Chapter 12 - What Now?

Travel Directions:
From Hwy 1 (Trans-Canada Hwy), take Hwy 9 north to Drumheller and then Hwy 10 / Hwy 56 southeast from Drumheller towards Dorothy. Continue southeast on Hwy 10 to Hwy 570 East in Dorothy. Turn right (south) on Hwy 848, and cross the yellow bridge. The site is 0.5 km southwest of the bridge on the west side of the road.

[Alternately, take Hwy 1 (Trans-Canada Hwy) to Hwy 21. Go north to Hwy 564 and turn right (east). (Or, go south from Rockyford to Hwy 564 and turn left.) The pavement ends at approximately 57.3 km (Township Road 260, Range Road 182) but Hwy 564 turns left and becomes a gravel road. At the stop sign (6.3 km) turn right onto Hwy 848 North (or follow the sign to Dorothy).

Park and climb the hill on the curve at 8.3 km for an overview of Dorothy and the valley of the Red Deer River. (Beware of cactus growing on the hill!) Continue driving 0.7 km to Earl’s ditch (at 9 km), on the left side of the broken wood fence rails.

Note: Although this is a very direct way to Dorothy, some of these roads are little traveled and farm houses may be several kilometers apart. If your vehicle can't stand it, the highways through Drumheller may be a better choice.]

Remarks:
Brokeback locations manager Darryl Solly remembers asking Ang Lee what setting he envisioned for Ennis’s flashback. “I would like it to be very dusty,” Lee replied with characteristic brevity. Solly immediately thought of Dorothy, a tiny picturesque hamlet with lots of worn, decaying, and somewhat romantic buildings.

Dorothy violated one of executive producer Michael Hausman’s location rules. It was too far from other locations to be filmed efficiently. But this unforgiving, lifeless gulch in Alberta’s Badlands region was the irresistibly perfect place in which to depict the childhood experience that would dictate Ennis’s fate.

Given that the town’s population is approximately 12 people, it is an interesting coincidence that Dorothy is also home to star barrel racer Chyanne Hodgson, who served as Anne Hathaway’s stunt double in the Childress Rodeo scene.

Important:
Always obtain appropriate permission before entering private property. The road is unpaved, so use caution.

Quotation:
“My daddy, he made sure me and my brother seen it.”