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!
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 24, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Nelson, Hot Springs
I just had a pleasant trip to Nelson and Ainsworth. I would have stayed an extra day but it rained too much after I left the hot springs to do any hiking. I stayed in a hostel in Nelson that was quite pleasant and the waters at Ainsworth did wonders for my body and spirit. I shall return, but as I am from the US next visit I shall bring smaller bills than twenties. For a brief stay it is better to have smaller change, just to advise other short-termers from the US. I wish I could have stayed longer, and I promise to come back soon. Met some good people from Canada, Germany, the UK, and San Francisco who were also enjoying themselves. Drivers should take note of the signs about deer, as I encountered one RIGHT BY THE ROADSIDE just west of Ainsworth and I was unsure which way she would run. Glad my brakes are good.
July 23, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Chetwynd, Sightseeing Tours
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It's been years since I have stopped at the look-out point at the Gwillim Lake Provincial Park; so, naturally I had to stop there to eat my lunch on the way to Tumbler Ridge. I had completely forgotten just how breath-taking the landscape in this part of BC really is; I love this valley so very much!
It is a marvelous experience to gaze out at the roling hills, with snow capped mountains hiding off in the distance - we are in the foothills of the rockies after all - and lose yourself in the scenery. The look-out is far enough off the highway that the quiet stillness just consumes you and your can enjoy the sights without distraction; definitely made the right choice to stop there, and I will most certainly be making the drive out there a few more times before the summer is over - though seeing the glorious fall colours grace the hillsides would be just as breath-taking!
July 23, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince Rupert, Museums
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After warming up from a rainy day exploring Cow Bay, I decided to spend some time checking out the Museum of Northern British Columbia. The museum, as well as the Visitor Information Centre, is housed in a beautiful Northwest Coast longhouse and features exhibits portraying the history and culture of the area dating back to the end of the last ice age. The magnificent art and unique artifacts depict the ancient and modern history of the region, telling the stories of the inhabitants who have called the Northwest Coast home. Afterwards I spent some time browsing through the museum Gift Shop, which offers the finest in jewellery, carvings, basketry and gifts by local and regional artists. There is also a wide selection of book on the art, culture, and history of the region for those who want to learn more about the spectacular Northwest Coast. It was a fun and interesting way to spend the afternoon and I would definitely recommend stopping in if you get the chance!