W.W. Bolton Expeditions Vancouver Island - 1894, 1896, 1910

W.W. Bolton - Expeditions A key event in the formation of Strathcona Provincial Park, and indeed the exploration of Vancouver Island as a whole, was the 1894 & 1896 expeditions led by the Reverend William Washington Bolton. Bolton’s forays were enviable affairs journeying from near Shushartie on the northern tip of the island via Quatsino Sound, Nimpkish Lake, Woss Lake, Nootka Sound, Muchalet Inlet, Burman River, Buttle Lake and thence through Price Pass to Great Central Lake and on to Victoria. In the hundred years plus since Bolton’s journey, industrial roads have carved through most of this territory stripping timber and leaving a greatly altered landscape. Bolton’s experience will never be equalled. 1894 - The first expedition, under the Reverend William Washington Bolton, explored Vancouver Island from Cape Commerell to Woss Lake. Under the auspices of the Province Publishing Company. His goal was to travel the length of Vancouver by foot and canoe. The expedition which consisted of Bolton, and four others began on July 4, 1894, when the team sailed from Victoria to Shushartie on the northern tip of the island. Here they picked up five more members for the expedition. They traveled from Shushartie via Quatsino Sound, Nimpkish Lake, to Woss Lake. Weather and conditions were poor and the team began running behind schedule. Upon reaching Nootka Sound they decided to avoid the unknown central mountainous region and picked up the trail from Port Alberni, in Barkley Sound, eventually reaching Victoria on well-used trails. 1896 - The second expedition, which was organized by John William Laing but led by Bolton, explored the area between Woss Lake and Alberni. Laing offered to financially back the second part of the Vancouver Island expedition. On June 26 he and Bolton left San Francisco for Vancouver Island. In Victoria they hired three men to help in the expedition, and on July 1 sailed from Victoria aboard the steamship Danube to Alert Bay on the east coast. The expedition reached Woss Lake on July 8 by canoeing up the Nimpkish River and then crossed the divide to Tahsis by way of the Oolichan Trail. They then explored the country between the head of Tlupana Inlet, Burman River, Buttle Lake, Flower Ridge and Great Central Lake passing through what is now Strathcona Provincial Park. With weather in their favour they reached Port Alberni on August 14. 1910 - Exploratory Survey Trip. Strathcona Provincial Park was developed because of the first two expeditions by W.W. Bolton. The Minister of Lands for the McBride Government, the Hon. Price Ellison, decided to go and have a look at the proposed park for himself. This large party of 23 members, included W.W. Bolton and his 19 year old son, Gerard. W.W. Bolton was the historian of the party and guide over the great divide to Great Central Lake and Alberni. Crown Mountain would be the expedition’s objective. This mountain was the northern point of the triangle forming the proposed park, looking south into the most impressive group of summits on Vancouver Island. After resupplying at Buttle Lake, Price Ellison and his party continued in Bolton’s footsteps up the lake to Price Creek and followed the route over Price Pass to Port Alberni. Ellison submitted his report on the expedition to cabinet and on March 11, 1911 Strathcona Park was officially designated. A centennial expedition was completed summer of 2010.