Continued from page 1
Hangliding ~ Paragliding: The Mount 7 hangliding site is one of
top ten sites in world. Mount 7 is year after year site of National and International Championships. If a novice you can take a tandem-flight with an experienced instructor. The season is [weather permitting] from May to October.
Heli-Hiking / Skiing: The birthplace area of sport and one of best in world. Daily to weekly packages.
Hiking and Hiking Guides: Take a stroll along dike of Kicking Horse River or along numerous trails to alpine on your own or join a group at one of remote alpine lodges accessible by helicopter or a guided tour to world heritage site of Yoho Burgess-Shale.
The day-hike trail at Gorman Lake is most popular. Mammal Activities and sightings of bear, muskrat, fox, and many others are not uncommon just strolling in woods. Some areas are known to shelter abundant wildlife.
Back- country camping sites: The lake affords excellent fly-fishing. You can find marmots and pikas along talus slopes and goats on cliffs above. The hike is three kilometres in length, ending at lake, and takes about 90- minutes.
The Moonraker Trails at Canyon Creek are popular for hiking as well as biking and horseback riding. There are some 45-kilometres of loop trails stretching from Cedar Lake area to Canyon Creek. This is only minutes from town but home to wild mountain goats and bears.
The Mummery Glacier Trail is three-kilometres in length through old-growth cedar and hemlock and spectacular views of glacier for which it is named. After a short trek up an old creek bed and across creek by bridge you'll arrive at immense moraines left by glacier. The trail ends at one of these moraines, near top where there is a view of glacier and waterfalls above - but look out for calving ice off glacier! The Quartz Lake Trail west of town is a five -kilometre hike and is recommended for area's pristine beauty.
The recent elimination of Ministry of Forests' recreation program, may have lead to dismantling of signs, toilets, and picnic tables at some recreation sites, but you may find a guidebook at Golden's bookstore.
Horseback ~ Trail Riding: You will find specially trained horses for beginner to expert. Tours range from short rides to multiple day excursions. Riding season is from mid-June to October.
Hunting / Guide Outfitters: Although most people like to go hunting with their cameras, some take a rifle and want to come back with a trophy. The BC Government allows hunting of black bears, mountain goats and other animals within limited quotas and led by certified guide outfitters. Hunting seasons vary depending on species.
Mountain Biking: With 7,700 feet of vertical terrain enthusiasts can ride mountains themselves or with guides, which are available at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort where they launch their rides down mountain. For price of a day's lift ticket you can bike down 4200 vertical feet, accessed by gondola. Mount 7 is location of legendary Mount 7 Psychosis downhill race offering some 12 kilometres of downhill drops, steeps and technical woodwork playgrounds. People can pedal to top, with several jump-off trails at three, five and six- kilometres. Shuttling via truck 15-kilometres to top is a popular option.
Mountain biking cross-country: Golden has an in-town trail system as well as a 45-kilometre trail system on west bank of Columbia River along Canyon Creek trail along narrow deep canyon, which is a steep climb up with a long, rolling descent. Motocross racing comes to Golden in late May.
Mountain Climbing: Golden has been well known for its mountain climbing since end of 19th century with coming of Swiss Guides to Selkirk and Rocky Mountains. Local climbers have developed several areas around Golden over last decades. The most popular area is Jubilee Mountain near Spillimacheen, 45 minutes south of town. It offers over 70 climbs, mostly sport [bolted] ranging from 5.8 to 5.12. Another popular area that is easer with low-angle climbs is up Mount 7 road at 6-kilometre parking lot, with most of climbs slab in nature with a handful of short, pumpy climbs. Difficulty ranges from 5.6 to 5.11, some bolted and some mixed. A 60-metre rope is recommended for top-roping longer routes.
A new climbing area is in Kicking Horse Canyon, 10-kilometres east of Golden called 'The Glen' after nearby Glenogle Creek. This is a quartzite area and will provide a wide range of climbing, from slab to severely overhanging and difficult routes. Another short, quartzite crag is up forest service road on west side of Columbia River near Nicholson [five-kilometres south of Golden]. This is a steep sport climbing wall with approximately 10 climbs from 5.10 to 5.11 plus.
Snowmobiling is popular with routes too numerous to mention.
Whitewater Rafting: The Kicking Horse River originates from icy glaciers at western boundary of Yoho National Park and runs along 20-kilometres, has class three and four rapids careening through a canyon and right into Golden. There are roughly a dozen rafting companies in canyon. These attract thousands of visitors from May to September each year. Rafting begins at upper canyon through first set of Class IV rapids known as Shotgun and Portage followed by a dozen Class III rapids. It continues into lower canyon where Class IV rapids, Double Trouble, Riptide, and Nozzle spread over three-kilometres. Many guiding companies offer a variety of trips from one-day to multi-day raft outings and even heli-rafting, which takes advantage of other nearby rivers, one being Blaeberry River.
Flat-water excursions: Available through Columbia Valley Wetlands, a popular kayaking and canoeing destination.
Before you leave Golden, new pedestrian bridge is a must-see. This was completed in fall of 2001 by volunteer timber framers from Golden, Europe, and United States. Because of high waters in fall, installation of bridge didn't occur until October 25, with help of Sterling Cranes from Calgary, which took three full days, inching along and out onto a temporary footing, and finally onto far shore where it was fitted into its concrete abutments. The bridge is 150- feet-long, with a 210,000-pound burr arch structure. The cost of bridge is estimated to be $250,000, but considering volunteer time and donated materials its value would be over twice that amount.
Margot B, Writer, Web Developer Author of a book and hundreds of articles, specializing in health and the environment. Sample Web Sites by Margot B: http://www26.brinkster.com/margotb http://www.freewebz.com/nuchatlaht http://website4free.bravepages.com http://margot.bravepages.com
