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Alaska
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Klondike Memories
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Saskatoon,
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Jasper,
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Sandspit
Columbia
Valley
Cranbrook,
Golden
Radium
Banff
Jasper
Sea
to Sky
Highway
Whistler
Squamish
Pemberton
Adventure
Rails
10 part series
BC
AIRPORTS
Abbotsford
Alberni
Bella Coola
Boundary Bay
Campbell River
Castlegar
Comox
Courtenay
Cranbrook
Dawson Creek
Dease Lake
Fort St. John
Fort Nelson
Golden
Grand Forks
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Kitimat
Langley
Nanaimo
Nelson
Masset
Penticton
Pitt Meadows
Port Hardy
Powell River
Prince George
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Quesnel
Revelstoke
Salmon Arm
Sandspit
Smithers
Terrace
Tofino
Vancouver
Victoria
Whistler
Williams Lake
Whitehorse
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b"
There
where the mighty mountains bare
Their fangs unto the moon.
There where the sullen sundogs glare
in the snow bright bitter noon.
And the glacier-glutted streams sweep down
at the clarion call of June."
Robert
W. Service
 Hot
Springs Heaven
Columbia Valley to Icefields
Parkways
By Jerry W.
Bird
b"
The
eternal icefields wear a "necklace of thermal springs", fed
from water trapped in fissures and caverns deep in the roots
of the Rockies. Raging rivers, glutted by the seasonal
runoff, churn and boil like some concoction from a giant
soda fountain. Oh the joys of steamy, bubbly-hot,
sulfur-scented waters; Solus Par Aqua (health by water) to
the Romans; a sacred rite to Canada's native peoples, and
Shangri-La to we hot springs fanatics. Speaking of natural
spas, the Kootenays have them in spades; Ainsworth, Halycon,
Nakusp, Ram Creek and Wild Horse. Many of these natural spas
along the Columbia Valley and Continental Divide are so
enticing, you'll want to stop the car right there and take
the plunge.
You
can relax at one of the local hot spring resort locations,
such as Fairmont Hot Springs, which has four pools with an
average temperature of 40 degrees Celsius or Radium Hot
Springs, with two springs averaging 35 degrees, both north
of Cranbrook on Highway 95. Nearby and hottest of all is
Lussier Hot Springs near Canal Flats, whose waters hit a
healthy 44 degrees.
 For
those who prefer to fly in and then drive a rental vehicle
to their destinations, Cranbrook
Airport
is the gateway to the East Kootenay tourist region with
daily scheduled flights to Kamloops, Vancouver and Calgary.
The airport also houses Horizon Air, offering charter
services and flight training and Mountain High Helicopters,
providing charter services for both business and pleasure
travellers. Cranbrook
is located in a mountainous region where ranges and valleys
run north to south. This geographic event affects the course
of rivers and human development. The city has been a major
rail center since the opening of the Crow's Nest pass, and
is home of the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel.
Cranbrook is the
largest community in the southeast corner of the province
and acts as a major service center for the region. The city
is close to several skiing areas. In summer, those
opportunities turn to hiking, fishing, climbing and camping
as the surrounding mountains provide all the wilderness and
scenic beauty imaginable. Its primary industries include
forestry and mining.
Though less than
30 years old, the airport is nevertheless an essential part
of the community, responsible for generating around $40
million for the regional economy annually and sustaining
several hundred jobs. One of the regions latest
preoccupation is in the area of golf course development.
There are now ten 18-hole and a variety of 9-hole courses
with an average distance between them of only 35 k, so
several can be played in a few days. Destinations to note
are Kimberley, Radium and Fairmont Hot Springs, each of
which has two courses as well as awe-inspiring
scenery.
A
Rocky Mountain High
A city of some 18.000 friendly people, Cranbrook is the
largest community in the southeast corner of the province
and acts as a major service centre for the region. Its own
primary industries include forestry and mining while the
region boasts a healthy tourism industry. Cranbrook is
located in a picturesque, mountainous region where ranges
and valleys run north and south, guiding the course of
rivers and human development. In summer, golf, hiking,
fishing, hunting and climbing are popular pursuits while, in
winter, skiing in the surrounding mountains provide
panoramic vistas and challenging runs.
