This multi will take you on a trip along Highway 1 from Calgary, AB to Kamloops, BC. It will mostly likely require an overnight stay. Every stage but the final is a virtual stage that will require you to do a projection to the next stage. Geocheckers have a 30m radius and will provide correct coordinates to start next projection. Projections have been confirmed by Geocaching Toolbox and GSAK.
Calgary to Canmore: From the posted coordinates, project 91,792.14 meters at a bearing of 274.154 degrees.
Canmore to Field: There are 2 signs near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on those signs:
AA = Decade the photo of 'A wood-burning locomotive at CPR station' + 6
B = Number of bays in the round house - 10
C = The single-worst incident occured on June 14, 190C
D = The CPR construction crews reached the Bow Valley in the fall of 188D
EE = Decade the photo of 'Canmore's Main Street' + 3
FF = Coal mining began in Canmore in 18EE
From the Canmore coordinates, project AA,BCB.BD meters at a bearing of BEE.FF degrees.
Field to Golden: There is a sign near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the sign:
A = Nisusia
B = Anomalocaris
C = Leanchodia
D = Scenella
E = Pirania
F = Burgessochaeta
G = Naraoia
H = Choia
From the Field coordinates, project AB,DDE.CF meters at a bearing of GCH.C0F degrees.
Golden to Revelstoke: There is a sign near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the sign:
T = WW II - Left Column - Line 3 - Character 2
U = WW II - Left Column - Line 8 - Character 3
V = WW II - Right Column - Line 2 - Character 3
W = WW II - Right Column - Line 4 - Character 6
X = WW II - Left Column - Line 5 - Character 2
Y = WW II - Right Column - Line 1 - Character 6
Z = WW II - Right Column - Line 7 - Character 2
From the Golden coordinates, project TU,VWX.XU meters at a bearing of UWT.VZY degrees.
Revelstoke to Sicamous: There is a sign near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the sign:
A = "destroyed by fire in 191A"
B = "2B feet wide"
CD = "CD9 feet long"
E = "39E ton"
F = Draft of XX inches - Add or multiply these 2 numbers together
From the Revelstoke coordinates, project AB,DDA.C meters at a bearing of DAC.BEF degrees.
Sicamous to Salmon Arm: There is a train at the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the train:
A = Difference between the last 2 numbers of the large 6 digit train number
B = First number of the 5 digit Wt
C = Fourth number of the large 6 digit train number
D = First number of the large 6 digit train number
E = Second number of the large 6 digit train number
F = Last number of the 5 digit Wt
G = Second number of the 3 digit New
From the Sicamous coordinates, project AB,CDD.BE meters at a bearing of AEB.FGA degrees.
Salmon Arm to Chase: There are 2 signs near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on those signs:
A = The revitalized Fletcher Park officially opened on Aug AX, 1989
B = across the tracks, and in 195B they built a wading pool
C = On Canada Day, 198C, a barbecue was held
D = Price of a seasons pass for a child in 1957
E = The original four-room school was replaced in 191E
F = In 200F, two mothers
From the Salmon Arm coordinates, project AB,ACB.DB meters at a bearing of DEF.FFC degrees.
Chase to Kamloops: There is a sign near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the sign:
A = Line 4 - Character 6
BB = Line 2 - Character 9
C = Line 1 - Character 2
D = Line 6 - Character 10
E = Line 1 - Character 6
F = Line 4 - Character 11
G = Line 1 - Character 11
From the Chase coordinates, project AC,ABB.DE meters at a bearing of BBF.CDG degrees.
Kamloops to Final: There is a sign near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the sign:
A = There is a picture taken in ca. 19AB
B = There is a picture taken in ca. 19AB
C = Lorne Street and 1st to 3rd Avenues 19C5
D = Gold was discovered at Tranquille in 185D
E = In 181E the first fur trading post was setup at the confluence of the rivers
F = A new band shell was installed in 19F0
G = 8th character on the title below the photo
From the Kamloops coordinates, project B,CBC.DB meters at a bearing of EAF.GDA degrees.
Stage 1 - Calgary, AB
The Calgary area was inhabited by pre-Clovis people whose presence has been traced back at least 11,000 years. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area was inhabited by the Blackfoot, Blood, Peigan and the Tsuu T'ina First Nations peoples, all of which were part of the Blackfoot Confederacy. In 1787, cartographer David Thompson spent the winter with a band of Peigan encamped along the Bow River. He was a Hudson's Bay Company trader and the first recorded European to visit the area. John Glenn was the first documented European settler in the Calgary area, in 1873.
