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Top Level		 A Chronology of the History of the Canadian Rockies

 As is the case with all of the components of Peakfinder, this chronology is "under construction" with additions being made on a regular basis. On-line searches and filtering are not currently available but it does provide a quick reference to over 200 significant events in the history of the Canadian Rockies. Information regarding all of the peaks and passes, and most of the people mentioned are available in the corresponding sections of Peakfinder. If you know of an important event that we have left out please let us know.
 
Year Subject Event
1751 De Saint Pierre, Le Gardeur There is documentation that De Saint Pierre, a French explorer, "ascended the river Paskoya (Saskatchewan) as far as the Rocky Mountains and established a good fort" in 1851. [Details may be read in "Small Moments in Time" by Anne (McMullen) Belliveau.]
1754 Henday, Anthony After ascending a hill near what is now Innisfail, Anthony Henday sees the Canadian Rockies. He wrote in his jounal, "On a rising ground I had an extensive view of the Arsinie Watchie (Rocky Mountains). . ." [The Mountains and the Sky -Glenbow]
1792 Fidler, Peter Peter Fidler becomes the first non-native to refer to a mountain in the Rockies by name (Devil's Head), name a mountain (The Pyramid; now known as Mount Glasgow), to enter the Rockies, and to climb a peak (Thunder Mountain, south of the Oldman Gap).
1800 Thompson, David and McGillivray, Duncan David Thompson and Duncan McGillivray venture up the Bow Valley to the Lac des Arcs area in the late fall of the year.
1807 Thompson, David David Thompson completes the first crossing of Howse Pass. He builds Kooenae House in the upper Columbia Valley near the present town of Invermere.
1811 Thompson, David David Thompson completes the first crossing of Athabasca Pass.
1813 North West Company The North West Company builds a trading post near what is now the eastern entrance to Jasper National Park. It is named Jasper House in 1817 when it was operated by Jasper Hawes.
1820 Bostonnais, Pierre Pierre Bostonnais (Tete Jaune), an Iroquois Indian, guides HBC men through the Yellowhead Pass.
1824 Simpson, George George Simpson, Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company travels over Athabasca Pass. He visits and names the small lake on the summit of the pass known as the Committee's Punch Bowl.
1825 Drummond, Thomas Formerly a botanist with the Second Franklin Arctic Expedition, Thomas Drummond ascends the Athabasca River and studies the plants, animals, and birds of the Canadian Rockies.
1827 Infrastructure Jasper House is moved to a site near Jasper Lake.
1827 Douglas, David David Douglas passes over Athabasca Pass. He declares Mounts Brown and Hooker to be 16-17,000 feet (5200metres) and climbs Mount Brown (the second ascent of a peak in the Canadian Rockies -see Thunder Mountain).
1841 Simpson, George As Governor of the Hudson Bay Company, George Simpson travelled through Devil's Gap, along the shores of Lake Minnewanka, and over Simpson Pass en route to the Pacific.
1841 Sinclair, James James Sinclair leads 23 Metis families along Lake Minnewanka, down the Bow Valley several kilometres, through White Man's Gap, up the Spray Valley, over White Man Pass to the Kootenay valley, through Sinclair Pass to the Columbia, and then to Oregon.
1844 Rundle, Rev. Robert Rev. Rundle travels up the Bow Valley until he is "at last right into the midst of the Rocky Mountains."
1845 De Smet, Father P.J. A Jesuit missionary, Father De Smet explores and does missionary work in the Canadian Rockies in 1845 and 1846. This includes a trip to White Man Pass where a large cross was erected.
1845 Warre, Henry J. and Vavasour, Lt. Mervin Warre and Vavasour cross White Man Pass, secretly evaluating the possibility of defending Canada from a possible American invasion. Warre was an artist and made the first paintings of the Canadian Rockies
1846 Kane, Paul Artist Paul Kane visits the Canadian Rockies, sketching Jasper House, the mountains, and the Indians. He crossed Athabasca Pass during November and again a year later as he returned from a summer's sketching in the Columbia Valley.
1847 Rundle, Robert Robert Rundle holds a service for the Stoney Indians near what is now Banff townsite.
1850 Sinclair, James James Sinclair travels through White Man Pass to invesigate the condition of Hudson Bay Company Forts.
