2016 Lillooet Visitors Guide by Bridge River-Lillooet News

2016 LILLOOET & AREA VISITORS GUIDE

Your new life awaits. Come explore the opportunities Lillooet has to offer. Discover our potential, Reap the rewards.

For more information, please see our webpage: www.lillooetchamberofcommerce.com or call us at 250-256-3578

The Best of

Lillooet

What makes Lillooet Lillooet? Is it the spectacular mountain scenery with its call to adventure? The great climate (hot summers and mild winters)? The strong Aboriginal heritage that flourishes here? The spirit of the place? The diversity and independence of the people who call it home? It is all that and more. And now it is yours to explore. Let’s begin with some of the best activities, attractions and amenities Lillooet offers. AROUND TOWN Lillooet’s Farmers Market is open every Friday from early May to the Thanksgiving weekend in October. Check out the local produce for sale, sample bannock (a traditional Aboriginal fry bread) or fritters, buy jam or a home-baked pie for the road or the campsite. Browse through the crafts for sale, perhaps listen to an impromptu performance by local musicians, meet old friends and make new ones. Dining Options Recently named one of the Top Five Places to Eat in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor, the Ponderosa Kitchen at Fort Berens Estate Winery opens May 21 and will remain open until Oct. 10. Executive chef Dylan Foss blends fresh, local ingredients and classic old-world techniques. Enjoy

the exquisite food and friendly, attentive service; savour an awardwinning wine; feel the summer breeze on the patio; and drink in the view over the lush green vine-

yard towards the Coast Mountains. The kitchen’s open daily for lunch, and for tapas-style dinners Friday nights and set-menu dinners Saturday evenings June 24-Sept. 3. 3

Lillooet Business Directory ACCOMMODATIONS

4 PINES MOTEL 108 8th Ave. 250-256-4247 FRASER COVE CAMPGROUND 1234 Davis Rd. 250-256-0142 HOTEL DEORO 639 Main St. 250-2560-2355 MILE 0 MOTEL 616 Main St. 250-256-7511 RETASKET LODGE & RV PARK 1264 Bouvette Rd. 250-256-2090 REYNOLDS HOTEL 1237 Main St. 250-256-4202 WILLOWS AT 6 MILE www.willowscampground.com 250-256-0429

AUTOMOTIVE

INTEGRA TIRE & LILLOOET GLASS 561 Main St. 250-256-4111 KAL TIRE 249 Main St. 250-256-4198 LORDCO AUTO PARTS Old Mill Plaza 250-256-0599 SHULAPS SERVICE CENTRE 151 Moha Rd. 250-256-4040

CHURCHES

BETTER LIVING CENTRE-7TH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 603 Main St. 250-256-9218 LILLOOET GOSPEL CHAPEL 1147 Main St. 250-256-7655

DINING/BARS

DEANO’S PIZZA 682 Main St. 250-256-0064 DINA’S PLACE 690 Main St. 250-256-4264 FORT BERENS ESTATE WINERY 1881 Hwy 99 North 250-256-7788 ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH 66 737 Main St 250-256-7332 SUBWAY Across from Old Mill Plaza 250-256-7807

Bridge River

Established by ‘Ma’ Murray in 1934

RECREATION

BLACKCOMB AVIATION www.blackcombaviation.com 250-256-6000 DISTRICT OF LILLOOET REC CENTRE 930 Main St. 250-256-7527 HISTORIC HAT CREEK RANCH www.hatcreekranch.ca 250-457-9722 LILLOOET MEMORIAL CURLING CLUB 178 Mountainview Rd. 250-256-4370 LILLOOET SHEEP PASTURE GOLF COURSE 5000 Texas Creek Rd. 250-256-0550 MIYAZAKI HOUSE 643 Russell Lane 250-256-7527 SPLITROCK ENVIRONMENTAL Splitrock Centre, Hwy 99 250-256-3109 XWISTEN EXPERIENCE TOURS www.xwisten.ca 250-256-7844

RETAIL

ABUNDANCE ARTISAN BAKERY Unit A - 657 Main St. BUY-LOW FOODS Old Mill Plaza 250-256-7922 CARIBOO APIARIES 4007 Moha Rd. 250-256-7231 CREATIVE HAVEN 657 Main St. 250-256-2280 ENERGY PLUS 626 Main St. 250-256-4796 GRANT A WISH 600 Block Main St. LILLOOET FARMERS MARKET May - October Fridays 250-256-7797 LILLOOET TIMBER MART 129 Moran Place 250-256-4141 LINDA’S PLACE ON MAIN 777 Main St. 250-256-1884 OLD AIRPORT GARDENS FARM MARKET Hwy 12 South 250-256-7051 PHARMASAVE Old Mill Plaza 250-256-4262 TAFFY’S TWOONIE TOWN 86 7th Ave. 250-256-0066 WINNER’S EDGE 644 Main St. 250-256-4848

