Determination or obsession? When I began to investigate the story of the missing gold bars I never thought in terms of years and dollars. The quest consumed me and altered my life in many ways. And given me more than enough material to include in a book.

With fifty-six trips (times two) passed the original portion of the Engineers Road, I finally took a break from the rush of traffic to walk on the old trail. The pictures show how the Dewdney Trail had to be altered allowing for freight wagons to travel the route. The undertaking stopped when the gold rush demanded greater attention up the Fraser Canyon and farther north. The BC interior gold rush never reached the magnitude of the northern rush. Miners and supplies continued to travel into the interior from Washington state.

I admit to the possibility that someone may have already found the gold bars. But if so, I suggest it would have been in the decade or two after the robbery when the details were still properly known or easily learned. Yet I think the chance is also slight. I am now convinced that I know where the bars were hidden and still are. My detectors haven’t confirmed my educated guess as the bars are simply too deep. One hundred and nineteen spring floods have taken a toll on a site chosen for a few months safe hiding. I have explored the country in question to a considerable degree until I eliminated all but the current target zone.

The forest fires threatening the general region haven’t touch the area near Little Fish Lake. And cooler weather helped significantly to reduce the threat of fire as well. My early September camping nights were cold so I appreciated being able to enjoy a last fire on the trip. For now my priorities are writing and paying off my incurred debts.