The Grand Canyon
Of The North
Its unofficial title is the “Grand Canyon of the North,” a remote section of the Fraser Canyon that runs north of Lillooet and south of Williams Lake, far away from any road that would allow access to its scenic beauty. The only way into this canyon is via a long and steep descent on foot (if you have a great map that shows you how to get there), or via jet boat, or by helicopter. Exploring this gem via helicopter is one of the premium adventures we offer on demand (weather-permitting), with an experienced pilot to navigate the rugged canyon.
North of the Big Bar ferry (a 20-minute drive west of Echo Valley Ranch, or a 5-minute flight on a chopper) the Fraser River takes a sharp bend, and the topography changes. On the eastern side of the canyon appears a long stretch of “hoodoos,” enormous sandstone sculptures created by wind and water over countless centuries.
The Fraser River Canyon is at least 10,000 years old, and over that time strange rock formations have been sculpted into stone. The canyon is almost 1,000 metres (3,000 feet) deep, and the gigantic sandstone sculptures may be 300 metres (1,000 feet) high, and they extend for some distance.
It is also where you can find a bizarre rock formation known as the Sacred Spires, a heavily eroded sandstone wall carved and twisted by time into an unearthly work of art. Hidden high in the midst of the Sacred Spires is the most bizarre rock formation of all. Eroded by countless eons of time and weather, here one finds the face of an ancient Indigenous chief, clear and distinct, like a northern version of Mt. Rushmore. It can only be seen when it wants to be seen, during the right time of light and shadow. Exposed, it presides over this ancient aboriginal region.
A Once-in-a-Lifetime
Adventure
Once the chopper touches down it’s time to debark and explore the region on foot, amazed at the mind-boggling scale of the canyon. It’s hard to understand how far it is to any point on the compass. It boggles the mind to think that gold miners may have traversed this topography on foot only 150 years ago, trudging on their mule trails to the Cariboo goldfields further north.
We are thrilled to be able to offer this premium adventure to our guests, to experience awe and awaken wonder in a truly remote and beautiful place.
We respectfully acknowledge that the images of the Fraser Canyon depict the exclusive territory of the High Bar First Nation (HBFN).
