Gold is what drew pioneers to the eastern Cariboo country, even before the famous Barkerville deposits were discovered-astonishing amounts of gold. Some of the richest claims in British Columbia lay along the Quesnel River and its creeks. And some of the grandest mining schemes were hatched there.

While many prospectors worked Cariboo East for a while and then rushed off to newer diggings, other hardy souls stayed on to farm in the beautiful valleys. Despite frequent fires that swept through little settlements such as Likely, Keithley and Horsefly, determined folk who loved the area persevered.

This is the story of entrepreneurs Sam Adler and the Barry Brothers, administrators Phillip Nind and William Stephenson, far-sighted engineer John Hobson, and those grizzled prospectors, the "Snowshoe Boys." It is also the story of Chinese miners, Native residents, and the few women who made the long trek to Cariboo East.