vol6issue36_PNS

PLAYSTAYNin the beautiful columbia valley

Entertainment and activity guide for the whole family!

ServingSpillimacheen, Brisco, Radium, Edgewater,

Invermere, Windermere, Fairmont and Canal Flats

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HARVEST TIME!Penny Brown of Brown Farms in Edgewater shows off her colourful carrots for The Pioneer’s guide to local food producers, starting on Page 4.

Photo by Cayla Gabruck

2 ~ Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer September 4, 2009

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Elevate Your Game – Elevate Your Dining Experience Service Beyond™

Situated on the cliff s of the Columbia River Valley with unparalleled views of the Rockies, Purcells and Lake Windermere. Always immaculate, our award winning course conditions are yours to discover. Th e Golf Shop carries designer golf labels

and resort wear. Enjoy upscale dining in our new clubhouse.

By Katie CaldwellPioneer Staff

If you want to explore the tranquil Columbia River wetlands, picnic on a secluded beach or paddle around the lake with your family, canoeing or kayaking is the way to go. There are a number of places where you can gain access to one of these peaceful and fun vessels.

Columbia River Outfitters, 250-342-7397Located right beside Pete’s Marina, just below the

Athalmer bridge on your way into Invermere, Co-lumbia River Outfitters offer many options for people wishing to try their hand at canoeing or kayaking in the Columbia Valley. They offer single and double kayaks

as well as canoes for rent. All rates include safety gear as well as instruction on the beach prior to your de-parture. You’ll be shown basic kayak/canoe entry/exit, rudder control, pedal adjustment, proper paddling, rescue techniques, equipment familiarization, weather information, navigational instructions and safety is-sues. Rates for canoe and kayak rentals are as follows:

• For two hours: canoe (two people), $40; single kayak, $40; double kayak (two people), $50.

• For a half-day: canoe, $50; single kayak, $50; double kayak, $75.

• For a full day: canoe, $60; single kayak, $60; double kayak, $90.

Continued on next page . . .

GO WITH THE FLOW — A lone kayaker paddles into the wetlands to experience the headwaters of the mighty

Columbia River flowing to the north.Photo by Cayla Gabruck

The way of the voyageur

Phone: 250 342-3210 • www.cotr.bc.ca/ConEdFor more information:

COLLEGE OF THE ROCKIES - INVERMERE CAMPUS

The Invermere Campus offers over 100 courses, workshops and special events to help you:Connect to New ExperiencesConnect to New InterestsConnect to New SkillsConnect to New TalentsConnect to Other PeopleConnect to YourselfNew fall guides out now!

Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer ~ 3September 4, 2009

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. . . Continued from last page

Columbia River Outfitters also offers a number of guided tours:

• Lazy River Trip: this is a three- to five-hour self-guided tour through the Columbia River Wetlands from Invermere to Radium. Runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Canoe: $99 (two people); single kayak: $69; double kayak: $109 (two people). Includes return shuttle service.

• Columbia River Wetlands Tour: this is a two- to three-hour guided tour where you go with an in-terpreter into the Columbia Valley Wetlands to learn about the rich history of David Thompson’s voyage in the area. You will discover facts about the river and wetlands, local birds, fish, reptiles and animal life in the pristine beauty of the area. Travelling in a canoe, kayak or 10-person voyageur canoe, this trip runs ev-ery Thursday at 6 p.m. for $39 per person.

• Wetlands Paddling/Birding Tour: travelling by kayak or canoe, this full-day guided wildlife viewing tour will leave you believing you’re a real naturalist. See bald and golden eagles, osprey, hawks, kingfishers plus the occasional bear, moose, deer, coyote, elk, and beaver along the way. Runs every Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Invermere to Radium Hot Springs. $105 per person includes lunch, equipment and bin-oculars.

Invermere Sales and Rentals, 250-342-6336Invermere Sales and Rentals has a wide variety of

outdoor adventure gear for rent. It is located beside Gone Hollywood Video on the way into downtown Invermere. Canoes and kayaks are for rent for $50 for 24 hours. An Invermere Sales and Rentals associate will launch the canoe or kayak in the lake for you, as well as pick it up when you are finished. Includes paddles and life jackets. The store hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Kootenay River Runners, 250-347-9210As well as fast-paced river rafting, Kootenay River

Runners offers peaceful voyageur canoe trips from Ra-dium Hot Springs to Edgewater. View abundant wild-life on the Columbia River from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily. Kootenay River Runners is located in Radium, just up the hill from the Petro-Can gas station on the way to Kootenay National Park. You must phone and book this tour in advance. Prices are $49 for adults and $35 for children aged 14 and under.