Lillooet News www.lillooetnews.net

SERVICES

BRIDGE RIVER - LILLOOET NEWS 979 Main St. 250-256-4219 CAYUSE FLATS TRANSPORT Hwy 99 250-256-7155 DIRECT ELECTRIC 250-256-4157 DISTRICT OF LILLOOET 615 Main St. 250-256-4289 HUB INTERNATIONAL BARTON INSURANCE 682 Main St. 250-256-7596 LILLOOET CONTRACTING 109 Main St. 250-256-7669 LILLOOET & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.lillooetchamberofcommerce.com 250-256-3578 LILLOOET ELKS 250-256-7972 LILLOOET LIONS CLUB 250-256-1968 LILLOOET MUSEUM & VISITORS CENTRE 790 Main St. 250-256-4308 LILLOOET NATURALIST SOCIETY www.lillooetnaturalistsociety.org LILLOOET PUBLIC LIBRARY 930 Main St. 250-256-7944 LILLOOET REGIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES SOCIETY www.lriss.ca 250-256-4292 LILLOOET ROYAL PURPLE 250-256-4523 LILLOOET SPA & WELLNESS 836 Main St. 250-256-2156 RADIO LILLOOET www.radiolillooet.ca 250-999-2086 RE/MAX REAL ESTATE LILLOOET 909 Main St. 250-256-7166 SKOOKUM TOWING 250-256-4789 THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY Old Mill Plaza 250-256-4296 THOMPSON VALLEY FUNERAL HOME www.tvfh.ca 1-800-295-5138 TRADEWINDS HAIR PLUS Old Mill Plaza 250-256-7431

The Lillooet Visitors Guide is produced by The Bridge River - Lillooet News. www.lillooetnews.net • Email: pub@lillooetnews.net Toll Free: 1-877-300-8569 • Phone 250-256-4219 Fax: 250-256-4210 • Cover Photo Credit: Melissa Paulhus

The Jade Walk is a relaxing stroll through downtown Lillooet. Start at the Jadehenge at the Lillooet Museum and Visitor Centre and proceed along Main Street, pausing to admire the 30 pieces of jade on display. These art pieces have been cut, polished and mounted to reveal each individual “face” of jade, whose colours, shapes and fractures all have different qualities. For good luck, Asian visitors rub the tall jade boulders at the Jadehenge.

Visitors can also enjoy outdoor dining on the patio at Dina’s Place Restaurant, which specializes in Greek dishes such as souvlaki, spanakopita and moussaka as well as pastas. Locals recommend the thin crust pizza at Deano’s Pizza; Subway is a quick and healthy lunch option; and the DeOro Coffee Lounge is a comfortable place to relax over an espresso. Other cafes serve sushi and Chinese food. Or ask a local and they will point you in whatever direction your taste buds crave.

Enjoy your stay in elegant comfort & quiet serenity

• Shaw High-Speed Wireless modems in every room • Cable TV • Complimentary coffee & tea • Free Continental Breakfast • All non-smoking rooms • Guest Laundry

Beautifully appointed furniture, appliances & linens

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

8 Full Service RV Sites

• 2 Queen Beds with cozy duvets • Microwave & bar fridge • Air-conditioning • Full bathroom with tub & shower • Free local telephone calls • Hairdryers • In-room coffee & tea

Where to find us:

Travel West on Main Street, turn right on Mountainview Road, up the hill turn right on Bouvette Road, around the and curve you’ll see our sign.

1264 Bouvette Rd., Box 286, Lillooet, BC V0K 1V0 Phone: 250-256-2090 RESERVATIONS: 1-866-456-2090 Fax: 250-256-2091 Website: www.retasketlodge.com Email: retasket@shaw.ca 6

Portage apples was delivered to Buckingham Palace every year. Today while shopping in local stores, be sure to pick up organic greens from Green Dirt Farm, garlic from Ucwalmicw’s Community Garden, organic carrots grown at Fountainview Farms and Golden Cariboo Honey produced by local bees working for Cariboo Apiaries.

If you love fresh, healthy homegrown produce – and who doesn’t? – be sure to visit Airport Gardens on Highway 12 in East Lillooet. Believe it when they say their tomatoes are the best in B.C., with that justpicked, fresh-from-the-vine aroma of Lillooet’s sun and soil. It’s not unusual for folks from the Lower Mainland to make their annual trip

The REC Centre is the heart of Lillooet. Paying the drop-in fee gives visitors access to the public swims in the indoor pool (opening for the summer season in mid-May); the weight room, squash court and the bouldering wall, where wannabe mountaineers can test their climbing skills; as well as public skating in the arena in the winter. The REC Centre – the REC stands for Recreational, Educational and Cultural – is home to Radio Lillooet (CHLS-FM, 100.5 on your dial), and the Lillooet Library, which offers free WiFi and public computers. Taste the difference. The Lillooet area has been known for its agricultural produce since the 1920s when a box of Seton

Photo: Alex Waterhouse-Hayward

Finding Your Way CLINToN

BRIdgE RIvER

Finding Your Way JoffRE LakES

Legend Paved Highway Secondary Roads (Most of these roads are unpaved. Some have rough conditions in places)

NaIRN faLLS

Forest Service Roads or Seasonal Roads (Some of these roads impassable in winter and some have very rough conditions)

