BC ghost towns

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 July 2021 - 04:53 PM.

Indeed...but no pictures, sadly..

Indeed...but no pictures, sadly..

this article has about 40 pictures of kitsault here.

https://www.huffingt..._n_5504760.html

album near the bottom.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 July 2021 - 06:54 AM.

Thanks!  Great 1980's time capsule..

I was at San Josef Bay the other day, and there are still remnants of a failed settlement near the beach at the hands of Dutch settlers. What kept the community from taking off was the lack of support from the government to build a road to Holberg from San Josef Bay, and when settlers returned to Europe to fight in WWI, many chose not to return to Canada.

Fast-forwarding to 2021, it's easy to see how the location would be enticing for a resort town but the environment is inhospitable by our standards. While you guys baked in the sun, for instance, we were drenched by heavy rains on the north Island, strong winds, and chilly nights that dipped into the single digits. We didn't see sun after leaving Campbell River two Saturdays back and until we arrived at Telegraph Cove a week later.

One of the great ghost town areas in B.C. (Highway 31a) is known as "The Valley of the Ghosts", with multiple ghost towns of the non-tourist variety. These ghost towns are the real deal.

https://www.trailtim...ural-b-c-towns/

And just north of that, on Highway 31, are even more true ghost towns like Arrowhead, Camborne, Ferguson, Comaplix, etc.

This is (IMO) one of the most remote areas in Southern British Columbia.

There are graveyards in some of these old ghost towns that haven't seen a visitor in years.

Interestingly, many of these ghost towns are either now seeing, or are planning new life as world class locations for heli and snow-cat skiing lodges ... of the first class variety, and with some of the worlds finest skiing.

My son and I used to watch a tv show called "Gold Mines and Ghost Towns" it was hosted by Bill Barlee.

He was an NDP MLA for awhile and also my high school history teacher, boy he could bring the past to life.

Some ghost town details below. Perhaps more details than some might want ... but I know this part of B.C. pretty well, so I'll share what I know.

Some interesting reading links below, and all accessible in a vehicle. I've been to all these locations, and despite the notation that a couple are only accessible by boat ... I arrived in a high clearance pick-up truck. Some locations (Arrowhead and Comaplix) are very, very remote.

There's a reason why these ghost towns are only visited by the most determined fans of B.C. history.

There are many more ghost towns in this area than the ones I've listed below, and for those interested, I would heartily recommend a driving loop starting in Nelson, driving to Kaslo, and then heading into the Valley of the Ghosts on Highway 31a with perhaps an overnight stay in the ghost town of Sandon (if you're RV'ing or camping), then to New Denver, and north on Highway 6 to Nakusp and north again on Highway 23 to the ghost town of Beaton on Highway 31.

This area is where most of the very remote ghost towns are.

The drive down Highway 31 to Trout Lake City, Gerrard, Poplar Creek, Marblehead, etc to the small town of Lardeau is a drive on the most remote stretch of actual highway (not logging road) in southern B.C. 

It's also the darkest area in southern B.C. ... so dark on a moonless night that the Milky Way will cast your shadow.

You then head down the lake to wind up back in Nelson or Creston.

This loop would ideally be a two or three day trip, with accommodations available in New Denver or Nakusp. Camping or RV'ing is even better, as you can stay pretty much anywhere you want ... even overnighting in any of the more remote ghost towns.

You can drive the loop in a day if you had to, but you miss out on a lot of side trips to the actual ghost towns.

There is a reference to Bill Barlee above, who was somebody I knew well.

Second only to the Boundary Country of B.C., the area(s) we're talking about here ("Silvery Slocan", "Valley of the Ghosts", and the Lardeau Country) were Bill's favourite part of B.C.

Bill was B.C.'s Minister of Tourism, Small Business, and Culture for many years ... and (IMO) the best Minister of the Crown this Province has ever had, in that he actually held a portfolio that he had a deep and lifelong understanding of ... one that reflected his incredibly comprehensive historical knowledge of B.C.

https://www.arrowlak...ly-of-comaplix/

https://www.vdfhs.co...d_cemetery.html

https://www.nelsonst...wn-for-himself/

https://alhs-archive...ation/camborne/