Back in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic I had a career as a teacher, technologist, and marketing specialist (with a musicians background) who ended up in corporate. Yet this gave me the opportunity to write a class about property in Washington State and I was totally enamored by David Thompson as I did my research. I knew so little about him and not dissing Lewis & Clark, Thompson did so much that was so consequential to our PNW history. The fact that he did find the headwaters to the Columbia and explored it all the way to Astoria and created trading relationships along the way is truly amazing. Great episode and thank you for this story!
Fun fact….lewis and Clark used one of Thompson’s maps that Thomas Jefferson had got his hands on , Thompson possibly the greatest explorer and map maker ever to explore the continent.
I live within 2 km of the start of the river out of Columbia Lake, but south of me where the Kootenay river passes going south there is a mountain with a face of Rain in the mountain face, I cannot paste a photo of Rain but she still overlooks our Great Columbia River Valley,
In the fall of 2023, I paddled Columbia Lake, at Canal Flats, and would have loved to paddle more! 30 day later, I drove along the Columbia, on my way to the west coast, USA, on the way to California. And on the way back, beautiful!
Early Fall 1962, a friend & I chose to drive Canada's "Big Bend Highway" that parallels the Columbia River from its very humble beginnings...from glaciers to...basically in a swamp...all the way to Portland. We stood on a "signed" boardwalk in the swamp where we saw the water SLOWLY separate from us...with slow-but-distinct movements ...to the left [North]...and to the right [South - the ATHABASCA ]...then followed the Columbia's flow NORTH...even observing early construction stages of the PEACE RIVER DAM...at the northern "Big Bend" of the Columbia [east-to-west]...w/ side trips to Banff/Lake Louise...and other "sights/sites" between here [close to Portland] and there. There are so many [slowly melting] ice/snow fields in SE Alberta to keep the Columbia River flowing...and WELL,TOO...for MILLENIA! Dr. RM Kaufman/NW Oregon/US.
There is no "Peace River dam". The WAC Bennett dam on the Peace River is one of 3 major dams on that system, but they are miles away from the Columbia and drain to the Arctic Ocean. There is, however, the Mica Dam on the Columbia, north of Revelstoke and near the apex of the Big Bend.
Hey! I just turned 85! My memory is les-than-perfect at times! The Peace River Dam was visited on a separate trip....my honeymoon...June '66...Both trips very memorable! Lake Chelan was in that trip! Dr. RM Kaufman :-)
It's not Columbia Lake. It's the short little [but longest] creeklet that leads INTO the lake's south end - there's a labelled trailhead that leads out to the Source from a parking lot just north of Canal Flats. And it's not really wilderness...
Columbia Lake in the Kootenays of British Columbia is the source . In the Rocky Mountain Trench. Been there . River flows north from the lake before turning south. I think the Mica Dam which forms Kinbasket Lake is on the bend in the river . Next dam is Revestoke Dam . Maybe one more in BC before it flows into WA.
Yes indeed that's where I live ... near the beginning of the river where it passes going north to Golden and then goes on the other side of the Purcells
The original Trans-Canada highway snaked alongside the Columbia River up to Big Bend, heading north and then around and south again. You can still see remnants of the old paved thoroughfare north of Revelstoke (all the way to Big Bend) and separately, a few kms north of Golden, BC, though one can no longer trace the old route in its entirety by car.
At the south end of Columbia Lake there's a town called Canal Flats through which the Kootenay River flows south. It meanders across the US Canada border and joins the Columbia in Castlegar BC after flowing through Columbia Lake. I find it really interesting that at Canal Flats you could put in a canoe and head north or south and still end up in the same place. The two bodies of water (Columbia Lake and the Kootenay River) are separated by less than 3km.
I was surprised at the portion of water from Canada (30-40%). I think the Canadian land area is far less than that amount, although i stand to be corrected. Different rainfall regimes.
Hmm. If by "start" you are strictly referring to where does the named water flow start, then yes, it is Columbia Lake. But there are bodies of water that flow into Columbia Lake. The longest of these is Dutch Creek, and therefore the headwaters of Columbia Lake is the headwaters of Dutch Creek, high in the Purcell Mountains. But the same definition applies to entire river systems: where is the headwaters of the longest tributary? In the case of the Columbia River, this is the headwaters of the Snake River, in Wyoming.
