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The valley’s cowboy takes his last ride
e-KNOW Editorial
By Ian Cobb
A man I have long equated ‘East Kootenay people’ to has decided to take his last ride into the Palliser.
Cody Tegart was the quintessential East Kootenay man. From one of the foremost pioneer families in the Columbia Valley, he was through and through a child of the forests, mountains and streams. A hunting guide extraordinaire, a logger, rancher and horseman.
I had the great pleasure of riding into the back end of the Albert River Drainage – southeast of Radium Hot Springs, near the Height of the Rockies Provincial Park.
Cody was on a mission – to fix a cabin his father James built several decades before. He’d already led a work-bee at the cabin and much of the main repair work had been completed.
The day I rode to the cabin with him was, I consider, one of the most special I have ever spent in the backcountry.
We drove out, pulling horses and supplies for the cabin, with his parents, Jim and Doreen, who filled my head with stories and imagery of the ‘old days’ – riding from Radium over Sinclair Pass and then down into the Kootenay and out and up the Palliser.
Cody and I left Jim and Doreen at their main cabin near the Palliser gorge and drove up to the end of the road and then rode, upstream mostly, to the cabin (I apologize I cannot remember the name of the cabin).
On a pair of packhorses rattled teacups, foodstuffs and a host of other re-stock supplies for the cabin, which was a truly special place. While only about 80 or so kilometres from Radium, it is paradise in the form of ‘getting away from it all.’
It was the element Cody was most comfortable in. He had endless tales of his love of and for that land and as a fairly recent flatlander just finding his feet in the Rockies in 1991, he imbued his views of that land in me. I will always remember as we clopped along downstream back to the truck, Cody leaned forward in his saddle and remarked nonchalantly “an elk.”
All I could see was the river and trees and rocks. Waaaaay beyond that suddenly moved a speck along the shore – an elk – hundreds of yards away.
After a long, tiring day, we enjoyed a few beers after our work was done and Cody’s easy-going and fun-loving nature took over. A true ‘valley man.’
I won my first national award for the feature story I wrote from that experience. I simply regurgitated all Cody and his parents said with the power of the experience fresh in my mind.
Whenever I saw Cody over the years, he always talked about taking me for another ride – up into the Queen Mary and King George areas, I believe. It came close a few times but the busyness of life got in the way. A great regret.
Cody Tegart infused a love and respect of the Rockies backcountry in many, many people – visitors and locals. At least two lost British tourists (two women who took a major wrong turn in Kananaskis) owe their lives to him, and surely a few more folks.
Those few words I share do not do justice to Cody’s legacy. His upcoming celebration of life on April 28 will provide a much greater view of the man.
I learned of his untimely passing just now, while skimming through my Facebook feed.
“Last night, the man upstairs gained himself one hell of a cowboy. Surrounded by those he loved, Cody Tegart passed peacefully. We will remember him in the only way we know how – laughter, music, stories, friends and family. We invite you all to the celebration of his incredible life on Saturday April 28 at 4 p.m. at the Columbia Valley Centre, at 646, 4th St. Invermere. We hope you can all join us,” noted Ashley Tegart.
Our deepest condolences to the Tegart family.
Spring is finally here Cody. The Palliser will be special right now. Enjoy the ride. Take some extra beer; stick around a while longer and relax.
Lead image and above photo: The mountain in the background is King George, and right before this picture he said, “That’s where I’m going one day; the highest mountain in the Palliser.”
Ashley Tegart photo
