Travel Information for Golden BC

2004-07-26T11:06:00.000-07:00

                                                  Glacier Skiing at Chatter Creek
Bits and pieces of miscellaneous information for snowcat skiers and boarders heading to Golden BC for a wilderness adventure in the high mountains. Actually, there's lots here for all travelers to Golden, whether they be skiers, river rafters, or holidayers. Don't miss the beer and wine parts!

This site is part of the Chatter News about snowcat skiing.

Scroll down to see the following sections, or click on the links to open a topic in it's own window:

  1. Weather Links, Road Cams and Snow Reports
  2. Currency Conversion
  3. Airport Information and Getting to Golden BC
        Golden Airport, Canada - Information for Pilots
  4. Maps of Golden BC and Directions to Alpine Helicopters
  5. Community Services in Golden BC   (restaurants, hotels ....)
  6. Medical Services in Golden BC
  7. Local History of Golden BC
  8. Opportunites to be Active in Golden BC
  9. Web Sites of General Interest
10. Web Cams from around the World
11. Safety and Health*
12. Powder Skis and Outdoor Gear
13. Ski Articles and Photography
14. Interesting Wine Sites
15. Better Beer in BC
16. *General Disclaimer (please read)

Weather Links, Road Cams, Snow Reports

2004-07-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

Weather Links
Vertebrae Lodge Weather - temporarily unavailable
Latest weather report from Chatter Creek's Vertebrae Lodge.
Golden BC Weather Forecast
Current Conditions and 5 day forecast for Golden BC. Provided by Environment Canada.
Canadian Weather Forecast
Current Conditions and 5 day forecast, Provided by Environment Canada.
Satellite Imagry for Western Canada
GOES weather satellite imagry in visible range
United States Weather
NOAA Internet Weather Source. Current conditions, forecasts and radar
CNN.com Weather
CNN.com weather services
BBC World Weather
BBC world weather current and 5-day forecasts and other information.
Weather and Road Cams
Environment Canada Weather Cams
At about a dozen locations throught BC.
Calgary Downtown Web Cam
Shaw TV web cam looking along the Macleod Trail toward the downtown
Canmore, Alberta Three Sisters Web Cam
Enroute from Calgary to Banff
Banff - Sulphur Mountain Web Cam
Midway between Calgary and Golden
B.C. Highway Web Cams
Coquihalla Pass and Whistler Highway
Ski and Snow Reports
CDN Rockies Ski Reports - Share your skiing and boarding experience by entering a Snow Report.
Powder Watch - Be in the know about the snow (Rocky Mountain conditions)
2004-05 Ski Season Analysis as of May 24, 2005 - Tony Crocker's most recent snowfall analysis for the US and Canada.
Kicking Horse Resort Conditions - the international ski resort at Golden BC.

Currency Conversion Web Sites

2004-07-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

YAHOO Finance Currency converter from YAHOO Finance
Bank of Canada Currency converter from the Bank of Canada. (may not include bank fees)
RBC Royal Bank Currency converter from the Royal Bank, a Canadian commercial bank.
Bank of Nova Scotia - current exchange rates from Scotiabank, a Canadian commercial bank.

Rates differ for buying and selling currency and national banks, like the Bank of Canada, may quote rates that exclude fees charged by regular commercial banks. make sure you use the correct rate.

Airport Information and Getting to Golden BC

2004-07-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

Calgary International Airport
Arrival and departure times, ground transportation and other information.
How long is the drive to Golden BC?
Allow about 4 hours to drive from the Airport. The above link gives driving times and distances in miles and km. from major towns and cities to Golden BC. Here's a map with directions between Calgary Airport and downtown Golden and a closer view of roads to Calgary airport
Kootenay Wild Adventures and Van Charters
Personalized transport from Calgary/Banff to Golden BC.
Email to: backcountry@kootenaywilds.com for van charter to Golden.
Private Airport Shuttle
Private taxi shuttle to Banff, Lake Louise and Golden. (1-877-992-2633 )
Debbie's Shuttle / Go Wild - shuttle pickups in Spokane WA and in Calgary for Kootenay destinations
British Columbia Road Reports
Road conditions. Look for Hwy 1 (Trans Canada) and Hwy 95 (Kootenays)
Map of Highways to Golden
Major roads leading to Golden BC and approximate driving distances from airports. Allow extra time in winter conditions.
Getting to Chatter Creek - Go Early and get there
An anecdotal account of travel in winter conditions, from the Chatter Creek Web site's collection of ski articles.
Golden Airport - information for pilots.

