July 30, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Valemount, River Rafting
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I went white water rafting the other day. In fact, all of us at the visitor centre did. I had never been rafting before, and I was unsure what to expect. I guess I hadn't been expecting much, because I arrived in the location not far from Valemount on Highway 16 thinking we would just pop into an inflatable raft and take a ride down some rough water. Then the guides lined us up to get wetsuits and helmets. Then we went through the 15 minute safety briefing where they mentioned the waterfall.
"Oh", I thought as we sat on the ancient school bus ferrying us to the launch point, "this might be worth blogging about after all!"
It certainly was. The river was framed by beautiful forest, beyond which the Rocky Mountains scraped the sky like so many sharp flint tools. As we drifted down the calm first section of the river, Mount Robson made a magnificent photo opportunity as it stood framed by trees and rushing water. I didn't have long to lament having left my camera behind though, as we started getting into the first set of rapids. Paddling like mad, the raft burst over the waves and we were splashed by the fresh mountain water. We portaged around a waterfall and shot through more rapids. at the end we hit calm water, and we all went for a swim in the cold river until we hauled each other back into the raft to paddle in to shore. It was an exhilarating experience, and I am very glad I had the opportunity to do it. It was so good, in fact, that I may want to go again soon. If you are headed out that way, plan for a few hours of extra time and check out white water rafting in the Robson Valley. Make sure you bring a waterproof camera though!
July 30, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Professional & Spectator Sports
With a title like this, you can probably imagine what this post is about. No, it isn't about how to cook meals on your exhaust manifold. On Friday I went to the Northland Dodge Motorsport Park. I picked up my friend, we grabbed some cheap pizza, and drove out to the long ribbon of arrow-straight asphalt northwest of town. I have never been out to an automotive race before, and it was an amazing treat. We saw a vast array of vehicles tearing down the 1/4 mile during the night, from a stock Ford Fusion to a blisteringly fast AMC Gremlin to a few motorcycles and a snowmobile that could top 200 kilometres per hour. The atmosphere was relaxed as we sat on the bleachers with our greasy pizza and laughed when some engine piece shot through the hood of a Mustang or plugged our ears while the top fuel drag cars shot off the line. It is a great price for a few hours of entertainment, and if you like the sight of a classic muscle car doing burnouts, take an evening and go check it out!
July 30, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Cultural, Community or Seasonal
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When my friend asked me if I wanted to go along with her to water her garden, I was very intrigued by the garden she could possibly have since she lives in an apartment building. After explaining that she had a plot at the Community Gardens that needed watering and weeding, I happily agreed to join her. I was aware that City of Fort St. John was planting many edible plants around the City buildings to promote renewable landscaping, but I didn’t know too many details on the Community Gardens. After stopping to grab a couple of slushies, she drove right past the downtown cemetery and parked. I was a bit skeptable of where exactly she was taking me; however, I followed her lead to numerous raised beds. It looked like quite an enchanted place to me with rows and rows of individual gardening plots. After snooping at other gardener’s sprouting plants, we started pulling all of the pesky weeds that were growing in between the thriving vegetables. Even though each plot only measures 5 x 8 feet, many potatoes, peas, beans, carrots, and radishes exploded from the dark soil. It is still a bit early in the growing season so I was unable to take any fresh produce home this time, but I’m sure the veggies will be fully grown in a few more weeks. It was also very nice that the Community Gardens are supplied with several gardening tools, watering cans, hoses, and water on-site so everything we needed was at our fingertips. I learned for myself that these gardens truly are community orientated through the countless friendly people who were offering their advice and assistance while we were there. Also, I found it very charming that a small red stick on the corner of the plots signaled that the plot needed watering by anyone who had a couple minutes to spare. Visitors, as well as local residents can stop by the Community Gardens at any point during the summer to see the growing progress and lend a helping hand while digging around in the dirt. As I was walking back to our car, I couldn’t stop commenting on how great of an idea the Community Gardens are! For those who are just starting out gardening, don’t have a backyard of their own, or simply don't have the time to tend to a large area, the Community Gardens in Fort St. John are spectacular!
July 29, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Terrace, Attractions
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On Friday July 27, 2012, some fellow co-workers and I had taken a drive up the Nass Valley to check out the beautiful scenery. It was a nice day for the drive, wasn't too hot or too cold. This is most definately one of my favorite road trips to take as there is so much to see. I would recommend everyone to take a trip up the Nass Valley. Vetter Falls is just one of the many beautiful stops to rest and have lunch.
July 29, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Terrace, Attractions
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The Nass Valley is just beautiful, as well as, educational and interesting. It is a full day event to see everything there is to see, and it is something I would suggest everyone to try and do. About 300 years ago the Tseax Volcano went off; the lava flow killed about 2,000 people, and the lava beds are now a historic site. Along the road there is an auto tour in which tourists may travel, and learn something about the Nisga’a peoples.
My grandparents had wanted to go on the auto tour and asked me to accompany them as a guide, of course I was excited to go; I love spending time with them. I went into work the next day all excited to find out what day I could take them out, but me and Eric, one of my coworkers, thought it would be awesome if we could all go, and we turned the FAM tour into a FAMily tour! We spent the entire day telling stories, doing the auto tour, and having a lot of fun.
Along the way we stopped at places like Vetter Falls, a beautiful creek with rich waters that flowed through the trees, and the Canyon City suspension bridge. We read about the “Phantom Fish” at Vetter Falls, and at the Nisga’a Visitor Centre we read about some of the history, and looked at the older pictures of the area and people.
