| Frederick Dally Sectional view of the great chasm 8 miles above Clinton on the Cariboo waggon road. the greatest natural wonder in British Columbia 1870 (ca) Albumen print 17.4 x 23.1 cm (image) The Royal Collection RCIN 2368872 LL/91264 Photograph of a rock face divided in two by a large chasm. At the top and bottom of the rock are trees.
At over 300 metres in height and 8 km's long, the chasm is a natural feature created by the erosion of volcanic rock by the flow of melted glacial water. The rock is also known as the 'painted chasm' due to the variety of colours that can be seen in the stone. The Cariboo Wagon road was named after the Cariboo region which comprises a plateau running from the Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The road presented dangers to those travelling on it, but was modernised during the 1950's when tunnels were introduced to afford a safer passage for travellers.
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