Author Archives: James

Camp McKinney Jimmy introduces his memoir Chasing Stolen Gold, a treasure hunter’s adventure to locate the lost gold bars of Camp McKinney, east of Osoyoos, British Columbia. The robbery occurred in the summer of 1896. The amount of bullion taken … Continue reading →

This Young’s Weeping Birch grows on the grounds of the old Insane Asylum in New Westminster, BC, about one kilometer east of my apartment. I see it as a former patient, firmly rooted in the past, trying to escape the … Continue reading →

Treasure hunting has greater perils in winter. But the serenity and absolute silence are worth the risk especially for an old man determined to receive the benefits of forest bathing. While the adventure cost me everything I had, the call … Continue reading →

Winter has returned to once again securely lock the two gold bars in nature’s protective vault. This image is years old; I don’t know the current amount of snow in the canyon. This old man wishes he were once again … Continue reading →

During seven years of research for the book, this was the only source that I found for the accurate bullion weight. I had photographed a Provincial Police letter in the Royal BC Archives that listed the weights but they didn’t … Continue reading →

Starting August 1, Chasing Stolen Gold went live on Amazon.com. It will follow in Canada, the U.K. and other countries over the next week. The “Look Inside” feature is live but only shows up to page 14 with some pages … Continue reading →

In 2015, I hired an editor to draw up an outline for my adventure to locate the lost gold bars of Camp McKinney. Several years later a ‘blue pencil’ consultation through the Vancouver Public Library added more direction to my … Continue reading →

Although the quartz sample shown is from Sonoma, California, it shows what hard rock miners were searching for. The quartz samples I have seen from Camp McKinney vary from this specimen. As the Cariboo-Amelia workings went deeper, the quartz vein … Continue reading →

Trail portion between Hope and Princeton, just off Highway 3. Built by the Royal Engineers, this portion had been widened for wagons.

My apologies for the long delay in posting. I have been working diligently, for a seventy-year-old, on the story with a plan to self-publish a memoir. The book will be saturated with photos of my ten-year adventure being part treasure … Continue reading →