The RAGTAG DAILY PROMPT today is SKOOKUM
I’ve never heard this word used as an adjective. Rather, I immediately thought of Skookumchuck, a town in British Columbia that I have heard of. So a bit of research was in order.
Skookumchuck is a small town — 90 or so residents — on the junction of the Kootenay and Lussier Rivers. The town is located in the southeastern corner of the province, 54 km or 33.5 miles north of the city of Cranbrook. As the crow flies — if crows fly over mountains — it’s about half way between Lethbridge, Alberta, and Kelowna, BC.
On the western side of the main Rockies range, the town is near a few different provincial parks — Premier Lake, Whiteswan, St Mary’s, Skookumchuck Narrows. Googling the locale I can see how it would be a gorgeous place to visit.
Whitewater Rafting Anyone?
SKOOKUM means strong, powerful or turbulent; CHUCK means waters. The Kootenay River flows through Skookumchuck Narrows and spills into the Sechelt Rapids, one of the areas prime attractions. Water speed can exceed 30 kmph in this stretch, forming some amazing whirlpools. The RDP claims that SKOOKUM can mean “evil spirit.” I don’t find this anywhere in the info, but maybe the Chinook tribe that named that part of the river thought of spirits as they watched the rapids and whirlpools boiling through the tide plain?
Perhaps the locals there can tell us if those rapids are safe enough for rafting, but I’m an onlooker only when it comes to that sort of sport.
Christine's Collection 
Well now… this is very interesting. I’ve had the Skookum Chief Burger at the Tomahawk Restaurant in North Vancouver. After you’ve had the bejeezus scared out of you crossing the Capilano Suspended Bridge, you treat yourself to this fantabulous burger…
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My memory of being in the mountains as a child is crossing a big river on a train bridge high above, looking down, down, down into the canyon below, holding my breath, terrified the train might slip off the track at any moment and go plunging into the river.
Suspension bridge? Not for me thanks. Hope you enjoyed your burger. 🙂
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Christine there are two Skookumchucks in BC. I’ve been to the Skookumchuck Narrows on the Sunshine Coast, which is by the Sechelt inlet. A popular spot for kayakers. I highly recommend going if you ever get the chance it’s quite something to see the tidal change and the big wave happening.
I used to live in the East Kootenays and I’ve driven through small town of Skookumchuck. I believe it is where the Lussier and Skookumchuck rivers flow into the Kootenay river.
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Thanks for the correction. I was reading my info on Travel BC among other sites. Will have to research further; someone may have gotten wires crossed.
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No problem, sometimes the sites aren’t always clear!
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I grew up there in the 1980s. I lived there for about a year. Memories for sure. There’s a carved wooden Indian by the highway.
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Thanks for your input. I’ve never been, so had to rely on Google.
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