The 5th Annual West Kootenay Glacier Challenge Scotiabank MS

The 5th Annual West Kootenay Glacier Challenge
Scotiabank MS Bike Tour
Courtesy of:
Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce
91 Baker Street
Nelson B.C.
Ph. 250 352 3433
info@discovernelson.com
discovernelson.com
Scotiabank MS Bike Tour
August 20-21, 2016
The tour starts in New Denver…
Slocan Valley…
New DenverFounded upon the discovery of silver in the mountains adjacent to Slocan Lake in 1891, prospectors from
the United States came flooding up to the New Denver region in 1892 to stake their claims, and gather their
riches.
New Denver quickly grew to a population of 500 people with 50 buildings. In 1895 this growing community
built government offices and supply houses for the Silvery Slocan Mines.
“A Simple Curve” was filmed in and around the Slocan Valley and was debuted in 2005. The story is of a
young man born to war resister parents.
War ResistersIn 1976 as many as 14,000 Americans came to the Slocan Valley in an attempt to avoid the Vietnam War.
About half of those who made the move were self-proclaimed war resisters, many of whom settled in the
Kootenay Region.
Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre
This exclusive interpretive centre features the Japanese-Canadian
internment history of New Denver during the Second World War.
The camp is said to have held close to 1500 internees during the
war. The memorial centre opened in 1994, which showcases several
buildings including the community hall and three restored tar paper
shacks with Japanese gardens. A well known Canadian to come out
of one of these local institutions is Dr. David Suzuki, a Canadian
science broadcaster and environmentalist. He is known for his work
in “The Nature of Things,” a CBC program about science and
environmentalism.
Nikkei Interment Camp 1943
Silvery Slocan Museum
Filled with history of the New Denver area, this building used to be the Bank of Montreal, in service from
1897 to 1972 and is now the New Denver Visitors Centre as well as the museum.
Silverton- Historical mining community, built along the river, this town went through boom and bust. It
came close to becoming a ghost town in the 30’s, but due to its beautiful location beside the water the
community has survived. Today Silverton boasts many attractions including over 40 historic homes and
festivals throughout the year including Christmas by the Lake.
Between Silverton and Slocan be sure not to miss the public view point, offering views of the Valhalla
Mountain range, part of the 49,600 hectares of Valhalla Provincial Park.
Scotiabank MS Bike Tour
August 20-21, 2016
Winlaw to Crescent Valley…
Sleep is for SissiesEnjoy your lunch in the beautiful dining area surrounded by glass walls, which transforms into a garden
patio for dining in the summer.
Biking through Winlaw and Passmore, the sights are endless. Watch for wetland vistas, the Vallican Bluffs
and picture-perfect glimpses of Frog Peak as you follow the road towards Slocan Park. The Slocan River
will wind along beside you as you pedal from Slocan to the Junction with Highway 3A. You may see
cyclists riding along the old rail grade just off the highway and water enthusiasts floating down the river.
Did you know?
The first highway in Slocan followed along the
lake shore, a one lane highway
with tunnels blasted out from rocky cliffs lining
Slocan Lake.
It was said there were few pull outs along the road
which made for some hairy driving encounters!
From the Slocan Valley Junction, following Highway 3A, you turn down Blewett Road. Be prepared to see
some beautiful, scenic Kootenay River views. The Kootenay Canal sits 19km downstream from Nelson.
The water flows through the Corra Linn Dam on Kootenay Lake and then passes through the Kootenay
Canal. The completion date of BC Hydro’s Kootenay Canal Generating Station was 1976.
Nelson…
Roxanne movie- Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah starred in the movie Roxanne
filmed in downtown Nelson, in the summer of 1986. Along Vernon Street you
will see some familiar scenes where Steve Martin walked. A circle still marks
the spot of the stump that was the
While you’re in town be sure to check
meeting place for Steve Martin and his
adversaries.
out vibrant Baker Street! Boasting
Houston Memorial-Located on Vernon
Street, this memorial was built in
memory of Nelson’s first mayor John
Houston. He was the publisher of
Nelson’s first newspaper, The Miner.
historic buildings, local artisans, &
delicious meals. It is a must see while
in town. A historic walking tour of
the downtown is available through
the Visitor Centre!