Maps of Golden and Route to Alpine Helicopters

2004-07-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

A Map locating Golden in B.C.

A Map of the Township of Golden (click on the map to enlarge)

A larger, better map of Golden BC

An aerial photo of Golden BC with names.

Driving directions from Calgary Airport to downtown Golden and a view of the roads to Calgary airport

Directions to Golden Airport
Chatter guests heading for the Alpine Helicopter hanger and their Chatter Creek flight....
1. Turn off the Trans Canada Hwy onto Hwy 95 south.
2. Proceed into town in direction of Radiun (south). Cross Kicking Horse River.
3. Two blocks beyond bridge, turn right onto 9th Street. Proceed west to end of 9th St.
4. Turn right (north) onto 5th Ave. South. Proceed north on 5th, which turns into Fisher Road.
5. Cross railway tracks and loop around end of airport runway.
6. Continue to Alpine Helicopter hanger which is the last building.

Unload at hanger door, then park in fenced compound.

Golden Airport, Information for Pilots -

Community Services in Golden BC

2004-07-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

Air Tours & Air Charters
Alpenglow Aviation
Year round air tours and charters from Golden airport. Strategically located between the Canadian Rockies and Columbia Mountains, we have access to some of the most dramatic scenery in Western Canada. Also, suppliers of aerial photography to Chatter Creek Snowcat Skiing.
Alpine Helicopters - Canadian Rockies helicopter tours, including sightseeing, heli-hiking and heli-wedding tours, from bases in Canmore and Calgary in Alberta and Kelowna and Golden in British Columbia.

Accommodation in Golden BC
Prestige Motor Inn
Quality accommodation and restaurant on the Trans Canada Highway in Golden. Ski packages for winter and close proximity to golf for summer. Chatter Creek clients can pre-arrange special rates.
Quantum Leaps Lodge
In the beautiful Blaeberry River valley, wilderness accommodation surrounded by the magnificent Canadian Rockies.
Kicking Horse Canyon B&B.
Our favorite Golden BC Guest house - if you like Jerry Cook's meals at Chatter Creek Snowcat Skiing's Vertebrae Lodge, you will love his beautiful guest house in Golden. The place to stay before your backcountry ski trip! Tranquil forest setting and mountain views just minutes from Golden.
Guide to Lodges in Golden and District
Rural accommodation in the area of Golden BC.
Golden Accommodations in Golden BC
Local accommodation in Golden BC.
Backcountry Lodges, Cabins, Chalets, Country Inns
Additional rural listings for Golden BC.
Tschurtschenthaler Lodge
Located 7 Km south of the heart of Golden BC, the lodge provides beautiful panoramic views of the Dogtooth and Purcell mountain ranges as well as the Columbia River.

Restaurants in Golden BC
Golden Restaurants
All styles of restaurant from fine dining to fast food.
Cedar House Cafe & Restaurant
Casual fine dining in a rustic mountain setting, in a wooded glen just 5 minutes drive south of Golden BC on highway 95.
Turning Point Restaurant
Casual, comfortable dining within walking distance of downtown Golden.
Eleven22 Guesthouse and Grill
Previously "Sisters and Beans", Eleven22 is a restaurant guesthouse reflecting an international atmosphere in a casual setting.
Kicking Horse Grill
Fine dining in Golden BC. Provides a culinary tour around the world.(Our favorite)

Other Services in Golden BC
Golden and District Chamber of Commerce
The businesses of Golden and District
Information and Directory for Golden, British Columbia
Accommodation, Adventure Providers, City Information and Events.
Tourism Golden - Golden Tourism Association
Golden Employment Services - finding work in Golden.

