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I
am the
Yellowhead
by
Jerry W. Bird
Near Valemount
and Blue River verdant forests sweep up
the slopes of the mountain on both sides
of the highway and the high peaks of the
Monashee Mountain pierce the skies. Follow
my path along the banks of the North
Thompson River. You will travel through
the communities of Heffley Creek, access
point for Sun Peaks Resort on Tod
Mountain, onto Barriere and Little Fort, a
scenic area of farms and forests dotted
with crystal-clear fishing lakes. Further
north, at Clearwater and Blue River,
visitors have the option of entering Wells
Gray Provincial Park. At Valemount you
will enjoy the spectacular Mount Robson,
at 3,954 metres, the highest point in the
Canadian Rockies.
Kamloops
"Kamloops"
is a First Nations word for "meeting of
two waters," the North and South Thompson
rivers. Historically, the Canadian Pacific
Railway arrived here in 1885 and its main
line ran down the centre of the main
street. Thus Kamloops was known as having
the "longest streetcar system in the
world." Ranching began early, and as the
heart of the BC's cattle industry,
Kamloops offers its own annual Cattle
Drive which attracts participants and
visitors from all directions
"There
must be something special in the air, the
drinking water or the soil of Kamloops,"
my colleague said, "Three friends and a
cousin moved here for a career change,
sank their roots, and never left. All
became highly successful in separate
endeavours. My family will never forget
our great decade of travel fun in and
around Kamloops and the Shuswap lake
Country."
Growth
in the tourism market, with destination
resorts and high adventure tour packages
in the Thompson Nicola region are
complimented by great highway connections
and enhanced airport services. Sun Peaks
Resort, Kamloops' nearest four season
resort continues to expand. The city has
gained recognition by hosting the World
Fly Fishing Championships, the Canada
Summer Games, Memorial Cup hockey finals,
BC Festival of the Arts and Labatt's Brier
Curling. Forestry is still the largest
industry employer. City Attractions
include the Wanda Sue river cruises,
Kamloops Wildlife Park with 65 species of
local and endangered animals. Downtown
Farmers Market (seasonal) offers a wide
array of fresh local produce and
handicrafts. Kamloops is home of the
University College of the Cariboo, with
its Applied Industrial Technology
centre.
Adams
River Salmon Run
One of the most dramatic events in High
Country centres on the Adams River near
Chase. The world's most productive sockeye
salmon run grows, every four years, into a
massive natural spectacle. Teeming in a
pool of the Adams River, sockeye salmon
spawn and search for mating partners. This
stream's gravel bottom has been called the
most valuable real estate in British
Columbia, because of the rich commercial
fishery created here
Merritt
Merritt is situated in the heart of the
Nicola Valley and includes the surrounding
communities of QuilchenaDouglas Lake,
Aspen Grove, Lower and Upper Nicola. The
town hosts the Music Festival every July
as well as the Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo and
Fall Fair held over Labour Day
weekend. For
sports and outdoor enthusiasts, Merritt
provides a wide range of activities
including fishing, hiking, cross country
skiing, baseball, hockey, horseback riding
and bicycling. Merritt has a bright future
as a centrally located and accessible
community. The development of the new
Nicola Valley Institute of
Technology/University College of the
Cariboo campus, Active Mountain Raceway
and other projects in the planning stages
are indications of the town's "big
picture" vision. Surrounding Merritt are
thousands of acres of grasslands that have
given life to ranches and their herds for
over a century. Come and be a part of the
cowboy way of life in the
Valley.
Hope
Hope is the Vacationers dream with it's
parks, campgrounds, golf course, river,
mountains, and places such as Hell's Gate
near by. It is a great place year round
for outdoor activities. You can fish,
hike, mountain bike, ski, go gold panning,
rock climbing, hang gliding, golfing, and
white-water rafting. So, come and join us
on your next holiday and enjoy Hope, the
Gateway to British Columbia. Hope, BC
(population 6,298), nestled in the Cascade
Mountains at an elevation of 42 m (138 ft)
above sea level, and situated on the banks
of the Fraser River, at the junctions of
Highways #'s 1, 3, 5, and 7. Hope has many
attractions including beautiful wood
sculptures carved with a chain-saw by our
local artist Peter Ryan, a renovated
railway station home of the famous Hope
Station House, Hope Arts Gallery and the
Hope Museum You will also find an
abundance of restaurants, hotels, and
motels to meet your accommodation
needs.
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