1854 Sinclair, James James Sinclair leads a second group (see 1841) of about one hundred people and 250 cattle up the Kananaskis River, over North Kanananaskis Pass into BC and eventually down the Columbia River to Oregon.
1858 Blakiston, Thomas As part of the Palliser Expedition, Thomas Blakiston travels over North Kootenay Pass and reached the Kootenay Valley. He returned via South Kootenay Pass.
1858 Palliser, John As part of the Palliser Expedition, John Palliser travels up the Kananaskis Valley and into the Kootenay River Valley (over Elk Pass or North Kananaskis Pass?). He returned to the prairies via North Kootenay Pass (Spry Page 139).
1858 Hector, James As part of the Palliser Expedition, James Hector travels over Vermilion Pass to the Columbia River, returning via Kicking Horse Pass, Bow Pass, and the Saskatchewan River Valley.
1859 Southesk, Earl of (James Carnegie) The first tourist to visit what is now Jasper National Park, the Earl travels south from the Athabasca, over Pipestone River to the Bow River Valley. In 1875 he wrote, “Saskatchewan and the Rocky Mountains” which described his travels.
1859 Hector, James As part of the Palliser Expedition, James Hector travels up the Bow Valley, over Pipestone Pass to the Saskatchewan and crossed Howse Pass. Earlier in the year he journeyed up the Athabasca River Valley to its junction with the Whirlpool River.
1862 Overlanders, The A group of about 115 adventurers forces their way through Yellowhead Pass to the goldfields of British Columbia.
1863 Cheadle, Walter and Viscount Milton Cheadle and Milton travel up the Athabasca River and become the first “tourists” to travel through the Yellowhead Pass.They later co-authored “The North-West Passage by Land."
1865 Brown, Kootenai Kootenai Brown visits what is now Waterton National Park for the first time and states: "This is what I have seen in my dreams, this is the country for me."
1872 Grant, George Together with Sanford Fleming, Engineer in Chief of the proposed trans-continental railway, George Grant travels through the Yellowhead Pass. This was the first CPR Survey crew to enter the Rockies. Later, Grant would write, "Ocean to Ocean."
1874 Infrastructure The hot springs on Sulphur mountain are discovered and a shack built nearby with the hope of "claiming" them.
1875 McLeod, Henry Henry McLeod travels up the Maligne River Valley to Maligne Lake in order to determine its suitability as a railway route.
1879 Brown, Kootenai Kootenai Brown and his wife Olive Lyonnais become the first residents in what is now the Waterton Lakes area.
1881 Infrastructure Major A.B. Rogers conducts some surveys in the Bow Valley and Kicking Horse Pass area on behalf of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
1881 Lorne, Marquis of The Governor General of Canada at the time, the Marquis of Lorne visits the Elbow valley and sketched the Mount Glasgow-Banded Peak group. The sketch was made into an etching by Edward Whymper. Alberta is named after his wife, princess Louise Alberta.
1882 Wilson, Tom Tom Wilson becomes the first non-native to visit Lake Louise and Emerald Lake.
1883 McCardell, Tom and William and McCabe, Frank While in the area working on the CPR, the McCardell Brothers and Frand McCabe locate the Sulphur Mountain Hot Springs, descending into the cave at the "Cave and Basin" site at the foot of Sulphur Mountain.
1883 Infrastructure Silver City, at the base of Castle Mountain becomes a railway boom town. Silver is rumoured to have been discovered in the mountains nearby Two years later the town would be completely abandoned.
1883 Infrastructure The Kicking Horse Pass is chosen as the Canadian Pacific Railway's route through the Canadian Rockies.
1883 Infrastructure The Canadian Pacific Railway reaches the Lake Louise area.
1884 Infrastructure The CPR build the railway between Laggan (Lake Louise) and Golden.
1884 McArthur, J.J. J.J. McArthur surveys the Southesk River for the CPR.
1884 Temple, Sir Richard Members of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, including Sir Richard Temple, visit Lake Louise
1884 Coleman, Arthur Arthur Coleman makes the first of eight trips to the Canadian Rockies. He climbs a small mountain near Lake Louise and completes the first ascent of Castle Mountain.
