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Skookumchuck () is a
Chinook Jargon Chinook Jargon (' or ', also known simply as ''Chinook'' or ''Jargon'') is a language originating as a pidgin language, pidgin trade language in the Pacific Northwest. It spread during the 19th century from the lower Columbia River, first to othe ...
term that is in common use in British Columbia English and occurs in
Pacific Northwest English Pacific Northwest English (also known, in American linguistics, as Northwest English) is a variety of North American English spoken in the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon, sometimes also including Idaho and the Canadian province of Britis ...
. ''
Skookum Skookum is a Chinook Jargon word that has been in widespread historical use in British Columbia and the Yukon, as well as the Pacific Northwest. It has a range of meanings, commonly associated with an English translation of ''strong'' or ''monstr ...
'' means "strong" or "powerful", and "chuck" means water, so ''skookumchuck'' means "
rapids Rapids are sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep stream gradient, gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. Flow, gradient, constriction, and obstacles are four factors that are needed for a rapid t ...
" or "
whitewater Whitewater forms in the context of rapids, in particular, when a river's Stream gradient, gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that foam, froths, making t ...
" (literally, "strong water"), or fresh, healthy water. It can mean any rapids, but in coastal usage refers to the powerful
tidal rapid Tidal race or tidal rapid is a natural occurrence whereby a fast-moving tide passes through a constriction, resulting in the formation of waves, eddies and hazardous currents. The constriction can be a passage where the sides narrow, for example ...
s at the mouths of most of the major coastal inlets. Places named ''Skookumchuck'' include: *
Skookumchuck, British Columbia Skookumchuck is in the East Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. This locality straddles both shores of the Kootenay River north of the mouth of the Lussier River. The crossing, on the merged section of highways 93 and 95, is by r ...
, a town in British Columbia named for the large rapids in this area on the
Kootenay River The Kootenay River or Kootenai River is a major river of the Northwest Plateau in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, and northern Montana and Idaho in the United States. It is one of the uppermost major tributaries of the Columbia River, ...
. *
Skookumchuck Hot Springs, British Columbia Skookumchuck Hot Springs is a hot spring in British Columbia, Canada. Its pre-colonial, Indigenous name is Tsek Hot Spring or T'sek Hot Spring. The former colonial name is Saint Agnes Well. The springs are located near the First Nation commun ...
, a town in British Columbia *
Skookumchuck Narrows Skookumchuck Narrows is a strait forming the entrance of Sechelt Inlet on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast (British Columbia), Sunshine Coast in Canada. Before broadening into Sechelt Inlet, all of its tidal race, tidal flow together with that ...
, a narrow entrance passage into
Sechelt Inlet Sechelt Inlet formerly ''Seechelt Inlet'' is one of the principal inlets of the British Columbia Coast. The inlet is significant in that it almost makes an island of what is instead the Sechelt Peninsula, whose isthmus is at the town of Sechelt ...
, a
fjord In physical geography, a fjord (also spelled fiord in New Zealand English; ) is a long, narrow sea inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Antarctica, the Arctic, and surrounding landmasses of the n ...
in British Columbia's Sunshine Coast * Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park, a park at the narrows * Skookumchuck Rapids Provincial Park, a park near Mabel Lake, British Columbia *
Skookumchuck River The Skookumchuck River is a long river located in southwest Washington, United States. It is a tributary of the Chehalis River, which is the largest drainage basin located entirely within the state. The name, Skookumchuck, is derived from Chin ...
, a river in southwestern
Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...
* Skookumchuck, Thurston County, Washington, a populated place *Skookumchuck Creek,
Kittitas County Kittitas County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. At the 2020 census, its population was 44,337. Its county seat and largest city is Ellensburg. The county was created in November 1883 when it was carved out of Yakima Cou ...
, Washington *Skookumchuck Creek, Idaho County,
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...
*Skookumchuck Brook,
Franconia, New Hampshire Franconia is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,083 at the 2020 census. Set in the White Mountains, Franconia is home to the northern half of Franconia Notch State Park. Parts of the White Mountain Nat ...
*Skookumchuck Trail,
Franconia, New Hampshire Franconia is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,083 at the 2020 census. Set in the White Mountains, Franconia is home to the northern half of Franconia Notch State Park. Parts of the White Mountain Nat ...
Tidal rapids termed ''skookumchucks'' include: * Quatsino Narrows


See also

*
List of Chinook Jargon placenames The following is a listing of placenames from the Chinook Jargon, generally from the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, the Canadian Yukon Territory and the U.S. states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Some outli ...
*
Chinook Jargon use by English-language speakers Chinook Jargon (' or ', also known simply as ''Chinook'' or ''Jargon'') is a language originating as a pidgin trade language in the Pacific Northwest. It spread during the 19th century from the lower Columbia River, first to other areas in moder ...


References


External links


Kayaking the Skookumchuck

Wooden sea kayak surfing Skookumchuck Rapids
{{Set index article Chinook Jargon place names Former disambiguation pages converted to set index articles Geography of British Columbia Water in Alaska Water in Washington (state)