Those interested
in historical sights will enjoy the award-winning Canadian
Museum of Rail Travel and the turn of the century Fort
Steele Heritage Town, a "living history" town where over 60
homes and buildings have been restored or reconstructed to
evoke the turn of the century. Then there's Kimberley, north
of Cranbrook on Highway 95A, where you could imagine
yourself in Bavaria. Outdoor oompah bands play in "Der
Platzl"- the central square- where you can also hear the
sounds of the world's largest cuckoo clock.
Fort
Steele
Sam
Steele of the Scarlet and Gold was a family icon. His saga
of heroism and grit prompted my father, Don Bird, to leave
his Seattle home, enlist in the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police and seek a Klondike posting. Shortly after arriving
in Dawson City, a local beauty crossed Dad's path, and the
rest is history. While Commander Steele roved the entire
west during a long and legendary career, his name remains at
an historic site, near Cranbrook. An 1860s vintage mining
town in the East Kootenays, Fort Steele tops any movie set
for authenticity. Behind its walls is a steam railway, a
working blacksmith shop, heritage homes, hotels, a newspaper
and police barracks. Actors at The Wildhorse Theater and
Music Hall relive the glory days when mining was a big time
operation. When the CPR went South -- so did the town's
fortunes.
Kimberley:
Cuckoos, Gingerbread and Lederhosen:
Ach der leiber! -- did you know that Kimberley is known as
Little Bavaria, and is Canada's highest city. Small wonder
-- you can get high just breathing the air! With ski runs
almost on the main drag, we found ample apres ski time to
quaff frosty steins of German lager, gnosh on schnitzel, and
sing along to an oom-pah-pah band. On the Platzl,
accordionists stroll, midst a scene of gingerbread, gushing
fountains, sidewalk cafes and footbridges. Happy Hans, who
dwells inside the world's largest cuckoo clock, pops out to
yodel on cue. Stop and smell the flowers at Cominco Gardens,
or hop aboard the Bavarian Mining Railway.
The
Spirit Trail:
Four mineral pools tumble down the hillside into the Lussier
river at Whiteswan Hot Springs, near a lake of the same
name. Many First Nations people made pilgrimages to these
sacred waters via the Spirit Trail. At Canal Flats, your map
shows two mighty rivers flowing side-by-side. Great lovers
in Indian folklore, the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers were
pledged to remain apart until completing their separate
journeys.
To the K'tunaxa
peoples, Columbia Lake's shores were a Garden of Eden, where
the Creator placed his first people. Today, it's the site of
Fairmont Hot Springs, which boasts Canada's largest natural
hot pools, a lodge, and two golf courses. The original
native bath house is open to visitors at no charge. Beyond
Invermere and Lake Windermere, the road forks; route 95
heading north via The Bugaboos (of Heli-skiing fame) to
Golden and Yoho National Park; route 93 becomes
Banff-Windermere Parkway
Kootemik-Radium
Hot Springs
Imagine
if you can -- two million litres of hot, mineral-rich water
gushing from the ground each day. That's a lot of Perrier!
With healing powers reputed to relieve arthritis and a list
of ailments as long as one's arm, a wily Medicine Man could
have made a fortune selling it by the bottle. Known as
Kootemik to local Indians, whose legend of Nipika traces
their origin, the springs were popularized in the 1890s. At
Radium's Aquacourt, you can soak year-round in the steamy,
odorless mineral water, or swim in two outdoor pools. The
Lodge has an 18-hole golf course, campgrounds and
shuttle-bus.
Of
Marble and Paint Pots
According to experts, Kootenay National Park is an
ancient ocean floor. Over 70 million years ago, so they say,
it was compressed, folded like a gigantic pretzel, and
sculpted into what we call the Rocky Mountains. In 1920,
Ottawa bigwigs dedicated the park in a move to preserve the
canyon's mineral springs, and protect waterfalls along the
highway. Landmarks on the Banff-Windermere Parkway include
Sinclair and Marble Canyons, Vermilion Pass and the Fireweed
Trail. Heard about The Paint Pots? Would you believe they're
ponds of red, yellow and orange, just like a kiddies'
coloring set? The pots are fed by oxide-bearing streams, and
there's an endless supply. For ages untold, Indians mixed
ochre from this site with fish oil or animal fat to decorate
rocks, teepees -- and each other. Near Vermilion Pass, the
Alberta- BC. boundary marks the summit of the Continental
Divide; rivers east of here drain to the Arctic Ocean or to
far off Hudson's Bay; waters to the west flow to the
Pacific.
