Kootenays Road Trip B.C. Nelson Rhodo, Kaslo, Balfour Ferry, Canal Flats, Creston

Here are a few more random photos from my road trip through the Kootenays in B.C. (British Columbia, Canada), starting with a giant rhododendron north of Nelson, then a fast return trip to Kaslo to catch the Kootenay Bay - Crawford Bay Ferry. And we left Nelson around 2 p.m., and made it all the way to check-in at a Creston motel by 9 p.m. Hinged on catching the ferry, but I had a great driver who knew the route!

Giant Rhododendron Blaylock Mansion

Rhododendrons were blooming everywhere in southern B.C. the second week in June, but when we saw this enormous rhodo at the side of Highway 3A as we drove from Nelson to Balfour,we just had to stop! I love rhodos, and simply HAD to have a closer look at this behemoth.

Another View: Rhododendron Blaylock Mansion

Here's the view from a closer angle. I cannot find the photo of me beside this rhodo to give it scale. This plant has to be 15 feet high. It dwarfed me! Blaylock Mansion is now a spa/wellness retreat (read Blaylock history).

Kaslo B.C. Hotel

One of the reasons we covered so many miles this day was that our original plans to spend the night at Ainsworth Hot Springs had been thwarted. Ainsworth lies between Balfour and Kaslo, and the hotsprings pool winds through a natural, somewhat small and scary U-shaped cave. At least it had been scary and claustrophobia-inducing for me, when I was six. I was curious to see it as an adult.

But not to be: The Ainsworth motel staff informed us that, every 5-7 years, the hotsprings pool closes for about 10 days for renovating. That this closure coincided perfectly with my road trip was frustrating, to say the least. So off we went, north to Kaslo, to have tea and snack.

M.V. Osprey 2000 Balfour-Kootenay Bay Ferry

Here's the view from the M.V. Osprey on the 4:30 p.m. crossing on June 10. The Summer schedule, with additional crossing times, runs June 12- September 3. B.C. Ferries notes that this service is the longest and most scenic FREE ferry in the world. Cannot argue with that!

Balfour-Kootenay Bay Ferry

The roughly half-hour crossing leaves enough time to get out of your vehicle, take a few photos, and chat with random, friendly strangers. Such was the group gathered beside this flatbed truck, admiring the large stones that had been made into water fountains. The largest one, we were told, would fetch $4,ooo retail.

Why I travel # 86 : The gentleman in the picture laughed and said, "Now your husband will wonder who you were traveling with!" A few more remarks back and forth, a few laughs and a bear hug, and he was off to his golf weekend in Crawford Bay, and I to Creston, thinking how cool it is to connect with other travelers! But that's a blog post on its own.

Canal Flats Reclaimed Land Canada

I remember the twisty turny Highway 3A from Crawford Bay to Creston as a guaranteed motion sickness inducer, and was a bit concerned that we chose this old route instead of the Salmo-Creston cutoff south of Nelson. But sitting in the front seat, with late afternoon sun lighting this, the east side of the very long and narrow Kootenay Lake, it wasn't bad at all.

We pulled over to have a look at the impressive reclaimed land sign at Canal Flats. We'd been driving along side miles of flat farmland that began where Kootenay Lake 'ended'.

Sunset Motel Creston B.C.

This is the second motel where we inquired about rates, inclusions, etc, and where we stayed, along the highway on the east end of Creston. Their sign (click image to get larger view, then click Back button to return here) is typical of most hotels in the Kootenays and into southern Alberta. Wireless internet was a major feature for almost all motels/hotels.

After checking in and unloading luggage, we drove a few blocks back toward town, found a pub with adjacent cold beer store, Had a very good food for a pub dinner, a cold beer, and headed back to the motel. The next day, we planned to get to Crowsnest, Frank and Pincher Creek, Alberta, to have a visit with my cousin.

We did: See pictures of this part of the trip at National Parks Road Trip.