Calgary, Alberta circa 1885
by William Notman
The site became a post of the North-West Mounted Police (now the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP). The NWMP detachment was assigned in 1875 to protect the western plains from US whisky traders, and to protect the fur trade. Originally named Fort Brisebois, after NWMP officer Éphrem-A. Brisebois, it was renamed Fort Calgary in 1876 by Colonel James Macleod.
When the Canadian Pacific Railway reached the area in 1883, and a rail station was constructed, Calgary began to grow into an important commercial and agricultural centre. The Canadian Pacific Railway headquarters moved to Calgary from Montreal in 1996. Calgary was officially incorporated as a town in 1884, and elected its first mayor, George Murdoch. In 1894, it was incorporated as "The City of Calgary" in what was then the North-West Territories.
The Calgary Fire of 1886 occurred on November 7, 1886. Fourteen buildings were destroyed with losses estimated at $103,200. Although no one was killed or injured, city officials drafted a law requiring all large downtown buildings to be built with Paskapoo sandstone, to prevent this from happening again.
After the arrival of the railway, the Dominion Government started leasing grazing land at minimal cost (up to 100,000 acres (400 km2) for one cent per acre per year). As a result of this policy, large ranching operations were established in the outlying country near Calgary. Already a transportation and distribution hub, Calgary quickly became the centre of Canada's cattle marketing and meatpacking industries.
By the late 19th century, the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) expanded into the interior and established posts along rivers that later developed into the modern cities of Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton. In 1884, the HBC established a sales shop in Calgary. The HBC also built the first of the grand "original six" department stores in Calgary in 1913, the others that followed are Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg.
Between 1896 and 1914 settlers from all over the world poured into the area in response to the offer of free "homestead" land. Agriculture and ranching became key components of the local economy, shaping the future of Calgary for years to come. The world famous Calgary Stampede, still held annually in July, was started by four wealthy ranchers as a small agricultural show in 1912. It now known as the "greatest outdoor show on earth".
From the posted coordinates, project 91,792.14 meters at a bearing of 274.154 degrees.
Stage 2 - Canmore, AB
The first train rumbled through Canmore in 1884 and a tiny settlement sprang up at the dividing point on the rails. Three years later, the first coal mine opened at a site below what has been known until recently as Chinaman’s Peak. It's now called Ha Ling Peak.
The town’s first baby was born in 1888; by then there were stores, bakeries and dairies. The first church was built in 1891 and a small log schoolhouse in 1894. At the turn of the 20th century, Canmore was part of Banff National Park and remained so until the 1930 National Park Act deemed mining inappropriate for a National Park. Rather than removing the mine, they moved the Park boundary. Bankhead, a coal mining town near Banff at the base of Cascade Mountain, was shut down, and many of its houses were moved to Banff and Canmore.
Canmore, Alberta circa 1900
Canmore Museum & Geoscience Center
Canmore was originally divided into three equal-sized districts: Number One Area extended from the Canmore Coal Mine entrance to the Opera House, one of the first established in western Canada where you could see two shows a week and a children’s matinee on Saturdays. (The building is now located in Calgary’s Heritage Park.) Number Two Area included the Rundle Mountain Trading Company Store, the post office and the Canmore Coal Company Headquarters, all on the southwest side of the Bow River. The Number Three Area included the Canmore Hotel, the Union Hall, a four-bed hospital and the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) Barracks, all of which can be seen in the downtown area today.
In 1979, when the last mine closed down, Canmore’s outlook was somewhat bleak, and, for almost a decade, it remained in the public perception as not much more than a gas stop on the way into the park. In 1988, however, the Calgary Winter Olympic Games ushered in a new era. The cross-country ski and biathlon events were held here at the Canmore Nordic Centre, a facility built especially for the Games.
The Nordic Centre is the most tangible legacy of the Games, and is still much in use today for world-class sporting events as well as for recreational athletes. However, the new prosperity of Canmore is another legacy of the Games. People began to realize the almost unlimited possibilities for outdoor experiences here, and the world began to take notice.
Be sure to stop in at the Canmore Museum for a fascinating look at life in the mines. Ask about the heritage walking tour, which features eight historical sites in the town centre, including the NWMP Barracks and the Ralph Connor Church, and the mine manager’s house, built in 1908 for HR Young, one of the first mine managers. All are registered provincial heritage sites.
