The Route of the
Strathcona Centennial Expedition
In 2011 BC will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of its world-renowned parks system. To celebrate this landmark anniversary planning is underway to re-enact the original 1910 BC Government Strathcona Discovery Expedition in July 2010, following Price Ellison’s footsteps from Victoria via Vancouver and Campbell River through Strathcona Park to Port Alberni, including an ascent of Crown Mountain en route.
It is hoped that contemporaries of some of the original party members will partake. For example the Minister of Environment, representatives from the Ministry of Forests, Parks along with a local historian, photographer, members of the Vancouver Island First Nations and the general public.
In all the original expedition had 23 participants with 9 of the party making the ascent of Crown Mountain. As much as possible these numbers should be repeated although with the greatly improved access to the lakes it is possible for several ‘shifts’, specifically along the three lake legs. Participants will enter or leave the expedition at a couple of key points, specifically: Strathcona Dam & trestle bridge, Strathcona Park Lodge, Thelwood Creek at the south end of Buttle Lake and at Great Central Lake.
Planning the centennial expedition is well underway. The organizers have received a proclamation from British Columbia's Lt. Governor marking this expedition as the official re-enactment. With this significant addition to the project fundraising has begun in earnest. Donations can be accepted at any time, details here. Sponsoring partnerships are being developed to secure donations in-kind and financial support for planning staff and materials, details here.
The original trek took five weeks but the re-enactment is anticipated to take closer to three weeks as much of the early travel on the Campbell River is lake paddling and roads make travel and resupply logistics easier in other places. The schedule is pivoted on a July 29th ascent of Crown Mountain. See the day to day expedition calendar for more details.
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