The Abel Family

To the aboriginals of this region, the Bridge River Valley was known as the “Skumakun” or “Land of Plenty”. While they did not settle here, the nomadic Chilcotin from the North and the Lillooet Indians from the Fraser River traveled through to forage for roots, berries, and to hunt game.In the mid-1800s, prospectors left the gold-bearing gravel bars of the Fraser River to explore the banks of the Bridge River. Reports of eight men discovering 124 ounces of gold in just 17 days arrived in Victoria in 1858. Gold fever had struck, and prospectors began arriving in growing numbers.By 1900, rich gold dust deposits were found in the nearby Cadwallader, Noel and Hurley Rivers. Gold veins were discovered surrounding the neighboring mountains, and in the 1920s the famed Pioneer and Bralorne mines began production. By the time these two mines closed in the late 1960s, they produced 4.15 million ounces of gold, making them the most productive gold mines in the history of British Columbia. During the depression of the 1930s, there were more than 5,000 miners working in Bralorne and enjoying a sophisticated life with a hospital, bank, ski hill, skating rink, stores, and hotels. The ruins of some of these buildings can still be seen today. 

As no alcohol, card games, gambling, or women of questionable character were allowed in the mining towns, the town of Gold Bridge was born. After the mines closed, there were few employment opportunities in Gold Bridge that resulted in thousands of families leaving. This village is now home to 47 residents with one hotel, one motel, a general store, gas station, post office, and library. It is located 22 kilometers from Tyax Resort.

The area remained virtually undiscovered by tourists until the late 1970s, when an outdoorsman named Gus Abel toured the back roads in search of a suitable place to build a destination Resort. His criteria was that the location had to be remote, on a lake, and surrounded by mountains, with dry hot summers and lots of powder snow in the winter.

In his search, Gus found a remote lake known to the aboriginal people as “Tyaughton” or “lake of the jumping fish”. On its north shore was a deserted old hunting and fishing camp with the name of Tyax Lodge. This location and its 275 acres of lakeside wilderness had all the ingredients to build the Resort. The lot was purchased in 1981 and a development plan was worked out. Since all finances were exhausted and the banks wouldn’t even look at “such a crazy idea”, an advertisement was placed in a Swiss newspaper “looking for an investor for a tourism project in BC, Canada”. A Swiss entrepreneur named Urs Villiger, with a passion for bush plane flying, responded and a great vision turned into reality.

In 1985, Scott McKenzie, a local contractor, joined Gus and Urs in building the Resort. That winter, the land was cleared. On May 17, 1986, excavation began and the foundation was laid. In July, eight logging trucks of Spruce trees were peeled and put in place. It took seven months and seven days for a crew of twelve men to build the largest freestanding log lodge (34,000 square feet) in Western Canada. On December 24, 1986 at 4:30 pm, Tyax Resort opened for business.

With the combination of mountainous terrain, sunshine and abundance of powder snow, Tyax would be an ideal Resort destination for snowmobiling and skiing. In 1991 TLH Heliskiing was formed under the management of George Rosset and became the main drawing point for guests to visit Tyax in the winter season.

In the first summer of operation the need of a bush plane to be stationed at the Resort became apparent. Gus applied for an Air Carrier license, bought a De Havilland Beaver on floats/skis and named his new airline “Tyax Air Service”. Now, this plane is owned and operated by Dale Douglas and flies guests to remote alpine lakes for fishing, hiking and mountain biking, as well as flight seeing trips over the vast Bridge River Glacier Fields.

Twenty years later, Gus has retired and the Resort is run together as a year round destination Resort with sister company, TLH Heliskiing. Today, Tyax features a 114-seat lakeview dining room, western lounge, gift shop, fitness room, massage room, sauna, out-door whirlpool, conference room and 29 spacious guest rooms. Within walking distance are four chalets, beachfront campground, riding stable, lumberjack area, tennis and volleyball courts. A lush, green lawn flows down to the sandy beach with boats, canoes, rowboats, paddleboats, motorboats, and sailboards.

Tyax has evolved into a World Class Wilderness Resort visited annually by thousands of guests from all over the world.