Camp Sites (Some sites maintained to minimal levels) Scale in kilometres 5

WHISTLER 44

Fraser Cove

Campground & Guest Cottage • Full Hook-ups • Hot Shower • 30 & 50 amp available • Free Wifi • Shady Riverfront Tent Sites • Scenic walk or bike over Historic “Old Bridge” to Shopping Mall • Fraser River Beach Fishing for Sturgeon and Salmon • 1.5 km north of Fort Berens Estate Winery Bridge River

Lillooet News

1234 Davis Road (Just off Hwy 99) frasercove@gmail.com www.frasercove.com 250-256-0142 Toll Free: 1-800-936-2040

Established by ‘Ma’ Murray in 1934

www.lillooetnews.net

here to take home a hundred kilos of tomatoes for canning, preserving and plain good eating. The new Abundance Artisan Bakery sells cookies, sourdough ryes, challah, a very popular flax bread, baguettes, cinnamon buns bursting with local fruits and berries, sausage rolls made with local beef and two kinds of croissants (the chocolate croissants are deliciously decadent.) Fort Berens Estate Winery operates the first commercial vineyard in Lillooet. Named for the Hudson’s Bay Company Fort that began construction here in 1859 on what is now the winery site, Fort Berens wines have won acclaim nationally and internationally. Their 2012 Riesling received the 2014 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in B.C. Wine and earlier this year the 2013 Pinot Noir won Fort Berens its first-ever platinum medal. Just up the road from Fort Berens is the Bitterbine Hop Farm, home to Harvesters of Organic Hops (HOOH). Established in 2009, the local farm serves B.C.’s growing micro-brewing industry. In 2013, Old Jalopy Ale – the Canadian Brewing Awards Beer of the Year – was made with organic hops grown at Bitterbine. And Pemberton Distillery makes a Lillooet Apricot Liqueur from – you’ll never guess! – Lillooet apricots.

Photo: Kevin Aitken

Walking the Dog Whether you’re visiting overnight, enjoying a weekend jaunt or staying longer, your dog is on holiday, too. Walk your four-legged pal on the Lions Trail along the Fraser River or the dock at Seton Lake (dogs aren’t permitted on the beach). Pooches on leashes are also welcome for a walk along the spawning channels at Splitrock Environmental or at the Restoration Site. Please clean up

after your pet and be aware that the latter two sites are fish and wildlife habitat areas.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Come Fly with Me. Is it time to get down on bended knee and pop the question? Do it in high style on a mountaintop with stunning vistas and popping champagne corks. Blackcomb

LILLOOET PUBLIC LIBRARY • Free WiFi and Public Computers • Summer Reading Club • Branches in Gold Bridge and Shalalth at the Bridge River Power Site Contact info and hours of operation at:

http://lillooetbc.libraries.coop

Visitors Welcome

Quiet, Comfortable & Clean in Downtown Lillooet 2 1/2 Stars on Canada’s Select Star Rating

Pharmasave Lillooet

• Pharmacist on Duty 5 Days/Week • Gift Shop • Toys • Seasonal Supplies • Books/Magazines • Greeting Cards • Lottery Centre

4pines

• 47 Units • Air Conditioned • Cable TV • Kitchenette • Honeymoon Suites with Jacuzzis • Suites with Jet Tubs • Guest Laundry • Direct Dial Phones/Voice Mail • Internet Access available • Seniors Discount • Reasonable Rates • Complimentary Tea, Coffee & Ice

MOTEL

Toll-Free Reservations

1-800-753-2576 Ph: 250-256-4247 Fax: 250-256-4120

www.4pinesmotel.com 108 8th Ave. Lillooet, BC

HISTORIC HAT CREEK RANCH ‘Relive the 1860s Gold Rush and Native History!’ Located 80km east of Lillooet along scenic Hwy. #99

Fun for the whole family with:

Old Mill Plaza 250-256-4262 www.pharmasavelillooet.com email: pharmasave178@gmail.com Hours: Mon. - Thurs. - 9:30 am - 6 pm Friday - 9:30 am - 8 pm Saturday - 9:30 am - 6 pm Sunday - 11 am - 5 pm

~ Guided Tours of 1860’s Roadhouse & Native Interpretation Site ~ Stagecoach ~ Restaurant & Gift Shop ~ Goldpanning, Archery & More ~ RV Sites, Camping, Cabins, & Public Shower House ~ Stay in a Covered Wagon

Open Daily May to October

Telephone. 250-457-9722 or Toll Free 1-800-782-0922 Email: contact@hatcreekranch.ca www.hatcreekranch.ca

Helicopters offers heli fishing, alpine picnics, sightseeing, hiking and flights to uniquely romantic locations for proposals and weddings. Local pilot Scott Taylor is a world traveler who’s just returned from his own adventures in Antarctica. With Gold Bridge as a base, take a flight-seeing tour for a once-ina-lifetime flight to the Lillooet Ice Fields’ Bridge Glacier. Watch ice bergs calve into the glacier’s lake and take a walk to the toe of the two-kilometre long mass of ice. British Columbia Magazine recently named the Bridge Glacier flight as one of B.C.’s Top 7 Tours. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunt using GPS enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then try to find the geocache container hidden at that spot a treasure hunt. There are 11 fun and fascinating geocaching locations in the Lillooet area. They are the Xwisten fishing rocks, the Old Bridge over the Fraser River, the Lower Seton Spawning Channels, the Kaoham Shuttle, Red Rock, the Burkholder Lake Trail, Camelsfoot Peak Trail, Horseshoe Bend Trail, Mission Ridge Trail, Pavilion Lake and the Seton Ridge Trail.