1884 Dawson, George M. During 1884 and 1885 George Dawson travels extensively through the Rockies. As a geologist with the Geological Survey of Canada he was the first scientist to map and study the Rockies on behalf of the Government of Canada.
1885 Infrastructure The Canadian Pacific Railway is completed.
1885 Infrastructure The "Hot Springs Reserve" was established at Banff, later to become Banff National Park.
1886 Macdonald, Sir John A. and Lady Macdonald Although the CPR was completed in 1885, regular travel does not begin until 1886. During that year Prime Minister John A. Macdonald and his wife travel across the country, Lady Macdonald choosing to ride on the cow catcher through parts of the Rockies.
1886 Infrastructure The CPR builds a "dining room" next to the platform at Field which was further developed into the first CPR Hotel in the Rockies, Mount Stephen House.
1886 McArthur, James J. From 1886 until 1893, James Joseph McArthur, a Dominion Land Surveyor, works on a topographic survey of the mountains along the Canadian Pacific Railway's main line
1886 Infrastructure Mount Stephen Park Reserve is established at the base of Mount Stephen. It becomes the basis for Yoho National Park.
1887 Infrastructure Tom Wilson blazes a trail from the Bow Valley to Lake Louise.
1887 Infrastructure National Park status was proclaimed for the previously established reserve at Banff. The park became known as Rocky Mountains Park.
1887 Vaux, George George Vaux and family make their first visit to the Selkirks and Canadian Rockies.
1888 Infrastructure Banff Springs Hotel opened.
1888 Infrastructure Tom Wilson made a trail to the shore of Lake Louise. Dave White built a cabin there.
1888 Green, Rev. William Spotswood After exploring and climbing in the Selkirks above Roger's Pass, Rev. Green and H. Swanzy visit the Lake Louise area and name what is now Mount Victoria, Mount Green.
1889 Schaffer, Mary Mary Sharples (later to become Mary Schaffer) makes her first visit to the Canadian Rockies.
1890 McArthur, J.J. J.J. McArthur becomes the first to reach Lake O'Hara.
1890 Infrastructure The first chalet on the shores of Lake Louise is built.
1891 Allen, Samuel Samuel Allen visits the Selkirks and the Canadian Rockies for the first time.
1892 Coleman, Arthur Together with his brother Quincy, Arthur Coleman travels from Morley through the Rockies to the Fortress Lake area in search of Mount Brown and Mount Hooker.
1892 Infrastructure Lake Louise Forest Park is created (an area of 55 square miles).
1893 Coleman, Arthur Arthur Coleman reaches Athabasca Pass and realizes that Mount Brown and Mount Hooker are not the giant peaks as claimed by David Douglas.
1893 Wilcox, Walter Walter Wilcox visits Lake Louise for the first time together with Samuel Allen.
1893 Peyto, Bill After prospecting near Banff for several years, Bill Peyto begins working for Tom Wilson's outfitting company.
1893 Wilson, Tom Tom Wilson guides R.L. Barrett to the foot of Mt. Assiniboine. This was the first visit to the Mount Assiniboine area.
1894 Allen, Samuel E.S. Samuel Allen reaches Opabin Pass from the south, and then, with Yule Carryer, travels up Cataract Creek to Lake O'hara, Lake Oesa, and Abbot's Pass.
1894 Allen, Samuel and Wilcox, Walter Allen and Wilcox explore in the Lake Louise area and are the first to visit the Valley of the Ten Peaks
1895 Infrastructure Waterton Lakes National Park is created.
1896 Abbot, Philip S. While attempting Mount Lefroy with Charles Fay and others, Phillip Abbott falls and is killed, becoming the first mountaineering fatality in the Canadian Rockies.
1896 Wilcox, Walter Walter Wilcox, R.L. Barrett, Tom Lusk, and Fred Stephens become the first to reach Sunwapta Pass.
1896 Fay, Charles Charles Fay travels from his home in the eastern US to make his first of twenty-five visits to climb in the Canadian Rockies.
1897 Collie, J. Norman Norman Collie, with guide Peter Sarbach and others, completes the first ascents of Mount Lefroy and Mount Victoria.