Columbia Rafting Adventures, 250-345-4550Columbia Rafting Adventures is the only com-

pany that offers kayak trips south of Invermere. Daily at 9 a.m., you can leave with a guide and an inflatable tandem kayak to paddle across Columbia Lake and into the Columbia River towards Fairmont. The trip takes two to three hours and costs $52 for adults, and $42 for children aged 11 and under. Columbia Raft-ing Adventures is located in Fairmont behind Moun-tainside Market grocery store.

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Grown close to home: The Pioneer’s guide to local food producers

By Katie CaldwellPioneer Staff

There are almost a dozen grocery stores in the valley between Spillim-acheen and Canal Flats. They range from the general store to the national supermarket chain, and all offer a vari-ety of organic foods.

But many people enjoy the expe-rience of hand-picking their own veg-gies, stocking their freezers with local-ly-raised meat, and knowing that their Sunday-morning omelette is made with eggs laid just down the road.

With the growing movement to-wards eating local food, and various ideas gaining popularity such as the 100 Mile Diet – in which people try to eat only food that is produced within 100 miles of where they live – more people are switching to local food producers.

Fortunately, there are a number of valley families and businesses that offer this important and fascinating service.

All of them are available for visits and demonstrations if you call ahead. Take the kids along and let them see where our food really comes from!

Don’s Field, 250-342-6136Don Wah, owner of Don’s Field,

prides himself on the fact that his farm is all organic and doesn’t use any chemi-cals whatsoever. Located beside the Winderberry Nursery, owned by his sis-ter Glenda Wah and her husband Jack Steedman, his farm grows mainly pota-toes, beets and carrots. His land is very old farmland that has been fertile for many years. The irrigation ditch which takes water from Lake Windermere has been in operation since 1883. Don wel-comes visitors and loves to promote his all-natural, historical farm. To purchase some of Don’s all-organic local veggies, visit the Invermere Farmers’ Market, call the farm or drop in and check it out!


Welcome to the land of plenty. If you are interested in eat-ing local, you’ve come to the right place. With harvest season upon us, the valley is teeming with nature’s goodness . . .

Windermere Fall Fair, pictured here, is a great place to meet local producers. Coming September 12th. Photo by Brian Geis

September 4, 2009 Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer ~ 5


Faith and Gord Saunders, 250-342-9283Faith and Gord Saunders have always had a gar-

den on their property in Windermere, but this year, after putting up a fence to ward off the neighbour-hood deer, they really have a garden – 15,000 straw-berry plants worth! As well as strawberries, they grow peas, potatoes, carrots, lettuce, spinach and radishes with help from their son Tanner. Something that has really taken off for Faith and Gord is the option for people to come and pick strawberries or peas them-selves. Be sure to call to ensure someone is around before dropping in. Otherwise, everything is available at the Invermere Farmers’ Market or by calling in ad-vance to order. Faith makes a variety of jams and jellies which are also for sale.

Edible Acres, [email protected] Acres in Windermere is the only commu-

nity-supported agriculture farm in the valley. Commu-nity-supported agriculture is a unique concept gaining popularity across Canada. A farmer receives a set fee from the customer prior to the growing season, and in return customers get fresh produce weekly until the first frost in the fall. Customers also agree to help out at the farm once a month. This year, owners Lin Steed-man and Oliver Egan, have 15 families enrolled in the local program at Edible Acres. They grow a range of all-organic vegetables which are also available to those not in the program at the Invermere Farmers’ Mar-

ket or by visiting the farm in Windermere. These veg-gies are: beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cel-ery, corn, cucumber, radicchio, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, summer squash, winter squash, swiss chard, tomatoes and 13 different kinds of herbs. If anyone would like more information about community-sup-ported agriculture, to be put on the waiting list for next year, or to purchase produce this fall, please email Lin or Oliver.

Jubilee Mountain Apiary/Beeland 250-346-3306

Jubilee Mountain Apiary/Beeland is a year-round, fully-functioning apiary, or bee yard, located in Spilli-macheen, north of Brisco. Boasting a 100-hive site, owner Morley Winnick produces several varieties of alpine honey, honey pepper jellies, honey-based pie fillings, honey-based chutneys, honey barbecue sauces and relishes, and honey fruit preserves, jams and jellies. In addition, they have a line of beeswax products and bee pollen for sale. As well as selling on site, everything is available at the Invermere and Cranbrook Farmers’ Markets, Winderberry Nursery during the summer or they take orders, with delivery to Invermere, after the summer months. Morley is happy to give pre-arranged tours of the apiary.

