Telegraph Trail Preservation Society NEWSLETTERS Home | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994 | 1993

2002

Jan. 9 -- Cleared the T. trail all the way to Diamond road by skidoo. Lots of blowdown. Broke the windshield.

Jan.11 -- Explored the Winger road which connects up to the T. trail. A much better skidoo route.

Jan. 21 -- Snow shoed down to the T. park area to break trail.

Feb. 12 -- Explored a new route to near the top of Milburn mt. by skidoo for the National trail. Good views from there.

March 25 -- Received $30 from Chester Gordon to put in our trail account.

April 3 -- Walked up onto the high ridge coming down off Milburn mountain. Scouting for the National trail location. Saw the tracks from a pack of wolves.

April 5 -- Our Webmaster, Bill Meier, put some pictures up on our website.

April 7 -- Went to the top of Milburn with the snowmobile. Lots of snow up there.

April 25 -- Rebuilt the picnic table in the Telegraph park that had been smashed by the log spill accident.

April 27 -- Raked the park area and cleaned up the toilet.

April 28 -- Led 37 people on the Blackwater canyon hike with the Caledonia Ramblers, a hiking group based in Prince George. Gorgeous weather. Saw two deer in the Beaver pond meadow.

May 12 -- Kopetski brought a load of gravel for the parking lot, $63.

May 15 -- Ann and Mabel brought two people to hike the ridge loop. We saw a bear up close but I had left my camera home.

May 17 -- Improved the trail along the creek in the park.

May 25 -- Explored the connection over Milburn mountain. Still patches of snow. Small yellow flowers near the top.

May 30 -- Explored to the Pinnacles Park along the Baker creek trail. Took video.

May 31 -- Explored in the Baker creek area. Talked to Martin Lucas to find a way around his lease.

June 4 -- Ann and I explored along the Baker creek trail. Found a way around the Lucas property. A steep climb but worth it. Thunder shower tonight. Sea gulls were flying up Baker creek.

June 13 -- Deposited $2,054 cdn. Into our trail account from the insulator sale. Left some trail brochures at the Visitor center.

June 17 -- Purchased a brush cutter with some of the trail money, $600. Trimmed up the park.

June 18 -- Ann and I explored down in the wet jungle of Baker creek. Got soaked but we found a way through.

June 20 -- Donny came along about noon so we decided to explore for a new route along a lake at the bottom of Five dollar hill. Massive pine beetle attack in that area. They will have to log it all. Stopped for a swim at Punjab lake.

June 21 -- We had our annual T.T. meeting. Ann Stackhouse was chosen as a director. Loralee was there also. She came up from Tatlayoko lake.

June 27 -- Journeyed out to the lookout off Tako road. Saw four deer. Walked close by one that never moved. Cleaned up part of the Lthakoh trail over the top of the ridge. Had to walk in about a mile as part of the road is impassable. Thunder shower came up. Got wet.

June 30 -- Ann and I explored down Baker creek from the Saber Tooth rock to the C road access. One bear. Found a passable trail. One thunder shower.

July 2 -- Ann phoned to say she learned that the trapper cabin at Baker creek was built around 1952 by Huey Gilbert.

July 3 -- Explored along Pinnacles trail. Found a deer trail going down to the creek. Met two mountain bikers.

July 6 -- Bud Carson dropped me off at Goose lake where I started back with the power saw along the trail. It took eight hours to reach home. Went for a dip in the creek. The Northern Harrier attacked me again at the same place as last year, knocking my hat off.

July 7 -- Ann and I explored a way up out of Baker creek.

July 12 -- Asked Norma at Goose lake to drive my car back while I cleared the section of T. trail back to her place from Five dollar hill. A very hot day. Lots of flies in the bush.

July 16 -- Cleared from Frappier's down to the Blackwater river. Found many stone blades used by the ancient Dene people. They had been uncovered by a back-hoe used in tree planting by the Forestry. Came up close to a mother moose and her baby that were feeding in Goose lake.

July 22 -- Mabel Haourt helped me clear the T. trail from Pantage creek bridge to Pantage lake. It was hot and sweaty work but we got the job done. Put up National trail signs along the way.

July 25 -- Found the corner post for the Olson land. The trail is on public crown land.

July 28 -- Ann and I journeyed out to the lookout off Tako road. Had a flat tire on the way. We hacked our way down to the big meadow at the mouth of Tako creek on the Blackwater river and back. Drove down to the slide area at the Mackenzie rock. No more access by car to Netseicha meadow on the Fraser. The road has been wiped out by the river. Saw three deer and one coyote.

July 31 -- Mabel and I explored down the grassy side hill for a trail location to Baker creek. Received field notes from the old survey.

Aug.2 -- Trudged in to Baker creek with my trail tool. (A shovel bent to resemble a hoe which I call my backhoe for the strong back it produces when used!) Began work on the switch-backs down the steep hill.

Aug. 4 -- Finished carving out the switch-back trail down into Baker creek. Rain this evening.

Aug. 7 -- Mabel and I cleared from Pantage lake to Muskrat meadow. Roads dusty with logging trucks. Put up more National trail signs.

Aug. 10 -- Explored along the Baker creek trail from the foot of Milburn mt. to the Hangman spring road. Beautiful scenery. Found a stone blade on the trail that was shaped on both sides.

Aug. 14 -- Very warm, 29*C.. Mabel and I explored in the Hangman spring area.

Aug. 17 -- Mabel and I cleared from Muskrat meadow to 11Q road. We picked some raspberries and blueberries, after.

Aug. 18 -- Frost! Did some work in the trail park.

Aug. 21 -- Donny and I explored the Hangman spring area. Talked to Bob Paley about old roads and trails.

Aug. 24 -- Mabel and I cleared from Charleson creek to Twin lake campsite. Very hot weather. We put up more National trail signs along the way.

Aug. 30 -- Took my (back) hoe over to Baker creek and carved out some trails along the edge. Had a good day. Still hot in the sun. Lots of raspberries along the way in the shade. Observed a couple of red-breasted nuthatches at close hand. They hop down the tree trunks head first.

Sept. 6 -- Scouting trail down into Baker creek from Hangman spring with Doug Fox. We discovered salmon swimming up to spawn. We got as far as the cabin.

Sept. 21 -- Ann and I followed the Indian trail into Baker creek falls.

Sept. 30 -- Doug and I checked out a section of the Baker creek trail. We saw three deer. Sunshine. Found a stone blade on the Indian trail.

Oct. 5 -- Doug and I cleared the Nazkonate loop. Met some people canoeing the Blackwater river. A great horned owl watched our progress. Took a few video shots along the way.

Oct. 11 -- Took Donny with me over to Baker creek. Carved a trail down a side hill around a slide area. We now have a useable route all the way through for the National trail. Saw four deer. Beautiful weather.

Nov. 20 -- Sent my manuscript to Bill Meier. It is now available on line.

Dec. 28 -- Took the motoski up the creek trail as far as Hidden valley. Cut minor windfalls out with the ax. Not quite enough snow yet to be comfortable for the snowmobile.

Happy trails everyone. Dwight Dodge