1897 Habel, Jean Jean Habel returns to Canada to become the first to explore the Yoho Valley which he had seen from the train the previous year.
1897 Sarbach, Peter The first of the Swiss Guides to work in the Rockies, Peter Sarbach leads the first ascents of Mount Lefroy and Mount Victoria.
1897 Simpson, Jimmy Jimmy Simpson arrives in the Canadian Rockies and commences work as a cook for Tom Wilson.
1898 Infrastructure The CPR builds a line through the Crowsnest Pass.
1898 Collie, J. Norman Norman Collie and party travel north to Sunwapta Pass and is the first to see the Columbia Icefield.
1899 Brewster, Bill and Jim Bill and Jim Brewster open an outfitting business in Banff.
1899 Feuz, Edward sr. Edward Feuz sr., one of the first Swiss Guides hired by the CPR, is hired by the Canadian Pacific Railway. He continues to guide in Canada until 1911.
1899 Hasler, Christian Sr. Christian Hasler Sr., one of the first Swiss Guides hired by the CPR, begins his guiding career in the Rockies which continues until 1911.
1899 Wilcox, Walter Walter Wilcox becomes the first white man to visit Moraine Lake.
1900 Infrastructure The CPR builds a trail up the Yoho River Valley as far as Takakkaw Falls.
1900 Kaufmann, Christian Christian Kaufmann arrives in Canada with Norman Collie.
1901 Infrastructure A teahouse is built at Lake Agnes above Lake Louise.
1901 Infrastructure Yoho Park Reserve was established.
1901 Peyto, Bill Bill Peyto starts his outfitting business in Banff.
1901 Wilcox, Walter Walter Wilcox visits the upper Kananaskis Valley.
1901 Outram, James James Outram completes twenty-eight first ascents during the years 1901 and 1902. In 1901 he completes the first ascent of Mount Assiniboine.
1901 Kaufmann, Hans Hans Kaufmann begins his guiding career in the Rockies in 1901.
1901 Habel, Jean Jean Habel becomes the first to reach the Mount Columbia area from the north.
1901 Whymper, Edmund Edmund Whymper, the man who first climbed the Matterhorn in the Alps, makes the first of several trips to the Canadian Rockies.
1902 Bridgland, Morris Morris Bridgland begins his surveying career in the Canadian Rockies as an assistant to Arthur Wheeler.
1902 Infrastructure The CPR builds a chalet at Emerald Lake.
1902 Infrastructure Architect Francis Rattenbury designs a massive expansion to Mount Stephen House in Field.
1902 Outram, James James Outram completes the first ascent of Mount Columbia.
1902 Coleman, Arthur Arthur Coleman travels from Morley to the upper Brazeau and attempts to climb Brazeau Mountain.
1902 Infrastructure The CPR builds a trail to Moraine Lake.
1903 Feuz, Edward jr. Edward Feuz jr. arrives from Switzerland for his first season of guiding in Canada.
1903 Natural The Frank Slide kills seventy people in the Crowsnest Valley below Turtle Mountain.
1903 Collie, J. Norman and Stutfield, Hugh Collie and Stutfield, co-author "Climbs and Exploration in the Canadian Rockies", a book that is now considered to be a classic in literature related to the Rocky Mountains.
1903 Harmon, Byron Byron Harmon makes his first visit to the Canadian Rockies. He goes on to record the landscape and much of the early history in his 6500 photographs.
1903 Christian Bohren Christian Bohren guides in the Canadian Rockies from 1903 until 1905.
1904 Benham, Gertude Gertrude Benham makes her only visit to the Canadian Rockies reaching the summits of many of the major peaks in the Rockies including Victoria, Lefroy, Stephen, Assiniboine, and Mount Balfour.
1904 Kinney, George George Kinney arrives in the Canadian Rockies from New Brunswick. Later that year he completes as solo ascent of Mount Stephen.
1905 Pocaterra, George George Pocaterra homesteads the Buffalo Head Ranch and begins his explorations of the Highwood and Kananaskis Valleys.
1906 Infrastructure The Alpine Club of Canada is formed at a meeting in Winnipeg. Its first annual camp is held at Yoho Pass.