Medical Services in Golden BC

2004-07-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Emergency and Health Services in Golden
Ambulance/Fire/Police/Hospital/Ambulance/Health Services/Other Services. (scroll down the target page for Health Services)

Golden Medical Clinic
826 9th Ave S, Golden, BC V0A1H0
(250) 344-6863
(250) 344-7620 (fax)

Golden & District General Hospital
835 9th Street North RR 2, Golden, BC V0A 1H2, Canada

Golden Physiotherapy & Sport Injuries Clinic
523 12th St S, Golden, BC V0A1H0
(250) 344-6654

(250) 344-5271

Local History of Golden BC

2004-07-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

History of the Blaeberry Valley
      near Golden, British Columbia, Canada
Excerpts from Kootenay History
      Archival clippings from the early days of the Kootenay region
Kicking horse Country historical photos
      a photo gallery of historical photos from Golden BC.
History of the Swiss guides
      Information on the Swiss Guides from the Golden Museum
The History of Golden's Kicking Horse Grill
      the building containing the Golden restaurant has a long and colourful history.
Golden Museum
      Much of Golden's history is based on the Columbia River which served explorers and railway builders as a transportation route. The lumber industry relied on the Columbia's currents to carry logs the five miles from Nicholson to the mill at Golden.
History of Christian Jorimann
      Swiss Guide and pioneer on land now occuypied by the Blaeberry Mountain Lodge.

Opportunities to be Active in Golden BC

2004-07-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

Adventure Lodging
Caribou Mountain Adventures - nightly accommodation plus summer and winter outdoor recreation programs.
Kapristo Lodge - in winter: snowshoes, in summer: kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, rafting, horseback rides, fishing, 4x4 ATV, scenic flights, canoeing.

Backcountry Skiing
Canadian Powder Skiing Adventures - guided powder skiing day trips in the Canadian Rockies and Purcell Mountains. We take you where the snow is with bouth resort and backcountry tours.

SnowCat Skiing
Chatter Creek Cat Skiing - full service backcountry powder snow skiing tours by snowcat. See the Chatter News for photos. Where is Chatter Creek? Click the link to find out.

Directories of Outdoor Activity
Outdoor Sportsman's Paradise - Margot B lists Golden's many summer and winter activity options.
Activites by the Month - an activity list with active months.
Other Adventure and Recreation options - ATV tours, bird/wildlife watching, canoe/kayak, boating, rafting, climbing, cross country skiing, cycling and much more.
And Yet More Activity - freshwater fishing, ice fishing, golf, hangliding, paragliding,hiking/heli-hiking, trail riding, sports instruction and guiding.
www.heliplanet.com - international directory of heliskiing, cat skiing and helicopter-assisted ski touring. www.heliplanet.com lists all of the opportunities for cat skiing and heliskiing in the Golden area.

River Rafting
Glacier Raft Company - great rafting action on the Kicking horse River.
River Rafting - overview of rafting and guide selection throughout BC.

Helicopter Skiing
Purcell Heli-ski - over 30 years of powder skiing experience in the high alpine.
Great Canadian Heli-ski - experience an intimate and personalized heli-skiing vacation.

Ski Resort
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort - Golden's ski area has become an international resort with over 4000 ft vertical drop, a gondola, a number of chairlifts, a top-of-the-mountain restaurant and on-mountain accommodation.

Remote Backcountry Lodges
Amiskwi Lodge - wilderness accommodation in a high alpine meadow at the head of the beautiful Blaeberry Valley, near Howse Pass. Spectacular scenery, excellent backcountry skiing, snowboarding and summer hiking high above the treeline.
Mistaya Lodge - idyllic backcountry accommodation with year round activities: hiking, scrambling, photography and mountaineering in the summer, and backcountry powder skiing, snowboarding and mountaineering in the winter.
Sorcerer Lodge - Selkirk Range backcountry lodging and adventures in both Summer and Winter. Hiking, powder skiiing, touring, mountaineering. Peaks to almost 11,000ft.
Campbell Icefield Chalet - backcountry ski touring in magnficent Rocky Mountain alpine terrain.
Chatter Creek Mountain Lodges - winter snowcat skiing.
Golden Alpine Holidays - surrounded by the Rocky, Purcell, and Selkirk Mountains GAH offers simple, cozy, comfortable, backcountry lodge accommodation in a pristine alpine environment. Access is by helicopter only for summer hiking and winter skiing.

Hang Gliding
The Golden Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club

Golfing
Golden and District Golf Club

Scenic Flights & Air Charters
Alpenglow Aviation - scenic flights and ski plane adventures.
Alpine Helicopters - Canadian Rockies helicopter tours, including sightseeing, heli-hiking and heli-wedding tours, from bases in Canmore and Calgary in Alberta and Kelowna and Golden in British Columbia.

Golden Airport, Canada

2004-07-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

Information for pilots flying to:
         -Golden Airport, Canada - (CYGE) 51-18N 116-59W

Elevevation: 2,575 feet or 784.86 metres above sea-level.