Banff
to Jasper on the Icefields Parkway
Banff
Park's Castles and Caves
Imagine
spending twelve festive days of Christmas in a fairyland
castle! Truly unforgettable, when it's the Banff Springs
Hotel. During many memorable stays, l learned of the hotel's
hey day from band leader Louis Trono, who was on a first
name basis with the Hollywood greats. As a return to
elegance, the hotel offers a new $12 million health spa,
with cascading waterfalls, mineral whirlpools and Turkish
baths. The Banff Springs is an Epicurean's delight and a
golfer's challenge. The first tee-off, from high above the
Bow River to its far shore, still gives me goose
pimples.
Upper
Hot Springs
After
skiing Mount Norquay, hiking Sundance Canyon, or fishing
Lake Minnewanka, Sulphur Mountain's Upper Hot Springs is a
Banff ritual -- hot plunge, icy shower, steam bath,
blanket-wrap and massage. Loose as a noodle and ready to
devour an ox -- is how one usually feels after that routine.
A gondola nearby will whisk you to the summit for a sweeping
view of the valley. Sundance Canyon Trail leads to The Cave
and Basin National Historic Site, where like honeymooners
for generations past, we gazed through a telescope at
surrounding peaks. Clad in Rundle-stone, like most Banff
buildings, this site contains displays, a theater, and tours
into the misty grotto, with its emerald pools, and warm
sulfur water dripping down the cavern walls. Priceless
Indian relics at nearby Luxton Museum are well worth
seeing.
The
Teahouse of Lake Louise
If you
really want to seize the moment, rent a canoe, or pedal your
way to Bow Falls, Tunnel Mountain, or 101 equally delightful
places. Heading north west from Banff, one can cruise the
Trans Canada via Sunshine Village to Lake Louise in a
breeze. For a change of pace, however, take the old road
(Hwy 1A) along the north bank of the Bow River via Johnston
Canyon, with its ink pots and nature walks. Chateau Lake
Louise is a jewel in an exquisite crown. Talk of beauty and
serenity! -- when one's creative spark needs rekindling, the
Chateau is my choice. You can paddle a canoe in a scene
right out of Hiawatha, or take the alpine trail to a Tea
House for granola cakes and wild berry tea. The azure lake
far below gets even smaller, as you climb the corkscrew
path. Breathe deeply folks -- it gets to be a challenge near
the top. Guess who was left standing still by a German
couple in their mid 80s?
Jasper
Sunwapta Safari
Louise
is a hard gal to say good-bye to -- but not to worry --
there's more beauty ahead. The Ice fields Parkway ranks
among the world's great highroads, with glaciers standing
like 100 icy sentinels. Jasper National Park begins at The
Columbia Ice fields, a marvel of nature with the largest
mass of ice in the Rockies. A fleet of Snow coaches traverse
the Athabaska glacier, looking from a distance like ants on
a giant vanilla marshmallow sundae. This seventh wonder is
part of a formation that blanketed Canada for a million
years. The highway follows the Sunwapta River, joining its
cousin the Athabaska at Sunwapta Falls. The hottest water on
the entire drive (54°C) is at Miette Hot Springs, near
Jasper Lake and Punchbowl Falls. Don't worry, it's cooled to
a comfortable 39° in the swimming pool.
Air
connections
Take the
Air Highway to Cranbrook or Calgary Airport, then rent a car
for this journey to Hot Springs Heaven. You can do it in
high style, at any of the resorts I've mentioned, or rough
it with a pup tent, Coleman stove and eiderdown. Glancing at
a map, you'll spot many glaciers, mineral spas and place
names we haven't had space to mention. All I can say is --
"don't miss this Great Canadian experience, with its hot
springs and freezing glaciers."
...More
in our Adventure
Roads
series.
...The
Yellowhead Highway.
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