Nyan Wheti is an ancient land route in northern

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

from the

Dakelh The Dakelh (pronounced ) or Carrier are the indigenous people of a large portion of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. The "Carrier" name was derived from an English translation of ''Aghele'', the name from the neighbouring Sekani ...

villages on

Fraser Lake Fraser Lake is a village in northern British Columbia, Canada. It's located on the southwest side of Fraser Lake between Burns Lake and Vanderhoof alongside the Yellowhead Highway. The small community's population is primarily employed by eithe ...

(''Nadlehbunk'ut'') to villages on Stuart Lake (''Nak'albun''), about 50 km to the north. The name in Carrier means "The Way Across." The trail, was part of the vast network called the

Grease Trail A grease trail is an overland trade route, part of a network of trails connecting the British Columbia Coast, Pacific coast with the British Columbia Interior, Interior in the Pacific Northwest. History Trails were developed for trade between ...

which was used by the Dakelh people for as a major trade, travel and communication line. and its use only increased when European

fur trade The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...

forts were set up on the two lakes, Fort Fraser and

Fort St. James Fort St. James is a district municipality and former fur trading post in northern central British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the south-eastern shore of Stuart Lake in the Omineca Country, at the northern terminus of Highway 27, which con ...

respectively. From Stuart Lake, the route follows Sowchea Creek south to Nanna (''Chus-Kan'') Lake, then past Marie (''Kwah'') Lake, Sutherland Lake, and Pitka Mountain, where it passes through the ''Porte de l'enfer'' (Hell's Gate) Pass, ending finally in Nadleh Village on Fraser Lake. From Nadleh, the

Cheslatta Trail The Cheslatta Trail (or ''Tsetl'adak ts'eti'' in Carrier)Nyan Whut'en Hubughunek (Cheslatta Carrier Dictionary). 2009. William J.Poser (compiler). Burns Lake, BC: Cheslatta Carrier Nation. is an ancient land route in British Columbia, Canada, that ...

continues south to Cheslatta Lake. At present, the trailhead in Fort St. James is located at the end of Baker Drive, off Sowchea road, between

Paarens Beach Provincial Park Paarens Beach Provincial Park is a provincial park in central British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the south-west shore of Stuart Lake, to the west of Fort St. James. History Paarens Beach Provincial is set in the midst of a historic regi ...

and

Sowchea Bay Provincial Park Sowchea Bay Provincial Park is a provincial park in central British Columbia, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward int ...

. It ends near the Nadleh Whut'en First Nation reserve, just off the

Yellowhead Highway The Yellowhead Highway (french: Route Yellowhead) is a major interprovincial highway in Western Canada that runs from Winnipeg to Graham Island off the coast of British Columbia via Saskatoon and Edmonton. It stretches across the four western ...

. It is a class 5 trail, and it recommended only for skilled hikers.

References

Further reading