July 16, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Houston, Dining
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I am currently out exploring northwest BC for the first time and this afternoon I had the pleasure of stopping in at the Tea Gallery With a Twist in Houston. I was excited to find that there were over 60 types of tea to choose from, as well as a tasty looking assortment of scones and baked confections. After browsing through the amazing selection of teas, all of which looked delicious, I finally decided on Vanilla Chai. While my friend and I waited for our selections, we had the opportunity to browse through the neat items for sale in the Tea Gallery including beautiful tea sets, candles and unique gift items. After the knowledgeable and friendly owner served our tea, we were delighted by our choices and even ended up buying a few packages of tea to take home! We spent some time enjoying the Gallery, then took the rest of our tea to go and went to see the World's Largest Fly Rod just across the street. Situated in beautiful Steelhead Park, the rod is 60 feet long and weighs about 800 pounds! If you happen to be passing through the area, I would definitely recommend stopping in Houston and checking out some of their unique attractions. Check out The Tea Gallery With a Twist and enjoy a cup of one of their many unique teas!
July 16, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Hiking
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Upon a recent excursion into Northern BC and looking for relief from the wonderful summer heat we discouvered the Ancient Rain Forest 111km east of Prince George on the Yellowhead Highway. This little treasure is well known amongst the locals in Prince George and McBride; however, typically I am in a hurry to get to Jasper National Park and rarely take time out of my travels to explore this little gems.
Although the turn off to the Ancient Forest is a little hard to find (especially if your having philosophical debates with your buddies) keep your eyes peel to the right side of the road (the turn off to the parking lot is located just past the Driscoll Ridge turn off). The trail typically starts from the right hand side and the heavy moisture rich smell that is typically associated with the coastal forests will begin to invaded your olfactory senses. As you make your way up the trail, the smell of the rainforest will draw you in even more. Follow up the trail to find the Big Tree- this is the oldest and biggest tree within this rainforest; on the way there be sure to you stop for a photo at the massive cedar tree that you can `lift`with your bare hands.
From the Big Tree, you are taken into the cedar ciricle- be sure you look up to see the ciricle of trees as they tower up above you. We just had to take the panaoramic shot as we circled under neath the spiraling trees. From the cedar circle, we found ourselves at the water fall were we were able to forlick in the water for a little. The water fall lead us to the dead beard area and from dead beard we made our way back to the parking lot
The Ancient Rain Forest is truely ahidden gem of Prince George and northern BC and one that should be on everyone`s to do list- whether you are a resident or visitor.
July 15, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Outdoor Activity Tours
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The Village of Telkwa is just minutes from Smithers, it is where the Telkwa and Bulkley rivers meet. The backroads this area has to offer are full of adventures like hiking, biking, wildlife sightings, camping, fishing, and snowmobiling in the winter. A few days ago, we traveled through, starting on Coalmine Road and driving up Hydro Hill for an amazing view over-looking the valley and mountians. The presented picture is taken from the top of Hydro Hill. As we continued, we drove to a campsite located on the Telkwa river, and let the dogs out for a swim and drink. The sound was peaceful as the river flowed by us but it was time to carry on our way. We drove by the Telkwa Caribou Herd Recovery Project zone. There was once an abundance of Caribou in our area, but they now face extinction here. This area is protected from the public with a locked gate, in hopes of increasing the Caribou population again. We carried on our way and made it to our final destination, "the Microwave". This area is known by snowmobilers as a place that gets lots of powder in the winter, ideal to play and carve up the snow. Visiting in summertime means it was nice and sunny, so we parked the truck and walked up the mountian while enjoying the views. With this area full of hills, mountains, trees, and flowing water, I'm happy to call Telkwa home, where stepping out of the town and into the wilderness is just minutes away.
July 15, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Hudson's Hope, Sightseeing Tours
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For the first time in 10 years the WAC Bennett Dam in Hudson's Hope BC had its spillway open, and what a sight it was to see.
Apparently since the dam's opening in the late 60's it has only spilled 9 times, so those of us who were lucky enough to see all that water gushing from the side of a hill this year can count ourselves as special people.
I remember the very first time I got to see the dam spill, it was in the late 1990's and I was barely 8 or 9 years old - the excitement definitely has not been lost at all.
When I first heard that the gates were open, not only at the WAC Bennett Dam but also as the smaller Peace Canyon Dam, I felt like a child again.
There is nothing like seeing a man made dam, made from natural materials, and nothing at all compares to that sight of thousands of gallons of water gushing from a hole in the side of the hill. Naturally, given my love for the extreme, I had to make a trip back up Highway 29 to see!