Canmore to Field: There are 2 signs near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on those signs:
AA = Decade the photo of 'A wood-burning locomotive at CPR station' + 6
B = Number of bays in the round house - 10
C = The single-worst incident occured on June 14, 190C
D = The CPR construction crews reached the Bow Valley in the fall of 188D
EE = Decade the photo of 'Canmore's Main Street' + 3
FF = Coal mining began in Canmore in 18EE
From the Canmore coordinates, project AA,BCB.BD meters at a bearing of BEE.FF degrees.
Stage 3 - Field, BC
The Canadian Pacific Railway formally established the town of Field, originally known as "Third Siding", in 1883 as a work camp. The camp was needed for the local operations preparing the railway line from Laggan (Lake Louise, AB) over the Kicking Horse Pass and down the Kicking Horse river valley toward where Field stands today.
Mount Stephen House, Field, BC
on line of Canadian Pacific Railway
The Kicking Horse Pass, also known as the “Big Hill”, was one of the most challenging obstacles along the mainline of the railway because of its intensive grade. For reason of economy, the government allowed the CPR to build the railway line stretch between Wapta Lake (Hector Siding) and Field (Third Siding) with a 4.4% grade. Seen as a temporary solution, this grade was twice the percentage normally allowed for a downhill train track. The first construction train to go down the pass ran away off the hill to land in the Kicking Horse river, killing three. The CPR soon added three safety switches (runaways) on the way down to help to control the train speed and avoid accident. Between 1907 and 1909, two spiral tunnels were built into Cathedral Mountain and Mount Ogden to reduce the hill’s grade to 2.2%.
The railway reached Third Siding in 1884 at an exorbitant cost. Going through financial difficulties, the CPR searched for private investors. Donald A. Smith (one of the original financiers of the railway syndicate) and William Cornelius Van Horne (then vice-president of the CPR) got a hold of Cyrus West Field (a wealthy Chicago business man and promoter of the trans-Atlantic cable) to encourage him to invest in the CPR. When Cyrus West Field came to visit the area in 1884, Van Horne named both the little town and a mountain after him. However, Mr. Field did not take the bait; he went back to Chicago without writing any cheques. Thus, ironically, the town and the mountain got their name after a man who, in the end, had no involvement with the CPR.
The railway route through Canada was completed on November 7, 1885 near Craigallachie, BC and Van Horne sees tourism in the Rockies as the best way to generate revenue and reduce the burden of their debts. So, as an important divisional point and engine servicing area, Field was the first town to be chosen (in 1886) to have a luxurious hotel – the Mount Stephen House – to welcome weary travellers. Also, a restaurant was needed as it was impossible for the steam locomotives to carry a heavy dining car up the 4.4% hill. The Mount Stephen House was the focal point from which visitors set out in horse-drawn carriages to view the wonders of the Yoho Valley and Emerald Lake.
From 1883, it was known that the area had potential for mining and logging activities. If Field was the main town, two smaller sister locales existed until the 1950s & 60s; the town of Monarch and Kicking Horse Mines and Amiskwi Village.
Field to Golden: There is a sign near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the sign:
A = Nisusia
B = Anomalocaris
C = Leanchodia
D = Scenella
E = Pirania
F = Burgessochaeta
G = Naraoia
H = Choia
From the Field coordinates, project AB,DDE.CF meters at a bearing of GCH.C0F degrees.
Stage 4 - Golden, BC
In 1807, David Thompson first crossed over the Rocky Mountains and traveled along the Blaeberry River to the future site of Golden. In search of the Columbia River and, ultimately, a passage to the Pacific Ocean, it was Thompson’s sense of exploration that led him here. Thompson’s travels took him to the junction of the legendary Columbia and Kicking Horse Rivers.
It took 75 years of men with visions of homes, families and prosperity to come along. The first settlement was established in 1882 and was just one building and simply called “The Cache”, the site was used by Major A.B. Rogers as a base camp for his survey crew who were searching for a route through the Selkirk Mountains for the Canadian Pacific Railway’s transcontinental railway.
In an attempt to outdo a camp to the east, which called itself "Silver City", the name "Golden City" was chosen. The gold mining industry wasn't panning out to meet optimistic expectations and soon the term "City" became a little too pretentious for most and the town became known simply as Golden.