Old City Hall- Dating back to 1902 this unique building was first used as a post office and customs house.
Today the Old City Hall is now Nelson Touchstone’s Museum of Art and History.
Scotiabank MS Bike Tour
August 20-21, 2016
Courthouse- This building was designed by famed architect F.M. Rattenbury, who also designed the
parliament buildings in Victoria. The Courthouse was constructed with marble, quarried from the Meadow
Creek area north of Kaslo, and has been the town’s courthouse since 1909.
Hume Hotel- This hotel is full of history dating back to 1898 when it was first opened. With original
building costs estimated around $60,000, the Hume Hotel was a world class establishment. Rumor has it
that the spirit of the original hotel owner J.F. Hume still dwells in the hotel.
High Street offers a nice scenic ride with beautiful glimpses of the lake along the way.
Hume School- This beautiful old brick building, on the right hand side of Nelson Avenue was first opened
in 1923; it continues to be a wonderful elementary school for kindergarten to grade 5.
“Bogustown” – The residential area now known as Fairview was dubbed “Bogus Town” by workmen.
They were impatient for unpaid wages from a Victoria developer for street and wharf construction in the
region dubbed by the contractor as the “Nelson City Addition.” Fairview later officially joined the city of
Nelson in 1921.
Dairy Queen- Be sure to stop by our unique Dairy Queen in Nelson and you will find it has its own
character. DQ was completed shortly after the construction of the Nelson West Arm Bridge in 1957. The
local Dairy Queen sits across from the original location of the toll booths for the West Arm Bridge.
Standing out from many other Dairy Queen’s in Canada, our local DQ sticks to the tasty treats menu
(frozen treats only) while other franchises became known for their hot eats menu as well.
Nelson Tramway- Nelson was the smallest city in the British Empire to
have a streetcar system. Streetcar No.23 was built in 1906 by the
Stephenson Car Company, a division of the J.G. Brill Company of
Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.A. It was purchased by the City of Nelson
in 1924, to run as back up for the city’s two existing streetcars. Streetcar
No.23 would run until June 20, 1949, when the Nelson streetcar service
was suspended in favor of buses. From 1951 to 1982 Streetcar No. 23
was privately owned and located at the S.S. Nasookin a mile from town.
During this time StreetCar No.23 had a variety of uses from a cabin to a
dog kennel and even a souvenir shop. In 1982 as the S.S. Nasookin changed ownership, the streetcar
was donated back to the community. Both Selkirk College and the Nelson Chamber of Commerce took
up the task of preserving and restoring the streetcar to its former glory.
Lakeside Rotary Park- Here is the perfect place for your stop, a relaxing park and enjoyable view. Created
in 1906, Lakeside Park is a valuable piece of social and cultural history in Nelson. Similar to many other
creek mouths in the area, the beaches of Lakeside Park were once used by the First Nations people prior to
the settlement period. It was during the settlement period of the town that numerous Neolithic tools and
other signs of First Nation use were discovered in the park. Local reports also state the water levels from
Kootenay Lake were once so high that it was possible to paddle into the flooded park from the lake, up to
the point where Rose Garden Café now stands. Lakeside Park has many attractions including; beach access,
seawall promenade, rowing club boathouse, streetcar barn, labyrinth, playground, picnic area and totem
pole. The park has become a fixture for locals and visitors alike.
Scotiabank MS Bike Tour
August 20-21, 2016
North Shore…
Nelson West Arm Bridge - November 1957 marked the
completion of the West Arm Bridge. The bridge replaced a cable
ferry at the time, which was the main transportation link for all
cars, trucks and pedestrians crossing the lake into Nelson. The
bridge is referred to by the locals as BOB for Big Orange Bridge.
