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CRANBROOK

Mountains of Opportunity

By Prestige Adventures

August 29^th, 2018

a unique room for the night

I arrived in Cranbrook, a city of about 18,500 residents, in the southeast corner of British Columbia, just before the sunset. Traffic was light as I pulled into the Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort, my home for the next two days.

Stepping up to the front desk in the lobby, I was greeted with a smile and a "we've got a treat for you." When I was handed the key to my room, I was instructed to head through the doors toward the back of the hotel. Not sure where I was going, I stepped outside and stared at a railway car sitting in the backyard of the hotel. "Hmmmm, this looks interesting," I thought to myself. Grabbing my photo gear, I strolled to the far end of the car and slipped my key in the door. I was instantly transported back to the early 1900s. Closing the door, while surveying the scene in front of me, I wondered if this rail car was the kind of accommodation John D. Rockefeller must have enjoyed as he travelled the tracks across America in the 1930s. Front this mont on, I knew that my trip to Cranbrook was going to be special.

The adjoining room at the front of the railcar

early history

It's not surprising the Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort would employ a rail car as a unique room given the city's tie to the railway. The city of Cranbrook came to life in 1898 with the arrival of the Crowsnest Railway.

Since then, Cranbrook has evolved into the supply centre of the East Kootenay region of British Columbia.

Prior to the early settlers, however, this was the land of the Ktunaxa. The Ktunaxa, like other American nations, did not see their land as a personal possession. They belonged to the land, and they used it for their time, leaving it in good, or better, shape when they moved on. They used its resources for food, shelter and tools. They mined tourmalinite and chert (a dark, opaque silica rock) for their knives and spearheads. Their canoes were of bark. Wild horses roamed widely. For more than 10,000 years, that was the rhythm in the oval of the Kootenay and Columbia rivers.

The Ktunaxa Nation: Living Culture, Living Tradition

a trip back in time

About 20 minutes from my hotel sits a historical site that instantly transports you to the 1860s - Fort Steele.

The origin of Fort Steele is closely linked to the discovery of gold on nearby Wild Horse Creek in the 1880s. The gold rush peaked in 1865 when an estimated 5,000 prospectors flooded into the area, combing the hills in search of their fortune.

As more people arrived, inevitable disputes over land ownership between the local Ktunaxa First Nation population and the newcomers arose.

Superintendent Samuel B. Steele and 75 members of the North West Mounted Police were sent to resolve these problems. They established the first post west of the Rockies, Kootenay Post.

Today, Fort Steele Heritage Town is one of the most important attractions of its kind in British Columbia with over 80,000 people visiting each year.

As soon as I passed through the gates and into the fort itself, it's easy to see why so many are drawn here.

Fort Steele is a "living history museum." During the summer, visitors are treated to horse buggy rides, an old train that circles the park, multiple buildings containing the wares of the local merchants, as well as history being brought back to life with the fort's street theatre.

The horse-drawn carriage ride was a popular attraction

TIME FLIES

Watching families wander around, peering into the various buildings where people were fixing harnesses, baking bread, working on sheets of tin and taking in the daily life of the characters within the fort, two hours had passed before I knew it.

In an homage to the on-site photo studio, I've decided to throw back to an earlier era with these few shots depicting a few scenes I was able to capture.

hitting the rails to trails

An avid cyclist, I was excited to read about the multitude of riding options in the Cranbrook area - from paved sections to a plethora of trails running through the large Community Forest.

Pulling my bike out of the back of the SUV, I started a leisurely ride on Cranbrook's North Star Rails to Trails. The scenic, paved 28 km trail, links the cities of Cranbrook and Kimberley.

Organizers have thoughtfully placed picnic tables, memorial benches and washrooms along the way.

For the first 20 minutes into my ride, I encountered no other traffic, having the pathway to myself.

After 6 pm, however, bikers of all types ripped by me. There were cyclists in their colourful jerseys (10 in a row) zipping by, heads down and legs pumping furiously.

Occasionally a single cyclist pedaled by, offering a slight wave and shake of the head as they passed.

I stopped at multiple stations along the way, a few times to grab a photo and other times just to stop and stare out over the valley and the Steeples mountains.

fueling up

After a few hours on the trail, I packed the bike up and drove back to my hotel, the Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort, looking to fuel up before hitting the bed.

The resort has a few options: Don Cherry's Sports Grill and the West Coast Grill. I wasn't in the mood to stare at an 80" television and 12 other large screen TV's at Don Cherry's (although I hear it's the best place in town to watch the game with friends), so I opted for the more sedate, calming environment of the West Coast Grill. Plus, it had a pasta dish I felt suited my carb needs at the moment. I wasn't disappointed!

Grabbing a booth, I sat down and proceeded to open a new-found guide book: local author Janice Strong's Mountain Footsteps. I wanted to read up on the local hiking trails and also try to figure out where I could ride cross-country. Janice, an avid hiker, teacher and photographer from the Cranbrook area, has written a great book covering the Kootenays, giving the reader an insight into some of the best areas to hike, bike and photograph.

a new day of adventures

Opening the door and stepping outside my rail car early in the morning, I was startled by the sound of something off to my left. Peeking around the corner, stood two young deer grazing. It was a reminder of how close nature is to the city.

I started out the morning having breakfast at the community-minded SoulFood restaurant. While the food tasted great and I loved sitting out in the warm morning sunshine while I waited for my order, if you don't feel like a full breakfast and are excited to get the day started, try the Grind Station Cafe at the hotel.

