Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
Keep the tradition alive
Stepping back in time
- Thread starter drache
- Start date
Yes, Drache, you are very lucky to have the pictures. I hate to say so, but the pictures are more nostalgic, and actually "worth" more, (not more money,) than would the firearms be.
Interesting to note they used the old style river boat type of boat. That was a fabulous trip around the lakes of Tweedsmuir by boat. Before WW2, they built a wooden rail track with a hand car on it. This was to get your boat from the lower elevated Ootsa and Whitesail Lakes and rivers, to the higher elevated Big Eutsuk Lake. When the Kenny dam flooded Ootsa and Whitesail, it raised the water at the lower end of the track, I'm guessing maybe 75 feet, maybe more, thus lowering the elevation required to get into the Big Eutsuk.
Three of us once pushed a river boat up the rail way thing, after the water was raised, but it still was a darn tough push.
The area enclosed by the waterways mentioned, is high plateau, with high mountains and lakes. It at least used to be, real good mountain caribou country and isolated goat mountains.
The picture of the fellow with the caribou looks exactly like it was taken in this high country in the centre of the lakes area. It probably was. There were no caribou around Cheslatta Lake, or the lower parts of Ootsa or Whitesail.
Years ago there were not near as many geese as there are now, and goose hunting was quite sought after. The well known goose hunting spot of that country was on the Whitesail River, between Ootsa Lake and Whitesail Lake. Two of us once took that trip to the goose, also moose area, and hunted, the Whitesail River flats, before it was flooded.
About the goose hunting being sought after, that book I sent you the page from Drache, listed so many guides. It was common for guides to have on their advertising, "Moose and goose."
Since I knew that country quite well, I would like to see any more info you have on it.
Interesting to note they used the old style river boat type of boat. That was a fabulous trip around the lakes of Tweedsmuir by boat. Before WW2, they built a wooden rail track with a hand car on it. This was to get your boat from the lower elevated Ootsa and Whitesail Lakes and rivers, to the higher elevated Big Eutsuk Lake. When the Kenny dam flooded Ootsa and Whitesail, it raised the water at the lower end of the track, I'm guessing maybe 75 feet, maybe more, thus lowering the elevation required to get into the Big Eutsuk.
Three of us once pushed a river boat up the rail way thing, after the water was raised, but it still was a darn tough push.
The area enclosed by the waterways mentioned, is high plateau, with high mountains and lakes. It at least used to be, real good mountain caribou country and isolated goat mountains.
The picture of the fellow with the caribou looks exactly like it was taken in this high country in the centre of the lakes area. It probably was. There were no caribou around Cheslatta Lake, or the lower parts of Ootsa or Whitesail.
Years ago there were not near as many geese as there are now, and goose hunting was quite sought after. The well known goose hunting spot of that country was on the Whitesail River, between Ootsa Lake and Whitesail Lake. Two of us once took that trip to the goose, also moose area, and hunted, the Whitesail River flats, before it was flooded.
About the goose hunting being sought after, that book I sent you the page from Drache, listed so many guides. It was common for guides to have on their advertising, "Moose and goose."
Since I knew that country quite well, I would like to see any more info you have on it.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
This is great old stuff!
I actually have pictures or two of the old wooden track and cart, I'll see if I can try to find them. I also have old pictures of family members trapping all over the area.
My grandmother knows almost everyone in the area and goes up there every couple months to visit family who still live up there.
My grandmother wrote a book about the area before and after the flooding (our original family farm is now entirely under water).
The Book:
"Heritage Lost"
"A people's history of the Ootsa Lake Region 1905-1955"
by Jean Clark Giesbrecht
The book has been out of print for awhile although there is a copy floating in the BC Libraries. It's an interesting book and required reading in a couple Universities.
http://catalogue.bclibrary.ca/opac/...age Lost&tp=keyword&d=0&f=at&hc=19&rt=keyword
My Great Great Grandfather also wrote a book that was published called "A Girl From Beyond the Coulee" which was published back in about 1945.
My Great Grandfather has been featured in numerous magazines. He was in National Geographic in April or 1938 in a story entitled "Tweedsmuir Park". He was also in Hunting & Fishing in June of 1943 in a story entitled "Silent Men of The North".
