Golden is a village of 10,000 population situated in the
confluence of the British Columbia and Kicking Horse rivers in a
long deep valley between the Rocky and Purcell Mountain ranges
in eastern BC, at an elevation of 790 m [2591 ft] located at the
heart of six mountainous national parks: Yoho, Banff, Jasper,
Kootenay Glacier and Mount Revelstoke. Yoho National Park, the
'adopted' park of the community, is a half-hour drive east of
Golden. From May to September mountain biking, hang/paragliding,
bungee jumping, and snowboarding are popular, and of course
skiing during the winter.
Winter Activities: Tobogganing, skating, or Nordic skiing
through rolling windy trails through woods. Downhill Skiing,
Snowboarding, Heli-Skiing, Cat Skiing, Snow mobiling, Dog
Sledding, and Ice Climbing from mid-November to the End of
March.
Summer Activities: Pilots from all over the world flock to the
Mount 7 flying site to paraglide and hang-glide. Horseback
Riding, hiking, mountain biking, golfing, fishing, and air
tours. World class white water rafting, ATVing, motocross, and
rock climbing attract international thrill seekers. Bird and
wildlife viewing, slow floats, wetland scenic forest tours.
Boating and angling are common activities at recreation sites.
Most sites allow car top boat launching only. That means you can
hand-launch only canoes, kayaks and boats small enough to be
carried on top of your car. Trailered boats can be launched
safely and conveniently from those sites with ramp facilities.
In most cases, the ramps are suitable only for small and
medium-sized boats.
A plane or helicopter ride will show you the Selkirk, Purcell
and Rocky Mountain ranges and their glaciers. You can even land
on a glacier for a closer look. Air tours are available
year-round.
For local history there's the Golden Museum where you can learn
about the important role that Swiss Mountain Guides played in
the birth of Canadian mountaineering traditions. Or at Ray's
Antique & Collectable Museum you can browse through some old
farm equipment and antique tools. Take a guided hike way, way
back [some 515 million years] and visit the fossils of the
renowned Yoho Burgess Shale or, if art is your scene, there are
many local art shops.
Tours: Cruise the numerous small mountain roads. Tour season is
[weather permitting] from May to October.
Bird / Wildlife Watching: The Rocky Mountain Trench is a major
migratory path, and a great diversity of birds also settles in
the Columbia Valley. 265 transient and resident species have
been counted in Golden so far. Reflection Lake, the Edelweiss
slough and Moberly Marsh are favourite birding spots. You can do
bird watching year-round, although there are more species during
migration in spring [April to June] and fall [September to
October].
Canoe / Kayak Tours: At the Columbia River you can view birds of
prey, herons and ducks. Paddle the Blaeberry River for more
action. The Kicking Horse River is the place to be for great
whitewater action. For very experienced kayakers the lower
canyon with its class IV rapids is ideal. Season: May to October.
Climbing: In 1912 six Swiss Mountain Guides and their families
moved permanently to Golden. Canadian Pacific Rail had hired
them as professional mountain guides for the many tourists who
wanted to explore the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Today there are
many ACMG certified mountain guides who live and work in Golden
and the mountains around. Golden attracts climbers from all over
the world.
Cross-Country Skiing: Track-set trails are just minutes from
town at the Golden Golf Course. More challenging trails can be
found at Dawn Mountain Nordic Trail System at the base of
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Many more tracks set by
XC-enthusiasts can be found in the Blaeberry and Columbia
Valley. The season is from December to April.
Cycling: Golden is the centre for the 'Golden Triangle' Tour
where you cross the Continental Divide twice. You can go at your
own pace or book a package with one of the tour companies.
Dog Sledding: Season lasts from late November to April.
Downhill (Alpine) & Cat Skiing / Snowboarding: The new Kicking
Horse Mountain Resort is being developed into a 250- acre
resort, encompassing 4005 acres of ski and snowboarding terrain,
with views of the Canadian Rockies. The new gondola rises to the
summit of the Dogtooth Mountain Range at an elevation of 7705
feet [2350 meters] where the new Eagles Eye Restaurant is
located. The excellent snow conditions will include a vertical
drop of 4,133 feet [1260 meters] from the top lift, making it
the second highest in Canada. Ski season is from early December
to the end of April.
Freshwater Fishing / Ice Fishing / Heli-Fishing: The area's
fishing opportunities are endless, ranging from early and late
rainbow trout, small cut-throat trout in alpine lakes to char in
the river and giant ling [turbot] and Dolly Varden in the hydro
reservoir. Guides can take you to the type of fishing you prefer
and provide all the equipment from boats to heli-fishing. One of
the more popular lake areas is south of Golden, near Parson and
Brisco. Many of the lower lakes open early in May, and more
fishing can be found at higher elevations as summer arrives. A
popular lake is Mitten Lake. Also excellent are the Cleland and
Jade Lakes, and to the west, the Blackwater Lake. Stocked
rainbow trout up to 24-inches can be caught in these areas.
