Autumn had set in and brown leaves were falling freely from the trees when Anna told me about a Buddhist monk living in a cave somewhere in Windy Canyon. I had not heard of him previously and wondered if she was an imaginative storyteller. She was young and had recently come to Camp Colonial in Hedley to work as a cook.
“I hiked along 20 Mile Creek yesterday and came upon his cave quite by accident,” she said. “He doesn’t come into town, and he doesn’t want visitors.”
This was the early 1980’s. Our organization, the One Way Adventure Foundation, had recently been awarded a contract by the Corrections Branch to work with 12 young offenders. Many of these youths had not had the benefit of constructive modeling in their homes. They had learned to function by lying, cheating, deceiving, stealing, being aggressive, avoiding responsibility and much more. Most had lived in foster and group homes. Whenever possible, I took the 4 most difficult ones, Phillip, Curt, Bert and Harry away from the camp so they couldn’t influence, intimidate or incite the others.
I was constantly alert for activities that might shift the thinking of these youths away from the street culture with which they were familiar. If this monk living in a cave was indeed real, it might be an opportunity to expose the boys to a radically different set of values and lifestyle.
Already the mercury was dipping to zero at night. For several weeks the mountains surrounding our little community had been bedecked by a mantel of white. On the third day of November, a skiff of snow covered the ground and we began seeing smoke rising from chimneys.
By December 22nd the ice was thick enough to walk on, and I asked Anna to pack 5 lunches for the following morning. She suspected my intentions and again said, “he asked me to tell people he doesn’t want visitors.” I thanked her for the reminder.
A fine, wind blown snow was falling when I instructed the 4 boys to dress warmly because we’d be out all day, searching for a mysterious monk who supposedly lived in a cave. After breakfast we leaned into the snow and wind, walking determinedly along 20 Mile Creek.
Initially we followed the former mining road. When it turned up the mountainside, we were well into Windy Canyon, a deep mountainous gorge with space only for the creek and a narrow footpath. At the first crossing of the creek, we found a log with short boards nailed insecurely to it. After that the crossings were mostly on ice, water gurgling beneath us.
There were no complaints from the boys as we slogged laboriously in the deepening snow. After about 3 hours, Bert glanced up. “Look!” he exclaimed excitedly, “is that it?” We clambered up a steep bank, having difficulty maintaining our footing.
A short wooden wall covered the front of the cave. There was a door of rough boards and a small window. The monk had heard our laboured grunting and opened the door. His bespectacled face revealed no displeasure at our unanticipated appearance. He beckoned us to enter.
I looked around and concluded this man lived in unimaginably sparse circumstances. A small wood stove with a pipe exiting through the wooden wall provided some heat. A large chair and a mantel stood against the rock wall to our right.
“Would you like coffee?” he asked, as though he had anticipated our arrival. His voice suggested a quality education and upbringing. The boys nodded and I said “we’d appreciate that. Please forgive us for showing up without prior notice.” He smiled at this, then filled a tin can with water and deftly ground coffee beans with a manual grinder.
“Why are you living in this cave?” I asked.
“I’m seeking enlightenment,” he replied. “Much of my day is taken up with doing prostrations.”
We talked for about 15 minutes, drinking his delicious, black coffee. The boys listened respectfully.
During our conversation Bert asked where he slept. The monk pointed to the large chair and said, “that’s where I sleep.”
Through the wooden wall we could hear the wind growing stronger. It was time to leave. Before walking out, each of the boys said “thanks for the coffee” and shook the monk’s hand. They seemed to sense they had experienced a bit of Similkameen history.
The monk I remember during my time in Hedley was Leon.
I didnt know about him until one day I observed him passing the front of my house on Daly and watched as he entered the garden of my neighbours, Hector and Peggy Rutherford.
Of course my curiosity got the best of me and I questioned Hector (Hec) about him. Hector told me all about him. Apparently when Leon the Monk needed supplies, he would come down from his cave and go with Hector and Peggy in their car to Keremeos.
When my brother-in-law Dennis came up for a visit from Vancouver I took him up 20 mile creek over the 3 crossings, the last one being a log and a cable to hang on to, my dog Mac would swim across.
When I told Dennis about the Monk, nothing would do he had to meet him. So up the path we went and when we arrived at the entrance of the cave, Leon told us that he was in the midst of his prayers and would be with us shortly. I left Dennis there and took my dog Mac down to the creek and waited.
Dennis was happy he had met Leon and that they had a good talk and he was talking about the experience on our way back down to Hedley.
Leon the Monk, another chapter in the history of Hedley…
Our venture to meet Leon took us once again to the splendour that is 20 mile creek, a natural gem. that should be kept in its natural state.
While I lived in Hedley, I took it upon myself to clean-up the parking area across from the restaurant by the gas station and installed garbage cans along the bank of the creek. It would be nice to have done the same on the other side of the creek but no-one seemed interested so it never happened. I often think about it, so maybe some-day it will happen..
Once again, I wish Hedley well.
Hey just curious
Is he still alive? Where did he end up?
Best,
Madison
Yes, he’s still alive and living on a reserve on the #3 Highway east of Princeton. On rare occasions he can be seen hitchhiking or riding a bike to or from Princeton. We have also seen him in Hedley, carrying a laptop computer.
Thanks, Madison, for visiting the blog. Art Martens
We found Leon’s cave this month and what an amazing journey it was. There is history poking out of the riverbanks everywhere along the way. Leon’s place has become home to a bunch of rats.. Too bad – I wouldn’t mind living there for a while otherwise!
https://youtu.be/c9OvoNQ-zgI
Thanks for the visit, the comment, and also for sharing the youtube video, Steven.
Your kids are pretty plucky. Art
Leon was living there in 2001 when I last went to the cave. I must admit, I was surprised to see your young kids on a hike like this.
The trail is hard to follow but as long as you follow the river, the destination is the same. That cable used to have a log under it not a bridge. There was only ever 1 bridge that I can recall on that trail, besides the one that washed away at the Cabin which I’m guessing must be gone since you didn’t show it?
Sad to see the state of the cave like this again. Thanks for sharing the video!
An amazing story. Years ago I visited, with my brother in law Bob Knowles, Paddy Wright ( I think hi and was) who lived in a shack way up 20 Mike Creek.
Our visit would have been about 1954.
Gordon Lloyd
Best regards
I have photos of it somewhere.. and I spent a few nights in it years back with my brother on our trip into the valley. Kept us safe from a curious bear. Not much was left of it, we pitched a tent inside as the roof was mostly gone. Nothing left inside but a few shelves and a metal bed frame.
Meant to say Paddy Wright, I think his name was.
Years ago, I worked with a guy at Ikea, who was a carpenter for the store. He was tired of life in the city, and made plans to semi retire, and he wound up in Hedley. When he visited the store, I told him that I would visit some day. I asked him if I should ask for carpenter Joe, but he said there was another carpenter named Joe and I should ask for Ikea Joe.
We stopped in Hedley, and I asked for Ikea Joe and was directed to a coffee shop by the museum. Joe was there, and directed us to his house. When we arrived, there was Leon the monk, he was looking for a ride out of town. He had a rat with him, that he wanted to take far away from town so that it would survive in the wild. He was quite a character in his own quiet way. Glad to hear that he has continued to live his life his way, the path of a solitary monk is a difficult one and unimaginable for most.