Green eggs and no ham breakfast at Soulfood

a ride in the forest

I saved the best ride for the last on my short visit to Cranbrook - the Community Forest.

The Community Forest is a huge 2000 Hectares. For the number-challenged people like myself trying to visualize what size that is, consider that most sports fields are one hectare in size. The Apple Bowl in Kelowna (my hometown) for instance is a 400 m running track and the grassy area inside is 1.12 hectares. Given those numbers then, put just under two thousand Apple Bowls into one area and you have an idea of the size of the Community Forest where you can ride and walk on the hundreds of kilometers of marked trails.

With numerous small lakes located in the forest, the trails weave a picturesque path through the forest, providing breathtaking views and an excellent escape for families, friends, pets and anyone wanting to get back to nature.

One of the many small lakes in the Community Forest

new life for an old firehall

One aspect of traveling is getting to discover new restaurants in the area. In Cranbrook, quite a few people I spoke to recommended that I pay a visit to an old heritage landmark - Cranbrook's Fire Hall No. 1 that was constructed in 1929 and was the newest addition to the city's dining scene.

Two local men, Jesse Roberts and Fred Williams, bought the old fire hall and have transformed it into a restaurant and tap house - Firehall Kitchen and Tap.

The food was up to the high standard of the renovation and the menu featured quite a few unique great tasting dishes.

Triple cooked fries, reuben rolls, "cries of the carrots" (select seasonal & heirloom vegetables, roasted beet hummus, grana crackers, and buttermilk ranch) and the Polygamy platter (Nachos, reuben rolls, cauliflower bites, two orders of chicken wings, fresh veggies, and a savory truffle- dusted beignet) were some of the menu items that caught my attention.

I opted for the Kootenanny (Jicama slaw, marinated chickpeas, inspired greens, buckwheat kasha, and fresh seasonal produce tossed in lemon & tahini dressing) and can attest to its more than ample size and great flavours.

an evening kayak

I wanted to get out on one of the many lakes that surround Cranbrook and when I checked with the staff at the Prestige front desk they didn't hesitate to name Just Liquid Sports as the place to call.

A deceivingly small shop just off the main highway in Cranbrook, the shop is the brainchild of Rob Porter, owner and founder.

Rob, a native of Stoney Creek (near Hamilton, Ontario) came to the East Kootenays, fell in love with the area, quit his motorcycle mechanic position back east, and made the move west. He's never regretted it.

He was a dedicated paddler and was surprised that with the amount of lakes in the area, that few people were actually out on the water paddling them. He vowed to change that which was the impetus of opening up Just Liquid Sports.

A believer of "community," Rob has set up a series of community paddles during the summer months. "I've never kayaked," I told Rob when I met him. "No worries," he told me, "you'll be fine." With a smile on his face, he was a man I believed, so I agreed to go out on one of his group paddles on my last night in Cranbrook.

The group met just after 6 pm at Moyie Lake, a body of water just south of Cranbrook. "The goal is to paddle across the lake," Rob told the group of about 30 paddlers. "Who hasn't paddled before?" he asked. About 15 of us put our hands up. The number of 'newbies' didn't phase Rob who told us we'd have no trouble out on the lake because it was calm waters with just a slight breeze.

After a quick safety briefing, Rob helped us get the sleek kayaks down to the water's edge and into the lake. "After getting across the lake, you'll paddle into a calm stretch of water until you get to the old wooden bridge," Rob said. The goal set, we all took off into the sunset, unsteady at first, but determined not to let Rob down.

Rob Porter, owner and founder of Just Liquid Sports

Along for the ride (no he's not a water dog)

post kayak meal

After the exhilarating kayak (we were out on the water for almost two hours) on Moyie Lake, we helped pull the boats out of the water and Rob invited me to the "post kayak wrap" at one of his favourite spots, the Heidout Restaurant and Brewhouse. The Kootenay's only Brewhouse, the Heidout celebrates local farms and producers. Its walls are covered with historic photos (I loved the story and pictures about the escaping elephants back in 1926).

An added bonus was discovering that the in-house brewery (Fisher Peak) had won Gold at the Canadian Brewing Awards. In the Scotch Ale category, their Hellroaring Scottish Ale topped the competition.

Brewmaster Jordon Aasland invited me downstairs into the heart of the brewery and poured me a glass. It took only a sip to realize the beer he had crafted was top notch.

Back upstairs in the restaurant, I thanked Rob for hosting me (and making sure he was around if I went into the water), clinked glasses with him, and dove into a big healthy salad. I could see why with just one visit, Rob had decided to live in Cranbrook - bike trails, hiking in mountains just down the highway, and more lakes than you can paddle in one summer - Cranbrook is a little slice of heaven and as they proudly promote: "Mountains of Opportunity."

The 'martini shot'

Martini Shot is a Hollywood term for the final shot set-up of the day. According to Dave Knox, author of the film industry slang guide Strike the Baby and Kill the Blonde, the Martini Shot was so named because "the next shot is out of a glass", referring to a post-wrap drink. It's an appropriate way to end this adventure.

As I drove out of town (after grabbing coffee at the Grind just off the Prestige's lobby), I had to stop and take one last picture. The scene stopped me as I left Cranbrook on Hwy. 3 heading west. It was just a few cows in the field, but somehow this peaceful image captured the moment.