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Tucked into mountain valleys, along pretty shorelines, next door to
wilderness and far away from well-used routes, are small towns of
British Columbia that brim with adventure. Rather than becoming
dormant after a long, warm summer, many of these villages pulsate
with excitement. If winter adventures - both soft and hard-core -
quicken your pulse, here's a few of many possibilities throughout
British Columbia.
The little town of Clearwater (www.wellsgraycountry.ca),
located 126 kilometres north of Kamloops is ideally situated near
Wells Gray Provincial Park. The 5,400-square-kilometres of
wilderness boasts diverse terrain that satisfies the most ambitious
outdoor enthusiasts. Cloaked in snow, the town's population of 3,500
celebrates winter in many ways.
On sunlit, crisp mornings, a white world beckons cross-country
skiers with more than 80 kilometres of groomed trails. Candle Creek
Ski Trails and North Thompson Park are accessed right from the town,
plus there are 32 kilometres to be discovered in the forested
setting of Wells Gray Park. Ski and snowshoe rentals - as well as
guided trips - are available from Helmcken Falls Lodge, located at
the entrance of Wells Gray Park, (www.helmckenfalls.com).
In addition, Bearfoot Outdoors, in the Wells Gray Information
Centre just off Highway 5, also offers ski and snowshoe rentals for
the eager adventurer (250-674-3537).
Day-trekkers, gliding on skis or making big foot stomps on
snowshoes, should not miss the awesome view of Helmcken Falls that
forms an unusual ice cone during winter. Whether taking a guided
walk or getting a serious cross-country workout on the Corkscrew or
Roller Coaster trails, you may hear the howl of wolves or yip of
coyotes. Keep watchful for wildlife - is that a moose amid the
snow-draped evergreens? This area is winter-friendly, and there are
even warming huts for adventurers along Candle Creek and Majerus
Farm Trails.
A fun event not to miss is the Wells Gray Birch Leg. Held in late
February, it's a not-too-serious cross-country ski race where
competitors dress as Vikings. Families are welcome.
Experienced backcountry adventurers revel in the pristine wilderness
of Wells Gray, from vast, snow-pillowed meadows to rugged,
sky-reaching peaks. With Wells Gray Chalets & Wilderness Adventures,
you can take a backcountry clinic, avalanche training or go on an
ambitious, seven-day ski traverse.
www.skihike.com
The adventure beat goes on. If your yen is to relive the
exhilaration of travel in the early days, sign on with Alaskan Husky
Adventures to experience a ride behind energetic canines. Take an
afternoon glide or, better yet, enjoy bedding down in the rusticity
of a hidden-away cabin on a multi-day trip.
www.dogsleddingadventures.com
Flanked by the Rocky Mountains to the east, the Purcell range to the
west and hugging the shores of a lake, Invermere is a haven of
year-round adventure. In winter, the choices are as grand as the
mountains that surround the town of 3,000. At the cozy Gallery Café
- the best locale for a latte - consider your options, then prepare
for adventure.
www.invermere.com
A short 18 kilometre trek from Invermere is Panorama Mountain
Village, a ski resort of 100-plus runs and a haven of powder bowls.
The opening of Taynton Bowl in 2001 introduced 847 acres of what was
previously heli-skiing terrain. While family skiing and blissful
beginner and intermediate terrain is spread generously over the face
of Panorama, powder and mogul-seekers head to Taynton to ski their
legs off on double-black runs. Those still wishing to push the ski -
or snowboard - envelope, can book heli-skiing with R.K. Heli Ski (www.rkheliski.com).
Panorama edges the famous Bugaboos, lauded as some of the world's
best places to carve groovy "S's" in untouched white zones. Perhaps
the best of all worlds, the small village of Panorama boasts hot
springs to end the day in, as well as a good selection of
restaurants and après-ski haunts.
www.skipanorama.com
To zoom into backcountry, take a day or more to explore via
snowmobile with Toby Creek Adventures (www.tobycreekadventures.com).
Here, sledding - as this popular sport is known - rules with close
to 13,000 hectares (over 32,000 acres) of snowy mountain terrain to
explore.
Who sits on an icy lake waiting hopefully for some action below the
frozen water? Keen anglers, that's who. Ice fishing may be one of
the most unusual winter sports but it has a following and, on both
Lake Windemere and Lake Lillian, it's a winter event. Contact
Kootenay Troutfitters who provide a heated shanty. That's right,
warm in a hut, with line through a hole in the ice, you wait for a
big one. Ice fishing can be included with a cross-country ski or
snowmobile excursion.
www.kootenaytroutfitters.com
In
many adventurers' minds, Rossland rules! With good reason. Recently,
the town of over 3,700
was
included on National Geographic Adventure magazine's list of
the "10 Great Adventure Towns to Live and Play" in North America. In
the Winter 2004 issue, Rossland garnered Ski Canada
magazine's top mention for Canada's best ski town. Add the fact that
this funky little town was home to two Olympic gold medallists
(Nancy Greene Raine and Kerrin Lee-Gartner) and has placed more
racers on the national ski team than any other area, and you realize
that Rossland may be small but it has a big reputation.
