August 10, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Houston, Science, Nature or Animals
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The other day I took a drive out to Silverthorne Lake just to check out the area but it turned into a bigger adventure then I expected. While I was there I ran into different animals including woodpeckers, grouse, rabbits, and even a lynx! Sadly I didn't have time to grab my camera before the lynx had disappeared back into the bush. I wandered through the trails enjoying the nature and scenery laid out all around me. After the walk I wandered back to the lake and had a picnic in the covered shelter. I enjoyed the walk, water and wildlife found at Silverthorne Lake and definitely plan on going back.
The paths are well maintained because during the winter they are cross country ski trails. If you are interested in heading onto the advanced trails you can find other shelters along the trip. To find Silverthorne Lake, head south of Houston on Buck Flats Road. While the road isn't paved the entire way it is well maintained and easy to find.
I am heading back soon to hopefully get a picture of my lynx and enjoy the peacefulness of the area once again.
August 10, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Chetwynd, Arts, Culture & History Tours
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On a beautiful Saturday afternoon I ventured from Dawson Creek to Chetwynd, which is about 100 kilometers west on highway 97 South. The destination was to find out what Chetwynd had to offer. Right when we hit the Chetwynd town limits we realized there was something to see. Chetwynd is filled with wooden statues we didn’t realize the story and experience behind it! I went to the Visitor Centre to find out more. Once inside the Visitor Centre staff let me know that these intricate wooden statues/pieces of art were made by chainsaw! The Visitor Centre staff then truly made this destination a great experience – they walk groups of visitors around the town to share the story of each chainsaw carving. So I thought I would indulge – the staff member brought me around to the newest carvings from the latest competition and talked about the inspiration of the carving, the artist and answered any questions I had about HOW you carve a statue from a tree trunk! These chainsaw carvings are a must see for anyone!
August 10, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Auto/Transportation (Air, Land)
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Last week for the first time I headed north to the Yukon along the Alaska Highway. The highway was fantastic and I had a very enjoyable journey! I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of wildlife I saw along the way. There were moose, black bears, deer, dall sheep, caribou, and plenty of bison to my amazement! The bison at times were gathered right on the highway, and it was interesting to see them from such a short distance. I can’t think of another stretch of highway where I have seen so much wildlife!
The scenery along the highway is very lovely. I was stunned by how beautiful it was! The landscape varies with plenty of boreal forest, mountains, valleys, rivers, and lakes along the highway. One view I found particularly beautiful was all the fireweed growing by the trees, however the whole drive I found to be quite wonderful in terms of scenery. Thankfully there are plenty of places to pull over if you want to take pictures. There are also quite a few places to camp and hike along the way if you want to spend more time exploring and taking in the beauty of the areas.
The highway itself was fairly well maintained. It was paved with the odd small patch of gravel, but nothing too big to worry about. For fuel there were several places to stop and gas up in between the major towns. In the future I hope to return on a less time restrictive schedule in order to really take in the beauty of the highway and the surrounding areas.
August 10, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort Nelson, Hot Springs
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Recently I went on a trip up North, and on the way decided to stop at Liard Hot springs. I had heard that the hot springs were very rustic and natural, and was interested in seeing for park for myself. Upon arrival at the gate for the Provincial Park you have the option of paying for day use of the hot springs and park, or for camping, with the fee for the hot spring already included in the price. The fee is quite reasonable at $5.00 for an adult for the day. There is about a five minute walk from the parking lot to the hot springs along a wooden boardwalk. The walk to get to the hot springs is very beautiful and interesting with signs along the way describing types of hot water fish that live in the marshy areas near the hot springs. Upon arrival at the hot springs I was surprised to see that it was not quite as rustic as I’d heard. There are change rooms by the hot springs and a patio area for sitting and cooling down. The pools however appeared to be naturally made. There are two pools that make up the hot springs – a warm pool and a hot pool, separated by a wooden wall. Both pools appeared to be quite popular with the visitors, and have several wooden benches inserted under the water. Despite not being quite as rustic as I had hoped the hot springs were a nice, relaxing way to spend an afternoon, and I look forward to visiting again!
August 10, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
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This weekend (July 6-8) was the 18th annual Show and Shine in Dawson Creek. Organized by the Dawson Creek Mile Zero Cruisers club it was a weekend of sun, fun and cars. Every year the club puts on an amazing car show featuring all different kinds of vehicles from all over BC and Alberta. A record-breaking 276 cars were displayed over three blocks in the downtown area this weekend with a wide range of cars being shown. Some of the highlights included a 1972 Triumph TR6, a 2005 Dodge Neon SRT-4, a 1923 Ford C-CAB, a 1959 Ford Galaxy Skyline Retractable, a 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier, a 1998 Suzuki Samy, a 1953 Hudson Hornet and even a 2013 Ford Escape. The streets were full of locals and tourists alike out to enjoy the 31 degree Celsius weather. The local downtown businesses also contributed to the happy atmosphere by opening their doors and enticing customers with ice cream, slushies, pie and lemonade. A live band was playing appropriate car show hits such as “Mustang Sally” while people danced to in the street. All of these attributes; the cars, the people, music and of course the food make this a weekend not to be missed by car enthusiasts or anyone looking to have a good time in Dawson Creek.