National Parks Banff, Yoho, Kootenays Rockies Best Road Trips Canada!

I'm back from a few weeks' travel 'out west' -- from Toronto to B.C. and Alberta. Though I have toured the Canadian Rockies many times over the years, it had been quite a few since I had last gotten vertigo trying to see the top of a sheer cliff or had occasion to panic on the steep grades and curves of the mountain highways.

But a road trip through the National Parks -- Banff, Yoho, Kootenay -- all in the Canadian Rockies has to be one of the best trips to take in Canada!

Here in no particular order are some pictures taken my my guide and driver, Sheila. I'll post a link to her blog below.

At the Natural Bridge Kicking Horse River Yoho National Park

This is a really lovely spot to get up close to the Kicking Horse River as it wears away the canyon walls. Parks daily admission was $19.60 CAD for the car and pax. Find a parks office near any entry point town -- in this case, we bought it at Field BC as we arrived via Golden. When you are there, pick up a copy of the Parks guide to see attractions, maps, etc. (free).

Wapta Falls Yoho National Park West Entrance

On Highway 1 (Trans Canada Highway), just inside the west boundary of Yoho Park, a sign marks the entrance to Wapta Falls. At this point you are about 22 kms (13.6 miles) west of Field, BC. The park guidebook said to allow about 45 minutes one way, and it took us about that, maybe a little less. Younger couples obviously more fit than we made the trail trek much faster.

From the top of Wapta Falls where you can see me in the above picture taking a picture, there are steps down the hilllside to get the view from the bottom of the falls. I was too hot and tired to consider hiking down and up again, then 45 minutes back to the car. But if you go, be my guest and send me a pic!

Sulphur (Sulfur) Spring Crowsnest Pass Alberta BC Border

The above pic is me with my backpack and my cousin Judi (red). When we were kids (elementary school), we spent a lot of time in the summer holidays exploring this area. Judi has lived near here all her life, and knows all the secret trails and stories. This suphur springs kills all vegetation. We had to walk down the railway tracks to get to the path to get here. Haven't walked on train tracks for a long time! Felt kind of naughty :-)

Me and the Giant Truck @ Sparwood BC

Before I left on the road trip, a Twitterpal said that I should stop here for lunch:

@newfiehun @karenzabawa Don't forget to stop at Middletown Cafe in Sparwood (beside the GIANT dumptruck!)

And really, we had the BEST panini ever for a great lunch -- ate outside on a nice shady table and admired the truck and the gardens. The truck is indeed huge -- you can just see me by the front tire.

Creston BC Motel -- Luggage in the trunk for another day on the road

After a day we got into a routine of brekkies, internet (all motels but one had wireless) (some faster than others), and packing the cooler. Motels throughout our trip had small fridges with freezers and coffee makers, and many had microwaves. This is perfect for a light breakfast to tide you over.

I always pack packets of instant oatmeal and a spoon, and meal replacement bars. We'd packed boiled eggs, and fruit and granola bars, and stopped for cold beers at the end of the day.

Lots of good places to eat all through the Kootenays and national parks towns, but some better than others. One chef at a resto in Radium Hot Springs felt so bad that he'd under-grilled my chicken not once but twice that he comped us a fabulous dessert. And other than the chicken episode (which was fabulous, too, once grilled long enough) it was the best dinner ever!

Karen and Sheila Lake Louise Alberta

BFF and for too many years to count. If I'm not traveling solo, then Sheila is my top choice. (Maggie, wearing white fur, is cute, too, but not good on long plane flights.) Sheila can drive anything, anywhere, and is good when the going gets tough* (*when I throw a hissy fit :-)

I'll put more pictures and details on my site once I get the content organized.

The photographer of all the images in this post is Sheila. See her pictures of a similar road trip on her RV blog from last September.