Wow!!! Could there still have been some ancient wooly mammoths alive back then??!! What an amazing thought! I’m so sorry they aren’t around now. Fascinating
@martinsweeney4563 All the Rivers on the Westcoast of Canada and the United States have to be protected, my kids love Salmon and Trout fishing, i don't know if yourself or children enjoy the outdoors as much as mine do
The real question is - Where is that big valve that Trump was talking about? You know, that magic one that he just has to turn and water will flow from Canada, over the mountains and into California?
Nice discussion. Of course where a river 'starts' is just as arbitrary as its naming. The Columbia also starts as the Salmon in Idaho, or the Owyhee also in Oregon, or the Snake, also in Wyoming, or the McKenzie in Oregon ...
No it does not. You clearly do not understand the definition of 'headwaters'. head·wa·ter /ˈhedˌwôdər,ˈhedˌwädər/ noun plural noun: headwaters a tributary stream of a river close to or forming part of its source. "these paths follow rivers right up into their headwaters" The American education system is an abject failure.
Back in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic I had a career as a teacher, technologist, and marketing specialist (with a musicians background) who ended up in corporate. Yet this gave me the opportunity to write a class about property in Washington State and I was totally enamored by David Thompson as I did my research. I knew so little about him and not dissing Lewis & Clark, Thompson did so much that was so consequential to our PNW history. The fact that he did find the headwaters to the Columbia and explored it all the way to Astoria and created trading relationships along the way is truly amazing. Great episode and thank you for this story!
So glad you enjoyed it!
The indigenous people called David "Koo-Koo-sint" or " the Stargazer"
I thought everyone knew that, but then again I grew up in British Columbia and worked in the tourism industry for several years.
Fun fact….lewis and Clark used one of Thompson’s maps that Thomas Jefferson had got his hands on , Thompson possibly the greatest explorer and map maker ever to explore the continent.
The northernmost tributary of the Columbia is the Canoe River near Valemount BC
It is not the deep North West of Eastern BC; it is the South East of BC. Surely one would know this ?
I live within 2 km of the start of the river out of Columbia Lake, but south of me where the Kootenay river passes going south there is a mountain with a face of Rain in the mountain face, I cannot paste a photo of Rain but she still overlooks our Great Columbia River Valley,
I'm in Trail BC here it passes right through town.
That’s funny! I’m in Castlegar, BC! 😁
…the confluence of the Kootenay River and Columbia River
@@Butterflies-are-free It's a small world eh?
Starts at Columbia lake in the East Kootebays in BC
Hello actually I believe Columbia Lake is in the South East corner of BC. Not the north west.
Yeah, I thought that line was kinda awkward, too.
In the fall of 2023, I paddled Columbia Lake, at Canal Flats, and would have loved to paddle more!
30 day later, I drove along the Columbia, on my way to the west coast, USA, on the way to California.
And on the way back, beautiful!
Early Fall 1962, a friend & I chose to drive Canada's "Big Bend Highway" that parallels the Columbia River from its very humble beginnings...from glaciers to...basically in a swamp...all the way to Portland. We stood on a "signed" boardwalk in the swamp where we saw the water SLOWLY separate from us...with slow-but-distinct movements ...to the left [North]...and to the right [South - the ATHABASCA ]...then followed the Columbia's flow NORTH...even observing early construction stages of the PEACE RIVER DAM...at the northern "Big Bend" of the Columbia [east-to-west]...w/ side trips to Banff/Lake Louise...and other "sights/sites" between here [close to Portland] and there. There are so many [slowly melting] ice/snow fields in SE Alberta to keep the Columbia River flowing...and WELL,TOO...for MILLENIA! Dr. RM Kaufman/NW Oregon/US.
There is no "Peace River dam". The WAC Bennett dam on the Peace River is one of 3 major dams on that system, but they are miles away from the Columbia and drain to the Arctic Ocean. There is, however, the Mica Dam on the Columbia, north of Revelstoke and near the apex of the Big Bend.