August 10, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Terrace, Attractions
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The Riverboat Days are my favourite time of year, it happens in the beginning of August and celebrates the spirit of skeena. Riverboat Days is held for 10 days with over 50 events that include the legion parade, fireworks that take place just over Ferry Island, Concerts in the park and the Riverside Festival. Those are the mainstays that are sure to draw a crowd. But you can also enjoy quiet moments like appreciating visual art, or take part in a bunch of different sporting events like slow pitch, volleyball and basket ball. Every year in each summer is a great time to be in here in beautiful Terrace. I strongly recommend that you to come and join us to celebrate the spirit of skeena which is always held in the beginning of August.
August 09, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Air / Airports
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I took a trip to the Smithers Airport and admired their many displays. My favorite was the Grizzly bear weighing 1012 lbs with a chilling story behind this massive beast. This bear was finally captured in the fall of 2001. It is believed that this bear was responsible for killing upwards of 30 head of cattle in the Hungry Hill area, which is between Smithers and Houston. The killing of cattle took place over a three year period. Some of the cows killed weighed as much as 1500lbs. This bear managed to avoid capture from the snares and traps set for him for three years. He was able to trigger snares and grab the cow carcass without being caught on more then one occasion.....now thats a smart bear! He was finally caught by a cable leg hold snare. This snare, consisting of a spring-loaded cable anchored to a tree, captured the bear by the leg. As the conservation officers approached the bear cautiously, this bear managed to break the snare cable and charge at the officers. The bear was 24 meters from the officers and made it within 7 meters of them before being shot! Everyone was surprised of the size of this bear and it is suspected that he was able to break the snare cable due to the fact that he weakened it with his teeth. This is not a friendly story of Yogi and Boo Boo bears stealing picnic baskets but a real story of a uncommon predator in our area. Grizzly bears are usually hidden deeper in our forests and mountains, so no need to postpone your trip to Smithers, theres a good chance you wont run into one.
August 09, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Arts/Crafts
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There are about 10 beautifully painted murals on many of our unique, old, and new buildings in Smithers. The nice thing is they are all within walking distance of each other, so I spent an afternoon admiring the work of local artists and enjoyed the detail they put into these masterpieces. My favorite painting would have to be the Eagle in Flight; it is located on the corner of Main Street and First Ave. It is made up of purples and blues for the sky, with trees, and the eagle with its wings spread wide. This painting was created with the purpose of displaying a skewed perspective of an aspect of the Valley. The eagle is one of the amazing creatures native to Canada and commonly found in the Bulkley Valley. Other paintings include Poineers of the Bulkley Valley, Music of the Valley, and Northern Sunset, just to name a few. In the presented picture is our newest mural in town, it has snowboarders to represent our wonderful ski resort, a musician to represent music in the valley and our talented local musicians, and a fisherman to represent the great fishing our area has to offer. I grabbed a brochure from the Smithers visitor centre called, a Tour of the Murals in Smithers, and this allowed me to experience every painting, and plus it gave a brief description of each mural. If you are looking to enjoy some art, come to Smithers because its all over town.
August 09, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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I must confess, I have a terrible addiction…to coffee. Before functioning in the morning, I must have at least one cup of liquid gold. I thoroughly love fresh roasted coffee, although I will settle for a quick instant coffee if there is no other option. This summer, a new coffee shop opened up in Fort St. John so I just had to check it out. The Canadian Grind is located downtown inside the local scrapbooking store, Unforgettable Memories. Although a drive through is available to grab a cup of joe and go, I opted for walking in so I could look through the scrapbooking supplies while waiting for my latte to be made. The small, but cozy section of the store surprised me in how large of a selection they have to offer. I decided on a skinny brown sugar latte with half the syrup and extra hot (yes, I know I’m a bit picky). After one sip, I knew that The Canadian Grind was going to be a hot spot I would visit frequently for the rest of the summer. Mmm did it ever taste good! I also liked the fact that they use Salt Spring coffee. Why not support an organic, fair trade, and local BC company? The countless varieties of loose tea also caught my eye, so I just had to purchase a few small bags to take home. The loose tea undoubtedly has much more delicious flavors than a boring old tea bag. If you’re craving a specialty latte, tea, or cold drink, treat yourself to The Canadian Grind.
August 08, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Houston, Bird Watching
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Searching for the beautiful birds of Northern British Columbia? I was and I found them!
In the Duck Pond walking trail in Houston, I found a variety of water fowl and other birds. For hours I wandered around searching for Mallards, Pintails, and Common Goldeneyes. My favourite minute was the low flying eagle. Surely searching for prey along the fields next to the walking trail, the eagle was continually circling lower and lower. He dropped out of sight unfortunately but watching it fly was truly breathtaking. After watching the eagle I decided to check if I could find any small mammals or small amphibians. Sadly I couldn't find any small mammals; I must have been to loud walking around. After a few salamanders and frogs I had my fill though, I'm more of a bird person.
The walking trail itself is a very pleasant walk. Thanks to a group of local youths who, in 2001, helped clean up and clear the walking trail. Also, thanks to the youth, a viewing platform was built along with many ideally located benches. As an easy trail with lots to see, the Duck Pond walking trail was the perfect way to spend my lazy Sunday afternoon.