Downey Farm, 250-345-6452Petra and Greg Downey of Downey Farm, south

of Fairmont, raise most of their food products to feed

their five children. They have dairy goats, chickens, turkeys, Muskovy ducks, cattle and farm-fresh eggs. Petra will only sell these products at her farm; if you want it, you’d better go and get it! Her products are in high demand as she has such a variety of meats and dairy for sale. Some of Petra’s goat milk goes to cancer therapy for dogs, and her eggs are washed with a solu-tion safe for people who tend to be allergic to grocery store-washing solutions. She sells her products mainly to friends and family, but she might have something left over, so give her a call. As well, she would be happy to show you around the farm.

Patty’s Greenhouse 250-346-3399Patty’s Greenhouse in Brisco, run by Patty

Nickisch, offers a wide variety of fresh produce. On-ions, carrots, potatoes, peas, beans, squash, cucum-bers, pickling cukes, tomatoes, swiss chard, kohlrabi, turnips, beets, cabbage and raspberries will be avail-able until mid-September. Patty also sells her veggies at both the Invermere and Golden Farmers’ Markets. You may wish to make an order in advance if you would like anything in a large quantity.

Brown Farms, 250-347-9212At Alex and Penny Brown’s farm, seven kilome-

ters north of Radium, you can buy a variety of vegeta-bles, pickles, preserves and fresh fruit pies. Vegetables sold are potatoes, carrots, beets, beans, peas, onions,


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garlic, swiss chard, lettuce and summer squash. Ev-erything is available at the Radium Farmers’ Market and the Edgewater Open Market for the summer and at the farm until Thanksgiving. Many people choose to order their goods in advance, and Penny and Alex will organize it and have it ready and waiting. If you would like, informal tours are available as well. Penny would be happy to show you around the garden, let you look at the fruit trees or even have the kids pull up a coloured carrot! Brown Farms has many interesting varieties of coloured carrots; they grow in purple, red, white, yellow, soft orange and orange.

Firlands Ranch, 250-347-6811 or 250-347-9909

Firlands Ranch, located west of Radium Hot Springs and north of Wilmer, is a luxurious getaway spot as well as a fully-functioning cattle ranch. They offer farm-fresh eggs, hormone-free and antibiotic-free beef sides and freezer packs. They also have lim-ited amounts of pork which is reserved for their beef customers and is in great demand.

Their fresh meat is available in a variety of pack-ages or you can custom-order your own package. In-dividual roasts, steaks, stewing meat and ground beef portions are an option, along with specialty products such as beef bacon, hamburger patties, sausages, smok-ies, pepperoni sticks and salami. Firlands’ products are available year-round at Spring Health Foods and at the Invermere Farmers’ Market in the summer. Also, you can order packages by calling the Ranch. If you would like a tour of Firlands Ranch, call and set it up with owner Margot Micallef.

Sammy’s Garlic Farm, 250-342-3921Sammy’s Garlic Farm grows just what the name

says – strictly garlic. After owners Monty and Renata Anderson discovered most of the garlic we find in the grocery stores comes from as far away as China, they decided there must be a demand to sell locally-grown garlic. They grow five varieties, but currently are only selling two of those: Persian Star and Chesnok Red, both very rare varieties but very flavourful. Garlic is sold from their farm on the Windermere Loop Road, either by ordering ahead or stopping by. Monty and Renata will be happy to show you around. As well, you can buy their garlic from Win Valley Gardens or Hopkins Harvest, both in Windermere.

Take Your Pick, 250-347-9970Take Your Pick berry farm in Edgewater, owned

by Jack and Jeannette Forman, grows three types of berries: saskatoons, raspberries and black currants. If berry-picking on a lazy afternoon appeals to you, this is the place to go, as you can wander the rows and pick berries to your heart’s content. Call ahead to make sure Jeannette is around before stopping by. If you don’t have the time or inclination to pick them yourself, she also has bags of fresh or frozen berries and berry juice for sale. Jeannette says the black currants are still going strong. Don’t miss your chance to try these anti-oxidant and vitamin C-filled berries!