So it was set, I headed up there with some wonderful ladies from work and we made sure to spend all the necessary time getting perfect pictures capturing the spill gates and of course we HAD to do the tour!!!!!!
Oh my goodness, I know I may have a nerdy side but the tour is AMAZING! I have never learnt so much in such a short period of time! The entirety of the tour makes you gaze in wonder at all that was accomplished in such a short period of time - relevant to the time period - and of course the amount of water that really courses through all of those turbines!!!
If you have an hour to spare, the tour is so worth it and if not the visitor center up at the dam site has some really neat displays of pieces from the dam!!
July 15, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Hudson's Hope, Science, Nature or Animals
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It's taken a while for me to start my adventuring around the Peace area this year, but nevertheless the time has come!
Took a leisurely drive up to Hudson's Hope the other day, from Chetwynd, and was yet again thankful to be back in the beautiful Peace Region.
Having waited as long as I did, the summer rain, and the recent heat, made the hills and ditches flourish in green leaves and gorgeous wildflowers - definitely one of my favorite things about this area in the summertime.
On my way up to Hudson's Hope I of course passed by Moberly Lake and Cameron Lake; which are both back in full swing this year after the horrible floods last June. The water was so calm, and with the sun heating up everything, I wanted nothing more than to stop, run, and jump in the lake - would have made an interesting addition to my trip. Nevertheless, being a stickler of plans and time constraints I kept on moving towards my destination.
All in all I saw some amazing natural settings, just out my own back door, and some adorable wildlife as well!!! Bears, and Deer, and Moose OH MY!
July 14, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Food or Wine
I have, as a rule, been woefully inexperienced when it comes to tasting food from local restaurants. I am, in fact, one of those people who consider instant macaroni and cheese to be a food group in itself. While those reading this who are more experienced in food tasting are probably horrified at that thought, I do count myself to be a fairly good judge of restaurants despite this. As a treat for my recent birthday, I went first to the local lunch spot Sassafras Savouries, then to Hummus Brothers for fine dining, and finally to CIMO a few days later.
Three restaurants in one week?!? I was in heaven.
Sassarfas, to begin with, is the kind of place that you could walk past four or five times without even bothering to look into. However, if you have heard the name from anyone who has been there, your interest may be piqued instantly. Its reputation precedes like it, and what a reputation it is. Tucked under the Travelodge downtown, the place is absolutely spotless and the service fantastic. I had a chicken curry hot pot, and my friend had a panino (panini is plural, according to their menu). It was so amazing that I couldn't even carry a conversation because I was lost in the throes of gastronomic delight. And the prices were very reasonable, to boot.
Hummus Brothers was not to dissapoint either. I was determined to get some hummus the moment I walked in the door, and I was expecting it to be nothing short of amazing since it was part of the posh downtown restaurant's name. Perhaps it was a bad idea to order it, in fact, because it ended up being so good that I kept eating hummus instead of the beautifully prepared salmon and tender artichoke hearts.
Cimo, a Mediterranean place also downtown, kept up the delicious trend. I would launch into further analysis of the decor, the pairing of main courses and sides, and great service in each establishment, but this is not a food critic blog and I am not entirely sure how to spell some of the things I ordered.
Besides, the water is already boiling for my maceroni.
So, next time you are downtown, stop wherever your nose leads you. The local restaurants of Prince George are sure to satisfy your hunger for great food.
July 14, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Bear Watching
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In Prince George, one of the most common questions visitors ask is "where do we go to view the wildlife?" Unlike in some parts of the world, where such a question is important to ask because wildlife may be isolated to pockets of protected areas, in northern BC it is a difficult one to answer. "Everywhere" is a bit of an oversimplified answer, but it is hard to think of anything else in a place so wild and open. To illustrate how common wildlife sightings are, this week I encountered a bear while bicycling, and just before that I saw two moose along the side of the road. Both incidents were very close to the city. In the newspaper it was even reported that a lost moose calf curled up for the night on a local doorstep right in town! For the purposes of most travellers, the best place to look is on the side of the road, along the ditches. Dusk is when moose are most active, so they are commonly seen then. Many visitors have been very pleasantly surprised by what they have seen. Some families have reported seeing a half dozen bear in one day alone! That said, it is largely a case of luck, and it is possible that on a whole roadtrip you may see a deer and some cows in a field (not that cows aren't bad, but something about them standing there chewing grass just doesn't scream "majestic").
The downside of all these wonders of nature surrounding us? Be careful. Wildlife are truly wild animals, and should be treated with care. Never approach a bear or moose, make lots of noise while hiking to announce yourself to animals, and be vigilant while driving in case anything darts out anto the road. For additional information about how to keep safe while viewing wildlife, visit a visitor centre or ask at guide outfitting stores.