Photo: Lloyd McNary

Photo: Brad Naylor

The Lillooet Geocache sites are part of Gold Country Geotourism Adventures, the largest geo-tour in all of Canada. FYI: The B.C. Geocaching Association meets here at the Cayoosh Creek Campground on the Labour Day weekend. Go for the Gold Gold seekers came here in the 1860s seeking their fortunes in the sandbars and gravel bars of local rivers and creeks. Follow in

their footsteps and try your luck gold panning. Cayoosh Creek Campground is a provincially-designated Recreational Gold Panning Reserve. Easy access to the Fraser River’s back eddies can also be found at the BC Hydro Restoration Site, located off Powerhouse Road. Gold seekers are welcome to use hand pans, hand shovels and metal detectors in their search for precious placer gold nuggets and “colour” that has washed free of the motherlode.

Lillooet Memorial Curling Club

Canada's Best Value Inn

Mile 0 Motel

Great Scenic View of the Fraser River

• 36 New Units – Air Cond – Cable TV • Free wireless Internet – Movie Channels • Honeymoon suite (Fireplace – Jacuzzi) • Family Suite w/Separate Room – Jet Tub • Banquet Hall – Guest Coin laundry ‘Your Home Away From Home’ P: 250-256-7511 • F: 250-256-4124 Located at 616 Main St. Toll Free: 1-888-766-4530 Downtown Lillooet, B.C. V0K 1V0 Email: info@mileomotel.com Website: www.mileomotel.com

• 4 Sheets of Jet Ice • Bar & Lounge • Lockers • Concession • Pro Shop

Season runs from October to the end of March, ending with our fun-filled April Fool’s Bonspiel!

Leagues • Ladies Please email for specific • Mens days and • Mixed times. • Drop-In

178 Mountainview Rd., LILLOOET 250-256-4370 www.lillooetcurling.ca lillooetmcc@gmail.com

TAKE YOUR PICK! Old Airport Gardens Farm Market • B.C.’s Best Tomatoes • Fruits, Veggies, Herbs • U-Pick • We Pick Phone/Fax: 250-256-7051 1/4 Mile South of Lillooet Turn-Off on Hwy 12

Providing Quality Guest Services since 1941

Where Old Fashioned Friendly Service meets . . . Comfortable, Modern Convenience • Classic Rooms • Restaurant • Pub • Cold Beer, Wine & Liquor Store Recently Renovated • Free Wireless Internet

www.reynoldshotel.com

Reservations 1-877-655-5506 or 250-256-4202 1237 Main Street Lillooet, BC

Photo: Kansas Allen

Gone fishin.’ Rainbow trout, lake trout, Dolly Varden, steelhead and salmon abound in the rivers, lakes and creeks in and around town. Seton Lake offers good fishing for trout and Dolly Varden off the dock or by boat at the south end of the lake at Seton Portage/Shalalth. Fountain, Pavilion, Crown and Turquoise Lakes are all favourites for those using flies or conventional tackle, and there are great trout fishing lakes in the Bridge River Valley as well. The Bridge and Fraser Rivers are both home to chinook, the largest salmon species. Sockeye salmon are found in the Bridge River in the fall, while steelhead are common in the winter. The salmon and steelhead fisheries are subject to local openings, so please check local regulations before wetting a line.

Bridges Walk (it’s a total distance of approximately 10 kilometres and includes the Old Bridge and the Bridge of the 23 Camels; this is also the route of Lillooet’s annual Terry Fox run); the Lions Trail, the Powerhouse Restoration Site, the Seton Spawning Channels, the Canal Walk and the trail above Lillooet to Red Rock (becoming known among the hiking fraternity as the Lillooet Grind). Tips for the trails less traveled: - travel in a group of at least three people - carry enough water and food for your trip. Hiking in the mountains

requires extra energy and Lillooet’s hot, dry climate can cause heat exhaustion - leave enough time to return in daylight - leave an outline of your intended hike, including your location and expected time of return, with someone who can report you missing in case of an emergency - please remember your wilderness ethics. Walk on established trails, bring along a small garbage bag so you can pack out your garbage and be respectful by staying back from nests, young animals, dens and feeding and rutting spots.

How about a hike? The “bible” for hikers in this area is the Lillooet Naturalist Society’s “Canyon to Alpine Hiking Guide.” It includes trail and access information on 32 hikes, dazzling colour photos by Ian Routley, route maps and topographical information. Close-to-town hikes include the 13

•RECOVERIES •TOWING

•LOCK-OUTS

•CARGO HAULING

Across from Old Mill Plaza

250-256-7807 Serving Lillooet and Area

Call us Anytime - 24/7

250-256-4789

Lillooet BC

Lyle & Delphine BCAA Authorized Road Service

a bun dance a bun A R T Idance S A n a bun dance A aRdance T I S Adance n a bun bun

Creative Haven

A R AT RI ST AA I Rn ST IA S nA n

LILLOOET

E S T. E E SST.T. E S T.

