August 07, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Biking
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When your idea of a mountain adventure involves two wheels, a full-face helmet and the adrenaline rush of a perfectly executed jump, then Hudson Bay Mountain and the Bluff trail network in Smithers is the perfect place for you to explore. It took me only 30 minutes to drive to the top of the hill, and just past the Hudson Bay Ski Lodge I spotted the Pay Dirt and Piper’s Down trail heads. Pay Dirt is one of the only machine made trails on this hill, meaning it is wide and flowy—perfect for a beginner who wants to avoid the jumps, or for an experienced rider who wants an exhilarating yet smooth descent. Further past the Ski Lodge is the Piper’s Down Trail, which is one of the hill’s most challenging runs. The trail is named after a Piper’s plane, that crashed into the hill years ago, and that the trail’s builders decided to incorporated into one of the run’s many jumps. This trail will also be the location of the annual Piper’s Cross event, hosted by the Children of the Bluff (COB) this coming weekend. The event is a timed race, with plenty of fun for both competitors and spectators. Beyond these two trails there is a whole network of lower elevation mountain biking trails on the Bluff just overlooking Smithers. These trials are well known for their varied degrees of difficulty, including drops, log rides, boardwalks and other challenging elements. New to the mountain? No problem! The Smithers visitor center is equipped with trail maps and bike rental information. Now it’s time for me to put a little mud on my bike.
August 03, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Water Activity Tours
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Canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, and even sailing are all apart of summer fun in Smithers and with this beautiful August weather beckoning me to the beach, I decided to go for a drive out to Lake Kathlyn. The lake is only 7 minutes west of Smithers, making it the perfect playground for all sorts of water sports. The public beach is one of my favourite places to hangout on a hot day, especially since the lake is fed by a glacial stream and is wonderfully cool with not too many weeds. Lake Kathlyn is also the perfect place to go for a peaceful paddle as motorized boats are prohibited, and the lake offers a picturesque view of Kathlyn Glacier. Since I don’t own a canoe I stopped by Aquabatics to get some information on rentals. I found out that I can rent all the recreational and safety equipment I need with convenient access to the lake. There are plenty of opportunities for both new and experienced paddlers to enjoy the Bulkley Valley from the water. In fact, on August 11-12 Smithers will host our annual TatlowFest. This paddling festival takes place on Tatlow Falls just off Highway 16 east of town and will feature both competitive and recreation paddling, as well as the popular cardboard boat competition. There will also be a sauna, campfire and free camping. Whether you are a passionate paddler or a cautious canoer there are plenty of opportunities for you to enjoy your water recreation in Smithers.
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 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!
July 24, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Hiking
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Ever wonder what Alpine Alice does in her free time? Well having been born and raised in the alpine meadows and mountains of the Bulkley Valley, she can't wait to showoff one of her favourite places.
July 20, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Attractions
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One of my favorite ways to tour the Bulkley Valley is via the Glacier View Circle route, this loop takes about an hour to drive and has both paved and gravel sections as it runs along the scenic Telkwa High Road and a portion of Highway 16. As I did the drive today I enjoyed picturesque views of Kathlyn Glacier, rolling farms and points of interest. One of the best stops on the trip is Driftwood Provincial Park. Here I found a bridge and a nice easy walking trail to the fossil beds, and although visitors to the park may not remove fossils, I learned lots about the area’s cultural and geological history. The entire tour includes 9 sites of interest and a brochure that I picked up at the Smithers Visitor Center conveniently laid out each of these locations. I would definitely recommend doing the tour either early in the morning or late in the evening if you hope to see wildlife, especially late in July and into August when black bears frequent the berry bushes along the road.
July 11, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Hiking
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As the snow retreats from the Alpine meadows gushing down icy cool creeks into the swollen Bulkley River it's a perfect time to explore the Hudson Bay Mountain prairie. On Sunday, my family and I drove the scenic switchbacks of Hudson Bay Mountain Road to the top of the ski hill. While this is usually thought of as an ideal location for winter recreation, many people do not know that is also an awesome place for summer adventures. Just past the Ski lodge at the base of the “Cabin Runs” is the trail head for Crater Lake trail. This trail is the fastest way to get above tree line and access alpine hiking. The trail is approximately 1.5 hours each way, and leads to a frigid alpine lake, which on a hot day is definitely a welcom relief. My family found that it was the perfect adventure for a sunny afternoon with an easy grade and a beautiful view, but be sure to bring some bug spray!
July 11, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Cultural, Community or Seasonal
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There’s excitement in the air, the sound of horses neighing and the musty smell of hay as I make my way through the horse barns at the Smithers Fall Fair grounds. Nope it is not quite fair time yet, but the place is buzzing with activity because of the annual 3 in 1 Horse Show. On the weekend of July 6-8 the Bulkley Valley was home to a few more horse lovers, enthusiasts and experts than usual, as participants gathered here from across Northern BC and Alberta for one of the biggest horse shows in the north. The atmosphere was fun filled yet competitive, with many riders vying for major points and prizes. As I stood by the show ring one of the riding coaches nearby offered an explanation of the events. With a great variety of shows including halter, hunter, trail, barrel racing and pole bending and events in both English and Western style there is something for everyone. Also, as I found out, there are always plenty of friendly ring side observers willing to explain the penalties and points to observers who are casually interested or to those hoping to enter their own prized Palomino.
July 04, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Burns Lake, Attractions
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The recent long weekend gave my friends and I the opportunity to do some exploring out of the immediate Smithers area. Our destination was a cozy cabin along the shores of Francois lake, only 23 km south of Burns Lake. Although we stayed in a privately owned cabin, some of my friends’ families stayed at near by campgrounds at Noralee and Takysie Lake. Sunday morning my friends and I went for a paddle in our canoe, although we didn’t bring our fishing rods along, another boater who had a line in the water told us that he had already caught three just that morning! After enjoying a campfire cooked lunch, my friends and I headed across the lake to the Southside to find some afternoon adventures. As Francois Lake is actually the second biggest natural lake in BC the easiest way to get across is via the Francois Lake Ferry, it is a free Ferry and runs at least once every hour. From the Ferry Terminal we took a left driving 20 mins to Takysie Lake, and then continuing on the main road for about another 20 mins until we saw the Cheslatta Falls sign on our right hand side. The falls were absolutely stunning, and the trail led down a gorge then along a ridge overlooking the raging river. We finished off our trip with a hearty dinner at the Takysie Lake Resort before making our way back to the ferry. Make sure to ask the friendly resort staff for a business card, which conveniently displays the sailing times for the ferry, or bring along a Burns Lake visitor guide, which can be a great help for organizing logistics.