incredible stuff.
The Great Summer Adventure Trip #6 - Bridge River Valley
- Thread starter asutherland
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
If there was a little more dust on that, you'd almost think it was one of Dano's project vehicles...
- Thread starter
- #23
The next day we headed down to the Pioneer Mine site, which was just past Bradian, at the end of the road where the road goes right along the river through the narrow valley.
We explored all the abandoned and torn apart mining equipment and buildings, both down near the water and way up on the hillside. LOTS of wreckage. There were also a couple bridges that were very much out.
We explored all the abandoned and torn apart mining equipment and buildings, both down near the water and way up on the hillside. LOTS of wreckage. There were also a couple bridges that were very much out.
- Thread starter
- #24
Pioneer lies in a narrowing of the valley of Cadwallader Creek and its upper neighbourhoods verge on the alpine meadows and flanking ridge of the Bendor Ranges Mount Ferguson.
Pioneer was the first of the great Bridge River mines to boom and build a company town - in the 1920s - and eventually was merged with the nearby Bralorne diggings and townsites, to which community it was effectively the uppermost neighbourhood.
Although some of the mine structures still (just barely) stand, nearly all of the townsite's residential and commercial buildings were demolished at the town's abandonment in the early '70s.
Pioneer was the first of the great Bridge River mines to boom and build a company town - in the 1920s - and eventually was merged with the nearby Bralorne diggings and townsites, to which community it was effectively the uppermost neighbourhood.
Although some of the mine structures still (just barely) stand, nearly all of the townsite's residential and commercial buildings were demolished at the town's abandonment in the early '70s.
Very cool pics!
Again; awesome pictures and bits of history! Thanks!
Looking at the size of some of the timbers in those mine buildings is inspiring. I wonder if there is any market for quality 'barn boards' and timbers like that for modern buildings (fancy furniture and architecture) in the city? Would cost a lot to recover and transport the wood though I guess...
Looking at the size of some of the timbers in those mine buildings is inspiring. I wonder if there is any market for quality 'barn boards' and timbers like that for modern buildings (fancy furniture and architecture) in the city? Would cost a lot to recover and transport the wood though I guess...
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #27
A fellow enthusiast had tipped us off about the Upper Townsite of Pioneer. Completely hidden in the trees, in the middle of the forest between Kingdom Lake FSR and the main road into Bralorne, there are several roads in parallel each with a few still standing abandoned houses. When most people explore Pioneer mine and area they never even know this is there.
Not only does the townsite include several standing houses, foundations, and badly overgrown roads, but also an old baseball field that the miners used to play softball at! We found that too. This was my favourite find during our trip.
Not only does the townsite include several standing houses, foundations, and badly overgrown roads, but also an old baseball field that the miners used to play softball at! We found that too. This was my favourite find during our trip.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #28
- Thread starter
- #29
The old baseball field...
If there was a little more dust on that, you'd almost think it was one of Dano's project vehicles...
sheeeshhhhh... if only i had your time and money!!! Looks like i need to be in the boat business i guess...
Cool trip Andrew!
sheeeshhhhh... if only i had your time and money!!! Looks like i need to be in the boat business i guess...
Cool trip Andrew!
Heh, just checkin' if you still read this board...As you know, the s*** must be stirred.
As for the boat business, if it weren't for you rich Albertans getting bored with the same batch of crusty old hookers gettin' wise to your freaky predilections in Fort McMoney, there wouldn't BE a boat business...
Awesome pics andrew.. I'm sitting in an RV park in Richland Wa. right now , drinking beer, real happy we decided to splurge on the awning and awning room from the dude in Van.
Altogether less cool than your trip.
Ahem...end of hijack.
An alternative view -- Mining junk is all over the province - there are hundred of corroding fuel barrels up in the Taseko (flown in by helios and left) as well as broken down structures full of rat sh*t piled to the ceiling, discarded broken industrial equipment and truck hulks.I found this all very interesting at first too, but I think it would be better if they were obligated to leave the areas as they found it.
I am not against mining, but they should clean up the land before pulling out. It is really not too much different than leaving soiled mattresses on the street corner.
Prosperity Mines wants to turn beautiful Fish Lake (near Taseko) into a tailing pond - you should go there before that happens. I have been there 3 or 4 times and the scenery and fishing are outstanding.
I am not against mining, but they should clean up the land before pulling out. It is really not too much different than leaving soiled mattresses on the street corner.
Prosperity Mines wants to turn beautiful Fish Lake (near Taseko) into a tailing pond - you should go there before that happens. I have been there 3 or 4 times and the scenery and fishing are outstanding.
- Thread starter
- #33
An alternative view -- Mining junk is all over the province - there are hundred of corroding fuel barrels up in the Taseko (flown in by helios and left) as well as broken down structures full of rat sh*t piled to the ceiling, discarded broken industrial equipment and truck hulks.I found this all very interesting at first too, but I think it would be better if they were obligated to leave the areas as they found it.