E S T.

2015

simple local fresh s i msp il m eUnit illm opMain f lrceeasSt. cfarl e fsrhe s h plloAec-as657 llhoLillooet simple local fresh

2015 2015 2015 2015

Like Us On:

Featuring Work by “Local” •Arisans •Crafter •Producers Art & Crafting Supplies

creativehavenlillooet

creativehaven@shaw.ca

657 Main St.

250-256-2280

SPLITROCK SPLITROCK CENTRE SEKW’EL’WÁS EXPERI

SEKW’EL’WÁS EXPERIENCE TOURS SPLITROCK CENTRE

Walk with us to discover our land and culture SEKW’EL’WÁS EXPERIENCE TOURS Join one of our knowledgeable guides. Get up close as you explore our culture, plants and wildlife. Hands-on and interactive!

Tours - Spawning Chan Tours - Spawning Channel - Nursery One-hour tours - June to October 10:00 am tour time or drop in by request Place: Splitrock Centre, Highway 99, Lillooet

Tours - Spawning Contact: 250-256-0002 Channel - Nursery splitrockenvironmental@gmail.com www.splitrockenvironmental.ca

All aboard the Kaoham Shuttle! No less an authority than the BBC has called the Kaoham Shuttle “Canada’s Greatest Hidden Rail Trip.” Adventurers will discover that truth first-hand when they climb aboard the two-car, 30-passenger train on its trip from Lillooet to the remote lakeside communities of Seton Portage and Shalalth. The shuttle provides great opportunities to see California Bighorn sheep, deer, bear, eagles and waterfowl. It makes unscheduled stops to allow passengers to capture those vivid wildlife images on their cameras and phones. For train buffs, the shuttle winds along some of the sharpest curves on the entire CN Rail line and through CN’s third-longest tunnel in B.C. The trip takes one hour from Lillooet to Seton Portage, with options of overnighting in Seton Portage or doing a one-day round trip on Fridays. Reservations must be made for the shuttle. 1-250-2598300. In the St’at’imc language, the word “Kaoham” means “to meet the train.” Mountain Biking The Thrill of it All. For years, local riders have explored and enjoyed numerous trails. Now, the rest of the mountain biking community is discovering our area. Cyclist Kevin Aitken says the five best-known

trails are: - Seton Ridge, located about 17.5 km. from Lillooet off the Duffey Lake Road and then another six km. along the gravel Seton Ridge Road. - Shulaps Traverse, located off Highway 40 and up the Yalakom Forest Service Road towards Lake La Mare. - Burkholder Lake, off Highway 40 and up the Yalakom Road and then turn onto the Branch 1 forest road. - Red Rock, above Lillooet and

Photo: Kevin Aitken

reached by an old road that switchbacks up the mountainside. - Della Creek, halfway between Lytton and Lillooet on Texas Creek Road and accessed via a logging road. “This is the one that everybody who comes to Lillooet wants to ride,” says Aitken. In Lillooet’s Guaranteed Rugged landscape, there’s an array of trails to explore whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced rider. It’s your choice - go for the adrenaline rush or take it more slowly. A

E-mail: lillooetwellness@gmail.com www.lillooetwellnesscentre.ca

• Registered Massage Therapy • Acupuncture • Naturopathic Services • Weight Loss, Gifts • Spa Services: REHAB •Eminence Organic Skin Therapy • Beauty & Body Therapy • Spray Tanning Intense Pulsed Light

250-256-2156 836 Main St., Lillooet, BC

Welcome to Lillooet! See us for all your automotive accessories and parts needs.

n Ope ys/ a D 7 eek W

Old Mill Plaza 11 - 155 Main St. 250-256-0599

Make Hotel DeOro your home during your visit to our area. Located in the heart of historic downtown Lillooet, Hotel DeOro is one of the finest accommodations available.

• Free Wireless Internet • Free Continental Breakfast (seasonal) at D’Oro Cafe

• Air Conditioned • 100% No Smoking • Please, No Pets

• Full Bath, • Microwave • Fridge

Our on-site coffee lounge uses only 100% organic, fair trade coffee and espresso beans to ensure the purest of aromas. Drop by for great music, or snuggle up on one of our comfy couches.

639 Main St., Lillooet • Tel: 250-256-2355 www.hoteldeoro.com www.deorocoffeelounge.com Coffee Lounge: 250-256-2255

Dream it... Let us help you Do it. • Heli Fishing • Picnics • Hiking • Sightseeing • Heli Golf • Weddings & Proposalss.

www.blackcombhelicopters.com

250-256-6000

staylor@blackcombhelicopters.com 16

area; and Play, Clean, Go to prevent the spread of harmful invasive plant species. That means thoroughly washing off your bike prior to moving from one trail to another, giving invasives the brush-off by cleaning your boots and gear and properly disposing of soil, seeds or plant parts from cleaning.