Golden would simply not exist without the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). In fact, the railway’s presence helped establish Golden’s place in Canada. As the CPR constructed its cross-country network of rails, it used Golden as a base camp as it extended further into the western part of B.C.
The railway was completed in 1885 and Golden soon became a prominent stop on the line. The CPR also paved the way for the Trans-Canada Highway, which helped to transform the area from a forest outpost to a true community.
Golden BC steamboat landing 1890s
by Barclay
On May 8, 1886, Captain Frank P Armstrong, launched the steamboat "The Duchess” at Golden. Departing from the Columbia Lake she was charged with transporting supplies for Golden and the never-ending appetites of the busy CPR crew. However exciting, it was a short lived era, for the construction of the southbound CPR tracks in 1914 executed the quick demise of the romantic era of steamboat transportation.
The CPR recognized that many travellers through Golden would want to stay, explore and discover the incredible area for themselves. To this end, the CPR hired professional Swiss guides to assist in providing connections to this compelling yet rugged landscape. In 1899, Eduard Feuz Sr. and Christian Haesler came to Canada from Switzerland to serve as mountain guides. In 1911, the CPR built homes in Golden for their sons, Edward Feuz Jr. and Christian Haesler Jr., and their fellow guides, naming it the ‘Swiss Village’, or ‘Edelweiss.’ Mountaineering activity in the region attracted international visitors, including Alpine Club of Canada members, who based their mountain explorations from Golden. The Swiss Village is situated 1.5 kilometres west of Golden.
For well over a century, Golden’s fortunes have been linked with the forestry industry; sawmills have come and gone, been burned down and rebuilt and are wrapped in a list of owners as long as a Douglas Fir log - where the health of the industry went, so went Golden’s well being. The forest industry was initiated with the building of the CPR Railroads, which required 3000 railroad ties per mile. There was also demand for buildings, bridges, trestles and snowsheds, some of which took huge quantities of large timber.
In 1858, the Imperial Government sent John Palliser out to find a feasible route from the Prairies through the mountains so it could extend the railway. A geologist, named Sir James Hector, was among those on the expedition team. Following a string of bad events, Hector ended up stumbling upon the Kicking Horse Pass. As the story goes, he was camped out at the Great Divide when one of the team's pack horses got loose and crossed the river. Sir James jumped into the water and swam after it, eventually rounding the horse up. While trying to tie it to a tree near his horse, the two animals became enraged and started fighting. During the ruckus, Sir James suffered a vicious kick from his own steed. The sheer force broke three of his ribs and knocked him out. In fact, he was unconscious for so long, his three Native guides were convinced he was dead and decided to bury him. As they were carrying Sir James's lifeless body to a grave some distance away, he suddenly came to. When he was well enough to move around, he explored the valley and eventually discovered the pass that became the route through the mountains. The pass and the river were dubbed "Kicking Horse" in his honour.
Golden to Revelstoke: There is a sign near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the sign:
T = WW II - Left Column - Line 3 - Character 2
U = WW II - Left Column - Line 8 - Character 3
V = WW II - Right Column - Line 2 - Character 3
W = WW II - Right Column - Line 4 - Character 6
X = WW II - Left Column - Line 5 - Character 2
Y = WW II - Right Column - Line 1 - Character 6
Z = WW II - Right Column - Line 7 - Character 2
From the Golden coordinates, project TU,VWX.XU meters at a bearing of UWT.VZY degrees.
Stage 5 - Revelstoke, BC
The first settlement was being established on the east shore of the Columbia River as the Last Spike was being driven at Craigellachie in November of 1885. Although the settlement was initially named Farwell, after the enterprising individual who surveyed the first townsite, the city was ultimately named in honour of Lord Revelstoke, whose London bank financed the completion of the transcontinental railway.
Railway station in Revelstoke, British Columbia - 1915
by Milton McFarland, Sr.
Following its incorporation in 1899, Revelstoke quickly grew into one of the largest cities in the interior, and an important transportation hub. Sternwheelers on the Columbia River connected with the CPR, carrying mineral ores and supplies for the mines of the Silvery Slocan. Economic success led to the construction of the fine Victorian buildings in the downtown core. In the early 1900s, C.B. Hume's department store was the largest in the BC Interior.
In the 1980s, a revitalization programme helped the restoration of a number of blocks in the downtown commercial district. Explore Revelstoke's heritage buildings by picking up a self-guided walking tour brochure from the Revelstoke Visitor Centre.
