In the 1700’s, the Nadleh First Nations discovered Nadleh and the Nadleh River, red from the mountainside. They hiked down and discovered that this red was Salmon. The mountain was called ‘Katzis Yus’ in their language, and it was used for testing people to become medicine doctors. They were left for a week with no food or water, to live off the land on dangerous cliffs. After a week, they’d come look for you. The mountain has a fresh water spring that locals and First Nations still use today.
The Dakelh trails predate 1734, including Fraser Mountain. Their oral histories have their people creating these trails when the last glaciers of the last ice age melted and receded, creating the rivers that currently flow to the Pacific Ocean. After 1806, the trails were then used to guide the way for surveyors, etc., to build the telegraph lines, roads, and eventually the highway.
In 1961, a fire lookout was built, which offered panoramic views of Fraser Lake and the surrounding area.
A recreation & BC Parks program worked on clearing and marking this trail around 1972-73.
The trail is currently maintained by the Rip’n The North Bike Club in partnership with Recreation Sites and Trails BC.
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