Early significance
When David Thompson of the fur trading North West Company (NWC) attempted his usual westward crossing of the Continental Divide via the Howse Pass in September 1810, the hostile Piegan Blackfeet blocked his passage, forcing his party to divert northward to the uncharted Athabasca Pass. After a tortuous journey, the party reached the Boat Encampment site in January, 1811.[5][10] Four discontented members deserted. The remainder continued upstream on the Columbia, but further discontent prompted a return to Boat Encampment, where they built a cabin for the winter. During his stay, Thompson built a canoe, naming the adjacent waterway the Canoe River. They split cedar into thin boards because the preferred birch bark lacked thickness.[6] In the spring, they proceeded down the Columbia on their journey to the coast. Within a few years, Athabasca Pass became the accepted route for the fur brigades. In 1821, when the NWC merged into the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC),[11] the latter adopted the route for the once or twice-annual HBC "Express" linking the west with Hudson Bay. By river, the distance to Fort Vancouver was 918 mi.
The Athabasca trail northeastward from Boat Encampment comprised Wood River, Jeffrey Creek, Pacific Creek, Committee's Punch Bowl, Athabasca Pass, Whirlpool River, Athabasca River, Brûlé Lake, and terminated at Jasper House (first location). Gradually, the eastern terminus moved westward, having a final location in the vicinity of Henry House.[12] Cabins, stables and a boathouse existed at Boat Encampment. Each eastbound party would exchange boats for horses and snowshoes with each westbound one.[13] However, the former would wait up to a month for the latter to arrive. On one occasion, having waited 39 days, the eastbound were about to return down the river, when word was received of the westbound imminent arrival. After 1849, the route and site were largely abandoned when the HBC switched to the Tête Jaune Cache route via the Fraser River.
From the late 1890s to early 1900s, the place was known as a mining camp 110 mi north of Revelstoke.[14]
