Near Sparwood in East Kootenay, British Columbia — Canada’s West Coast (North America)

Crowsnest Pass

B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), April 13, 2016

1. Crowsnest Pass Marker

Inscription. Rivers born in Canada's Rockies carved passes eastward to Hudson Bay or westward to the Pacific. This one was long used by Indians, but not shown on maps until the Palliser Expedition of 1860, and then only from hearsay. Michael Phillipps blazed a trail in 1873. He was the first white man to cross the Canadian Rockies from west to east through an unexplored pass.

Erected 1969 by Province of British Columbia.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Exploration • Indigenous Peoples and Communities. A significant historical year for this entry is 1873.

Location. 49° 38.369′ N, 114° 41.658′ W. Marker is near Sparwood, British Columbia, in East Kootenay. It is on Crowsnest Highway (Provincial Highway 3) just north of British Columbia-Alberta boundary line, on the left when traveling west. Marker is in a small pulloff on the eastbound side. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sparwood BC V0B 2G1, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the BC Interior

and in the Kootenay Rockies.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Rocky Mountains,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.

Other nearby markers. At least 2 other markers are within 16 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Natal, Michel and Middletown (1898-1976) (approx. 13.7 kilometers away); George Mercer Dawson (1849-1901) (approx. 14.7 kilometers away).

Also see . . . Michael Phillipps and the Opening of the West

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. Born to a respected English family, Phillipps craved adventure and found it in Brirtish Columbia. (Jim Cameron, Cranbrook Daily Townsman, posted Feb. 6, 2015) (Submitted on February 17, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Michael Phillipps image. Click for full size.

Unknown via British Columbia Archives D-01488 (Public domain)

2. Michael Phillipps

Credits. This page was last revised on November 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 438 times since then and 44 times this year. Last updated on November 18, 2025, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. Photos: 1. submitted on December 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on February 17, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. Wide shot of marker and surrounding area in context • Confirm coordinates. • Can you help?