Golden is in the Mountain Time Zone

Airport Information
         - GO2Rockies.com summary - with aerial photo of airport.

Environment Canada - Golden Airport
         - 5 Day Forecast.
         - Past 24 Hour Conditions.
NOAA National Weather Service (Canada Weather)
         - Current Weather for Golden Airport (CYGE)
Nav Canada Aviation Weather - select "Pacific Region"
         - SIGMET/AIRMET/METAR/TAF/PIREP/Volcanic Ash.
         - Forecasts and Observations / NOTAM - enter "CYGE"
Closest Airports
         - Cranbrook Airport (CYXC)
         - Salmon Arm Airport(CZAM)
         - Revelstoke Airport (CYRV)
         - Calgary International (CYYC)

Other Resources
CWOP Site Information Report - CYGE (CYGE)
World Airport Data - Golden (CYGE)
RSVP Air Charter Directory - listing for Golden Airport (nearby stations)
World Buddy Time and Weather - (CYGE) 51-18N 116-59W

Web Sites of General Interest

2004-07-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

NASA Planetary PhotoJournal
Images of the planets. Click on a planet and then on further images.
Gallery of Photos from the Hubbel Telescope
A collection of Hubble's most spectacular portraits of our universe.

Photos from the Mars Exploration Rover "Spirit"
Photos from the Mars Exploration Rover "Opportunity"

Guinness World Records
From long necks to Tiddlywinks, it’s all here.
Darwin Awards for the improvement of the human genome
Tales of misfortune. More bizarre than Riply’s "Believe it or Not"
Gallery of Spectacular Mountain and Outdoor Photography
Eighteen gifted photographers display their work.
Canmore Alberta Photo Galleries
Still photography of Rocky Mountains and Web Cam of Three Sisters Mt.
Alpine Canada, home of the Canadian National Ski Team
Check in with the Canadian team and see how they are doing.
Chatter News Links of Interest
Ski articles and photography, travel and ski sites of interest, ski gear suppliers, ski insurance, cheap accommodations.
Chatter Creek Snowcat Skiing - Chatter Creek story on HeliPlanet.com Web site

Web Cams

2004-07-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

These links may require a high speed Internet connection.

Whistler and Blackomb Mountains, Whistler B.C
Whistler Live Web Cams from in and around Whistler Village
Vancouver BC – Jerico Beach and North Shore Mountains
Vancouver BC – Photographs, Web Cams and Information
San Francisco from Wax Museum
New York – Statue of Liberty
New York – Times Square and vicinity
Niagra Falls, New York State
Washington DC
Seattle Wash. – From top of Queen Anne Hill
Toronto, Ontario
Ski Areas around the World
Princes Cruises view from Coral Princess bridge
Valais region of southwestern Switzerland

Safety and Health*

2004-07-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

Some interesting links relating to safety and health. *Please note our disclaimer. Use this information with discretion. Use the 'Back' buton on your browser to return here.

Snowsafe - Ortovox safety gear , Bolle ski goggles, Dakine wrist guards & snowboard tuning kits.
Get in Shape for the Slopes
KneeGuru.co.uk
Sportsknee.com
National [Ski] Safety Initiative 2000
Ski Safety – Basic First Aid
Ski Helmets.com
Diabetic-Lifestyle.com
The Skier’s Curse (Malasian Lizard Lotion)
www.ski-injury.com - 'Snow fun if you're injured....' Dr Mike Langran's informative Web site on ski injuries.
BCHSSOA Research in Backcounty Safety - The B.C. Helicopter and Snowcat Skiing Operator's Association R&D Program to promote safe backcountry winter travel.
Safety at Chatter Creek - avalanche safety program for guided ski and snowboard tours at Chatter Creek.
Sunburn Prevention in the Backcountry - advice and links relating to sunburn prevention.
Avalanche Safety in the Backcountry - Ohio State university guidelines for backcountry travel.
Avalanche Information - leaflet by The Mountaineering Council of Scotland

Travel and Ski Insurance

2004-07-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

Essential Ski Travel Insurance - Snowboarding and ski insurance provided by Essential Travel. Online quote and booking for single, annual multi trip and backpacker insurance with immediate cover.

Ski Insurance - We provide low cost, comprehensive ski and snowboard insurance for all levels.

Travel Insurance - Travel and Holiday Insurance with worldwide cover for single trip, ski and annual insurance from Insure and Go.

