Jarvis Pass facts for kids

Jarvis Pass is a mountain pass located in Kakwa Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. It sits right on the border between British Columbia and Alberta, which means it's also part of the Continental Divide. This important pass was explored in the 1870s as a possible route for the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Exploring Jarvis Pass

Jarvis Pass was discovered during a big expedition to find a good path for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The CPR was a huge project to build a railway across Canada.

The Expedition Begins

On December 9, 1874, two explorers named E.W. Jarvis and Major C.F. Hanington started their journey. They began in a town called Quesnel, in British Columbia. Their main goal was to see if the route they traveled could be used to build the new railway.

Discovery of the Pass

In February 1875, E.W. Jarvis found the pass that now carries his name. It was an exciting discovery! However, the pass was quite high up, about 5,000 ft (1,500 m) (around 1,524 meters) above sea level. This elevation made it too difficult and expensive for the railway to use.

Journey's End

Even though the pass wasn't right for the railway, Jarvis and Hanington continued their long journey. They traveled about 1,000 mi (1,600 km) (around 1,609 kilometers) across the country. Their expedition finally ended on May 21, 1875, when they reached Winnipeg.

Naming the Pass

The pass was named in honor of E.W. Jarvis, who discovered it. The name was officially recognized by the Geographical Board on March 31, 1917. It was confirmed again on December 15, 1982. The mountains on either side of the pass are also named after the explorers: Mount Jarvis and Mount Hanington.