An immigrant to Canada from Norway, Nels Nelsen arrived in Revelstoke in 1912, and quickly recognized the skiing potential of the local mountains. Three years later, he organized the first ever ski tournament on the slopes of Mount Revelstoke. In those days, the emphasis was not so much on the kind of alpine skiing that we know today, but rather on ski jumping – a sport in which Nelsen excelled. In 1916, he broke the world ski jumping record with a jump of 56m/183ft. The Revelstoke ski jump was the biggest and best in Canada, and was to be the site of many world record-breaking jumps. The Nels Nelsen Historic Area is located at the base of Mount Revelstoke. Other than the exhibit pavilion, there is not a lot to see. The judges' tower still stands – one of the last remnants of this extraordinary piece of history.
The Canadian Pacific Railway was built with the sweat and toil of many workers, including a large contingent from China. These were the early pioneers of Revelstoke. In time, the logging industry expanded, along with some mining, but the railway continued to be the primary employer. In recent years, however, people have been choosing Revelstoke for a healthy, active lifestyle that could include skiing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, ski touring and snowshoeing. The recently expanded Revelstoke Mountain Resort offers excellent snow conditions and the longest vertical in North America.
Revelstoke holds the Canadian record for snowiest single winter. 2447 cm of snow fell on Mt.Copeland outside town during the winter of 1971-72. That works out to just over 80 feet of snow. The townsite received 779 cm and snow levels were higher than many roofs around town by more than a few metres.
Revelstoke to Sicamous: There is a sign near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the sign:
A = "destroyed by fire in 191A"
B = "2B feet wide"
CD = "CD9 feet long"
E = "39E ton"
F = Draft of XX inches - Add or multiply these 2 numbers together
From the Revelstoke coordinates, project AB,DDA.C meters at a bearing of DAC.BEF degrees.
Stage 6 - Sicamous, BC
The first settlers in Sicamous were from Finland. Sicamous (meaning narrow or squeezed in the middle) has a history that consists of many interesting subjects, native heritage, Columbia gold discovery, paddle wheelers and construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
In the 1800’s this area was inhabited by a semi-nomadic Indian group called the Shuswaps. They crossed the Rockies to hunt buffalo on the plains. In this area they were called the “Schickamoos”. In 1871 a Provincial Map shows Schickamoos Narrows which in early history was known as a “meeting place of Indians”.
In 1864 gold was discovered on the Columbia. Seymour Arm became a supply centre in the Big Bend gold rush. The Hudson’s Bay Company built the first steamer, others were built, some privately, some by the CPR. However, after the completion of the CPR, the steamers were doomed to extinction. Rail transport was faster and after the 1920’s the steamers were used mostly for pleasure.
In 1885 permanent settlers arrived after the driving of the Last Spike at Craigellachie which linked Canada sea to sea. Old Town (or Eagle Pass Landing) became an instant town in 1871. It was the central supply centre for railway construction. Today it is used for recreational purposes for the public.
Sicamous Hotel ca 1923
Later in the early 1900’s CPR hill became a residential development. Finlayson’s store and a jail was built in 1892 adding a post office in 1904. Also, the first school was opened around the years of 1908 and 1910. In 1949 the bridge was built across the channel, having previously been just a ferry crossing. Several hotels were opened over the years. In the early 1900’s the well known Sicamous Hotel was built. it was Tudor style with 75 rooms and a large elegant dining room. The dances were well attended being dressy and posh affairs. It was demolished in 1964 and today there are still many inquiries about the hotel.
Eagle Valley became the home of many settlers. They came and farmed the land putting up with forests, deep snow and hordes of mosquitoes. Then the well known D Dutchmen Dairy was built. The first newspaper in Sicamous was the Eagle Valley News, it was printed for the first time on October 22, 1958. It continues to print today.
Sicamous to Salmon Arm: There is a train at the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the train:
A = Difference between the last 2 numbers of the large 6 digit train number
B = First number of the 5 digit Wt
C = Fourth number of the large 6 digit train number
D = First number of the large 6 digit train number
E = Second number of the large 6 digit train number
F = Last number of the 5 digit Wt
G = Second number of the 3 digit New
From the Sicamous coordinates, project AB,CDD.BE meters at a bearing of AEB.FGA degrees.
Stage 7 - Salmon Arm, BC
Salmon Arm officially began in 1890, when residents successfully petitioned the federal government for a post office. William's Directory for 1890 lists Salmon Arm as being "a station on the main line of the CPR, 319 miles east of Vancouver and 33 miles east of Shuswap. Mails daily "Bradstreet's Report of the Dominion of Canada, 1893”, pegged the local population at 28.
