Living in Vernon BC

[superbee]

I have a Vernon question...

I noticed something new to me the last few times I was visiting Vernon. I was looking in the darkness towards Silver Star from the top of 39th Avenue. I suddenly noticed, to my surprise, that there is a bright light near the top of one of the treed hills, southwards of Silver Star, straight up towards the top of the hill from where Tillicum used to be. I did not notice the bright light(s) up there until last Fall.

I saw it again last week while I was in Vernon, and with the fresh snow on Monday, looking in the daylight from the top of 39th Ave. again, it looks like an access road cuts across that treed hill. And I could see a horizontal, snow-covered roof up there near the top.

Does anyone know what the building/bright light at night is up there?

[Grizzly550]

I have a Vernon question...

I noticed something new to me the last few times I was visiting Vernon. I was looking in the darkness towards Silver Star from the top of 39th Avenue. I suddenly noticed, to my surprise, that there is a bright light near the top of one of the treed hills, southwards of Silver Star, straight up towards the top of the hill from where Tillicum used to be. I did not notice the bright light(s) up there until last Fall.

I saw it again last week while I was in Vernon, and with the fresh snow on Monday, looking in the daylight from the top of 39th Ave. again, it looks like an access road cuts across that treed hill. And I could see a horizontal, snow-covered roof up there near the top.

Does anyone know what the building/bright light at night is up there?

Is south to the left? Despite the time I spend up the mountains, my directional skills suck
I think you *might* be looking at the radio tower up near Becker Lake? You might be seeing the light now because there were trees removed from around the tower last year. You've always been able to see the tower from town though, so I'm not sure if I am following your direction. Although I don't remember a light, it is possible I just don't notice when we are up there in the daylight, or it was installed late in the year last year. There are a few roads that go up there through private property, which could be the roads you see.
Another possibility, might be new developments going in up Hartnel? Maybe it's job site lights of some sort.
My guesses, anyway. On our walk tonight I'll check out this light though.

[superbee]

Hi Grizzly,

The new-to-me bright light is to the right of Silver Star, and to the left of Becker Lake mountain. In between the 2 mountains, up to the top of one of those treed hills. I grew up near VSS, so I'm familiar with looking up towards Becker Lake and the tower up there.

No, Grizzly, the new bright light at night is near the top of one of the treed hills between the Becker Lake mountain, and Silver Star Mountain. Do you remember where Tillicum was, or where Dixon Dam and Magnetic Hill are? Right up above there. You can really see the light at night, especially at the top of 39th Avenue, where the now-covered water reservoir is.

I first noticed the light when I came to town last Fall, and stopped in the dark at the Morning Star green box at the top of 39th Ave. to get a paper. I glanced up and saw a very bright light near the top of that hill. I was surprised. I have looked up at that hill thousands of times when I lived in Vernon. Then I saw that light the next night too. Last week I looked up in the daytime with binoculars and there appears to be a building up there, I also saw the light at night from the parking lot of A&W beside the Super Store.

To see this light look towards the Foothills and Silver Star, then swing your gaze to the right, and up, and at night you should see a bright light near the top of that hill. From that same vantage place in the daytime, with binoculars, one can see a building up there, and with the fresh snowfall last Monday, I could see that a road cuts across the face of the treed hillside.

I am just curious as to what is up there. It seems like a very bizarre and expensive place to build a house, but you'd have a great view.

[Grizzly550]

speaking of directionally challenged... i meant Becker is right, not left, as you probably noticed!

Sorry I wasn't much help Let me know if you find out what it was, I'm curious too.

[superbee]

LOL, no problem, let's hope someone on here knows. I thought of job site too, but the light is near the top, not on the top of that high treed hill. Would it be a mine tunneling in? I know a distant relative found volcanic ash and a small garnet deposit on top of one of those hills long, long ago.

Did you see that light on your walk tonight?

[Grizzly550]

Ya, I took a drive up east Vernon rd to check it out. At first I thought I was just looking at a star, but it is your light. Looks straight up from Hartnell/dixon dam rd intersection. I think last time we went up that way there was some construction just before Harnell goes to gravel? I can let you know what is new up there when spring finally gets here!

