Forgot to ask...Presto, have you seen the wood frame trestle near the hole in the hill? It's part of the Kettle Valley Railway Trail. There is a road that intersects Coalmont Rd less than 1 km south of 'the hole.' Just turn left onto it. Should be near where the birch tree forest is.

*edit* the Hoodoos are just outside Princeton going towards Coalmont.

Some pics from my little drive last Sunday:

Stopped for gas on the Crowsnest
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4880.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4900.jpg

Heading into Princeton, B&W infrared.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4914.jpg

Stopped for food
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4917.jpg

The rocks to look out for on Coalmont Road last mentioned by Presto
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4931.jpg

Going into the village of Coalmont
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4941.jpg

Funny sign
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4943.jpg

Outhouse
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4944.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4946.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4947.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4957.jpg

Shoes, anyone?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4959.jpg

Old schoolhouse converted into a museum
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4964.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4969.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4988.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT4990.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5083.jpg

The 'Hole.' According to my navi, it is located at N 49º 46.368, W 120º 46.056. Elevation 876.1m. You can clearly see that this is a mine entrance or a airhole that has been collapsed either naturally or delibrately...the collapsed roof is clearly visible.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5085.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5086.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5093.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5097.jpg

The picturesque Coalmont Road
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5123.jpg

This is where I turned off of Coalmont Rd, and headed west towards Brookmere.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5129.jpg

The road heading towards Brookmere. This road turned into a very narrow, twisty logging road with trees and branches on the road. Took me close to 1 hour to drive the 20km to Brookmere.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5132.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5139.jpg

The last remaining water tower in western Canada. This held water to put into steam locomotives. Brookmere was a major stop on the Kettle Valley Railway.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5157.jpg

Former trainstation, now looks to be a private residence.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5166.jpg

An old, unrestored house that was formerly occupied by an interred Japanese-Canadian family during and after WWII.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...led-HDR-00.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/PICT5201.jpg

Nice pics, Senna! I have not seen that other 'hole' yet, but I'll give it a look next time I head out there.

My friend and I love this province so much, we did a public service and kicked all the sizeable rocks off the road yesterday. Then I proceeded to rip up and down that road a dozen times. I think I'll do that everytime I head up that way. :)

sometime next month i want to go as well. i'll let you guys know, maybe we can set something up. the more the merrier right?

Thanks! What other hole are you talking about? That's the same hole you took a picture of, isn't it? Between the two dirt mounds with the footbridge crossing the creek on the right side? Incidently, that's where the Kettle Valley Trail crosses Coalmont Rd.

Haha...that's a good service, but what if a rock fell and hit you on the head as you guys were clearing the road?

^mother nature spitting in your eye.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...es/hoodoos.jpg

You can see where the abandoned town of Blakeburn is on the bottom middle of the map.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...lmont-Road.jpg

The abandoned town of Allenby is just south of Princeton.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...es/Allenby.jpg

So....who want to go???

i do, but give me some time to put away some funds, lol

Where'd you get the maps, Senna? It looks like that whole area is packed with stuff to do/explore. I think I was near Blakeburn yesterday. Kinda went on a dirt road and came to a fork for Lodestone Lake Trail and Granite City. Apparently, Granite City was once home to 2 thousand people. It was getting late so I only checked out the outskirts of town with all the abandoned cabins.
Looking at that map. it looks like there are lots and lots of places to explore around Princeton/Coalmont.

You went again? I want to go up again too.

I scanned them from the Backroads Atlas or something like that...the book is in the car. I'll take a pic later for you.

You have until July/August. :)

Yeah, I can't help it. I went again yesterday to do some drivin' and explorin'. I almost feel compelled to buy some property up there to store off-road vehicles since there's so much to explore. The unpaved road I went on yesterday was on the other side of the Valley in relation to Coalmont road. I want to try and find a way down into the Valley. That Backroads Atlas would be an asset to have. I don't think it'd be hard to get lost with all the forks everywhere along that road.

Oh, BTW - I bought the book at BCAA on Oak & Broadway.

hah, thats easy =p

we'll have to set something up, you me and presto.

but take it easy on the jokes when i have to fuel up again before the trip back =[

Do you have an FRS handset and or GPS?

Presto, this is what the book looks like. Remember, it is the Thompson Okanagan edition. About $20 with BCAA discount.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...p/CRW_4158.jpg

i can get an FRS, but no gps =\ i cant afford one lol.

FRS would be essential for communication (my cellphone, a Telus MIKE handset won't work on the Crowsnest)...GPS not necessary, but it would be handy.

Got this today, because it had a map I wanted.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...p/IMG_4164.jpg

This one:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...p/PICT6251.jpg

Tulameen River Road, Blakeburn Road and Granite Creek Road looks like they would be fun to explore.

when we go, mind if i photocopy a couple of the maps?

I'll e-mail you the scanned maps so you can print them out.

cool. how detailed are the scans? i might take them to kinkos and get them printed out, maybe laminate them too.