pWednesday, March 26, 1958

ne TRIBUNE, WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C.

= Page 6

- Surveying British Columbia Himalayan Country

wee is the story of the Homathko power sur-

vey,

pecially prepared and written for The Williams

jake Teribune by the public information department
of the British Columbia Power Commission.

It would have amazed Alfred
Waddingten.

The 30 young men, members
of a B.C. Power Commission sur-
yey party, who climbed the peaks
and plumbed the valleys in
Waddington’s magnificent Hom-

athko country, last summer
were surveyors, engineers and
chainmen, just like the party

which the great pioneer sent out

in 1864, But their purpose—
and their fate—were Very
different.

Of the 17 stalwarts recruited
by Waddington to survey the
Homathko nearly 100 years ago,
14 were massacred in a bloody
Indian ambush.

From that day to this, there
has been comparatively little
change in the Homathko’s roar-
ing gorges, or on the tranquil
half-mile high shores of Tatla-
yoko and Chilko lakes.

Waddington’s party was to
survey a road route to the
Cariboo country. The enterpris-
ing prime mover in that early
effort to develop the rugged ter-
rain at the head of Bute Inlet
had obtained a charter and in-
corporated'a company to build
the road. Later, in 1874,
Canadian Pacific Railway engin-
eers located a possible rail route
through the wild valleys to the
west coast.

Nothing materialized from
either plan. Waddington’s
mame today is chiefly memorial-
ized in towering 12,156-foot
Mount Waddington, the loftiest
mountain peak lying wholly in
British Columbia. Its gargan-
tuan proportions dominate an
area where 14 other peaks soar
to an elevation of more than
10,000 feet.

Waddington’s survey party
went into the Homathko on foot,
back-packing all their supplies.
The “terrain researchers” of
the Power Commission survey
party are highly mobilized—
with aeroplane, helfeopter, boat
and trucks.

LARGEST SURVEY

Last year’s commission party
was the largest full-scale éx-
ploratfon crew to-enter the area

28, when a
men directed by S, H. Frame, of
the Provincial Water Rights
Branch; pack-horsed over this
parren sector to obtain profiles
of possible dam sites.

Times change. Nowadays,
trigonometric stations are estab-
lished using a helicopter to
transport surveyors to their
stations. Detailed topography is
filled in by aerial photos.

The Power Commission's
prime interest in the Homathko
,avea is {ts potential as a major
source of power, possibly to
meet the pressing demands of
Vancouver Island, and possibly
in the final stages of develop-
ment for the Carjboo region.

Indications are that perhaps

group: of |:

4 million commercial horse-
power could be developed in this
area, partly by utilizing the
natural fall of the Homathko,
and partly by diverting water
from the Chilko and Taseko to
this river and to the Southgate.

But there are many hurdles
in the path.

Apart from some logging
operations near the head of
BwtéInlet, a little ranching and
some mining prospects, the
whole area is virginal, wild and
ufdeveloped. Roads and trails
are non-existent, which accounts
for the apparent lack of interest
in the area.

In any business project of
magnitude, there are many
“it's,” and “ buts,” “ pros” and
“cons”; facts, figures, techni-
cal data, more facts and figures
have to be formulated before
any daylight can be seen or
decisions reached.

Hence the continuing survey
of the Homathko by Commission
crews.

The 1957 survey party was
headed by Ralph Spinney and
Roger Clarke, assistant field
engineers; Don Phillips and
Noel Dodwell, levelmen; Fred
Phillips (Don’s brother), in-
strumentman; Tom McCrady,
surveyors’ assistant; and Ralph
Defosses, chainman.
TATLAYOKO CAMP

They, and 23 others? operated
from a main camp established
late in May at the south end of
Tatlayoko Lake. As the sum-
mer progressed, they split up
and went their devious ways,
working out of several sub-
camps set up in the various re-
gions under investigation.

To maintain an uninterrupted
supply line from Williams Lake,
12 helicopter “ pads,” or land-
ing platforms, were constructed
at various locations. These were
log platforms, 25° feet square,
erected in a cleared area about
200 feet by 50 feet, where the
whirly-birds could be put down.

Having taken care of the air-
lifé ‘routés for supplies and
equipment, and the landing pads
and, sub-camps, they were -con-
fronted with the problem of

river transportation.
Necessity, it is said, is the
mother of invention. As most

of the survey work was to be
done in the river, a boat big
enough to carry several men and
heavy loads of drilling equip-

ment had to be built on location. |

Under the capable supervision
of Tom McCrady, a 22-foot river
boat was constructed. This was
no ordinary boat-biulding job.
Most of the materials had to he
flown in from the Cariboo, the
remainder, including the seven-
foot stem, was fashioned from
native material. Nevertheless,
a sturdy craft, weighing 700
pounds, finally emerged. Pow-

: y
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“ HIMALAYAN ” COUNTRY.
Here is an aerial shot of the Homathko River system,

subject of:close surv

y work by B.C. Power
mission crews who seek to determine power

Com-
poten-

tialities of the area.

ered by a 35 h.p. outboard motor, | had to be airlifted by helicopter.

the good ship “ Helluvagud,”
with Captain MeCrady at the
helm, proved navigable even in
the trickiest of Homathko’s
swirling currents.