McKersie’s Farm, 250-349-5275Brian McKersie of McKersie’s Farm, just north

of Canal Flats, has cut back on his local sales of beef due to a new meat inspection regulation by the


TASTE THE VALLEY — Attention, visitors: if you come here for the great hiking trails or the spectacular views, you should also try our produce! Once you’re addicted to local eating, you’ll want to explore it further. Besides, you

really haven’t experienced the Columbia Valley until you have tasted it. If you are planning a big meal, use this list to see how many of the ingredients you can source locally. Your dinner guests will thank you. Photo by Brian Geis


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Continued from last page...

federal government’s Canadian Food Inspection Agen-cy. All beef producers now have to take their beef cuts to Cranbrook to be inspected and approved by a pub-lic health inspector before being sold. Brian raises 350 head of cattle, and most of his calves are sold to feed lots in Alberta. However, if you would like to order some of Brian’s beef, you can do so by calling him in advance.

Zehnder’s Farm, 250-342-6781Zehnder’s Farm is one of the valley’s well-known

pioneer homesteads. Although they have been farming and ranching there for many years, the Zehnders have just started to sell their beef locally. The beef is custom-cut and wrapped at Rick’s Fine Meats in Cranbrook, and then delivered to your door by John Zehnder, who runs the farm with his dad, Fritz Zehnder. John hopes that by next year his entire calf crop will be sold locally. If you would like to try some of their beef, it is available at Grant’s Foods in Invermere, or by calling John to order directly.

Win Valley Gardens, 250-341-1349Win Valley Gardens is a long-standing landmark

in Windermere, serving the public for over 25 years. Owned by Peter and Laurie Robertson since 1999, Win Valley Gardens grows potatoes, carrots, swiss chard, spinach, cucumbers, arugula, lettuce, beets and pickling cukes. As well, they offer locally-made preserves and B.C. fruit from the interior. Win Valley

Gardens is open weekends until Thanksgiving. Drop in for some fresh produce or to take a walk around the gardens.

Chinook Meadows Farm, 250-347-6440Chinook Meadows Farm just south of Edgewa-

ter, owned by Dianna and Rick Tegart, is a good old-fashioned family farm. All beef is grass-fed from their beautiful pastures, their veggies grown in their back-yard garden and fruit picked from their berry patches or trees. They also have some honey bee hives which produce sweet, satisfying honey. Beef, vegetables, fruit and honey are for sale from the farm. If you would like beef, it is best to call in advance to order it. However, they do have freezers full if you’re in a pinch for supper tonight. Also, Dianna is interested in giving advice to those starting out with their own gardens. Why not stop by to see the farm and learn from an expert?

Willow Springs Greenhouse, 250-688-0141Willow Springs Greenhouse, located across the

highway from Spirits Reach south of Fairmont Hot Springs, has cucumber, tomatoes, carrots and lettuce for sale. Everything is sold from the garden and as fresh as it can be. You can head out to the garden with owner Sharon Hamilton and at your request, she will pull the carrots, cut the lettuce or pluck the tomatoes off the vines right in front of your eyes! Everything will be available full-time until the Labour Day long weekend, and some casual weekends into the fall while the weather lasts.

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The valley’s only locally owned, locally operated newspaper

•T h e P i o n e e r•


Submitted by Adrian BerglesColumbia Valley Cycling Society

With the coming of fall the days get shorter but mountain biking in the Columbia Valley just keeps on getting better and better.

For some riders, the fall is the best time to ride a bike all year. With a good part of the season already past, fitness and form are no trouble. And the summer heat will soon begin to relent, allowing comfortable daytime riding.

The fall is a time of year, however, when riders and all back-country users should be aware that wild-life species in the valley, including bears, are active in preparation for the upcoming winter.

Thankfully, bears and other wildlife typically want as little to do with humans as we do with them in the back-country. This riding season alone, I have seen a half-dozen or so bears – black and brown – without any trouble. A few commonsense measures have kept riders in the valley safe for years.

• Be sure to make a lot of noise out on the trail. Be especially aware of this if you are on your own. A hoot, holler or even an old-fashioned yodel will notify animals in the area that you are present and that you are a human – an animal that bears and other wildlife naturally fear.

• If possible, ride in a group: there is safety in numbers. A nice number for a good, social ride is three or four people. The conversation that flows naturally will also serve the same function as a yell or yodel.

• Carry bear spray. Be careful and handle it with extreme caution. Bear spray has been proven to be ex-tremely effective in the unlikely event of an attack.