Snowboard Insurance - We provide snowboarders insurance and snowboarding insurance for UK residents. Snowboard equipment cover is £1,000 with this snowboard insurance.

Travel Insurance - Compare and Save Today on Travel Insurance!

Pucher Insurance - Canadian Travel Insurance
Pucher Insurance compares the offers of all major companies, and helps you select the travel, medical, or visitor to canada insurance solution that is right for your needs.

Powder Skis and Outdoor Gear

2004-07-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

Chatter Creek has an excellent selection of Volkl "CMH" powder skies at Vertebrae Lodge. Guests need not take their own skis to Chatter Creek (althought they may) and can easily rent skis that are well suited to the terrain and the snow. Other brands are also available, in limited numbers. Snowboarders should take their favorite boards. Chatter Creek does not yet rent snowboards.

Articles on Ski Gear from Skiing Magazine
Powder Skis: Cheaters Win
Powder Skis 2003: Go Fat !

Powder Skis
Used CMH Volkl Explosiv Skis

Snowsafe - Ortovox safety gear , Bolle ski goggles, Dakine wrist guards & snowboard tuning kits.

Wine in Golden BC

2004-07-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

When you get to Golden, there will be decisions to be made. These links may help.
General Information
Jurgen Gothe tells all about Pinot wines
Peter May's Unusual Wines - Diversity in Wine. over 200 Unusual labels.
The Beauty of Wine Labels - Since 1995, Strat's Place has been a free, non-commercial site for people to enjoy the wonders of Wine, Gardening and the Arts.

The Wines of Chatter Creek
White Wines - past and present
Red Wines - past and rpesent

British Columbia Wines
An Introduction To B.C. Wines - the history, the regions, the grapes, grape acreage, the Wines and the Winemakers
The Big List Of B.C. Wineries - alphabetical list of most of the wineries in BC.
Heart of Wine Articles and Reviews on Wine, Top Ten Lists for BC Wines by year.
Okanagan Valley Wineries A to K, L to M, Southern OK Valley

Australian Wines
The Australian Wine Center - a small, totally independent retailer based in Adelaide South Australia
The Auswine Forum - a message board on the world of Australian wine.
australian wine online - information on the Australian wine industry. Everything you did not need to know.

International Selections
Wine Spectator - the most comprehensive wine Web site in the World?
Wines of New Zealand - regions, styles, wineries and everyting else about NZ wine.
A guide to French Wines - what goes with what, regions, varieties, and just about everything else.
A guide to German wines - all about the windes of Germany.
A guide to the wines of Hungary - the history, regions, varieties of hungarian wine.

Better Beer in BC

2004-07-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

Bear Brewing Co. - in Kamloops, BC. but operated by Big Rock of Calgary Alta. Took over the Whistler Brewing Co. brands.

Bowen Island Brewing Co - now part of "Bear Brewing"

British Columbia Beer Guide - beer made in small batches, using natural processes and ingredients. Also Brew Pubs in BC, Beer Books and Beer links.

Clearbrook Brewing Company Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Nelson Brewing Company, Nelson, British Columbia

Okanagan Spring Brewery Vernon, British Columbia (New Web site soon)

Vancouver Island Brewery Victoria, British Columbia.

Kokane Beer Creston, British Columbia

Weasel Breweries - Home brew reveries from the Monks of Ann Arbor Abbey (Michigan beer, plus some tongue in cheek)

Beer Bottle Caps from Canada - in case you cared!

OXFORD Bottled Beer Database - 2150 beers from 69 different countries.

Labatt Canada Regional Brands - Includes Kootenay and Kokanee.

Pacific Western Brewing Company

Peter's Journal of British Pub Signs

Tree Brewing - of Kelowna BC

"They don't serve beer to bears in bars in BC"

General Disclaimer

2004-07-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

This Web site is part of the Chatter News and is not an official Web site of Chatter Creek Mountain Lodges Ltd. The authors of this Web site make every effort to keep information current, Chatter Creek clients are advised to confrim any important information with office personnel at Chatter Creek Mountain Lodges Ltd.

The information conveyed by any of the Web sites listed above is the sole responsibility of the Web site owners. The Chatter News neither warrants or necessarily approves of or agrees with any information conveyed by these Web sites. These Web site references are provided here as a convenience to clients, who must take full responsibility for the consequences of any action taken in result of information obtained from any Web site.