2018 4WDrive Overland SE - June

The Horseshoe Canyon could be one of the 7
Wonders of British Columbia.
An old pickup truck left
to the ravages of time.
a headlamp and taking a quick glimpse.
The growths on the ceilings and walls
were mesmerizing, and the colours that
I could see through the headlamp were
beautiful shades of red, and pearlescent
white. Remnants of the working mine
could still be seen in the little signs
hanging along the walls, the metal spikes,
and the wires running along the ceilings.
I turned a corner and saw the wooden
structures that still remained. Several
chutes branched off, along with a larger
central room that had a rather large
hole in the middle of it, along with what
appeared to be drop-in ramps for the carts.
I closed my eyes for a moment, and
could hear echoes of the men that had
worked here decades ago. I could hear
their laughs as they made their way
through the day, and their frustrated
grumblings when things didn’t work, and
feel their pain as they were injured from
the carts slamming fingers. It was time
to go, I could smell a whiff of air that
wasn’t quite right, and knew that I’d return
another day to explore more.
Next up was Goldbridge and Bralorne.
When you first come into the town, there
is a little side road to the right, which will
lead you to the magical Will Haylmore
Heritage site. You can explore the site,
step into the buildings, and see the pieces
of machinery that still litter the grounds.
It’s a great introduction to what you can
expect as you head further into town and
outlying areas.
On your way you’ll pass by “The Model
Bakery”, which put out 6,000 loaves per
week at one time. A little further on are a
few businesses that remain running and
abandoned cars that will bring a smile
to your face. Then, like an episode out of
the twilight zone where time has stopped,
you’ll see the rows of neat tidy houses,
which have stood vacant for years.
A short jaunt up the road, an
unexpected afternoon of adventure,
exploring and wonder await. Your next
stop is the Pioneer Mine and the town
built for those who pulled gold out of the
mountain. This historic area was one of
the most important gold mines in B.C. for
most of the 20th century. As you crest the
hill, you can see a decaying structure to
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