A friend nearby who does manuscript editing for hire (as I do when I have the time) called with a question about capitalization.

The Ms refers to Bear Canyon as a part of the manuscript.  Friend and I agreed that ,as a place name, Bear Canyon should be capitalized.  However, the author of the manuscript refers in subsequent pages to adventures in "the canyon."   Editing friend wanted to learn my recommendation as to whether the word canyon should be captialized in subsequent references.  I told her I thought that only when the name Bear Canyon was in the manuscript were caps called for. This is what she thought. 

However, I went to four reference books I have that help me sort out such puzzles. Two copies of Strunk & White, (original and revised) Eats, Shoots, & Leaves, The Write Way, and Beginning Writers Answer Book. In none of these could I find an answer to our question and somehow, in the maelstrom of moving , my copy of  Woe Is I  has turned up missing. This  book, I'm sure, would answer  the question that puzzles both editing friend and me but, in the mean time, this friend and I decided that the best thing to do is be consistent.  She will capitilaize when the name "Bear Canyon" is used. When the location is referred to only as "the canyon," she will use lower case on "canyon."

More writing puzzles I've come upon tomorrow.  Willma