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 09, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Professional & Spectator Sports
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One way I enjoy some time with my family is at the Smithers Dirt Bike track, and I'm always pleased to see many other families doing the same. I love how this track is suitable for all skill levels; though usable by beginners, just adding some speed makes the track a challenge. I like to time myself, then try beat my last lap time by accelerating harder. With many sharp corners and jumps, I always leave the track feeling like I had a good workout. I love to dig my tires into the dirt, but when I get tired I sit on the viewing bleachers to watch the local talent. Smithers also holds CMRC (Canadian Motocross Racing Corporation) races; the next one will be July 28th and 29th. People come from all over to participate and watch these races, and I'll be there racing as Alpine Alice. I am also volunteering my time to make sure everyone has a fun and safe experience.
July 09, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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In my mind, summer isn’t summer without countless barbeques! My favourite place in Fort St. John to buy meat for sizzling on the grill is from The Butcher Block. This past weekend, we gathered to have a big family BBQ, complete with fresh sirloin steaks from none other than the locally owned and operated family meat packaging business in town. Although I am not a huge meat lover, my steak exceeded my expectations. The quality of the meat is only of the many things The Butcher Block has to brag about. I find the prices to be very reasonable and consistent outstanding service. You sure can tell that this is a local business that truly cares about it’s customers. Even though the beef is delicious, The Butcher Block also offers great turkey, chicken, pork, fish, sausages, and cooked meats. My evening ended up being very enjoyable while connecting with all of my family members over a delicious BBQ dinner and a few energized card games on our patio.
July 06, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Golf
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The Aberdeen Glen golf course in Prince George is perfect for any golfer who is looking for a solid day of golf! Whether you are just looking to practice your skills or test the course it is sure to exceed expectations. From the criving range to the chipping range or the putting green, Aberdeen allows you to practice all aspects of your game at your own pace and for a very reasonable price! (2$ for a small bucket of balls at the driving range)
The course itself is a par 73 that weaves through the hills and valleys, providing a beautiful, scenic day of golf that is challenging for golfers of all skill levels. The different tee boxes allow all golfers to enjoy and challenge themselves on the wonderful course. The hills and valleys provide a very fun and unique game of golf. A cart is recommended!! After the game it's always nice to enjoy the clubhouse atmosphere, and the wonderful clubhouse at Aberdeen has a patio that overlooks a few holes on the scenic course. This golf course is very well designed and provides a complete golf experience! Providing I don't lose too many golf balls I always enjoy my time there.
July 06, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Hiking
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An opportunity to be a prospector... well at least a prospector that excelled at finding nuggets along the Fraser River- this was me the other evening. It had been a while since I'd been on the Fort George Canyon Recreational trail when a friend and I decided to give it a go. The trail was 2.3 km's down to the river's edge which was fast moving and high due to the past month of rain; however, it provided us an opportunity to explore up river more. Once on the river's edge, we proceeded up river where we found rocks, rocks and more rocks. My friend is somewhat of geological fantantic and we went to work searching for nuggets! Boy... did we find nuggets! The colour variety was amazing and the shapes were wonderful. Although buggy this did not deter us from collecting a few for making jewellery and other creative stuff in the near future. I definetly recommended this trail (which is an easy identifiable and well marked trail) for families who are wanting to explore more of the Prince George area and who perhaps would like to find the hidden treasures of the Fraser River.
July 06, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Houston, Hiking
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Wow! My family and myself love travelling and adventuring around northern BC, so this rainy summer has been putting a bit of a cramp in our style. So when we finally got our first day of sunshine - YAY!- I grabbed my mom, sister and friend and we piled into a car and headed out to hike China Knows Mountain. The road in to the trailhead is in quite good condition- but be wary of logging trucks that use the road, and proceed with caution.
If you are looking for an easier hike to the top, then continue past the first signs marking the trail and head another 3 kms down the road. Trust me, we went up the advanced route, and it truly is for advanced hikers only! However, once we reached the top we were greeted with stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area. Crawling closely to the edge you are able to see dozens of mountain goats scaling the cliff's edges (but if that kind of thing doesn't float your boat, you can also see them on the hike up- a safe distance away from the edge). There was also many signs of bears around - tracks, etc; but we didn't see any ourselves. On the way back from the top we took the "moderate" path down, and although it was a little bit longer, it made the trip much easier on our tired legs! It is definitely something to think about before you begin.
All in all, if you're looking for an enjoyable hike, with striking views and wildlife viewing opportunities, China Knows is a great afternoon adventure to tackle. It is a memory I will always remember, and you'll be left with the urge to return again soon.
~as a side note, the mountain goes by either China Knows or China Nose...it just depends on who you ask
July 05, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Nelson, River Rafting
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On Thursday my friend Paige and I were invited to go whitewater rafting with Nelson Whitewater Rafting Co. We were met by the bus in Crescent Valley and drove to the Facchina Rapids about halfway to Slocan. On the bus there is a short safety video that explains what to do in case something happens. The company puts safety as a priority. We were given skin tight wetsuits, helmets and life jackets that were pretty funny looking. Paige and I took some pictures.
The Slocan River is beautiful and since the beginning of the rafting ride was pretty slow we were able to look at the scenery. It was pretty warm out and whoever wanted to get wet could play the Rodeo Game. This is when the person stands on the front of the raft holding a rope and everyone else paddles the boat in circles. When our guide told us to switch we would madly paddle in the other direction and the person on the front would fall in the chilly water. It was a lot of fun to watch but I was not daring enough to face the water.
The guides were really good at making us feel safe. They were very personable and funny. John, the owner of the company has 8 years of guiding experience and some funny stories about other trips he has been on. The other guide had just started not too long ago so we helped him practice steering the raft into the eddies on the side. The bus driver met us at the bottom and took some awesome pictures of us.
About halfway through the trip our raft hit a little wave. All of us thought it was huge and a lot of fun. When John told us that that wave was nothing compared to the rest of the ride we didn’t really believe him. But were we ever wrong. At the end of the trip all of us wanted to go back to the top and do it all over again. It was a blast! Since the beginnings of the Facchina Rapids are very mellow it is easy to get used to being on the raft and get some paddling practice.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves the outdoors and is not afraid of getting wet. I was expecting it to be a lot scarier but it was nothing compared to what I thought it would be. I would definitely jump at the opportunity to do this again and with the beautiful scenery in the Kootenays this is something that cannot be missed.
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.
July 04, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Museums
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Since the travelling British Home Child Memory Quilt Exhibit is currently at the Fort St. John Museum, I went down to check it out while I had the opportunity to. Although the North Peace Museum mainly has local history of the pioneer days, it is wonderful that travelling exhibits frequent the museum to share a broader history with local residents and visitors. Whenever I visit our local museum, I always leave with a ton more historic knowledge about events that I didn’t even know existed.
Today, I sauntered out of the museum feeling surprised, shocked, and somewhat oblivious to pieces of Canada’s history that I was completely unaware of. The British Home Child Memory Quilt defiantly opened my eyes to a small portion of Canada’s immigration past. I discovered that not all of the 100,000 British orphans who came to Canada in search for a better life actually received one. Although there were stories of abuse, poor working conditions, and loneliness for many of the British home children, there were also uplifting tales of the many opportunities Canada provided these children. I took the time to appreciate and read each square of the hand-crafted quilt since each piece had a different child’s story or picture. The friendly staff at the North Peace Museum also played the accompanying documentary called “Nobody’s Child” for me so that I could soak in even more history. The British Home Child Memory Quilt Exhibit is moves onto another community at the start of September, so find the time in the next two months to go see this memorable exhibit!