Hey! I just turned 85! My memory is les-than-perfect at times! The Peace River Dam was visited on a separate trip....my honeymoon...June '66...Both trips very memorable! Lake Chelan was in that trip! Dr. RM Kaufman :-)
I didn't even know Bob Ross had a little brother who did geographical documentaries on PBS.
It's not Columbia Lake. It's the short little [but longest] creeklet that leads INTO the lake's south end - there's a labelled trailhead that leads out to the Source from a parking lot just north of Canal Flats. And it's not really wilderness...
Columbia Lake in the Kootenays of British Columbia is the source . In the Rocky Mountain Trench. Been there . River flows north from the lake before turning south. I think the Mica Dam which forms Kinbasket Lake is on the bend in the river . Next dam is Revestoke Dam . Maybe one more in BC before it flows into WA.
Yes indeed that's where I live ... near the beginning of the river where it passes going north to Golden and then goes on the other side of the Purcells
David Thompson was in that region 2 decades before the yank explorer's showed up, infact they used one of his trails to head West.
Awesome video! 👍😎🇨🇦
Beautifully wide river!
The original Trans-Canada highway snaked alongside the Columbia River up to Big Bend, heading north and then around and south again. You can still see remnants of the old paved thoroughfare north of Revelstoke (all the way to Big Bend) and separately, a few kms north of Golden, BC, though one can no longer trace the old route in its entirety by car.
At the south end of Columbia Lake there's a town called Canal Flats through which the Kootenay River flows south. It meanders across the US Canada border and joins the Columbia in Castlegar BC after flowing through Columbia Lake. I find it really interesting that at Canal Flats you could put in a canoe and head north or south and still end up in the same place. The two bodies of water (Columbia Lake and the Kootenay River) are separated by less than 3km.
I was going to comment something similar, but you did a better job than I would have done.
Excellent video!
I was surprised at the portion of water from Canada (30-40%). I think the Canadian land area is far less than that amount, although i stand to be corrected. Different rainfall regimes.
In Canada of course!
Hmm. If by "start" you are strictly referring to where does the named water flow start, then yes, it is Columbia Lake. But there are bodies of water that flow into Columbia Lake. The longest of these is Dutch Creek, and therefore the headwaters of Columbia Lake is the headwaters of Dutch Creek, high in the Purcell Mountains. But the same definition applies to entire river systems: where is the headwaters of the longest tributary? In the case of the Columbia River, this is the headwaters of the Snake River, in Wyoming.
Wow just learning that now , yup , its a Canadian born river , your welcome .
Im 600 meters from the fraser...
Wow!!! Could there still have been some ancient wooly mammoths alive back then??!! What an amazing thought! I’m so sorry they aren’t around now. Fascinating
Ok wondering around the stores and never got a conclusion. Love your work, still wanting more, but just the fax ma'am. thank you
about a hour from my home
Columbia lake British Columbia.
Our River our Salmon, just kidding, just don't let anyone build anymore Hydro Electric Plants on it or near it
Or smelters.
@martinsweeney4563 All the Rivers on the Westcoast of Canada and the United States have to be protected, my kids love Salmon and Trout fishing, i don't know if yourself or children enjoy the outdoors as much as mine do
@@George-gf5xs Living on Haida Gwaii. Grew up in the Yukon.
@@martinsweeney4563 Great Fishing and Hunting in both those areas
The real question is - Where is that big valve that Trump was talking about? You know, that magic one that he just has to turn and water will flow from Canada, over the mountains and into California?
Columbia River starts in Canada
Nice discussion. Of course where a river 'starts' is just as arbitrary as its naming. The Columbia also starts as the Salmon in Idaho, or the Owyhee also in Oregon, or the Snake, also in Wyoming, or the McKenzie in Oregon ...
No it does not. You clearly do not understand the definition of 'headwaters'.
head·wa·ter
/ˈhedˌwôdər,ˈhedˌwädər/
noun
plural noun: headwaters
a tributary stream of a river close to or forming part of its source.
"these paths follow rivers right up into their headwaters"
The American education system is an abject failure.