Its Hedley not Heddy, a great line from Blazing Saddles, for so many that's about as much as they know of a town that has survived decades of turmoil, tragedies and losses. Including 1939 when a slab of Stemwinder Mountain plummeted 1,000 feet to the outskirts of Hedley and wiped out two entire blocks of homes.  Miraculously only 2 people were killed, the province then stepped in and helped those that were impacted relocate to other areas in town.

I invite you to take an afternoon and join me in exploring little known areas that exist in the hills high above. But before you do, take a quick stop into the Hedley Museum and speak with Gerry.  He has an amazing breadth of knowledge, obtaining it by personally visiting, documenting and hiking into many local historic areas.

As you travel East on the Crowsnest Hwy, you'll soon pass St. Anne’s Catholic Church as it stands tall above the land on the tailing piles, remnants of the past. To your left you'll see the Nickleplate FSR; it's time to head up that windy road.  From this point, many people assume the greatest find is the Mascot Mine, an amazing site to behold from the bottom, even more amazing when standing at the top of the steps, looking down at the logistical improbabilities.  Beyond that you'll find the hills of Apex, which offer amazing off road trails such as Black Powder & Cannonball.  Or the opportunity to pitch a tent at Nickleplate Lake, and sit on the water’s edge watching the young trout put on a show for you.

As you drive down from Lodestone Lake you pass a few things of interest, Nine Mile Berts, who moved here to escape his alcoholic addiction and thought that here he could lead the sober life he desired.  Standing tall are the timbers he built, inside the remains of his furniture, a few jars of well expired preserves, (open at your own risk), and the signs of the animals who have frequented it since his passing.  Shortly below that you’ll pass the open coal mine that has tried to bring in the possibility of piping out Coal Bed Methane Gas as a power source, yes clean burning, but water tainting – a double edged blade, as per most of society’s needs.

However just after that on an off shoot to your right is a small road, occasionally used, that leads you to the start of the forgotten ghost town of Blakeburn.   Fierce determination is the phrase that best describes the people that lived in Blakeburn a 100 years ago, and the abandoned structures that still stand today in the site of BC’s best unknown ghost town.  Home of the 5^th worst mining disaster in the province, and  the 45 men that died the day that Portal #4 exploded, August 13, 1930;  starting the downward spiral that would spell the end to the close knit community.  Simply passed by, by hundreds of off roaders every year that fail to stop and explore every turn on their descent out of Whipsaw to Coalmont below. 

It's Live - It's here!

It's time to start thinking about next years Mother of all Caching Events for BC.. what is it, and what does it wear?  What will you wear?  (will skunk wear skunk wings?)

This year it's going under the name of the Great Confuzzled Rush!

Will you be there? Or will you be square?

Over the next few months you'll see info slowly start to appear that will give you the specifics on what you will be doing, but for now all you need to know is that you will have a good time.  Ask anyone who has been there for the last 2 years and they will tell you - you will laugh, cry, smile & feel more challenged then you ever have been before as part of a caching event.!

The event days - July 1 - 3rd, 2011 we have arranged for a private camping location along the Tulameen River as Ground Zero (near Coalmont), (water from the river is safe to drink).  All of your friends will come together, from all over BC (and arrive from other parts of Canada) to enjoy the historic Similkameen Valley - what secrets will we find for you, what adventures await you??

This is a tribute to "Dick's Cabin", one of several cabins that you will find along the Whipsaw Run.  From Here you can hike for about 45 minutes and access Marmot City.  To reach this location you will need a 4x4 or Quad that is capable with a bit of clearance.  The information & pictures below have been obtained from 2 sources.  The first being Glen Stromquist, the other Princeton History Book Committee, 2000, p. 383.  The cache is titled Let's Shack Up #3 - Dicks Cabin.

Dick was born at Sedro Wooley, Washington in 1901.  Dicks’ mother was born in Ireland and his father was an Australian.  The family first lived in Fort Langley, BC, then in Oregon and Washington for five or six years.  They came back to Langley when Dick was four or five.    Dick's fathers name was Henry Proctor Holding, his mothers name was Jesse Maria Jane Wilkie, who was a direct relative of Otway Wilkie (niece it is believed), a well know figure in BC law enforcement history.