‘Tourism’ takes on a new meaning when you dance with the devils of time.
Haunted Gold Rush is a two-part documentary that follows the three paranormal investigators from Beyond the Haunting – Corine Carey, Leanne Sallenback and Kelly Ireland – as they explore the dark history of British Columbia’s Cariboo Gold Rush Trail.
Using their psychic senses, the three uncover a plethora of hidden mysteries in various locations of interest, including the Fraser Canyon, Yale, Hat Creek and Barkerville.
“The whole trail is peppered with haunted locations,” Sallenback says. “But Barkerville was the town that stood out to us the most. As you walk through the town, it is evident that every part of it is haunted.”
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Sallenback describes a unique moment she experienced in the underbelly of a building in Barkerville, where she “felt a multitude of presences there.”
To this day, the 650-kilometre trail remains riddled with paranormal activity and ghostly sightings. Ireland, who has a degree in geography and history, says the show “challenges written history” and aims to remind us that the past is not dead.
“Energetically, history is circling all around us. We are seeing if we can tap into the metaphysical realm and see what was left behind,” says Carey, who as a history teacher, finds it interesting to see her home province’s true history. “We tell our own B.C. history through a new paranormal lens.”
The paranormal phenomenon is also breathing new life into tourism. “We are a part of something that is only growing. You will see many more people following our journey,” Carey says.
In combining history with the supernatural, Haunted Gold Rush showcases the B.C. tourism community in a unique and wonderful light. So much so that the Beyond the Haunting Investigations won the Innovation Award as part of the 2023 B.C. Tourism and Hospitality Conference earlier this year.
For all three B.C.-born paranormal investigators, who feel intrinsically and energetically tied to the West Coast, being recognized by the B.C. tourism sector was “a humbling, full-circle moment.”
“If we can help spark paranormal tourism, it’s just the beginning in the West Coast and the Pacific Northwest,” Sallenback says.
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“The West Coast is this wild, untamed place. There is so much space and room to explore regions where nobody is, but you know history exists. To get into the most remote and desolate places is the most exciting for me.”
Nature, in itself, is very psychic. “When we would go on road trips together, we would feel the energy driving past places along the West Coast. Starting this preternatural trip on local soil was very special,” Ireland says.
Ireland, now living further north, sees new places that “ignite such a deep level of curiosity.”
In essence, travel is all about exploration into the new and unknown. The Beyond the Haunting Investigations team exhibits the quintessential idea of travel: surrendering to the raw experiences of discovery. As these three women continue to frontier into new worlds, the trio say they are intrigued to investigate other locations within the West Coast, like Alaska, Yukon and the islands surrounding Washington State.
“There are still tons of supernatural legends we are yet to hear of. For now, it is an adventure to get out there, hit the open road, and see what we find,” Carey says.
Haunted Gold Rush, produced by Small Army Entertainment in association with Blue Ant Media, airs Friday, Sept. 8, from 8 to 10 p.m. on T + E and HauntTV in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK. Corine, Leanne and Kelly’s new series History’s Most Haunted, will offer a nationwide free preview event on Friday, Sept. 8 at 10 p.m. on T+E.
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