Page 54 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

a couple of years, this village was renamed Natal
and the area between there and Michel became the
informal community of Middletown. By 1920 the
community of Michel-Natal, running the length of the
valley, reached its peak population of 2,000 but this
decreased during the depression years. Over the next
four decades the valley suffered a major fire at the
Michel Collieries, and in 1967 an explosion at Balmer
North killed 15 and injured 10 men.
Now a panorama of scenic splendor greets visitors
to Sparwood. The rich coal fields in the area are
surrounded by the towering ranges of the Canadian
Rockies. Environmental programs have enhanced the
natural habitat of the wildlife in the valley.
Cranbrook
Highways 93 and 3; 50 miles north of Kingsgate
Port of Entry; 240 miles to Calgary. Population:
20,000. Visitor Information: Cranbrook
Chamber of Commerce, 2279 Cranbrook Street
North; Phone: (800) 222-6174; Website: www.
cranbrooktourism.ca.
Invermere
Rocky Mountains near Fernie, BC Location: Highways 95 & 93; 12 miles south
of Radium Hot Springs; 12 miles north of
trail into areas still inhabited by descendants of the Sparwood Fairmont Hot Springs; 98 miles from Cranbrook.
aboriginal peoples that first made these vast lands Population: 3500. Visitor Information:
Phone: (250) 342-2844; Website: www.
their home. Location: Highway 3 & 43; approximately 18
Stewart-Cassiar Hwy 37 links the community of km west of the BC/Alberta border; 29 km north thecolumbiavalley.com.
Kitwanga to the Alaska Highway just north of Watson of Fernie; 129 km northeast of Cranbrook. Area Fernie
Lake, Yukon. It provides either an alternate route Population: 4,200. Visitor Information Centre:
north into the Yukon and Alaska, or a circle tour adjacent to Hwy 3 at 141 Aspen Drive; Phone: Location: Highway 3; 30 miles from the Alberta
route for those intrepid travelers who want to see and (877) 485-8185; Visitor Information: Sparwood border, 55 miles east of Cranbrook, 74 miles
experience all the wonders that Northern BC has to Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 1448, west of Pincher Creek, 40 miles from Roosville
offer. Sparwood, BC V0B 2G0; Phone: (250) 425- (Canadian/USA border station). Population:
2423; Email: administrator@sparwoodchamber. 5,000. Area Population: 12,000. Visitor
Roosville bc.ca; Website: www.sparwood.ca. Information Centre: right off Hwy #3 at 102
Commerce Road, Fernie, B.C. V0B lM0; Phone:
Location: On Highway 93, 13 kms (7 miles) The Kootenay remained undisturbed in the Elk (250) 423-6868; Email: visitors@ferniechamber.
south of Grasmere, BC at the US border. Valley until 1873 when the first white man, Michael com; Website: www.tourismfernie.com.
Phillipps, traversed Crowsnest Pass. In 1882 Dr.
Roosville is the shared name of the Canadian and George Dawson came into the valley to research Located in one of the most beautiful parts of the
Montanan ports of entry on Highway 93, near Lake the extent of the coal deposits reported by Phillipps. Canadian Rockies, Fernie offers a wide range of
Koocanusa at the southeast corner of the Tobacco In 1898 the community of Michel was established attractions. Coal development was the backbone to
Plains Indian Reserve. The Roosville border for housing the miners who came to work these Fernie’s historical population and economic growth,
crossing is a primary entry into Southeast BC and coal deposits. Within five years the population had with skiing and outdoor recreation industries now
is open 24/7, sometimes experiencing heavy traffic increased to over 500. competing to be the biggest players in the local
delays. The Tobacco Plains duty free store is open In 1907 the subdivision of New Michel was economy.
every day. created a mile west of the original town site. Within A self-guided walking tour of historic Fernie is
available and features fine examples of late Victorian
gothic architecture. The Historic Downtown also
provides great dining and shopping adventures.
Enjoy world-class skiing at the Fernie Alpine Resort,
receiving 15 feet of snow annually and renowned for
its fabulous powder conditions. During the summer
months, the resort offers scenic interpretive meadow
strolls through 500 year-old cedar forests alive with
local flora and fauna.
The area has the largest concentration of big game
animals in North America and offers excellent fishing
and water sports. A championship 18-hole golf course
provides challenging world-class golfing. Hiking,
mountain biking, snowmobiling, cross country skiing,
wildlife viewing, camping and white-water activities
all combine to make Fernie a haven of outdoor
adventure opportunity.
Coal was discovered in the Crows Nest area of
Southeastern British Columbia more than 100 years
ago by prospectors looking for gold. William Fernie
reported a major coal discovery in 1897 which led to
the formation of the Crows Nest Pass Coal Company.
The mining community which emerged the same year
was named Fernie in honor of the miner whose efforts
helped to establish the new industry. According to
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