I am not against mining, but they should clean up the land before pulling out. It is really not too much different than leaving soiled mattresses on the street corner.
Prosperity Mines wants to turn beautiful Fish Lake (near Taseko) into a tailing pond - you should go there before that happens. I have been there 3 or 4 times and the scenery and fishing are outstanding.
Yeah, I've been to Fish lake... it was very nice!
- Thread starter
- #34
We had heard about the City of Minto, a gold rush town that was located at the confluence of Gun Creek. The empty town was purposely flooded by the waters of the Carpenter Lake reservoir following completion of the Bridge River Power Project. In the early months of the year, the reservoir is low enough to wander amongst the building foundations... but later in the summer, such as when we were there, the water level is high.
Still, one morning we set out to see if we could find any evidence of there once being a town along the shoreline. Near the provincial campsite at Gun Creek, we found little signs of the once fairly large mining town.
We drove slowly back along the north shore of Carpenter lake, on the look out for anything that looked like an access road or sign of the original road along the lake. A few KM back towards Gold Bridge we found it. Unmarked and easy to miss, an old unlocked gate leading down towards the water.
With high hopes, we got out of the truck and cautiously wandered down the old road. Soon we knew for sure we had found signs of Minto, and the Minto Mines.
Still, one morning we set out to see if we could find any evidence of there once being a town along the shoreline. Near the provincial campsite at Gun Creek, we found little signs of the once fairly large mining town.
We drove slowly back along the north shore of Carpenter lake, on the look out for anything that looked like an access road or sign of the original road along the lake. A few KM back towards Gold Bridge we found it. Unmarked and easy to miss, an old unlocked gate leading down towards the water.
With high hopes, we got out of the truck and cautiously wandered down the old road. Soon we knew for sure we had found signs of Minto, and the Minto Mines.
- Thread starter
- #35
- Thread starter
- #36
On one of our last days in the area, we went back down to Caldwater creek and Pioneer mine and relaxed at the (very cold) water, poking around in the creek trying our luck with Greg's gold pan. Unfortunately we didn't find any gold!
- Thread starter
- #37
That night we decided to move camp, heading back towards home. We traveled back into Gold Bridge, then along the north side of Carpenter lake on the extremely long, windy and dangerous Carpenter Lake Rd. I've never seen so many "Debris Flow Area - Do Not Stop" signs in my life.
Once we got to the dam at the end of the lake, we decided to make an afternoon detour and check out the extremely remote cities of Seton Portage and Shalalth. To get there, you have to drive across the dam, through a hole in the mountain side (I really wouldn't call it a tunnel!), along the south side of Carpenter lake a few KM, then up and over Mission Mountain Pass. 1400 meters in only a few KM. Many, many dirt road switchbacks and 14% grades.
Love the wide angle lens distortion of my rear tire in this shot:
Once we got to the dam at the end of the lake, we decided to make an afternoon detour and check out the extremely remote cities of Seton Portage and Shalalth. To get there, you have to drive across the dam, through a hole in the mountain side (I really wouldn't call it a tunnel!), along the south side of Carpenter lake a few KM, then up and over Mission Mountain Pass. 1400 meters in only a few KM. Many, many dirt road switchbacks and 14% grades.
Love the wide angle lens distortion of my rear tire in this shot:
- Thread starter
- #38
We didn't spend much time in Seton Portage as the day was getting late and we still needed to reach our next campsite and set up camp. I did manage to snap this cool picture of a local abandoned church:
We quickly (as quickly as possible on the dangerous Yalakom/Bridge River Rd) made it to Lillooet and enjoyed creature comforts (running tap water!) at the local Subway, arriving at about dusk.
We quickly (as quickly as possible on the dangerous Yalakom/Bridge River Rd) made it to Lillooet and enjoyed creature comforts (running tap water!) at the local Subway, arriving at about dusk.
- Thread starter
- #39
We arrived at Cottonwood Provincial Rec Site along Highway 99 (Duffy Lake Rd) past dark. We briskly set up camp, the movable utility light on the Cruiser came in handy. Got Mak into bed and then enjoyed the rest of the evening around the campfire.
- Thread starter
- #40
The next day and evening were spent relaxing in our corner campsite along the river at Cottonwood. We had the best spot on the Rec site since we arrived 2 days before the long weekend. As the Rec site started to fill up with RV'ers from Vancouver for the long weekend, we were packing up and leaving. Great timing! Here are some more pics of the little one... I just can't help it 
All in all I think a very successful Summer Adventure Trip. Having a 2 year old with us definitely made things different/more challenging at times, but considering where we went, what we did and what we saw, I think she did remarkably well.
Hope everyone enjoys our story this year!
All in all I think a very successful Summer Adventure Trip. Having a 2 year old with us definitely made things different/more challenging at times, but considering where we went, what we did and what we saw, I think she did remarkably well.
Hope everyone enjoys our story this year!