Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists kept cool on the warm morning of August 10 by hiking the scenic and shaded trail along Hedley Creek. Beryl Wallace and Marg Hamblin led this fascinating field trip that allowed us to connect with some of our Hedley club members and view some remnants of the area’s mining history. Several wooden water flumes still exist along the creek, which was a northern route to the KVR at the turn of the 19th century, when mining companies dammed the creek for water supply to their reduction mill. A series of bridges was built at the same time, but a 1972 flood during spring runoff wiped out all the bridges as well as the dam. Consequently, our picturesque route took us only as far as the location of the first bridge, which lies intact on the opposite bank. The trek in this beautiful area merely whetted our appetites for a later hike in the fall, when it should be possible to ford the creek and explore further up the canyon.
Our next field trip will take us to Lightning Lakes on August 24 for hiking and kayaking. It could be a full day.
Phone Janis Wright at 295-7560 for more info.