Talking to my grandparents later, they said they had a blast. Having us take them made it that much more exciting, and fun. They saw stops they’d never heard of before; they learnt about the history and listened to stories, and told lots of stories themselves. We all kept each other company, and entertained one another. Although we reached an early end to our journey; a construction worker hit a pole, causing a live power line to fall on his truck. Luckily no one had gotten hurt, but we were all quite upset we didn’t get to go to Greenville and see the museum, or go to Kincolith and walk along the board walk for a relaxing end to the day. We all still had fun, and we can always go up again to finish what we missed.
July 28, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Farmers' Markets
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Every Saturday morning during the summer the Visitor Center parking lot comes to life with the vibrant Bulkley Valley Farmers' Market. As I wandered through the many stalls and tables, I smelt the fresh fragrance of cut flowers, I heard the chatter of locals and visitors, I saw the intricate designs of handcrafted jewelry, and I enjoyed the taste of a freshly baked samosa. There was excitement everywhere, from the painted faces of children to the delighted foot tapping of those enjoying the live music. The Bulkley Valley is home to countless artisans, musicians and approximately 40 local food producers, many of which are showcased at the farmer’s market. The market is open from May until September every Saturday from 8am to noon. Also, because of the market’s convenient location, right beside the Visitor Center and Museum I find it the perfect place to grab a snack or some lunch, especially if you are looking for something fresh and delicious before heading out on the road.
July 27, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Museums
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Did you know that if it were not for Telkwa, Smithers wouldn’t exist? On my trip to the Telkwa Museum I learned that Telkwa, which was originally known as Aldermere, was first settled in 1904 and in no time, became home to the Bulkley Valley’s first general store, post office, hotel and newspaper. When land prospectors heard that the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway would be coming to town they quickly snatched up land in the Telkwa area, hoping to make a pretty penny. Instead the railway decided to pass by the prime real-estate and place a railway stop in the middle of a swamp about 15 km further down the line. This swamp is what would later become the lively town of Smithers. Once I found out that Telkwa, our little sister town down the road, is actually older than Smithers I was eager to find out more! So I picked up a brochure for a walking tour through historic Telkwa and I set off. The entire tour has 26 stops, but one of my favorite was St. Stephen’s Anglican Church. The building is over 100 years old and is surrounded by a quaint little garden with a rustic gate. I also enjoyed my walk over the Telkwa Train Bridge, the original bridge was built in 1937, but the current one has been restructured and equipped with a safe pedestrian path. All of these sites are in walking distance and I found that the best way to enjoy them was with an ice-cream cone in-hand, so make sure you snag a snack from the little ice-cream booth right beside the museum before you head out.
July 27, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Rossland, Golf
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Last Thursday night I went to dinner at the Redstone Resort. The food there was amazing. There are a lot of choices, and I had a very hard time deciding on something. But that’s always what happens to me at restaurants. I was very impressed with my choice and found the service there to meet my standards. And after taking a college course on restaurant service I have a hard time finding good service.
Since I had never golfed before I was very nervous. However the group I was playing with decided to play Best Ball. This is a game where everyone tees off and then hits the ball from wherever the best ball landed after teeing off. This continues until the end of the hole. This really makes golfing a lot more fun for people who aren’t as experienced as others in their group. I never ended up holding the game up and was very relieved for that.
I had never realized how much exercise golfing really is. But there is a lot more walking involved than I had thought. The golf course is really beautiful and I am happy that we didn’t get a cart. We only played 9 holes and that was a perfect game for me.
I am by no means the new Tiger Woods but I really enjoyed my first golfing experience. I think Redstone is a beautiful golf course. And the food and service at the club house is something that cannot be missed.
July 25, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Food or Wine
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My ultimate favourite summertime treat is frozen yogurt! Even though I also have a love for ice cream, I find that frozen yogurt is a healthier option while giving me the same great taste. Although most grocery stores offer a wide variety of choices, a big tub of frozen yogurt doesn’t allow me to try as many flavours as I would like. For this very reason, Homesteader Health Food Store is my much-loved stopped since they change their flavours frequently. I love the swirl cones of natural frozen yogurt that they offer! On this specific day, I enjoyed a mixture of vanilla and boysenberry. It is defiantly a new contender for my ultimate favourite kind. I’m still on an endless search, tasting combinations of new flavors to see if one can top this!
July 25, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Hiking
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I was up at 7 am, slathered with sunscreen, covered with mosquito repellent and ready for a full day hike in the beautiful Babine Mountains. With a trail map in hand and the hiking expertise of my dad and younger brother I found myself well on my way to a successful alpine adventure. The trail starts at a fairly high altitude of 1000m and travels along a wooded ridge for about the first 1.5 hours of the hike. Once the trail breaks out into the clearing of the basin the hike becomes a little more challenging, especially as we had to make our way over a few snowy patches. About 2 hours into the hike we came to a magical little meadow tucked against the side of the mountain. Here we found remnants of an old mining cabin standing close to the creek, and a large alpine pool, which provided a refreshing place to cool our feet. This picturesque spot is about 50 meters of the main trail, but it is a worthwhile detour. We caught sight of the first lake after about 5 km of hiking at which point we continued along, high above the shore for another 3 km. After such a long hike on a hot day we had definitely deserved a lunch break. At this elevation of about 1500m the wind kept the mosquitos away and we could enjoy the view while sipping fresh glacial water. Just like the many other trails in the Babine Mountains Provincial Park, Little Joe Lakes trail was well marked, easily accessible and boasted a breath-taking view. My dad, brother and I took lots of pictures and made some great memories, I hope you do too!