Our Company
History
To the first nations of this region, the Bridge River
Valley was known as the "Skumakun" or "Land of Plenty".
While they did not
settle here, the nomadic Chilcotins from the North and the Lillooet Indians from
the Fraser River travelled through to forage for roots, berries and to hunt
game.
Gold Fever Pioneers
In
the mid 1800s, prospectors left the gold-bearing gravel bars of the Fraser River
to explore the banks of the Bridge River. Reports of eight men discovering 124
ounces of Gold in just 17 days arriaved in Victoria in 1858. Gold fever had
struck, and prospectors began arriving in growing numbers.
By 1900, rich
gold dust deposits were found in the nearby Cadwallader, Noel and Hurley rivers.
Gold veins were discovered to be surrounding the neighboring mountains, and the
1920s the famed Pioneer and Bralorne mines began production. By the time these
two mines closed in the late 1960s they had produced 4.15 million ounces of
gold, making them the most productive gold mines in the Canadian Cordillera.
During the depression of the 1930s, there were more than 5,000 miners working in
Bralorne and enjoying a sophisticated life with a hospital, bank, ski hill,
skating rink, stores and hotels.
Today the town is somewhat of a ghost
town, with a small population of residents who largely enjoy the recreational
benefits of living in this area which is steeped in mining history.
Exploration still goes on in the uneplored gaps between the mines, hoping for
the next gold fever to strike.
As no alcohol, card games, gambling or
women of questionable character were allowed in the mining towns, the town of
Gold Bridge was born, just 22km from Tyax Wilderness Resort. Since the mines
closed Gold Bridge population has dropped to 43 but still hosts a General store,
hotel, gas station, post office and library.
Adventure Awaits at Tyax Wilderness Resort
The
Gold mining pioneers left an incredible legacy to the area, in their
explorations they left many packhorse trails that serve up ideal singletrack
routes for mountain bilers and hikers to access the incredible alpine
backcountry of the South Chilcotins.
The dream to build a destination wilderness resort in the area was born in the late 1970's.
In search of the perfect location, we toured the back roads of British Columbia for a remote lakeside setting in the mountains. The search led to the discovery of Tyaughton Lake (literally "Lake of the Jumping Fish"), surrounded by mountains and glaciers, providing guests with boundless opportunities for outdoor recreation in Summer and Winter.
In May 1986 construction began and our crew worked tirelessly to construct the largest log lodge in Western Canada using peeled Spruce trees. On December 24, 1986, Tyax Resort opened for business.
Today Tyax Wilderness Resort has developed into a mecca for adventure tourists. Whether you are seeking the calm refreshing remoteness of the lakeside setting or chasing the thrills and sites of venturing into the British Columbian backcountry mountains under your own power or with the assistance of our on site float plane to hike or mountain bike.