1907 Walcott, Charles D. Dr. Charles D. Walcott, a prominent geologist from the Smithsonian Institute in New York, makes his first visit to the Canadian Rockies, returning every season until 1925.
1907 Infrastructure Jasper Forest Park is created.
1907 Kinney, George and Coleman, Arthur George Kinney and Arthur Coleman travel from Lake Louise and reach the base of Mount Robson. Too late in the season for climbing, they explore the base of the mountain.
1908 Coleman, Arthur Together with George Kinney, Coleman travels from Edmonton to Mount Robson and makes several unsuccessful attempts to climb the mountain.
1908 Schaffer, Mary Guided by Billy Warren and Sid Unwin, Mary Schaffer reaches Maligne Lake from the south.
1909 Kinney, George and Phillips, Curly George Kinney and Curly Phillips reach the summit ridge of Mount Robson.
1909 Infrastructure The Spiral Tunnels are completed by the CPR.
1909 Infrastructure The road to Takakkaw Falls in the Yoho Valley is completed.
1909 Kain, Conrad Conrad Kain arrives in the Canadian Rockies from Austria to begin a remarkable guiding career.
1909 Inderbinen, Moritz After becoming a guide in Zermatt, Switzerland, Moritz Inderbinen guided in Canada in 1909,1910, 1911, 1913, and 1920.
1909 Feuz, Ernest Ernest Feuz, a younger brother of Edward Feuz jr. arrives in Canada.
1909 Walcott, Charles D. While riding below the long ridge that connects Wapta Mountain with Mount Field, Dr. Walcott discovers the famous fossils of the Burgess Shale formation.
1909 Amery, Leopold Amery visits the Canadian Rockies for the first time.
1909 Aemmer, Rudolph Rudolph Aemmer begins guiding in Canada in 1909. He retired in 1950.
1911 Porter, James James Porter explores the upper headwaters of the Red Deer River. He chose the name “Skoki” and named many of the features in the area.
1911 Brown, Kootenai Kootenai Brown is appointed Waterton National Park's first superintendent.
1911 Infrastructure Grand Trunk Pacific Railway reaches what is now Jasper townsite. Originally named Fitzhugh, it is renamed Jasper in 1913.
1911 Infrastructure Cars were allowed to enter Banff National Park.
1911 Wheeler, Arthur An Alpine Club of Canada Expedition, under the direction of Arthur Wheeler, explores the Mount Robson area.
1911 Collie, J. Norman Norman Collie makes his last visit to the Canadian Rockies.
1911 Schaffer, Mary Mary Schaffer returns to Maligne Lake to do further explorations. As well she travelled to the Yellowhead Pass area.
1912 Feuz, Walter Walter Feuz, a younger brother of Edward Feuz jr. arrives in Canada.
1912 Brewster, Jack and Fred The Brewsters begin outfitting in Jasper National Park.
1912 Infrastructure The CPR builds a teahouse at Moraine Lake.
1912 Infrastructure The first dam at Lake Minnewanka is built.
1913 Infrastructure The CPR builds a log hut at Lake O'hara, as a shelter for mountaineers who had travelled over Abbot Pass.
1913 Infrastructure Canadian Northern Railway reaches Yellowhead Pass.
1913 Infrastructure A narrow gauge tramline is opened between the Bow Valley and the Chateau Lake Louise. It continued operating until 1930.
1913 Infrastructure Mount Robson Provincial Park is established.
1913 Kain, Conrad Together with Albert MacCarthy and William Foster, Conrad Kain reaches the summit of Mount Robson.
1913 Infrastructure The Interprovincial Boundary Survey commences its work under Arthur Wheeler and Richard Cautley. It would not be completed until 1927.
1914 Infrastructure A pool and bathhouse are built at Radium Hotsprings.
1915 Jobe, Mary and Hinman, Carol Led by Curly Phillipps, Caroline Hinman and Mary Jobe make a two month trip into the country northwest of Mount Robson where they attempt to climb Mount Sir Alexander.
1915 Infrastructure The Canadian Northern Railway is built along the Athabasca and Miette Rivers and over Yellowhead Pass. It parallels the Grand Trunk Railway that was built two years earlier.