Since I wont be doing much tomorrow maybe I'll dig through and find some more pictures if I can.
Ok well here are a few more. These are getting more and more rare for the "decent hunting photos", most of the rest are pictures of scenery of Whitesail River, Tweedsmuir Park, Ootsa Lake area, etc. Then there are a few of my great grandfather riding horses and leading pack animals and such.
I do have pictures though of my grandfather hunting in the 60's which I'll be posting as well.
Orald Harrison on Whitesail Lake
Alfred Harrison trapping in Tweedsmuir Park
Alfred Harrison
This is my Great Grandfather's Guiding outfit when he was guiding large groups of people.
This is my Great Grandfather's Tent when he was guiding small groups of people.
My Great Grandfather looking down upon Nechako Gorge before it was flooded by the building of the Kenny Dam by Alcan.
This is one of two pictures that were featured in "Outdoor Life" in 1943, my great grandfather is on the right. Sadly I don't have the original of the other picture from the article.
I do have pictures though of my grandfather hunting in the 60's which I'll be posting as well.
Orald Harrison on Whitesail Lake
Alfred Harrison trapping in Tweedsmuir Park
Alfred Harrison
This is my Great Grandfather's Guiding outfit when he was guiding large groups of people.
This is my Great Grandfather's Tent when he was guiding small groups of people.
My Great Grandfather looking down upon Nechako Gorge before it was flooded by the building of the Kenny Dam by Alcan.
This is one of two pictures that were featured in "Outdoor Life" in 1943, my great grandfather is on the right. Sadly I don't have the original of the other picture from the article.
The boat being loaded on the cart on the wooden rail line, is at Big Eutsuk Lake, the top of the portage. It was a huge circle route, going one way over the portage, the other way through the Redfern rapids, other lakes and rivers, then back to the starting point on Ootsa Lake.
I think it was in 1938 that a guide took Lord and Lady Tweedsmuir around the circle, then they declared it to be Tweedsmuir Park.
Maybe your Grandfather featured in the 1938 National Geographic was about that trip.
If he took them, then the trip must have been prior to 1938. Could have been.
I think it was in 1938 that a guide took Lord and Lady Tweedsmuir around the circle, then they declared it to be Tweedsmuir Park.
Maybe your Grandfather featured in the 1938 National Geographic was about that trip.
If he took them, then the trip must have been prior to 1938. Could have been.
There were actually multiple guides that took Lord and Lady Tweedsmuir through the park. My grandmother knows the guy who took them on the first part.
My Great Grandfather though wasn't one of the guides, but he along with Frank Hanson were the Horse Wranglers, IE they supplied all the horses for the first half of the expedition. (For the second half the guide and horse wranglers were from Bella Coola I believe).
I've been on the lakes many times in my younger years but my father goes back every year to fish with family.
steve-o1979
Regular
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Really nice picture to look at... thanks for posting. It would be amazing to see the weird looks some of those fellas would give us if they could see us now with some of the things we use. 
Only one I know of in Alberta is from the Spray Lakes in the hungry 30's.
*Drache, if I may.......
They were logging a burn area down there, my Gramma's brother, the fellow above who is still alive and also pictured is the late John Snarud, my Gramma's "Beau" for a short while. The market had tanked for lumber so the boys borrowed an 1899A in 303 Savage and boy if they didn't have a little fun.
John:
The Savage in this last pic is a different one, wearing not only a sling but also looks like a scope maybe. Very rare for any of the local guns from that era. Actually, the only one I know of so far. This goat is intact so there must have been two shot.
Riflesmith
CGN Regular
- Location
- On The Line
WOW and just WOW. I am headed for the mountains in august to pursue goat and caribou and if I don't have the best bullets and modern boots and wool clothing I just can't do it. These guys were true hunters! I admire them immensly and thanks for posting the pics!!
Riflesmith
CGN Regular
- Location
- On The Line
Thanks for the vote of confidence but after seeing these pics I feel like a lesser man!! I am thinking trapdoor something or other......should be modern enough.