Hopefully, armed with information, you too can have a safe and exciting trip viewing some of the beautiful animals of our province!
July 13, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Houston, Hiking
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I went searching the other day for the elusive Byman (Perow) Falls and boy are they hard to find!
After turning off Highway 16 onto Perow Loop we went a short distance and turned onto Jarman Road. We had to follow Jarman road up a hill until it turned into the Perow FSR. Once on the Perow FSR we travelled passed the 5km marker and found the falls not far passed it on the right.
The first time we drove by I missed the markers entirely so keep your eyes open for two orange ribbons tied around two trees. The trail itself was overgrown and had many fallen trees along the path. If you keep your eyes open and walk carefully you can maneuver through the trail. It does get steep in spots and you can look out above the waterfall. If you have a fear of heights I wouldn't recommend going too close to the edge since it is quite a ways down.
After going along the trail you are brought to the rocky creek shore. If you travel back along the creek you will be standing at the base of Byman Falls. In total there are two falls. The first major fall comes into a small pool that then overflows into a second very small waterfall. The second waterfall flows into Byman Creek.
The sight was beautiful and definitely worth the bug bites. However, for those that want to explore the falls I highly recommend bringing bug repellent and bear spray. For those going to see the falls, Good Luck!
July 13, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Hudson's Hope, Water Activity Tours
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It has been 10 years since the two hydroelectric dams in Hudson’s Hope have been spilled, so when it was announced that they were going to spill off some water, I hopped in my car to view this rarity for myself. The drive from Fort St. John to Hudson’s Hope truly is stunning! The highway winds through the vibrant green peace valley hills, which offers a great view for travellers. On my journey, I stopped at a designated viewpoint to stretch my legs and enjoy a birds-eye-view of the picturesque flowing Peace River.
After about an hour and a half drive, I arrived at the Hudson’s Hope Visitor Centre and signed up for a tour of the W.A.C. Bennett Dam. Since I had a bit of time to spare before the tour began, I explored the Visitor Centre and illuminated a light bulb by creating my own electricity while riding a bicycle. The W.A.C. Bennett Dam Visitor Centre also gave me the perfect spot to marvel at the enormous spillway. While on the underground tour of the dam, I learned so much! Were you aware that Williston Lake is the largest body of water in British Columbia? Or, that it is the 9th largest hydroelectric reservoir in the world? I really can’t explain just how large the turbines and generators are! You will have to go for yourself to compare your individual size to the massive machinery. My $6 for the underground bus tour of the dam was defiantly worth the money! Our personal tour guide was very friendly and informative on all of the scientific and historical information behind the W.A.C. Bennett Dam.
Additionally, this dam tour was unlike most tours since we were brought very close to the actual spillway to take in the massive amount of water rapidly being released. The picture above shows you a glimpse, but it really doesn’t do it justice. You need to feel the mist on your face, hear the loud rushing water, and feel how powerful something as simple as water can be. I left feeling much more knowledgeable about hydroelectricity and happy that I was able to experience this monumental spill-off event. Since it is not certain how long the spills will last, hurry down to the W.A.C. Bennett Dam and the Peace Canyon Dam in Hudson’s Hope!
July 12, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Burns Lake, Hiking
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Since my sister and myself are always up for a little adventure, we decided to get together with a couple of friends and hike into Uncha Mountain Red Hills Provincial Park. Red Hills offers gorgeous views of the lake, plus it is just about ten kilometres down East Francois Lake Road, so it is very easy to access.
The trailhead itself starts off at the end of the road, and a newly installed outhouse is the only facilities along the trail. Although this is a fairly well know path, there is very little signage for its entire length - the only markers are bits of flagging tape strung on trees or else slashes on poplar trees. Don't let this deter you, though, because it is a very rewarding journey following the edge of Francois Lake.
We were able to take a relaxing walk for most of the way, following what is best described as a game trail. We spotted deer, grouse, eagles, osprey, squirrels and a variety of other little animals and wildlife on our hike. After walking a few kilometers, we followed another well used game trail that weaved its way up one of the many bluffs of the Red Hills (this one doesn't have any markings at all, though, so take care when wandering off the original trail not to destroy any plants). It was from this vantage point that we had unparalleled views of nearly the entire length of Francois Lake. The public ferry was also visible - but because of our height it appeared tiny compared to the lake!We packed a picnic lunch for the hike (by "we", I mean the girls did, the boys somehow forgot they would be hungry after hiking in the sun), and after gathering all our garbage up to take back with us, we started our return. What a great way to spend a day!