It is available at local bike shops and at Home Hardware. If you’ve got a years-old can sitting in your garage, check the date – they do expire.

And if you’ve ever discharged spray from the can for any reason, replace it. Once the seal is broken, the spray may continue to evaporate.

Bear spray is a last line of defence against an at-tacking bear. It is not meant to take the place of proper bear-avoidance practices while in the back-country.

• Keep an eye out for fresh bear scat. If you see a pile of fresh stuff lying on or near the trail, it is a good indication that an animal is nearby.

Make plenty of noise and move out of the area. The same applies if you come across the carcass of a recently-killed animal.

These tips are meant to inform and not to alarm. Being aware of your surroundings is key to remaining safe at any time of year.

The fall is a terrific time of year to get out and ride. The cool but sunny days are not to be missed!

Bikers, beware the bears

copperpointgolf.com

Copper Point’s Annual Labour Day Sale is one you can’t afford to miss! With the extravagant savings we’re offering, it’s the ideal time to outfit every golfer in your family.

Visit our Golf Shop to take advantage of the savings on all golf merchandise and apparel:

40% off all men’s and ladies apparel20% off all shoes, socks and hats

Drop by the Golf Academy for our Employee Pricing Sale:Savings of up to 50% on all Nike Golf Equipment

After your shopping spree, join us at The View to relax and take advantage of those last days of summer. Enjoy the spectacular scenery while you treat yourself to a refreshing drink and a delicious selection from our menu.

Call 250-341-3392

Copper Point’s Last Days of Summer SaleIt’s the Sales Event you’ve been waiting for all season

Phone: 250-341-1552 • [email protected]

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Finish your summer off right.Finish your summer off right.Book your guided hike or tour today!Book your guided hike or tour today!

Put your name on the list for upcoming Navigation or Avalanche courses.

Finish your summer off right.Book your guided hike or tour today!

N E W S P A P E R

For the latest financial tips, see Page 24 this week in…

Phone: (250) 341-6299 • Fax: (250) 341-6229 • Email: [email protected]


Drop in and see our collections of

Antiques, Collectiblesand Retro items

Living room on wheels: The Pioneer’s guide to RV hospitality in the valley

By Sally WaddingtonPioneer Staff

It’s a great pleasure to hitch up your RV and head into the Columbia Valley – and more and more people know it.

“Recreational vehicles are extreme-ly popular in the valley because of the ability for travellers to make them into portable homes,” said Katie Harris at Radium Visitor Centre.

“Our campgrounds fill to capac-ity on the long weekends and regularly throughout the summer.”

So what facilities are available for all those RVs? Where can you stay? Where can you park when you’re browsing the shops? Where can you wash your RV

at the end of the weekend? And what about that dreaded task – emptying the sewage tank? The Pioneer’s guide to RV hospitality in the valley has all the an-swers to your RV-related questions.

Stay• Redstreak Campground, 250-

347-9505, in Kootenay National Park at Radium Hot Springs has 88 sites.

• McLeod Meadows Campground, 250-347-9505, in Kootenay National Park has around 10 sites.

• Marble Canyon Campground, 250-347-9505, in Kootenay National Park has around 10 sites.


If you arrived by RV and are ready for adventure, relax. We’ve got you covered. Whether you’re looking for a place to park or get the rig washed, read on for all the answers . . .

The beautiful grounds of the RV park at Fairmont

Hot Springs Resort



• The Canyon RV Resort, 250-347-9564, in Ra-dium Hot Springs has 107 sites.

• Radium Valley Vacation Resort, 250-347-9715, in Radium Hot Springs has 90 sites.

• Dry Gulch Provincial Park, 250-422-3003, be-tween Radium and Invermere, has 28 sites.

• Mountain Shadows Resort, 250-347-9095, in Dry Gulch has 41 sites.

• Shadybrook Resort, 250-342-9508, in Windermere has two sites.

• Lakeshore Resort, 250-342-6352, in Windermere has 47 sites.

• Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, 250-345-6033, in Fairmont Hot Springs has 220 sites.

• Spruce Grove Resort, 250-345-6561, in Fairmont has 70 sites.

• Timbers Resort, 250-345-6636, in Columere Park has two sites.

• Kootenay River RV Resort, 250-349-8212, in Canal Flats has 25 sites.

• Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park, 250-422-3003, south of Canal Flats has five different campgrounds and a total of 114 sites.

• Premier Lake Provincial Park, 250-422-3003, south of Canal Flats, has 57 sites.