[Grizzly550]

Ya, I took a drive up east Vernon rd to check it out. At first I thought I was just looking at a star, but it is your light. Looks straight up from Hartnell/dixon dam rd intersection. I think last time we went up that way there was some construction just before Harnell goes to gravel? I can let you know what is new up there when spring finally gets here!

There is two or three stalled subdivision attempts up that way..
http://www.brianrogers.ca/real-estate-l ... oad-vernon
Maybe of of these lots has a house that is visible from town

[superbee]

Thanks for being such a good scout. I'm glad you saw the light now too. When we were in Vernon 2 weeks ago, we drove up around where BX Road meets E. Vernon Road and you can really see the light from there. I looked up with binoculars in the dark and it looked like a house up on the side of that ridge.

It will be very interesting what you discover up there when the snow melts. In the meantime, if anyone on here knows what that really bright light at night is up there, I'd love to know!!

[superbee]

Hi Grizzly,

I think I have solved the mystery of that bright light high on the ridge above Dixon Dam. We just got back from Vernon, and yesterday we had supper at the Yat Sen restaurant. At the next table was a Vernon logger, and he said he believes that one of the Chambers family, one of the Chambers trucking family, built a house up there, and he lives up there. So it is indeed a home. The logger suggested I look on Google Earth and see if it is on there.

They sure must have a magnificent view from up there on the ridge!

[Grizzly550]

Thats interesting. I'm curious to know more about to where it is then. If it is new, I wonder if it will block access to becker lake, etc. from Hartnell Rd, like what happened with Dixon Dam. That would suck if our only access was a long drive to lumby. Google earth wasn't much help when I was looking when you first brought it up, just showing trees and road.

[ticat900]

Thats interesting. I'm curious to know more about to where it is then. If it is new, I wonder if it will block access to becker lake, etc. from Hartnell Rd, like what happened with Dixon Dam. That would suck if our only access was a long drive to lumby. Google earth wasn't much help when I was looking when you first brought it up, just showing trees and road.

you dont drive to lumby.U drive to lavington and go up noble canyoun road

[superbee]

Thank you, Ticat. I'll make note of that. I'd love to drive up there again, and I have found now you need to know the roads, things have changed so much.

Grizzly, when teens in the late '60's, sometimes we kids would drive to Dixon Dam and up to Becker Lake, and/or drive around the back way and come out at Lavington. About 15 years ago we tried to drive to Dixon Dam and around the mountain with our teen sons. There was such a maze of roads, things had changed alot in 30+ years, and then the road I thought I remembered was blocked by a pile of small logs. We were in a car. We gave up.

Back in the old days you could also go up to Becker Lake via the Vernon front of the mountain, starting at the end of Pottery Road through the French Ranch. Again, several years ago, we tried to go up that way, this time in our truck, but after a few miles we came upon a big locked gate across the road, access to the homes built above. A man working at the gate told us if we did not live above, no go, no access. We told our sons in the old days, in the winter, the skidooers would ride across the flats on the front of the mountain. Down below, we could hear the riders laughing and talking.

We were just in Vernon and when the storm clouds weren't hiding it, the bright light was twinkling up there on the ridge. I haven't had time yet to look at Google Earth. Maybe the shots were taken just before his home was built up there?

[ole smelly]

Back in the old days you could also go up to Becker Lake via the Vernon front of the mountain, starting at the end of Pottery Road through the French Ranch

You do NOT want to go up that way if you do NOT want to wreck your vehicle that road is brutal.

[superbee]

I believe you. It was rough when we kids would hike up there in the '60's. Then the dirt bikes came out and they would ride up there. You can't go up very far past the old French ranch house for a long time now, there is the locked gate across just around the first corner, and the man at the gate years ago told us if we didn't live beyond, no access.

In the old days we in the valley could watch the lights of vehicles coming down very slowly and carefully.

[Grizzly550]

you dont drive to lumby.U drive to lavington and go up noble canyoun road

My bad. I refer to anything passed coldstream as lumby. Yes, people hate when I give them directions.