The early settlers preferred the rich valley bottom land to the higher benches, which they deemed worthless without irrigation. When fruit growing started to attract widespread interest in the BC interior, most of the initial planting was done in the valley. However, the trees weren't happy there and as fruit production assumed larger importance, the well-drained benches came into their own. Berries and vegetables were also tried in the valley, but dairying and mixed farming gradually became dominant.
Signs of an emerging permanent community began with a school at Hedgman’s Corner (August 1890) and the following year Thomas Shaw opened a general store to compete with the McGuires. Estimated population: 200. First Hotel, Cameron House, afterwards called Coronation was erected by J.D. Cameron in 1895.
The year 1894 is remembered for flood and fire. During the spring runoff Shuswap Lake inundated at least half the valley, covered the railway east and west of town and created a miniature lake between Alexander Avenue and Ross Street. Then in July a fire broke away from a smouldering slash pile at the base of Mount Ida and swept through the valley, destroying livestock, crops and buildings.
Rex Lingford photographer, circa 1909
In retrospect it has been argued the early promise of carefree fruit ranching contained hopes which could never be fulfilled. "Non Irrigated" didn't always mean sufficient moisture and the advertised loamy soil often turned out to be sand, too rocky or unrelenting clay with a thin band of fertile soil on top. Quarter-section homesteads were subdivided and re-subdivided, as promoters predicted a comfortable living could be had from as few as five acres "of the right sort." In reality, it usually turned out to be nothing more than subsistence agriculture.
Whereas the Valley generally attracted practical, experienced farming types not afraid to roll up their sleeves, the notion of fruit ranching often took hold in the imaginary mind of Englishmen serving the Empire in such faraway outposts as Manchuria and India. Some sons daughters of the moneyed class thought life in the Canadians West struck just the right balance between work and play. Perhaps it was so for a few, but most were ruled by hail, heat, insects, plant diseases, unscrupulous middlemen, the CPR and the dispassionate market. Then, just when rising economic hopes seemed justified, the Great Depression spread over the land. No matter what their bank account said, the English expatriates stuck together trying to approximate life in the Old Country as closely as possible. Many homed in on South Canoe it was soon dubbed Little England by “the other half."
The electric age dawned here in l913 with the start-up of a city-owned plant utilizing a diesel motor considered a lower cost option to a coal-fired systems. A unique feature of the service was free use of one verandah light for the next eight years. Salmon Arm became part of the West Canadian Hydro Electric Company grid in the fall of 1928. On January 13, 1914, Mayor Scales presided at a valve-turning ceremony for a new city water system. A few months later a rare show of city-city co-operation resulted in service being made available to 20 homes on the Limit (Broadview). A comprehensive joint system would not be realized for another 33 years.
Rex Lingford photographer, circa 1909
As it happened, nothing could save the apple industry. In 1946 the pack topped 400,000 boxes and remained fairly steady until the winter of 1949-50 when unprecedented freezing temperatures delivered a knockout blow to fruit operations throughout the city. Production plummeted next season by 75 per cent. It was the final act for most growers, although the Exchange managed to keep one packing house operating until 1958. Today only Hanna, Peterson and Ruth brothers run orchards of any consequence.
The 1950s saw lumber and plywood manufacturing take up some slack in the local economy, as former fruitlands yielded to small holdings and residential subdivisions. Tourism was starting to take off and Salmon Arm was becoming known as a desirable retirement centre. The school district also emerged as a major employer.
In 1998, an area of 13,500 acres (34 km² or just over 5000 hectares) immediately southwest of Salmon Arm was burnt to the extent of deforestation by a wildfire started by lightning. The fire came down from the Fly Hills in the west and embers carried by the wind jumped the valley and ignited Mount Ida. Flames raced down both sides of the valley, threatening many homes. An emergency evacuation was executed as the fire hotfooted it closer. Remarkably, just as the fire reached the valley floor, a sudden change of wind direction forced the fire back on itself, extinguishing it. The fire came so close that trees in many backyards were singed and barn paint was peeled. The media reported "20 homes and 15 barns" were destroyed during the firestorm in the Silver Creek area to the south of Salmon Arm, which also produced Canada's largest civil evacuation up to that date when the "5,000-hectare forest fire that forced the removal of 7,000 residents of Salmon Arm was being blown toward the town."
