Cayoosh Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cayoosh Creek |
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Cayoosh Creek
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| Other name(s) | Cayoose Creek |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Cayoosh Range Coast Mountains |
| River mouth | Seton River Lillooet 229 m (751 ft) 50°40′7″N 121°58′21″W / 50.66861°N 121.97250°W |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 885 km2 (342 sq mi) |
Cayoosh Creek is a river in British Columbia, Canada. It flows northeast and joins the Seton River. Even though the Seton River was renamed, many local people still call its lower part Cayoosh Creek. The creek is also the namesake for the Cayoosh Creek Indian Reserve No. 1. This reserve is home to the Cayoose Creek Indian Band, also known as the Sekwelwas First Nation.
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Where Cayoosh Creek Flows
Cayoosh Creek starts in the Cayoosh Range mountains. It flows generally northeast from there. The creek then meets the Seton River near the town of Lillooet.
For about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles), the Seton River is often called Cayoosh Creek by local people. You can even see this name on a sign on BC Highway 99. This highway crosses the creek just before the Bridge of the Twenty-Three Camels over the Fraser River.
The Cayoosh Canyon
Cayoosh Creek is already 10 kilometers (6 miles) long when it reaches Duffey Lake. This lake is about 20 kilometers (12 miles) long and is a major part of the creek's upper area. After leaving Duffey Lake, the creek drops quickly. It carves a deep path between the Cayoosh Range and the Lillooet Ranges to the south.
Duffey Lake is named after a person who explored the Cayoosh valley. He was looking for a possible wagon road to Lillooet. However, the valley was too steep for a road.
The creek's path to the Seton River becomes a very deep, narrow, and winding canyon. The canyon walls are thousands of feet high. On the north side of the canyon, there was once a gold mine called the Golden Cache Mine. This mine caused a small gold rush between 1897 and 1901. Its old buildings were deep in the canyon. Another gold mine, the Ample Mine, was on the opposite side.
At the bottom of the canyon, there is a small private reservoir. It was formed by a dam where Cayoosh Falls used to be. This area was once a private estate and research center called Walden North. It was built by Vernon Pick, who looked for valuable minerals.
The area from Cayoosh Falls to the Fraser River was famous for the Cayoosh Gold Rush in the 1880s. It's estimated that 300 Chinese gold miners found a lot of gold here. The creek's riverbed was completely dug up during this time. You can still find remains of Chinese gold-processing sites and piles of washed rocks from their mining methods near a campsite.
The "Nkoomptch" Area
Near where Cayoosh Creek meets the Seton River, you can see Mount Brew. This mountain is very tall, reaching about 3,039 meters (9,970 feet). The creek's meeting point is much lower, around 213 meters (700 feet).
The area around the lower Seton River and Cayoosh Canyon is a large canyon complex. It has very tall walls, ranging from 1,500 to 2,100 meters (5,000 to 7,000 feet) high. This region is very dry and gets very hot in the summer. You can find lizards, cactus, and sagebrush here.
The historical name for this area is "Nkoomptch." In the St'at'imcets language, it means "water crossing over." In 1862, Governor Seymour had one of the first flour mills in the interior of British Columbia built here. This helped provide food during the Cariboo Gold Rush. A store was also located here, as this was an important route for travelers.
An interesting feature of Cayoosh Creek's lower part is that it is crossed by a canal. This canal, called the Seton Canal, is part of a large power project. It helps feed a powerhouse that generates electricity near the Fraser River.
Why is it Called Cayoosh Creek?
There are different stories about how the creek got its name.
"Cayoosh" is a local way of saying "cayuse." In the Lillooet and Chilcotin regions, a "cayuse" refers to a special type of mountain pony used by Indigenous people.
The traditional Indigenous names for the stream are said to be Tsammuk and/or Tsho-ha-mous.
