Hedley Mine Explorations Daytrip

[DaveB]

Hi All,

The folks here in the Okanagan are going to be doing a day trip (which could also include a night of camping for some) on Saturday, June 16th to the NickelPlate mining area just above Hedley. Some of you from the coast may be interested in attending as well. We'll be visiting French Mine, followed by some exploring around Apex Ski area.

Here's a link to the track log from our last trip there: http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1167062

Here's some details:

When: June 16th, 2012

Going where??: Just east of Hedley to the Corkscrew Rd at Chuchuwayha (49°20'12.61"N 120° 3'15.46"W)
Up Corkscrew Rd to French Mines.
Lunch at French Mines.
Lots to see & do in this area. You can drive a Rover into these mines!
From French Mines up over the Nickel Plate Mtn to Apex Mtn Ski area.
Play time on trails in and around Green Mtn - east of Apex.
Apex Mtn Rd back down to Penticton & home.

Meeting Time: 8:30 am - Kelowna - Tim Hortons Hwy 97 & Sexsmith Rd at Reids Corner.
Depart no later than 9:00!
Anyone living south of Kelowna can join up with us in Keremeos at 11:00 am on Main Street. (anyone from the coast can meet us at the Corkscrew road turnoff, 2.8 KM east of Hedley at 11:30 but PLEASE let us know if you're planning on attending so we know to keep an eye out for you.)
We will be in a gold Discovery II and if you let us know you are coming we will find you.

Bring: Lunch, water, snacks, boots, flashlights and your sense of fun & adventure!

Length of trip: All day, hope to be home suppertime or around there of.

Rating: Easy to moderate. Might be more towards moderate in Green Mtn./Apex trail area, but the road to the mine is just a gravel road.

This has been planned as a day trip, however as mentioned above, you could camp overnight close to Apex if you wanted to avoid a long drive on Saturday evening. (We may even be convinced to camp ourselves if a few others express interest)

cheers, Dave

[scraig]

Sam & I would like to come along - It looks like we will be in Kelowna Friday and would meet up with you there. However, our attendance depends if my twin boys make it (or not) to the Ball Hockey finals that weekend - Ill know that Monday and can fully commit (or not) then :? .

Stewart

[Bill E.]

I'm in Dave.

[DBrands]

I am in as well. Going to head that way on friday afternoon and find somewhere to camp overnight.

[scraig]

:( Ball Hockey is Over!
:D Coming along!
Ill meet you in Kelowna Saturday AM. Will it be an overnighter then?

[DaveB]

Excellent! There will be at least 2 trucks from up here as well.

The last time we drove through the area there was a bunch of places that looked like good camp spots. There's also this rec site: http://www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca/search/s ... &type=Site

I suggest we just explore on Saturday and find a spot that suits us towards the end of the day.

cheers, Dave

[chrismac]

I'm hoping to come. I may have the dogs plus the woman.

[DaveB]

So far,

Meeting in Kelowna:
Dave & Pamela
Israel & ??
Stewart Craig

Meeting at Corkscrew Rd., Hedley:
Bill
DBrands
chrismac

I'll leave it to you guys from the coast to discuss and organize a meeting point down there if you want.

cheers, Dave

[chrismac]

We are in Hope now, having dinner, then heading to Princeton for the night.

[chrismac]

We are on the main street in Keremeos.

[DaveB]

Four trucks are still up at Nickelplate Lake camping. I wonder how cold it got last night, or if the rain stopped?

Here's a video of mine exploring at the French/Oregon mine:



cheers, Dave

[ANDYD]

Neat Dave.... any snow up there?

On your everytrail map the two most southerly points almost join up, but doesn't quite! What was stopping you completing the loop?

Cheers, Andy

[DaveB]

One end was the top of the mine shaft, the other road led to the concentrator. There are some rough paths in between, but not for vehicle traffic. It's about 600 feet vertically between one and the other.

We had a smattering of snow remaining at Nickelplate lake making the last 3 KM in to the lake a bit of fun. All the rest of the snow has disappeared from that area, but it's pretty dry up there usually.

Dave

[Bill E.]

We're back! I was one of the four that camped at Nickel Plate Lake at around 6000 feet. Cold, windy and wet for most of the night. We pretended we were having fun around a good but ineffective fire until about 9:00 when we all went to bed. Never got down to freezing but with the wind it was cold enough. The drive out went easily but the puddles were the consistency of a Slurpee and the little ice crystals made for squeaky brake calipers until we dropped in altitude. Great fun exploring, thanks Dave for leading the group. Photos are up in the Gallery.