Road Trip Canadian Rockies B.C. Kootenays - No Bears, Please

Heading out on a road trip to the BC Kootenays and Rocky Mountains. I have my ticket from Toronto (YYZ) to Kelowna (YLW), and a friend with a BC-Alberta highway map and a packed lunch meeting me in Kelowna tomorrow morning. Other than that, our itinerary is flexible. Very flexible. The only thing I really can do without seeing are bears. I can't relax properly when I know bears are lurking.

But we have a general idea of the spots we'd like to see. In BC (British Columbia) there's Grand Forks (heard it's a really cute little town) and Nelson (my original home town) and Blueberry Creek, to meet up with a friend.

From there, we may go the Kaslo route up Kootenay Lake, or over to Trail and get to Salmo (Gosh I miss those neat BC town names!), and Creston (Is it cherry season yet? Probably too early), and maybe Fernie. Don't recall there being many ferns there, though.

Hoping to meet up with cousin in Crowsnest area, and meet a fellow with a Karelian bear dog (gosh that sounds so cool!) and take a few pics of the Frank Slide where Turtle Mountain slipped away. It's been decades since I've been to this part of Canada, and likely nothing is the same as I remember!

Also on our hit list are Lake Louise, Banff, Fairmont Hot Springs (Yes I have my swimsuit!) and Golden before heading back to Kelowna for my flight home.

Really hoping to avoid any close encounters with bears, black, brown or Grizzly. The best weather for travel in Canada is spring, summer and fall, which is also the times that bears are variously pregnant, giving birth, protecting young, or feeding like mad on berries or fish before hiberation. In short, all the times that they are likely to be crankiest.

Our last trip to BC was in June also, on the Sunshine Coast and northern Vancouver Island. Bear season. Every time we stopped on the highway to admire a view, or take a walk up a trail to a waterfalls, we were aware that bears like berries and water, too, and they don't like surprises, either.

So what you do in bear country then is make as much noise as possible to give any bears in the area a lot of notice that you are there, too. And off we go down a path, whistling, singing, clappping and talking loud. Really loud. This is one time you don't use your 'indoor voice'!

Of course this early-bear-warning system is practiced by others, too. Often in the distance, we'd hear sounds of singing, whistling and clapping, and so we'd know we had company. You feel a bit like a fool making all that racket but it's better than turning a corner and getting between a momma bear and her cubs.

Momma Grizzly with Two Cubs

Here's a picture I took from the safety of a Telegraph Cove-based tour boat on Knight Inlet on the BC mainland. There are no grizzlies on Vancouver Island, but the mainland, especially the Rockies - well, that's their home turf. Everyone has a bear story.

And so to the Karelian bear dogs. I know very little about them, so looking forward to learning a whole lot more! Will definitely take pictures.

Now I really must finish up my packing and get organized. For more pictures of BC, see my travel site.

South Thompson River Pictures Late Summer

My friend Sheila, who lives in Kamloops, B.C. (Canada), sent me two pictures she took last week, and I share them here, with her permission.

Sheila says, "They're taken just upriver from Monte Creek, which is east of Kamloops, heading towards Shuswap Lake. "

"We'd been boating up the South Thompson river for about 15 minutes after we left Kamloops when I took the first photo. The mountain is on the north side of the river.

"Later, at about 8 p.m. when it was just getting dark, we were floating back down river, facing towards Kamloops, very close to Monte Creek, when I took the second photo."

Seeing these photos reminds me of the road trip Sheila and I took in this area last summer. She left the Trans-Canada Highway near here to take a road less travelled that runs along the north river bank, through reserve lands.

Seeing these photos also reminds me to get busy and scan the photos I took in and around Kamloops!

If you'll be traveling to the Kamloops area, look for the Kamloops Mounted Patrol around town. Men on Horseback always make for a great photo op.

More photos of South Thompson River at Cherry Creek area and Kamloops Lake

Update June 2008: See Sheila's new blog about RVing with pictures from B.C. Now that she is able to post her own photos, I guess these are the last I'll get from her!