Photo: Chris Kelly

bonus: the area’s low elevation and dry climate make for a longer riding season. Lillooet is a gateway to South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park, which attracts bikers from around the world. The park offers almost 300 km. of trails through broad valleys, alpine meadows and ridges, with an excellent variety of

loop trips of varying difficulty and distance. Many of the trails are multi-use trails and bikers are asked to respect trail etiquette by giving way to hikers and horses. Bikers are also asked to respect gates and road closures; respect St’at’imc values; stay on the trails; be aware of grizzly bears, especially in the Della Creek

A Paradise for Rockhounds A rockhound has been defined as an amateur mineralogist, but really it’s someone who enjoys collecting interesting rocks and minerals. For decades, the Lillooet area has been a popular destination for rockhounds. While Lillooet is most famous for its gold and jade, agates and jasper have been found on each side of the Bridge of the 23 Camels and the sandbars downstream. The aptly named Yalakomite can be found at the Horsehoe Bend of the Bridge River on Highway 40. The Yalakom River Road area is significant for cinnabar, pyrite, gold and nephrite jade. The green gemstone can also be found off Highway 40 in the Marshall Creek area. The Bridge River Valley is also home to the oddly named thunder

your next discovery is here.

• Award winning VQA wines • Award winning VQA wines • Tasting room open daily: • Tasting room open daily: May-Oct: 10am-6pm May-Oct: 10am-6pm Nov-April: Nov-April: Thu-Sun Thu-Sun10am-4pm 10am-4pm • Kitchen open daily for lunch • Kitchen open daily for lunch May May21-Oct 21-Oct 10: 10: Noon-5:30pm Noon-5:30pm •• Kitchen Kitchen open openfor fordinner dinnerFriday Friday&&Saturday Saturday June 24-Sept 3: 5:30pm-7:30pm June 24-Sept 3: 5:30pm-7:30pm Fort BerensEstate Estate Winery Fort Berens Winery Ltd Ltd 1881 Highway Lillooet, BC V0K 1881 Highway9999North, North, Lillooet, B.C.1V0 V0KCanada 1V0 Canada 1-250-256-7788 • info@fortberens.ca • www.fortberens.ca 1-250-256-7788 • info@fortberens.ca • www.fortberens.ca

LiLLooet’s

first

WinerY

egg, a rock in the shape of a rough sphere that is formed within volcanic ash layers. Fossils 50 million years old are embedded in the rocks at Fossil Cliffs above Spruce Lake. Fossils can also be discovered near the foot of the limestone slides at Marble Canyon where they border Highway 99 at the west end of Pavilion Lake. Seton Lake On a hot summer day, there’s nothing like a refreshing dip in the shiver-cold waters of Seton Lake, just five minutes from Lillooet. Pack a picnic lunch and relax on the tree-lined beach. Be sure to stay for the sunset as the sun dramatically disappears behind the jagged peaks surrounding the lake. In the summer, the Bridge River Indian Band runs a free Community Link bus that will pick you up at any number of locations around town, drop you off at the lake and bring you back into town. Seton Lake derives its unique green colour from the glacial water that’s piped into the lake from the BC Hydro penstocks carrying water from the Bridge River to the hydroelectric power plant located at the far end of the lake.

The Sheep Pasture Golf Course The name says it all. This nine-hole course promises a fun and challenging golfing experience for all levels of players. Just watch out for the mobile hazards on the fairways – a herd of sheep who keep the course fertilized and nicely grazed and are a source of amusement for local and visiting golfers. The course is managed by the volunteers in the Lillooet Golf Club, has a pro shop with club and pull-cart rentals and offers snacks and beverage service. It’s eight km. from Lillooet on Texas Creek Road.

Grassroots Golf As it should be! 2 Can Play for the Price of 1

Purchase one round of golf and Receive one round of golf Free by showing this ad at the Clubhouse. One redemption per person. Valid until October 1, 2016

5000 Texas Creek Rd

250-256-0550

www.lillooetgolf.com

Lillooet Museum and Visitors Centre Celebrating Lillooet’s History! • See artifacts from the Cariboo Gold Rush days • First Nations Displays • View the old presses & printing equipment used by ‘Ma’ Murray to print the Bridge River - Lillooet News • Free local, regional & provincial information & maps We can help you make BC Ferries & Accommodation Reservations and so much more! FREE WIFI OPEN - JULY & AUGUST - Every Day - 9 am to 5 pm MAY, JUNE, SEPT. & OCT. - Tues. to Sat. - 10 am to 4 pm

Public Washrooms located in Museum

www.lillooetbc.ca 790 Main Street, Lillooet, B.C. 250-256-4308 lillmuseum@cablelan.net 20

sheer exhilaration of hooking a monstrous white sturgeon in the Fraser River and there’s no better place than Lillooet. Fraser River sturgeon grow to lengths of more than three metres and can top out at more than 600 kilos. When hooked, they often raise their entire girth out of the water and perform an amazing tail walk, sometimes more than once. It’s a sight – and a fight – not to be missed. These fish weren’t born last month, last year or even in the last 50 years. They have a long life span and many of the Fraser’s sturgeon are 100 to 150 years old. Fishing is strictly catch-and-release and quickly returning a caught sturgeon to the water is critical to its survival.

