Road map 100 Mile House and Clearwater surrounding area (BC, Canada)

Much of this area on the Fraser Interior plateau is called the  "Cariboo," and is part of Canada's legendary cowboy country. The Cariboo  is marked by rolling hills, open plains blanketed with grass, and an  abundance of lakes and rivers, features that first appealed to  prospectors and miners, then ranchers and farmers, followed by loggers  and lumber mill workers. Today this region attracts anglers with the  hope of landing a trophy-sized fish, lures horseback riders with the  scenic landscape, and in winter, challenges cross-country skiers with  the Cariboo Cross Country Ski Marathon.

Chasm Provincial Park [D1] Sited along Chasm Creek north of  Clinton, this park's main feature is the Painted Chasm. Silt from  meltwater at the end of the last ice age carved the 8-km-long,  600-m-wide, and 300-m-deep chasm. Layers of lava in beautiful red,  brown, yellow, and purple tones can be distinguished on the canyon  walls. The park is home to birds of prey, and large mammals like moose,  mule deer, black bear, and coyote. Chasm Provincial Park is open  year-round for day use.

Clearwater [B6] The limpid waters of the Clearwater River give  this gateway to Wells Gray Provincial Park its name. Anglers will find  rainbow trout, lake, and Dolly Varden trout in the lakes and streams in  the area. Along the road to Wells Gray Provincial Park is Spahats Creek  Provincial Park. Spahats Creek rises in the alpine meadows of Raft  Mountain and flows west through a 150-m-deep canyon it has carved in an  ancient lava flow before cascading 61 m into the Clearwater River. An  observation deck affords a breathtaking view of the canyon and falls.

Clinton [El] Originally called Forty-Seven Mile House, this  town was renamed in 1863 to honor British colonial secretary Lord Henry  Clinton. It now calls itself the "Guest Ranch Capital of British  Columbia." A base for surrounding resorts, ranches, and fishing camps,  Clinton still retains its Wild West flavor. The Clinton Ball held in  late May is said to be the oldest social event of its kind in province.  The ball was held in the Clinton Hotel until the hotel burned in 1958.  Now it is held in the Memorial Hall.

Lac la Hache [A1]

This town calls itself the "Longest Town in the Cariboo."  French for Axe Lake, Lac La Hache is named for a French-Canadian fur  trader who dropped his axe through a hole in the ice of the frozen lake,  which in other seasons attracts anglers (trophy-sized kokanee trout),  swimmers, boaters, and waterskiers. In the area are Cariboo Provincial  Nature Park and Lac la Hache Provincial Park.

100 Mile House [B2]

Named for its location on the Cariboo Wagon Road (one hundred  miles north of Lillooet), this town was a stagecoach stop for  prospectors and miners on their way to the goldfields. An example of an  original 1860s stagecoach is on display at the Red Coach Inn. At the  Info Centre, look for the oversized 12-m-long replicas of cross-country  skis flanked by 9 m ski poles, said to be the world's largest. Behind  the Info Centre is the 100 Mile Marsh, a wildlife sanctuary with  interpretive signs. In early February, the town hosts the Cariboo Cross  Country Ski Marathon, a 50 km event that draws seasoned skiers from  around the world. ©Thirteen kilometers north, at 108 Mile House, is 108  Mile Ranch, a heritage site with a collection of late 19th-and early  20th-century log buildings, including a telegraph house, an icehouse, a  teahouse, a craft store, and a 1908 Watson Clydesdale barn (one of  Canada's largest), as well as an 18-hole golf course and world-class  spa.

SPECIAL INTEREST

Days of Yore     

The Cariboo is not only home to the ghosts of the Wild West,  but of the Middle Ages as well. Much of this area falls under the realm  of the Kingdom of An Tir, a fictitious feudal society that is part of  the global Society for Creative Anachronism.     

Begun in 1966 in Berkeley, California, by a group of  science-fiction and fantasy fans planning a theme party, the Society has  since grown into a worldwide organization of 16 "kingdoms" whose  members are devoted to the research and recreation of the Middle Ages.  Members study dance, calligraphy, martial arts, cooking, stained glass,  metal-work, costume design, heraldry, even brewing meads and beers.

Every August the Incipient Shire of Coill Mhor (Gaelic for  "Great Forest"), located at 100 Mile House, hosts The Clinton War. This  four-day event is a celebration of contests, battles, and revelry  between The Barony of Lions Gate (Vancouver) and the Shire of Ramsgaard  (Kamloops). Participants must be versed in medieval literature and  crafts as well as battle techniques to win the war.