Salmon Arm to Chase: There are 2 signs near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on those signs:
A = The revitalized Fletcher Park officially opened on Aug AX, 1989
B = across the tracks, and in 195B they built a wading pool
C = On Canada Day, 198C, a barbecue was held
D = Price of a seasons pass for a child in 1957
E = The original four-room school was replaced in 191E
F = In 200F, two mothers
From the Salmon Arm coordinates, project AB,ACB.DB meters at a bearing of DEF.FFC degrees.
Stage 8 - Chase, BC
The first settlers in the South Thompson area some 10,000 years ago were the Shuswap people - a corruption of Secwepemc which means, "The beginning of a spill-over from a big lake." There are presently three bands in the area; Niskonlith, Adams Lake and Little Shuswap Indian Bands.
Whitfield Chase who was born in 1820 to the famous Chase Family left Otego, New York March 25th 1852 and arrived at Fort Townsend Sept. 24th 1852. In 1853-54 after Chase's sailing partner drowned, Whitfield moved to Victoria plying his trade as a carpenter. By July 1857 he was back at Port Townsend.
In 1859 Whitfield wrote home, "I may visit California or I may return to the States or I may go to the gold diggings towards the head waters of those streams which flow into the Fraser's River." Whitfield by 1862 was prospecting up the South Thompson River but by the fall of 1864 returned to Kamloops and after a stint in Barkerville decided to go farming. Whitfield married the eldest daughter of Chief Synsetid the Niskonlith Chief in 1865 and took over James Todd's 460 acres at the foot of "lesser Shuswap Lake."
By 1884, when the C.P.R. arrived, Whitfield had amassed 1330 acres with 550 cattle, 30 horses and five teams, as well as a huge garden and orchard. Elizabeth bore four boys and six daughters for Whitfield between; 1869-1892. Whitfield died in 1896, and Elizabeth in 1907. Both are buried in the Chase graveyard. Marcus Chase, Whitfield's eldest living son ran the ranch eventually leasing 68.8 acres in November 1906 to the Adams River Lumber Company, settling the Town site in 1907. Marcus died in 1908.
Adams River Lumber Company
Chase, c. 1920
Photo: British Columbia Archives
The Adams River Lumber company was formed July 2, 1907 by J.P McGoldrick president of the McGoldrick Lumber Company of Spokane Washington along with A.J Lammers, a well known Minnesota Lumberman. The Mill started up in 1908 and started selling the townsite, the first lot was purchased by George Price May 5th 1908. The town had running water, telephone, electricity, as well a government in the form of The Chase and District Central Board of Trade. The town had a fire hall, band, baseball team(s), opera house, movie theatre, hospital, hotels, churches, bank, stores, and restaurants.
The Mill was considered the largest in the Interior of BC and the third largest in the province. The Mill ran from 1908-1925 cutting 30 million feet in 1910 averaging 175,000 feet in a ten hour shift, employing approximately 300 men. The stack was the tallest on any mill in BC beings 184 feet high. After Adams River Lumber Company closed the Big Mill various smaller mills ran in the former location right up to 2005.
Chase, BC - ca 1920
The village carried on as the town had electricity, telephone, running water, the Chase Board of Trade, to go along with the best climate in the world. Then in 1939 Canada declared war on Germany and most of the men went to serve their country. 1945 saw the return of the veterans who picked up their lives again working at the new Adams Lake Sawmill located at the south end of the Adams Lake and various mills on the Chase site. The village voted to incorporate in 1969; the largest driving force was to get clean water.
With the Incorporation of the village of Chase came the first Mayor, Mayor Alex Brown. The streets were paved, the water system updated, a sewage system implemented and many other services and resources have since been added to the village.
Chase to Kamloops: There is a sign near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the sign:
A = Line 4 - Character 6
BB = Line 2 - Character 9
C = Line 1 - Character 2
D = Line 6 - Character 10
E = Line 1 - Character 6
F = Line 4 - Character 11
G = Line 1 - Character 11
From the Chase coordinates, project AC,ABB.DE meters at a bearing of BBF.CDG degrees.
Stage 9 - Kamloops, BC
The first Canadians of the Kamloops district were the 3000 or so members of the widespread Shuswap tribe of the Interior Salish Nation. During most of the year, they were nomadic, traveling wherever the hunting, berry picking, or - most particularly - fishing, was good, but in winter they settled in pit - house villages. There was a large one at Tranquille, named for their chief, another on the present Reserve site, and a series of smaller ones on both sides of the South Thompson River.
