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Backcountry Alberta/British Columbia

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jeffpayne

TRIBE Member
So, I'm heading back out next weekend. Landing in Calgary then heading to probably Golden for a couple of days at Kicking Horse for some boarding. After that we have a couple of days before heading to Fernie.

What I really need is some suggestions for some backcountry, isolated cross-country ski trails and accomidations in the areas between Golden and Fernie. Just some chill lodges with spectacular x-county trails and views and away from stupid Banff type areas.

Anyone have any ideas?
 
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Preroller

TRIBE Member
hmmm, Not too sure about places to stay...grab the BC backcountry book and go adventuring...There's not too much inbetween IIRC, Elkford had some cool places to check out, I'll check if my friends are still doing dogsled tours of that area. The backcountry books had tons of natural hotsprings listed, but were hard to get to in most cases, esp in the winter. What kind of vehicle(s) do you have access to?
 
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Subsonic Chronic

TRIBE Member
I'm guessing that the locals around Golden & Fernie will know the best spots for back country. I know that Norm (420 Guy) has been doing some backcountry out west, but I'm not sure exactly where he is at the moment.
 
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AlyG

TRIBE Member
Radium hot springs near Invermere sounds like a place to die for.

Norm's in Nelson, skiing Whitewater and the surrounding hills...isn't he?
 
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Preroller

TRIBE Member
Norm, if you read this, and haven't gone yet, check out the Ainsworth hot springs in Nelson, the cave is both wikked and massive.
 
J

jeffpayne

TRIBE Member
Im not heading to Nelson or Rossland or anywhere near where Norm 420 is. Which is too bad cuz Whitewater is high up on my hit list of resorts to go to.

Preroller, can you get back to me on the dogsledding tours? That would be awesome! Something different for sure. We're just going to rent a van or a large car so that's definitely going to limit us a bit.

I've been to the Radium Hot Springs and will probably drop in on my way down the valley to Fernie again. However, I"m not really interested to much in hitting up springs. We really just want to do some snowboarding and some x-country skiing.

I've been hearing about x-country skiing into Lake O'Hara in Yoho. I think that would be pretty sick but it's bloody expensive to stay at the lodge there.
I'm sure the scenery would be mind blowing. Anyone who's driven threw Yoho would probably agree. So, maybe something along those lines but not as expensive.
 
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keztronic

TRIBE Member
panorama mountain village is right at invermere/ near radium hot springs.. they have excellent backcountry skiing/boarding (ie tayton bowl) when theres snow.. never tried x-country but i'm sure you can do it around there. man i miss it out there..
 
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dicksherwood

TRIBE Member
Preroller said:
Norm, if you read this, and haven't gone yet, check out the Ainsworth hot springs in Nelson, the cave is both wikked and massive.
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panorama mountain village is right at invermere/ near radium hot springs.. they have excellent backcountry skiing/boarding (ie tayton bowl) when theres snow.. never tried x-country but i'm sure you can do it around there. man i miss it out there..
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rubs hands with glee...4 weeks tomorrow...just please stay cold out there...pleeeeease!
 
M

Muad'ib

Well-Known TRIBEr
there is a great book called "Summits and Icefields" by Chic Scott that will have all of the info you need. it is published by RMBooks and is available in Banff or Canmore.
 
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T

that 420 guy

TRIBE Member
Preroller said:
Norm, if you read this, and haven't gone yet, check out the Ainsworth hot springs in Nelson, the cave is both wikked and massive.
Click to expand...
haven't made it to the hot springs yet, but its up there on my list. thanks for the tip prerolloer.

as for back country, i've only trekked a few times out of bounds, and without the aid of snowshoes. i don't have a transceiver or a shovel or proper back country training, so i've only been doing the more travelled paths (which still you give you the opportunity to make fresh tracks). even when you take all of the necessary precautions to minimize risk, the mountain is still in control and she can slap you upside the head at any time, as seen with last week's death of 33yr old carey basker. r.i.p.

have a fun trip jeff payne. i wish i could help you out with some info, but i'm a noob to all this as well.

~*...phenormenon...*~
 
K

keztronic

TRIBE Member
Preroller said:
Norm, if you read this, and haven't gone yet, check out the Ainsworth hot springs in Nelson, the cave is both wikked and massive.
Click to expand...
is ainsworth that "unregulated" place thats out in the middle of nowhere where you drive out that crazy logging road along that huge cliff and follow the path down to where theres three or four pools of varying degrees of hotness? i dont really remember the cave though but we did go at night.. there'd usually be at least a few people drinking beer most nights..
 
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Preroller

TRIBE Member
keztronic said:
is ainsworth that "unregulated" place thats out in the middle of nowhere where you drive out that crazy logging road along that huge cliff and follow the path down to where theres three or four pools of varying degrees of hotness? i dont really remember the cave though but we did go at night.. there'd usually be at least a few people drinking beer most nights..
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Well, you have to pay to get in...under $10 bucks I think.

Yes, they had 2-3 pools outside, with the upper one leading into a horseshoe shape cave. The water was about 50 C, and you could climb thropugh a little opening into where the source was. I had a hard time breathing in there after only a couple minutes. The floor of the cave is finished in sort of a tile, and they have little pot lights scattered throughout. lots of cool pockets with stalagmite and cool mineral build-ups.

here is a virtual tour...

http://www.seevirtual360.com/themes/35/hotel.aspx?listingID=6337
 
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Preroller

TRIBE Member
oh ya...you can also take the longest free ferry ride in the world across Kootany Lake...

and there is a really neat house that is made entirely of bottles if you take the drive all the way around the lake. That was a pretty fun road trip.
 
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Preroller

TRIBE Member
yes...we used to go To Lussier quite a bit...the 17km logging road can be rough though...and bring some incense(sp) cause it really reeks of sulpher at that one.
 
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justin surdit

TRIBE Member
Lussier - I was there last August, and yes it reeks of sulfur but is one of the only hotsprings that haven't been "commercialized". The logging road is a bitch too.

It was quite busy when we were there, but I hear it is relatively unused in the Winter months
 
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