S.S. NasookinOne mile from
Nelson on the
West Arm of
Kootenay Lake,
on your left hand side you will see the old paddle wheeler
called the S.S. Nasookin. This paddle wheeler began its
operations on Kootenay Lake in 1913, and met trains at
Kootenay Landing. It was built to hold 500 passengers
with 54 staterooms. It was also equipped with a dining
room, and multiple smoking and ladies’ salons. It was
very common to see people come down to the dock and
welcome the passengers to their new destination. Today the S.S. Nasookin is a residential home
overlooking Kootenay Lake.
Blaylock’s Mansion-Built in 1937 as a summer home, Blaylock Mansion is situated 5km from Nelson on
Kootenay Lake. This 13 acre estate is full of impressive gardens including rock features and a front gate
constructed of chiseled granite. It was said Mr. Blaylock imported the best construction materials from all
four corners of the earth. Today Blaylock’s Mansion is run as a B&B and spa for visitors.
Kokanee Glacier-This glacier is visible along Highway 3A towards
Kaslo. The three peaks; Kokanee, Caribou and Woodbury are the main
feeders to over 30 lakes and creeks in this area. Kokanee Glacier
Provincial Park has an elevation mostly above 1,800m with Kokanee
Peak at 2,774m. Established in 1922, this park is one of the oldest in
the province.
Kokanee Creek Provincial Park- Situated 19km from Nelson on
Highway 3A, this park offers overnight camping, picnicking, day use
areas, boat launch and a beautiful beach and sand bar for kids and
adults alike to discover. Check out the Visitor Information Centre here as
well to find out more about scenic day hikes in the area.
Kootenay Lake - The Kootenay Lake region was inhabited first by the Ktunaxa people for thousands of
years. David Thompson discovered the 100km long lake in 1808. The first ferry service across the
Kootenay Lake was in 1931, and in 1963 an alternate route was established known as the Kootenay Pass.
Scotiabank MS Bike Tour
August 20-21, 2016
Balfour- The western terminal for the Kootenay Lake ferry crossing and a small town that used to be a
very busy place in the mining days. Today the Balfour ferry landing is a wonderful rest area where many
people picnic or dine before they cross the lake to Kootenay Bay.
Did you know?
Kootenay Lake boasts the
“Longest Free Ferry Ride” in the world at 35mins!
Pictured is the Osprey 2000, with an 80 car
capacity, this vessel was actually constructed
in Nelson. It took over for the old ferry the
M.V. Anscomb in 2000. Where is the
M.V. Anscomb now? At the bottom
of Kootenay Lake!!
It accidentally sank at Woodbury in 2004
Ainsworth…
Ainsworth Hot Springs- Primarily discovered by the aboriginals of the area, the hot springs were found in
the late summer, around the time of the Kokanee Salmon run. In the early days of the pools opening a
swim only cost 10 cents! Though the prices have changed today, this relaxing resort is well worth visiting.
Some attractions include; an outdoor pool, mineral caves, and an ice cold glacier tub for those brave
hearted souls who wish to freshen up.
Kaslo…
The Langham Hotel- built in 1896; the Langham Hotel held approximately 80 Canadians of Japanese
descent during World War II. It was used as an internment center for this period of time.
Did you know?
The Kootenay River’s origin is in the
Kootenay ranges of the Canadian
Rockies and runs its 781km course
through Canada and the United States.
City Hall-This building was constructed in
1898. This wood frame City Hall site is one
of Canada’s last two buildings of its kind.
After a restoration of this site, the Kaslo
City Hall was recognized as a National
Historic site in 1984..
St. Andrews United Church- located on 4th Street in Kaslo this church
was built in 1893 as Robertson Presbyterian Church. In 1894 a
devastating fire struck Kaslo and the church became a shelter for those
who lost their homes. The church was renamed in 1900 to St. Andrew's
Presbyterian Church, and then became St. Andrew's United Church in
1925 when several congregations were amalgamated.