A party of three fur traders came up the Columbia and Okanagan valley to Thompson's River in 1811, finding friendly Indians eager to trade plentiful beaver pelts. Consequently, they returned the next year to set up the first small post for the Astorians, promptly followed by the Nor'westers, who came across the Rockies, and who, in 1813, bought out the American company.
Kamloops, BC ca 1911
Matthews, James Skitt, Major
In 1821, the North West Company amalgamated with the Hudson's Bay Company, using the latter name. Trade continued to be active at Thompson's River Post, then situated northeast of the river junction. In 1843, they moved to a site near the point in North Kamloops - very convenient for fine horse range and hay meadows, but subject to frequent flooding. This was the era of large fur brigades from New Caledonia in the north, and the climate and bunch grass of our district provided excellent breeding and wintering ground for the horses.
The discovery of gold brought many adventurers into the country in the late 1850's; the majority came from the United States and China. Some miners worked Tranquille Creek, others explored the North Thompson and Shuswap districts, while many more passed through Kamloops on their way to Cariboo riches. The first farms were established in response to the demand for beef, pork, vegetables and grain, and soon became very productive. This was the beginning of ranching, still a vital facet of our economy.
When British Columbia became part of Canada in 1871, a trans continental railroad was promised. Surveys started promptly, and this provided employment for local settlers, and a market for their produce. There were many political problems and delays, but construction reached this area in 1883, and a small village grew on the south shore of the Thompson.
Kamloops High School ca 1904
When the C.P.R. was completed three years later, the community mushroomed, with hotels, stores, churches, schools and a hospital. In 1893, the population of about 500 decided to incorporate as a City, complete with fire department, telephone, water works and electrical light systems, bought from previous private enterprises.
The first South Thompson bridge was built in 1887, to be followed by one to North Kamloops in 1901. The first lumber was cut in 1865 to build the first of many paddlewheel steamers, and this was soon followed by lumber mills at Tranquille and what is now Riverside Park. In later years, the lumber industry became of prime importance.
From 1886, C.P.R. men constituted much of the work force, and in 1915 the Canadian Northern Railway was completed, adding its quota. The modern Trans Canada Highway was opened in 1962, and the Yellowhead Highway in 1970. Kamloops, at the junction of these four transportation systems, has been justifiably called the "Hub City".
In the 1920's, after recovery from war losses and vicious influenza epidemics, growth was rapid until slowed by the Depression and World War II. Since then, the pace has accelerated, and the old orchard, farming and market gardening center has been engulfed by suburban developments and industry.
In June, 1967, North Kamloops was amalgamated with the older south shore Kamloops, and in May, 1973, the municipalities of Valleyview, Brocklehurst, Rayleigh, Barnhartvale and Dufferin, as well as a large unincorporated area, were also added.
Kamloops to Final: There is a sign near the coordinates projected above, find the following information on the sign:
A = There is a picture taken in ca. 19AB
B = There is a picture taken in ca. 19AB
C = Lorne Street and 1st to 3rd Avenues 19C5
D = Gold was discovered at Tranquille in 185D
E = In 181E the first fur trading post was setup at the confluence of the rivers
F = A new band shell was installed in 19F0
G = 8th character on the title below the photo
From the Kamloops coordinates, project B,CBC.DB meters at a bearing of EAF.GDA degrees.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary
http://kananaskis.com/history.htm
https://canmorehistory.wordpress.com/page/7/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field,_British_Columbia
https://digitize.library.ubc.ca/digitizers-blog/canadian-pacific-railway-hotels-in-b-c-part-1/
http://www.tourismgolden.com/about/golden-history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyak_%28sternwheeler%29
http://www.hellobc.com/revelstoke/culture-history.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revelstoke,_British_Columbia
http://www.sicamouschamber.bc.ca/about/history/
https://digitize.library.ubc.ca/digitizers-blog/canadian-pacific-railway-hotels-in-b-c-part-2/
http://www.salmonarmmuseum.org/history.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmon_Arm
http://www.chasechamber.com/page.php?id=2
http://www.chasemuseum.ca/
http://www.firstnations.de/development/secwepemc.htm
http://www.kamloops.ca/museum/historyofkamloops.shtml
http://www.kamhigh.com/the-early-years/
http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/index.php/view-of-kamloops-b-c