Skookumstock

     Once a year or so the peace and quiet is broken by an invitational weekend camp out jam in the front yard called "Skookumstock".
We don't get any big names all the way out here, my biggest claim to fame was Jimmie Hendrix's cousin showing up once.

 

The tour buses start to show up early. This one came from clear across the lawn.

 

 

Hollywood Dave

Nic Bris and his Martin guitar. Said he knew a thousand songs, and was right.

Bass player Ross Edwards, clapper Sharlotte O'Brien, Guitarist Angelo Srergiakis.

You can see we really pack in the crowd.

 My favorite drummer shows up every time by popular demand.

                               Take five.


 I've been fortunate to have played gigs with some pretty good musicians.

2010 Canada Day Pemberton BC

June 2011, opening for recording artist George Leach, Seton Portage BC

Headlining 2011 Inshuckch Days.

Ross Edwards, Archie Peters, Robin T, Wide Open Range

Reno Morrone keys, Vince Eastman lead, Joni Miller bass, and me, outstanding musicians with original material, start of something good until Vince's untimely passing last year.
Check out the Miller Eastman video on Youtube,  Last Generation Blues

Cabin Building

This was my first home out here for 3 months in '94, down at the campsite and close to the hot spring.

Later as cabin construction began I moved down to this end and camped here for 5 months.

With a borrowed  skidder from the loggers down on Harrison Lake I gathered up cedar poles from around the property, storing them up on a 'deck' for drying and peeling.

An old A-frame truck was used to lift logs during building.

Vern Shanoss  Clifford Wallace

                                           

While the main cabin was going up construction of the guest cabin began.

 

An Alaska chainsaw mill was used to flatten 3 sides of the building logs. My poor back.

Anyone stopping in was usually put to work.

                                                        

In early 2000 the main cabin was added onto, more than doubling in size.

An arched opening was cut into the wall with a chainsaw to join the two up.

Hot Spring Lodge

New Years Day 2012

Out for the first wander of the year today.

 Been pretty quiet down at the old hot spring these days.

There were only 4 outfits camped out to bring in the new year last night.
I was laying in bed and heard one feeble fireworks go off down there at what must have been midnight.

                                                                

There wasn't much of a turn out for the hot spring polar bear swim.

The only snow we have had was back in November. There were continuous rains over the Xmas season which washed away most of the snow up to about 400 meters.

The creeks came up just a little with the rain enabling a few spawning salmon to get up from the river into the creek that goes by here. Once into the spawning area they die quickly and are pulled from the shallow water in short order, others simply disappear in the dark of night and taken away to distant dens.

You can tell if there is fish running by the amount of eagle activity.
There may be 5-6 in the area at one time.

Fish make their way up the rocky channel from the river and into a deep pool where they rest before fighting their way up the creek for the last 100 meters of their lives.
This one slowly followed the shoreline, Skookie took great interest and went down to have a closer look.