British Columbia is home to the Mega Ghost Rides. Lets face it, I am not sure
of anywhere in Canada where you can ride to ghost towns abandoned after the gold
or silver rush of that area. The mountains hold so many secrets. Being from BC
I ride back each summer to spend a week riding in one of my favorite parts of
BC.
I love the Kootenays. Time stands still in areas like Nelson,
Trail, Creston, New Denver, Silverton, Kaslo and Nakusp. This is an area rich
in history, incredible riding and scenery. This is riding mecca. Twisty roads,
long lake scenery, hot weather, gravel everywhere and wonderful local breweries
for apres ride and the stories to follow.
This year was no different and
with my BOG Standards (www.bog-standards.com)
friends we headed south west for a week of riding and fun. Two days later we
found ourselves in Nelson enjoying the company of other Triumph riders from all
over Western Canada and US. On the Saturday I decided to do a little
exploration and head to a ghost town in the Selkirks. My Dad is the original
ghost town hunter in my family. He has been to many of them over the years
finding the sites to Cody, Sandon, Carmi and many other hard to find towns from
BC's past. Bill Barlee published books on BC's past and my Dad used those as
his bible. One of the towns I have wanted to see was Sandon and since I was in
the area Sandon was my destination.
Sandon was incorporated in 1898
after the find of huge amounts of galena ore. By 1955 silver prices had fallen
and Carpenter Creek flooded pretty much washing most of the town away. There is
thought to be over 10,000 silver coins somewhere in the bed of Carpenter Creek
washed from the boardwalk of Sandon during the flood. The railroads have been
lifted and are gone but turned into hiking trails. The historical society still
exists in Sandon and has been trying for years to bring in money to help restore
Sandon and make it a living museum. A small portion of main street still
exists, a locomotive waiting for restoration, the electrical power plant, a few
buildings and the museum.
I took the Bonneville and left Nelson in the
morning riding up to Kaslo which is a wonderful little town with a great pub in
the restored Hotel. From Kaslo I took the Kaslo-New Denver hwy over the most
incredible passes and through utterly amazing valleys. The turn off is marked
to Sandon so up the road I went. 10kms of gravel road take you up this tight
valley following Carpenter Creek to the old town site. Its a very cool place to
visit and walk around. I'd recommend it. Cody and Three Forks are also in this
valley and next year on a more appropriate machine I may try and find them.
of anywhere in Canada where you can ride to ghost towns abandoned after the gold
or silver rush of that area. The mountains hold so many secrets. Being from BC
I ride back each summer to spend a week riding in one of my favorite parts of
BC.
I love the Kootenays. Time stands still in areas like Nelson,
Trail, Creston, New Denver, Silverton, Kaslo and Nakusp. This is an area rich
in history, incredible riding and scenery. This is riding mecca. Twisty roads,
long lake scenery, hot weather, gravel everywhere and wonderful local breweries
for apres ride and the stories to follow.
This year was no different and
with my BOG Standards (www.bog-standards.com)
friends we headed south west for a week of riding and fun. Two days later we
found ourselves in Nelson enjoying the company of other Triumph riders from all
over Western Canada and US. On the Saturday I decided to do a little
exploration and head to a ghost town in the Selkirks. My Dad is the original
ghost town hunter in my family. He has been to many of them over the years
finding the sites to Cody, Sandon, Carmi and many other hard to find towns from
BC's past. Bill Barlee published books on BC's past and my Dad used those as
his bible. One of the towns I have wanted to see was Sandon and since I was in
the area Sandon was my destination.
Sandon was incorporated in 1898
after the find of huge amounts of galena ore. By 1955 silver prices had fallen
and Carpenter Creek flooded pretty much washing most of the town away. There is
thought to be over 10,000 silver coins somewhere in the bed of Carpenter Creek
washed from the boardwalk of Sandon during the flood. The railroads have been
lifted and are gone but turned into hiking trails. The historical society still
exists in Sandon and has been trying for years to bring in money to help restore
Sandon and make it a living museum. A small portion of main street still
exists, a locomotive waiting for restoration, the electrical power plant, a few
buildings and the museum.
I took the Bonneville and left Nelson in the
morning riding up to Kaslo which is a wonderful little town with a great pub in
the restored Hotel. From Kaslo I took the Kaslo-New Denver hwy over the most
incredible passes and through utterly amazing valleys. The turn off is marked
to Sandon so up the road I went. 10kms of gravel road take you up this tight
valley following Carpenter Creek to the old town site. Its a very cool place to
visit and walk around. I'd recommend it. Cody and Three Forks are also in this
valley and next year on a more appropriate machine I may try and find them.