Hiking the Cariboo Goldfields

David W. Leonard is the project historian (Northern Alberta) in the
Historic Sites and Archives Service, Alberta Community Development. He
is the author of Delayed Frontier: The Peace River Country to 1909 and
co-author of The Lure of the Peace River Coun

Since the creation of the Barkerville Historic Town in the 1950s, the
area explored and exploited by Cariboo gold seekers of a century earlier
has received a modest amount of tourist traffic. It is possible, the
authors of this guidebook claim, to hike the trails of this
90-kilometre-square district in an entire day without seeing another
person. When reading Hiking the Cariboo Goldfields, however, one gets
the distinct impression the authors would like to keep it that way. It
is therefore ironic that they should produce such a work, which can only
serve to augment tourist traffic. Their intent, they claim, is to
“stimulate interest in benign, low impact enjoyment” of the
district. The guide therefore is for hikers, not snowmobilers or
all-terrain users, although the latter are becoming more common.

One reason for the modest number of visitors has been the rugged
environment. The district is mostly mountainous, and the hazards of
hiking the trails, which connect such places as Crescent Spur, Wells,
Stanley, Barkerville, and Keithley Creek, are emphasized: these include
weather, bears, cougars, insects, hypothermia, and undernourishment. In
all, “staying found” is strongly advised. There is also a short
section on wilderness ethics.

The bulk of the guide is very user-friendly, with sufficient maps and
point-by-point descriptors to make it easy to follow. Indeed, it should
be a must-have for any adventurer keen on exploring the Cariboo. A brief
history of the gold rush is also included, as well as a large array of
black-and-white archival and contemporary photos, which add to the
book’s appeal.