Trail. Nor many accounts of traveling from Jasper to the coast.

I have looked at David Thompson's accounts, but I have difficulty squaring his descriptions with a modern map, and I am, regretfully, not good at orienting myself on older maps.

I am intentionally sending the characters north to Ft. Edmonton and over the Yellowhead Pass because in 1835, there were sme issues with the native peoples in the area of the Bow over Europeans selling weapons to their enemies farther inland.

If anyone has any information on these routes, I would be most appreciative.

Thanks in advance.



gitano

Hello Marilynx, and welcome to THL.

It is unfortunate that the author of the thread you reference above has passed away. He was a genuine expert on that era, and in fact wrote a book on the subject that successfully challenged the "conventional wisdom" on much of the local lore. I have a copy of his book and will look up the details of it so you can find it. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. There may be others here at THL that know more about what you are asking. I would recommend going to the "Campfire" or "Welcome Wagon" and pointing people to this thread.

Paul
Be nicer than necessary.

Marilynx

Paul,

It is always sad when a true expert passes away. It's especially wonderful to be able to actually talk with someone and ask questions, although books are great, too! (I have a personal library of around 12,000)

Thanks for the welcome! This looks like a very interesting site!

sakorick

Jasper to the coast would surely followed the S or N Thompson / Fraiser to the sea. I believe their target would have been Fort Langley on the Fraiser. There just isn't a good route. Good luck on your story I would love to read it someday.
Talk to yourself. There are times you need expert advice.

farmboy

I would look into the history of hbc and also the history of the CPR. I have watched documentary d about Rogers the CPR surveyor. He documented his time looking for a pass.

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