This roaring river has its un-
predictable moods. ‘The survey
men were reminded forcibly of
its idiosyncrasies in the early
part of September, when precious
supplies were: washed away by}
its rampaging torrents. A flash
flood swept Waddington Canyon
following heavy rain in the
mountains. The swollen river's

level rose 30 feet in 24 hours—|_,
an occurrence which the men
estimated had not occurred

over 25 years,

Despite the aboye-normal rain-
fall in the area last year, water
rationing had to be enforced in

two of the sub-camps during |¢
one three-week period in late
August and’ early September
One of the camps was within
only a thousand feet of the
river—but that thousand feet
was practically vertical! Wate:

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ANITY OVERLOOKED
Cleanliness, they say, is next
to godliness, but here was an
instance where personal vanity
had to be overlooked. The men
went unwashed for several
weel to conserve water for
drinking and cooking. An
though they were well fixed for
biades: shavingstoo; was "ver
| poten.’

a

In early
falls of.
weather
edly nippy.
the:
did the

October, two heavy
snow and freezing
made camp life decid-
In the cold, frosty

became hungrier. So

the
shatters, a

the found
tent torn to
stove disembodied
temporary haven in a state of
dishevelment.
of the abominable

thick,

Continued on Page Six

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56

Royal Commission on Education

‘The Royal Commission on Education for British Columbia
invites organizations, groups and individuals, to present

. briefs on matters of education up to University level (ex-

‘elusive of the means by which funds for school purposes are
raised and distributed). Information regarding the prepar-
ation of briefs, the terms of reference of the commission,
and arrangements for hearings, may be obtained from Dean
S. N. F. Chant, Chairman, Royal Commission on Education,
University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, B.C., to whom
all briefs must be addressed. At the hearings to be an-
nounced, only those who have submitted briefs will be heard

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every part of the

Province!

B.C.’s the place to see this wonderful

entennial Year!

Every day - everywhere - something different for you to share

North, south, east and west — all over B.C, — the welcome mat is out! It’s the year to see new places =

make new friends! Travel from the Coast to the North Country, from the Kootenays to Vancouver
Island — discover the beauty of sunny Interior Valleys — explore the historic Fraser Canyon! Glimpse
the color and pageantry, share the Centennial fun and festivity - all planned for your pleasure in

Look what's going on in B.G. this year!

2
! National Championships B.C. Centurama
— wrestling, bowling, tennis, lacrosse, football —a fun-filled Gay Nineties variety show
H y s are among the many to be held here this year! on tour throughout the Province,
Flows on in minutes! An , ’

=

Fraser Brigade
— re-enactment of Simon Fraser's canoe Journey
down the mighty Fraser from Prince George.

International Naval Review
= a majestic display of fighting
ships from many nations.

Stays bright for years!

SUPER
he TONE,

a ad

SCAUBBABLE

Washing ond scrubbing can't harm Super

Wall-Tone’s sparkling beauty. It’s made

from a latex rubber base that dries to
Vancouver International Festivas
= fine music by the world's leading

artists ~ drama, art, and-films.

Stage Coach Run
— just the pioneer days, from <
Victori to Barkerville.

form a tough, easily-washable finish. No

mixing or thinning . . . leaves no streaks

er lap marks. Stays lovely year after

year.

Recily WN THE CALLON

ror ALL your PAINTING NEEDS!

And much, much more to see and enjoy! $60,000 Golt Tournament ¢ C.N.R. Museum Train » The P.W.B,

Theatre Under the RCMP Musical Ride «

e &.C. International Trade Falr © are 8 Historic Caravan

© Old Fort Langley
Dominion Amateur Wrestling Championships, Quesnel,

Prince George Folk Festival, April 10-12.

Plan now to see B.C.—
to take in a host of

April 6.

{ Centennial sights and - Beton , .e
Marshall Wells Stor es | sounds! Make a note, Bonfire and Weiner Roast, Fraser Lake, April 17.
i | too, of these ecial Skeena Drama Festival, Terrace, April 17-19.

sp
See B.C, in Centennial Year - yow ll have the holiday of a lifetime!

MACKENZIES LTD. — OWNER
Williams Lake, B.C. Tel. No. 189 ||