1915 Bridgland, Morris P. Morris Bridgland begins an extensive survey of Jasper National Park
1915 Infrastructure A prisoner of war camp is built in the Bow Valley near Castle Mountain.
1916 Grassi, Lawrence Lawrence Grassi arrives in Canmore from Italy to work in the coal mines.
1916 Kain, Conrad Conrad Kain and MacCarthy complete the first ascent of Mount Louis.
1916 Infrastructure In order to provide steel for the war effort, the two separate railway lines in Jasper National Park are amalgamated.
1920 Infrastructure Kootenay National Park is established.
1920 Infrastructure Jimmy Simpson submits plans for a lodge on Bow Lake that would replace a camp which he had operated from time to time since the early 1900's.
1920 Infrastructure A.O. Wheeler builds what are now known as the Naiset Cabins at Mount Assiniboine to be used in conjunction with his "Walking Tours."
1921 Infrastructure The first road from Banff to Lake Louise is opened. It followed the route of what is now the "Bow Valley Parkway." Much of it was constructed during WW I by prisoners of war, internees, and conscientious objectors.
1922 Infrastructure The original lodge on Bow Lake, Jimmy Simpson's "Ram's Pasture" was begun. It was completed in 1924.
1922 Infrastructure The stone hut on Abbott's Pass is built.
1922 Infrastructure Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park is established.
1923 Infrastructure The CPR builds a lodge at Moraine Lake.
1923 Infrastructure Twin Falls Chalet in the Yoho Valley is constructed by the CPR.
1923 Infrastructure The road from Castle Junction to Radium ("Banff-Windermere Highway") is opened.
1924 Fuhrer, Hans and Fuhrer, Heinrich The Fuhrer Brothers arrive to guide in Jasper National Park.
1924 Infrastructure A road is completed to the base of Mount Edith Cavell.
1925 Infrastructure The Interprovincial Boundary Survey completes its work under Arthur Wheeler and Richard Cautley.
1925 Fuhrer, Heinrich Heinrich Fuhrer, Hans Kohler, and Jean Weber guide six Japanese mountaineers to the summit of Mount Alberta. This is the first ascent of this difficult mountain.
1926 Infrastructure Lake O'hara Lodge was opened.
1926 Engelhard, Georgia Georgia Englehard spends her first season in the Canadian Rockies. She was a regular visitor for the next two decades, completing 32 first ascents in the Rockies.
1926 Infrastructure The first road from Lake Louise to Field is opened. It utilized what was the original roadbed for the CPR which became available following the construction of the Spiral Tunnels.
1927 Infrastructure A teahouse at the Plain of the Six Glaciers is built partly to be used as a shelter for climbers.
1927 Infrastructure Jasper Park is expanded and stretches as far south as Bow Pass.
1928 Infrastructure The road from Edmonton to Jasper is opened.
1928 Link, George K.K. George and Adeline Link visit Lake O'Hara for the first time. George would continue his annual visits for fifty years, his last being in 1977.
1929 Phillips, Donald "Curly" Curly Phillips builds the boathouse at Maligne Lake.
1929 Infrastructure Banff National Park is expanded to the north as far as Sunwapta Pass, reducing the size of Jasper National Park.
1929 Gardiner, Katie Katie Gardner arrives in Canada for her first season of climbing in the Rockies.
1929 Amery, Leopold Leopold Amery visits the Canadian Rockies for the second time, completing the first ascent of Mount Amery.
1929 Patterson, Raymond M. After homesteading in the Peace River area and an extensive solo canoe trip on the Nahanni River, Raymond Patterson purchases the Buck Creek Ranch near Cochrane and begins his explorations and adventures in the Canadian Rockies.
1930 Infrastructure The National Parks Act was passed and the boundaries of the four Rocky Mountain Parks were finalized.
1930 Infrastructure Skoki Lodge is built by Cliff White and Cyril Paris of the Banff Ski Club.
1931 Infrastructure Work begins on the Banff-Jasper Highway as a relief project during the depression.
1932 Infrastructure The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park was proclaimed.
1933 Patterson, Raymond M. Raymond Patterson purchases the Buffalo Head Ranch from George Pocaterra.
1933 Infrastructure A road is completed to the Miette Hot Springs.
1934 Infrastructure Skoki Lodge is expanded.
1936