North/northwest of Golden are the Susan and Jeb Lakes in the
area of the Big Bend Highway and are usually open by early July.
These two lakes are renowned for their Brook trout. Anglers
should note that the waters to the north remain cooler longer in
the summer and often provide a more vigorous fish than the
lethargic ones of the southern waters. Many of the higher alpine
lakes, which open at various times later in the summer offer
exciting and picturesque fly and spin- cast opportunities. The
more popular areas include Gorman, Quartz and Silent Lakes - and
all trailheads are within 25 minutes of town. Hike-in distances
range from several kilometres to much longer.
For river fishing, the Columbia opens early in the spring
providing Rainbows and Char. With a red and white spoon or a wet
fly you'll likely nab one. Also available in the Columbia are
Dolly Varden, Whitefish and Kokanee. Creeks and streams open
officially on June 14. and a lightweight fly rod is recommended.
In the Glacier and Yoho National Parks is superb fishing but you
must have a special permit aside from your regular license to
encourage catch and release in these areas.
Golfing: The Golden Golf & Country Club is rated one of the top
10 is B.C., the 75th best course in Canada by Score magazine,
with Golf Digest rating it three-and-a-half stars. Whether you
play pro or beginner there are complete facilities and services
at the 18-hole championship course. The season is from mid April
to October. The course ranges from 5,380 yards to 6,818 yards
long. One hole, the 11th, has such a fine setting that wedding
parties have utilized the spot for photographs. It is a par 4,
running 385 yards downhill from an elevated tee, with Holt Creek
running beside it. This course features a pro shop, which can
completely outfit all golfing needs. As well, there is a
full-service restaurant, lounge and outdoor patio.
Hangliding ~ Paragliding: The Mount 7 hangliding site is one of
the top ten sites in the world. Mount 7 is year after year the
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 the sport and one
of the best in the world. Daily to weekly packages.
Hiking and Hiking Guides: Take a stroll along the dike of the
Kicking Horse River or along the numerous trails to the alpine
on your own or join a group at one of the remote alpine lodges
accessible by helicopter or a guided tour to the world heritage
site of the Yoho Burgess-Shale.
The day-hike trail at Gorman Lake is the most popular. Mammal
Activities and sightings of bear, muskrat, fox, and many others
are not uncommon just strolling in the 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 the cliffs above. The hike is three kilometres in
length, ending at the 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 the 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 the
glacier for which it is named. After a short trek up an old
creek bed and across the creek by bridge you'll arrive at the
immense moraines left by the glacier. The trail ends at one of
these moraines, near the top where there is a view of the
glacier and waterfalls above - but look out for calving ice off
the glacier! The Quartz Lake Trail west of town is a five
-kilometre hike and is recommended for the area's pristine
beauty.
The recent elimination of the Ministry of Forests' recreation
program, may have lead to the 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 the beginner to the 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 the mountains themselves or with guides, which are
available at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort where they launch
their rides down the mountain. For the price of a day's lift
ticket you can bike down 4200 vertical feet, accessed by the
gondola. Mount 7 is the location of the legendary Mount 7
Psychosis downhill race offering some 12 kilometres of downhill
drops, steeps and technical woodwork playgrounds. People can
pedal to the top, with several jump-off trails at three, five
and six- kilometres. Shuttling via truck 15-kilometres to the
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 the west bank
of the Columbia River along the Canyon Creek trail along the
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 the end of the 19th century with the coming of
the Swiss Guides to the Selkirk and Rocky Mountains. Local
climbers have developed several areas around Golden over the
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 the Mount
7 road at the 6-kilometre parking lot, with most of the 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 the longer routes.
A new climbing area is in the 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 the forest
service road on the west side of the 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 the 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 the canyon. These attract thousands
of visitors from May to September each year. Rafting begins at
the upper canyon through the first set of Class IV rapids known
as Shotgun and Portage followed by a dozen Class III rapids. It
continues into the lower canyon where Class IV rapids, Double
Trouble, Riptide, and the 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 the Blaeberry River.
Flat-water excursions: Available through the Columbia Valley
Wetlands, a popular kayaking and canoeing destination.
Before you leave Golden, the new pedestrian bridge is a
must-see. This was completed in the fall of 2001 by volunteer
timber framers from Golden, Europe, and the United States.
Because of the high waters in the fall, the installation of the
bridge didn't occur until October 25, with the help of Sterling
Cranes from Calgary, which took three full days, inching along
and out onto a temporary footing, and finally onto the 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 the bridge is estimated to be $250,000, but considering
the volunteer time and the donated materials its value would be
over twice that amount.
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