March 15, 2008 | Tips from Travellers >
Clearwater, Cross-Country Skiing
Find more information about Clearwater - Cross-Country Skiing
View a larger image on flickr.com
I live in Vancouver, and while the city provides much needed cultural excitement and entertainment, i often need to get away from the crowds and head up to the interior of BC for quiet nights and star filled skies.
I grew up in
Clearwater, a little town known for being the 'gateway' to
Wells Gray Park, and I love to head back there in winter or summer for all the amazing outdoor activities. Since it is enroute to Jasper and Banff National Park, Clearwater gets just enough tourism to have the infrastructure you need, without the crowds.
Some of my favourite things to do if you are there...
Cross Country Skiing in the winter: There are over 80 kilometres of groomed ski trails in Clearwater with 3 major set tracks; Candle Creek trails, North Thompson Park, and Wells Gray trails. Visit www.clearwatervalley.com/winter/winter_activities.htm for more information.
Canoeing in Wells Gray Park on Clearwater or Azure Lake - beautiful! Visit www.wellsgray.ca/canoe.html for more information and pictures.
Hiking: there are endless opportunities for hiking in Clearwater including Raft Mt. and the Trophies, any of the waterfalls including Helmcken Falls, and of course any of the well maintained trails in the Park. Visit www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=3395
Some of my favourite places to stay are:
- Helmcken Falls Lodge: at the entrance to the park with a number of cabins and a lodge.
www.helmckenfalls.com
- Cedar Haven Cabins: less than 1 km from the Candle Creek ski trails on Raft Mountain with nice log cabins incl. kitchens.
www.cedarhavencabins.ca
I've already planned my trip there for this August - can't wait!
March 11, 2008 | Tips from Travellers >
Nanaimo, Dining
Find more information about Nanaimo - Dining
Friends and I went to Basque Restaurant in Downtown Nanaimo the other night- it was awesome! They specialize in spanish influenced cuisine. Basque is housed in somewhat of a landmark building - it was home to the Rendezvous Restaurant for many years, which in its day was a Nanaimo hot spot in its own right They featured 'dining under the stars' and the new owners maintained that element-you'll have to see it for yourself to understand.
The service was friendly, but not overly so and the atmosphere was great. Just one more block in the rebuilding of Nanaimo's downtown core.