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 For a city that once verged on turning into a ghost town, Cumberland boasts an outlandishly hefty slate of things to do. Its history as a coal mining city means tours have a deeply historic setting. As gateway to Strathcona Provincial Park, it invites visitors to fish, hike, walk, mountain bike, rock climb and camp in the wilderness through most of the year.
Winter Activities
SkiingVancouver Island may boast the mildest winters in Canada, but its higher elevations have plenty of snow. Mt. Washington Alpine Resort in Strathcona Provincial Park hosts the deepest all-natural snow base in Canada and offers 50 alpine runs, eight lifts and a high-speed quad chairlift. The Ozone snow-tube park offers tubing day and night. There are two parks for snowboarders. And for cross-country skiers, 40 km/24.85mi of scenic trails await. Cutthroat, a round-snouted trout prized for its deep orange flesh and super flavour.
Summer and Land Activities
HikingAn easy hike is the Chinatown Trail, connecting 21st Century explorers to Cumberland's coal mining past and the thousands of Chinese workers who toiled in the mines. One of Strathcona Provincial Park's more taxing hikes leads to Della Falls. At 440m/1443ft high these are the highest falls in Canada, nearly eight times the height of Niagara, and one of the 10 highest falls in the world.
Meanwhile, the great-granddaddy of all hikes - only for seasoned hikers - is the Comox Glacier Trail. This one is for neither the faint of heart nor the faint of foot.
Mountain Biking Stunning scenery, wildlife and unpredictability pump adrenalin for mountain bikers and adventure seekers in Cumberland. The Comox Valley is famed with cyclists for its Comox Lake-Puntledge River Trails, a network of nine moderate-to-difficult trails, one leading to the perfectly described Puntledge Plunge.
If that sounds scary, consider trails named Buggered Pig, Bucket of Blood, Space Nugget, Short n Curly, Spanker, Black Hole and Soggy Biscuit. They come with stunts and challenges including log rides, ladder bridges, drops and gap jumps. The folk at Cumberland's Riding Fool Hostel help overcome all obstacles.
Rock ClimbingThe Cumberland side of Comox Lake offers a dozen major craggy climbs, all within a 15-minute walk from the Comox Lake Campground and all suitable for most climbers. Climbs include Devil's Ladder, Dragon's Face and Kamikaze Wall. The guidebook Comox Lake Crags is available at the Riding Fool Hostel.
CampingCumberland campgrounds reach from the shores of Comox Lake to Buttle Lake in Strathcona Provincial Park. On the shores of Comox Lake 5km/3mi from Cumberland, the Cumberland Lake Park Campground has 18 RV sites, 44 tent sites, wooded areas, hiking trails, swimming, picnic area and playground.
Strathcona Provincial Park offers camping at two major sites, Buttle Lake and Ralph River. They provide water, toilets, firewood, vast natural grandeur and excellent freshwater fishing. And, oh yes, hiking starts two steps out of the tent. Water Activities
FishingIn the excitement over ocean fishing and trophy-size salmon and halibut, some of the best freshwater fishing in BC tends to be overlooked and underrated. Flanked by mountains and fed by a glacier, nearby Comox Lake provides catch of rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden char and kokanee, fresh water salmon.
Buttle Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Strathcona, and the park's Megin River and Megin Lake also offer excellent fishing. For the angler with a hankering to get away from it all in a wilderness setting, welcome to earthly paradise.
Historic and Heritage Sites Downtown history is a walk. Cumberland offers four self-guided walking tours under the Comox Valley Heritage Experience banner. Drop by and pick up the brochure free at the Cumberland Visitor Centre. The walk lasts about an hour plus break time for coffee, lunch, a little shopping and a pint o'suds at the village's favourite watering hole. Interpretive plaques provide historic info at every stop.
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