The first half of the Clearwater River's course is among the peaks of the Cariboo Mountains and deep, glacially-carved valleys are typical. The source of the Clearwater is near the northern boundary of Wells Gray Park. The river pours out of an unnamed glacier, surrounded by peaks such as Mount Goodall, the Park's second highest at ; Mount Pierrway, #5 at ; Mount Winder, #9 at ; Mount Beaman, Mount Hogg and Mount Aves. All six were named in 1966 in honour of Canadian soldiers from the Quesnel area killed in action during World War II. The first of the Clearwater is through a broad U-shaped glacial valley before it enters Hobson Lake. Mountains along the east shore of Hobson Lake include Twin Spires; Mount Hugh Neave, seventh highest in the Park at ; and Garnet Peak, third highest at . Below Hobson Lake, the Clearwater drops over a series of low waterfalls and many rapids, descending in the next . At the inflow of the Azure River from the east, the Clearwater becomes navigable. Then it sweeps through two 90-degree bends in the next and enters Clearwater Lake. East of Clearwater Lake are Zodiac Mountain, Azure Mountain and Mount Ray, the last being a volcano that erupted about 20,000 years ago.