Split Rock Environmental is a Lillooet success story. It succeeds on so many levels – first, as an award-winning aboriginal-owned business, owned by the St’at’imc community of Sekw’el’was. Remaining true to St’at’imc values, Split Rock specializes in ecological stewardship, environmental monitoring, native plant propagation and ethnobotany. It provides a variety of environmental services, carries out restoration work and operates a native plant nursery. Split Rock also offers hands-on eco-cultural tours with knowledgeable aboriginal guides. Learn about their land, culture and the local fish and wildlife as you stroll along the Seton River Spawning Channel. Tours are available June to October. The name Sekw’el’was translates as “split rock” and refers to the split in the mountains surrounding the community.

The mighty Fraser River Sturgeon. In all the world of freshwater fishing, there’s nothing to match the

Winter Wonderland. Churning waterfalls in summer give way to massive icicles in winter that are perfect for climbers brave enough to come and conquer them. The Lillooet region offers stunningly beautiful mixed vertical ice terrain. The Joffre Glacier Group, easily accessible off the Duffey Lake Road (Highway 99) south of Lillooet, is one of the more popular places for beginners and advanced climbers alike. Mount Matier and Mount Joffre are highlights. Marble Canyon Provincial Park, located 35km/22mi northeast of Lillooet on Highway 99, is also easily accessible and features a labyrinth of canyons leading off the main canyon. There’s more to our winter wonderland – powder skiing in the South Chilcotin Mountains, snowmobiling in the Bridge River Valley where the South Chilcotins meet the mighty glaciers of the Coast Mountains, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Or how about a pickup game of good, old-fashioned pond hockey on Pavilion Lake?

Photo: Kevin Aitken

Xwisten Experience Tours. Join a walking tour along the Bridge River fishing grounds to learn about dipnetting salmon and the traditional wind-dried method of preserving

the fish – a staple of the St’at’imc diet for millennia. Hear songs and stories and see an archaeological site which contains more than 80 identified pit houses (s7istken) – the traditional winter homes of the St’at’imc. The Bridge River community has reconstructed a pit house and visitors can enter the s7istken to see what a winter home would have been like. A team of archaeologists from the University of Montana will be working at the site this summer and tour members can watch their excavations as they sift through layers – and centuries - of history. Who knows what artifacts they’ll discover? The tour concludes with a salmon lunch that includes a traditional dessert of whipped soapberries (sxusum). Tours are available June to September.

Photos: Xwisten Experience Tours

oa d fi l l R

Pl. Hoey

s Ka

e an rL O ld

[ 10

AY O

r p C

Road

id ge

D'Este Road

[

r CoveCampground p Fraser Campground Fraser Cove

p Campground r Æ I Rest Area Visitor Centre

I Æ

Highway 99

a Ro

Taylor

RI Davis

Cr es ce

Roa

Ha yl m or

SETON LAKE

Reynolds Road

Davidson Crescent

Short Road

hwa y

oo d

Hom

o ad d R

Manson Road

H ig

l. eP Na t

Moha Road (Road 40)

Crescent

McE wen Roa d

T & T Road

Ho l

Hollywood

Phair R oad

a e s te

McKay Road

n Pl.

Main Street

Xwisten Xwisten

i ng

To Gold Bridge To Gold Bridge Bralorne Bralorne Bridge River Bridge River

Flem

Inset InsetA-Seton A-SetonLake Lake

Ro nt u H

Mo r a

[

Land

Æ q

Hospital Police Station

LEGEND Ambulance Station

[ [

[ 10

Seton Lake Beach Area

Population : 2324 Elevation : 800ft above sea level Distances from Lillooet

Fire Station School

Shopping Centre

Old Suspension Bridge

Lytton....................64km Vancouver............314km Gold Bridge...........110km Pemberton............100km Cache Creek.........90km Kamloops..............171km

4 Page Pull-Out Map Page Pull-Out 44Page Pull-Out MapMap 2626

23 23

Scotchman Rd.

Visitor Centre as ke t

Æ q D

Hospital Police Station Ambulance Station Fire Station

Ra n

Recreation Centre

Hangman's Park

Shopping Centre

T'it'q'et Pit House

Hillcr est D r.

Lytton....................64km Vancouver............314km Gold Bridge...........110km Pemberton............100km Cache Creek.........90km Kamloops..............171km

Pa r

k Dr . Ma i

Road

[

(Ro a

d 40

)

Main St.

. hA ve

h 6t

h 5t

re St

e Av

y9 9

R IV

e. Av h Pa 4t no ra Pa m no a ra Te m rr a ac La e ne

rk Pa

SER

a Ro

e Av

wa gh Hi

FR A

Dr .

re St

Inset A-Seton Lake

ne Pi

St re et

id Br

[

Su mm er s

r Dr .

RI VE

et re ne La

r p

D r iv

[

Or c hard

os t e

D t er s o F F

ill nH

et re

rive

Roa

e. Av

h 5t

e Av

I th Æ

e Av

a bi m 's lu an Co m ng Ha

ILLOOET EGION

h 8t

[ 3

e. Av

v er as Fr

o ati

Bridge River

h 6t

ne La

ane Church L

Street

I Æ

Street Lillooet News

Fraserview S To Whistler Vancouver

k 8th Ave.

oa d

Æ q

Street

. 11th Ave

Main

Russell

9th Ave.

Murray

h os

12th Ave.