Scotiabank MS Bike Tour
August 20-21, 2016
Vimy Park- Enjoy your lunch in beautiful Vimy Park along the shore of Kootenay Lake. The park is a
tribute to the veterans’ of Vimy Ridge from the First World War. A monument was constructed in the
veterans honor in 1992.
SS Moyie-this National Historic Site took off on water in
1898 on the Kootenay Lake and ran until 1957. The SS
Moyie was a large part of everyday life as she transported
generations of miners, settlers, and soldiers from both wars.
Now this historic Sternwheeler is located at 324 Front Street
in Kaslo for all interested people to view.
Kaslo-New Denver…
Did you know?
To continue mining operations in the
winter and ensure supplies made it to
isolated communities, prospectors
designed snowshoes for their horses and
pack mules, so they wouldn’t sink in the
snow!
The stretch of highway between Kaslo and New Denver is also referred to as the Valley of the Ghosts
in memory of the numerous communities that once called this valley home. On your ride over to New
Denver be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the remnants of old mining operations, and ghost towns!
Iron Hand Mine- About 25km from Kaslo on the north side of the highway, on the open rock face you
can spot the remnants of the Iron Hand Mine. With two tunnels on the north face easily distinguishable,
the Iron Hand Mine is one of many abandoned mining operations in the valley. This mine was a site
that many Chinese Laborers worked at and would excavate the tailings from the mine to a concentrator
site, all by hand. The name Iron Hand Mine comes into play because of the fact that only a handful of
iron was excavated. The mine site was in use from 1924
to 1929. The founding prospector who worked alone in
the mine died in a mining accident. His wife soon after
his death blew up the mine so no one else could go down.
In 1924 Monty Davies
of Kaslo, worked tailings from the Whitewater mine
further up the river. Because of the unorthodox method of
mining he used, this area was nicknamed Hong Kong
Central.
Retallack- One of the three remaining mining ghost towns along Highway 31A between Kaslo (27 km
from Kaslo) and New Denver, the remains of Retallack are visible from the road. This town was
originally known as Bells Camp. The Bells Brothers owned it and operated a saw mill here. The
population of this town was 300 people. Three first class hotels, a barber shop, a town store and a
school made up the small town later named Retallack. In 1910, the town of Three Forks had an
enormous forest fire sweep through the entire valley. The safest place that most people took refuge in
was the mine tunnel. The town remained in ashes ever since then. Freight agents addressed all their
packages and bundles with a stamp that said Retallack after J.L. Retallack, the founder of one of the
mines. Ever since the stamping of his name Retallack became the new and lasting name for this small
town.
Scotiabank MS Bike Tour
August 20-21, 2016
K & S Railway Historic TrailBeginning at Three Forks, 8.5km
east of New Denver, this historic
rail grade path winds around
mine shafts, informational signs
and artifacts from old times.
Carpenter Creek and Lucerne
Glacier are visible at certain
points along this trail making for
beautiful scenic ride.
Sandon
This historic ghost town is one not
to be missed. It was founded in
1892 by Johnny Harris. In the
downtown core the CPR
locomotive is on display along
with many other interesting
historic sites.
Sandon is one of the old towns on
the “Valley of the Ghosts”
highway. It is filled with history
and mystery. In 1955 sadly, the
town was decimated by a flood
which left the main street in ruins.
To this day the streets of Sandon
are as they were left after the flood
occurred. Who knows what kind
spirits still inhabit this ghost town.
a
Bosun Hall - Back in New Denver you will ride past Bosun Hall and end where it began. Constructed
by a Slocan Valley pioneer and orchardist Joe Harris, the hall’s original use was an opera house. Every
summer the Slocan Lake Dance Camp is held here. This event includes four days of ballroom, latin,
swing, and country workshops.
… And the tour ends in New Denver.
Thank you for supporting the West Kootenay Chapter of the MS Society
and participating in the 5th Annual West Kootenay Glacier Challenge Scotiabank MS Bike Tour!
Scotiabank MS Bike Tour
August 20-21, 2016