Ever since explorer Simon Fraser remarked, "We have surely encountered the gates of hell", this narrow river channel called "Hell's Gate" has been a star attraction of the Fraser Canyon - dangerous, impossible to navigate and the epitome of nature's power. With 200 million gallons/760 million litres of water crashing through a 33m/110ft wide passage every minute, waves thunder into violent whirlpools as they hurtle a passage downstream. The flow is twice the volume of Niagara Falls.
Hell's Gate Airtram
For an up-close encounter with this raging river, hop aboard Hell's Gate Airtram, in one of two fully automated twin cabin air trams that glide 152m/500ft down to a patio complex. Here, at the water's edge, is a restaurant, a gold panning flue, and a carving called The Simon Fraser Wall which depicts the explorer's pervious passage.
Fudge Factory
Fudge fans will find their Nirvana at the Fudge Factory; it produces over four tons of candy a year and in July 2006, broke the world record for having the most flavors of fudge (231) on site at one time! If nothing else, enjoy a fudge-dipped waffle ice cream cone.
Spawning Salmon
There's an interpretive display that describes the life cycle of the spawning salmon and includes the presentation: Run Sockeye, Run, a short ecological film that won a bronze medal at the New York Film Festival.
Haunted House
A well-stocked gift shop was once a railroad cook house that is one of several spots at Hell's Gate that, according to the Ghost Investigators Society, is said to be haunted.
Hell's Gate Suspension Bridge
In all likelihood, the only eerie feelings to be had are in walking across the suspension bridge that hovers a few feet above the surging waters though, exhilarating would be a better description. Note the massive fish-ways at the side of the canyon. They are the largest in the world, took 30 years to create and became necessary after a rock blast went array in 1913.
Fish-ways
Instead of exploding a passageway for the Canadian National Railway, rock debris smashed into the river and partially blocked the waters for returning salmon. The result was devastating: the number of fished packed in 1913 was 2,939,000; by 1921 that number had plummeted to 14,498. Today, these giant fishways are able to slow water speeds down through a series of vertically opposed walls located inside a sequence of tunnels. Eight different levels of concrete allow for water depth fluctuation and reduce water flow from 40kmh/25mph to 5kmh/3mph, thus enabling over 80 percent of the salmon runs to complete the journey.
For information, contact Visitor Centre, 400 Fraser St in downtown Lytton.