ParkMost communities have easy-to-find places to pull

over a large vehicle, but downtown areas do have some restrictions.

In Invermere, the allowed RV parking downtown is at the community hall and the large parking lot be-hind the arena. Basically everywhere else in town is restricted.

In Radium, there is RV parking available behind the information centre. The main streets are lined with parallel parking stalls, and you are permitted to park in those. When at the hot pools, the easiest parking lot to use is on the opposite side of the highway; there are pull-through stalls which make it easier to manoeu-vre.

Wash• Radium Petro-Can, 250-347-9988.• Invermere Wash and Lube, Industrial Road #1,

250-342-8774. • Invermere Petro-Can, 250-342-3050.

Sani-dumpInvermere Wash and Lube, 250-342-8774, is the

only independent operator that has a sani-dump. The business also carries RV supplies and parts if you run into trouble while you’re here.

Many of the RV resorts and campgrounds have a sani-dump for guests: all three Kootenay National Park campgrounds, Canyon RV Resort, Mountain Shadows, Shadybrook, Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, Spruce Grove Resort, Timbers Resort, Kootenay River RV Resort, and Whiteswan Lake.

If you need more information, be sure to stop at one of the valley’s helpful visitor centres – in Invermere south of the crossroads on Highway 93/95 and in Ra-dium on the south end of Main Street West.

Views along the Spirit TrailYou don’t have to climb a mountain to go on a

spectacular hike in the Columbia Valley. The Spirit Trail (also known as the Fairmont Trail and the Plains of Nativity) connects the popular day-use Co-lumbia Lake and Canal Flats Provincial Parks, offer-ing 16 kilometres of hiking and biking trails without ever leaving the valley bottom.

Pictured here are two views of Columbia Lake — top, looking north across controversial Lot 48 and, above, looking south — from points along the Spirit Trail. The trail also affords views of ancient picto-graphs or rock paintings created by the earliest users of this traditional transportation route.

Photos by Brian Geis

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By Brian GeisPioneer Staff

On each of the long weekends this summer, we

have featured a day hike — accessible by just about everyone — in this section of the paper.

After writing about trails in the north (Bugaboo Falls), central (Juniper Trail, Sunshine Ranch), we move to the southern part of the valley for our final instalment of this series: the Spirit Trail.

The Spirit Trail (also known as the Fairmont Trail and the Plains of Nativity) leads along the eastern shore of Columbia Lake connecting the popular day-use Columbia Lake and Canal Flats Provincial Parks.

Offering good opportunities to see wintering animals such as deer, elk and mountain goats, this 16-kilometre hike is an historic transportation route used by both First Nations and early European explor-ers, including David Thompson and Father Peter De Smet, as a means to travel along the length of Colum-bia Lake.

Indigenous peoples included the Spirit Trail as one of their favoured routes to points east of Canal Flats, including Whiteswan Lake and the Kananaskis country. The following is an account in The Mission-ary Journey of Father Peter De Smet, 1845-1846, by the Rev. Robert J. McGuinness.

Passing a beautiful hot spring (Fairmont) “whose waters are soft and pellucid and of the temperature of milk just drawn from a cow,” he continued southward to a plain and to his astonishment meets a “Canadian”, old Baptiste Morigeau, hailing from St. Martin, Montreal, who had been in the area 26 years, faithful to his prayers and praying that, some day, a priest may come his way.

Taking possession of this plain in the name of the Mother of God on the feast of her Nativity, and nam-ing it “the Plain of the Nativity,” Father De Smet offered Holy Mass, the first ever to be offered at the source of the Columbia, blessed the marriage of Morigeau and his Shuswap wife, baptized her and his seven children, along with six other little Shuswap children, and erected a large cross to mark the site in memory of so many benefits. This cross, lying in three pieces, was found on the ground on September 15th, 1939.

To get there from Highway 93/95, turn east onto Fairmont Creek Road and pass the fire hall in Fairmont Hot Springs. Take your first right onto Columbia Riv-er Road and drive to the end of the road.

In Canal Flats, head north on Grainger Road to Canal Flats Provincial Park.

Be sure to swing by the deli at the Family Foods store on Arbuckle to pick up a couple of “Canal Flats Club” sandwiches (also known as a “Stansbury Spe-cial” or “Palliser Pizza”), consisting of a pepperoni stick baked inside a wad of cheese dough. Mmmm.

Day Hike:Spirit Trail


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