Adopted 17 August 1965 on 93I, as labelled on BC map 1H, 1917, and on plan 10T264, “Topographic survey of head of McGregor River” by A.J. Campbell, BCLS, 1929, and as recommended for adoption by BC Geographic Division 1933 (file 34275s #3

Five lakes in the chain. 3 drain east to Kakwa River, the other 2 drain west through Jarvis Creek.

Named by R. W. Jones, a GTP surveyor who was in the area about 1904-06 (information from S. Prescott Fay, file P.1.47).

Jarvis Creek flows out of a chain of 5 lakes…” (excerpt from Major Hannington’s journal, 24 February 1875, being an account of his explorations with E.W. Jarvis, 1874-75, and marking this location as “Summit between B.Columbia and the N.W. Territory”

This feature had been mis-labelled “Barbara Lakes” on “Exploration…Wapiti River to the Fraser River” compiled in 1928 by H.G. Dimsdale & Prentiss Gray (Geog. map 14-P) “….we found in Jarvis Pass a chain of four beautiful lakes, sketched by Mr. Prescott Fay about 1914, fed by the perpetual snows and ice-fields of Mounts Teepee and Kitchi [sic]. These lakes were the principal source of the Barbara River [sic], so we called them Barbara Lakes….” ( from”A New Low Pass of the Rockies” by Prentiss Gray, published in Journal of the Royal Geographical Society. vol LXXX No.2, August 1932) [note that Gray’s names “Barbara River” and “Barbara Lakes” (after his daughter) were not accepted – he had simply ignored the prior existence of “Jarvis”.

We went over over the ridge without much trouble, however, and then took a course westward a little below timber line, whereas, had we known it, we could have again taken a better route on the quite level alpine meadows above timber line. Shortly after noon we saw N3 below us and were surprised to see smoke in the valley. Jim thought the camper was Joel Nord, a prospector whom he knew, but he was not sure, so he cautioned me to be quiet as he approached the camp and held his loaded gun ready for firing.

It proved to be Joel Nord, who had been prospecting for mica in this locality for three years. We camped with him, and I obtained a great deal of information from him, for he had made a very thorough examination of the country to the N., S., and W. of us and had staked out over half a dozen mica claims that looked very promising. The information proved to be of great value and saved us considerable effort and time.

— Zillmer 1946

We went over over the ridge without much trouble, however, and then took a course westward a little below timber line, whereas, had we known it, we could have again taken a better route on the quite level alpine meadows above timber line. Shortly after noon we saw N3 below us and were surprised to see smoke in the valley. Jim thought the camper was Joel Nord, a prospector whom he knew, but he was not sure, so he cautioned me to be quiet as he approached the camp and held his loaded gun ready for firing.

It proved to be Joel Nord, who had been prospecting for mica in this locality for three years. We camped with him, and I obtained a great deal of information from him, for he had made a very thorough examination of the country to the N., S., and W. of us and had staked out over half a dozen mica claims that looked very promising. The information proved to be of great value and saved us considerable effort and time.

— Zillmer

“Swoda Mountain” is listed at the Indigenous Geographical Names dataset as the Stoney language name for Smoky River.

See Wolverine Pass.

Origin of the name unknown.