Mica Creek

Near the great bend of the upper Columbia, wooded mountains enclose the meeting of river routes and high passes. In 1811 the trader and surveyor David Thompson crossed Athabasca Pass with the guidance of Thomas the Iroquois and reached the Columbia. He spent the winter near the mouth of the Canoe River, building a canoe before continuing his journey. The site became known as Boat Encampment, a transfer point between the mountain trail and the river.