It's a cool town that buzzes with winter activity. Before you head
to Red Resort, just five kilometres (three miles) from Rossland,
drop into Powderhound if you need to rent or buy the latest gear.
Then, onto the two-mountain resort (Red and Granite) that is
renowned for its tantalizing powder. Ski or board the south face of
Granite for terrific cruising or take on Red Mountain's tree and
glade runs, all draped in dazzling, dry Kootenay powder.
www.redresort.com
For
those seeking untouched powder, hop on a heli to explore over 32,000
hectares (80,000 acres) with possibilities of downhilling 4,000 to
8,000 feet of vertical per day with Rossland Mountain Adventures. (www.rosslandmtadventures.com
) Day's end could even find you bedding down in a comfy yurt.
Surrounded by a glistening world of white, your backcountry abode
will be a modern day version of an ancient shelter used by Asian
nomads for centuries. In addition, Rossland Mountain Adventures
offers cat-skiing and special ski camps for adventurers.
Vancouver Island's Cumberland is to winter adventurers what ice
cream is to a hot day; a treat to be savoured. And surprise, this
prime region for wild mountain biking rocks in winter as well as the
rest of the year. Located in the stunning Comox Valley along the
eastern shore of Vancouver Island, Cumberland is a wink of a village
with 2,700 citizens.
Your first hint that Cumberland is a boundless arena of two-wheeling
possibilities is the one-stop shop that includes Dodge City Cycles,
Tarbells Coffee Bar and The Riding Fool Hostel. (www.dodgecitycycles.com)
Tune up your bike, have a cappuccino, hit the challenging trails
around the small heritage town that began thanks to coal mining,
then spend the night at the hostel, especially equipped for mountain
bikers. (The entire Comox Valley, along with nearby Mount Washington
- once snow melts - is a Mecca of rides, from ocean-side smooth to
mountain gnarly).
It's possible to achieve a West Coast phenomena and mountain bike in
the morning, then ski or board in the afternoon. Mount Washington,
surely the unsung hero of BC's mountain resorts, is close to
Cumberland and claims one of North America's biggest snow dumps - an
average of nine metres (30 feet)! It's a winter playground with 60
downhill runs, two terrain parks and a half pipe, 55 kilometres of
cross-country tracks, 20 kilometres for snowshoers, a 300-metre luge
run and an idyllic alpine village. This season, the new Boomerang
Chair adds 400 acres of double black diamond terrain and is unusual
in that it allows skiers and boarders to access two different areas
via one chair.
www.mountwashington.ca
While multitudes of winter adventurers may be knee-deep in snow,
there is another breed of adrenaline junkies. Scuba divers, knowing
that the underwater scene is particularly glorious in the
crystalline waters of winter, head to Sechelt on the Southern
Sunshine Coast.
www.bigpacific.com
Sechelt edges the Pacific Ocean on one side and the protected waters
of the Sechelt Inlet on the other. In other words, scuba divers can
have a hey-day in this bustling municipality of over 7,000, where
you can book onto a charter or do your own thing.
www.suncoastdiving.com
Snug in a dry suit, you spot rainbows of colour. There's the purple,
yellow, blue, and green of small Nudibranchs settled on rock ledges;
the orange/red Giant Pacific Octopus and the cobalt grey Wolf eels
lurk in places such as Piper Point in the Inlet, and in many sites
are walls of cloud sponges, purple sea stars, and gorgeous
dahlia-like anemones.
To
add to the allure, the Sechelt Inlet is one of BC's prime diving
spots to marvel at an artificial reef. The HMCS Chaudiere, an
111-metre (364-foot) Destroyer Escort, is off Kunechin Point and
divers revel in the variety of marine life such as huge Ling Cod
that hang out amid dazzling Orange Plumous Anenomes. The waters of
both the Lower and Upper Sunshine Coast are a Mecca for underwater
enthusiasts. In Powell River's Saltery Bay, don't miss the mermaid
down under as well as dozens of other amazing sites.
www.divepowellriver.com
Hikers and mountain bikers can get work-outs on the network of
forested routes that criss-cross the hillsides near snow-less
Sechelt. Maps and other information are available at Biking on the
Edge.
www.ontheedgebiking.com
For
a real blast of winter on the Coast, Tetrahedron Provincial Park
offers four rustic cabins that can be reached by cross-country skis
or snowshoe. Snowshoes may be rented at Alpha Adventures in nearby
Roberts Creek, who also provide guided walks. For those ready for a
whole new winter challenge, take a guided air board tour with Alpha.
Best described as 'boogie boarding on snow' it's a new way to get a
thrill.
www.outdooradventure.biz
When it comes to winter adventure, think small; small-town BC.
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