[

14th Ave.

Fleming Pl.

[

Street Ave.

Garden

ou nt ai nv 2 ie w

s Lane JC Reynold

16th

17th

10th Ave.

eet

e. Av

we n

Hillcr es

FR A

ia or ct Vi

St .

bia Colum

11th Ave.

tr Pine Grove S

McE

yo Ca

Na po le on

Crest .

a hw

a oh

Street

Dr .

Scotchman Rd.

g Hi

Curling Rink

E ag leso

[

Population : 2324 Elevation : 800ft above sea level Distances from Lillooet

Rd .

Conway Park

Bo uv et te

See Large Map on Reverse

Canada Post Office

t Re

D et k as

R et

[ [ [ [ [ [

[ 7

School

p Campground r Æ I Rest Area

LEGEND

t Driv e Par k

D riv

To Lytton Vancouver

Fort Berens Winery

To Cache Creek Kamloops

Lillooet’s Golden Mile of History

spectacular beauty. Lillooet was incorporated as a village in 1946 and in the post-war period survived floods and catastrophic fires. The opening of gold mines in the Bridge River valley and the construction of the Bridge River hydro-electric project made Lillooet a service centre for the district.

1. The Bridge of the 23 Camels

Following the discovery of gold in the Cariboo in 1858, horses, mules and oxen were used to haul the heavy loads to the gold fields. Then Lillooet entrepreneur John Calbraith had the bright idea that camels would be ideal pack

Hwy 40:

The St’at’imc people have lived here for more than 8,000 years, thriving on abundant Fraser River salmon and the bounty of the land. Archaeological evidence from the Keatley Creek site reveals that the ancestors of today’s St’at’imc lived in circular earthen dwellings called s7istkens. They obtained and traded large number of salmon, practised ceremonies and rituals and lived in a hierarchical society where the wealthiest families apparently owned the most valuable fishing and hunting areas. They had leisure time to produce jade adzes, make copper jewellery and carve antlers and bone. In 1808, when Simon Fraser became the first European to explore the river that bears his name, the St’át’imc welcomed him to their territory. The Cariboo Gold Rush of the 1850s and 1860s changed everything. With its 13 saloons and 25 licensed premises, Lillooet briefly became a raucous boom town. Multiple trails to Cariboo gold fields came through here. It was British Columbia Governor James Douglas who named the town of Lillooet and it was Douglas who, under intensive lobbying pressure, ordered a new road built in the 1860s. The new route - and the gold boom - bypassed Lillooet. Although placer mining continued in the lower Cayoosh, it wasn’t until the 1915 arrival of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway that Lillooet enjoyed another period of prosperity. The railway opened up the Interior of British Columbia and visitors discovered the local area’s

To: Gold Bridge Bralorne Gun Lake Seton Portage Shalalth

The Old Bridge

First Nations Fishing Grounds

13 To:

'Ma' Murray's News Office

Hwy 99 N

The Camel Barn

Chinese Rocks

Hangman's Tree

Fountain Pavilion Cache Creek Kamloops Prince George

St. Andrews Church

Park Drive:

6th Ave:

District Office Post Office

Miyazaki House

7th Ave:

LILLOOET

MUSEUM (picnic site)

Mile '0' Cairn

CN Rail Station

Bridge of the 23 Camels Hwy 12

Hwy 99 S to: Seton Spawning Channels, Seton Lake, Pemberton, Whistler, Vancouver

Airport 3 km

To: Lytton Hope Vancouver

less than sterling and it was jokingly referred to as Past God’s Endurance, Please Go Easy and Prince George Eventually. Its name was changed to the British Columbia Railway in 1972. The station seen today was built in 1986, replacing the old station constructed in the 1930s. Until 2002, Lillooet had daily passenger service from Vancouver via B.C. Rail’s Cariboo Prospector and its famed Budd cars. Unfortunately, the entire B.C. Rail passenger service was discontinued in 2002. animals, and so 23 two-humped Bactrian camels were imported from Asia to B.C. But the bright idea soon became a nightmare as the high-strung beasts ate miners’ clothing, kicked at anything or anyone who came close, frightened other animals with their pungent odor, and had their soft feet cut to ribbons on the treacherous roads. They were soon abandoned by their owners and left to roam in the wild. Some were killed for food, and some perished in winter storms, while others were kept as curiosities. The last camel died on a farm near Westwold, B.C. in 1905. Before the bridge opened in 1980, a contest was held to select a name. Local resident Renee Chipman submitted the winning name “Bridge of the 23 Camels,” in honour of the ornery beasts.

2. The CN Rail Station

The old Pacific Great Eastern (PGE) Railway reached Lillooet in 1915 and continued on into the Interior of BC. Construction of the railway during times of war and economic depression is a credit to the railway crews who built the PGE on some of the toughest and most challenging sections of rail line anywhere in North America. Still, in its early days, the PGE’s reputation for reliability was occasionally 28

Mountain elk head ever registered in B.C.

4. The Mile O Cairn

3. The Lillooet Museum

The Lillooet Museum and Visitor Centre is situated in a former Anglican church, St. Mary the Virgin. The original St. Mary’s, which was torn down in 1961 after a century of serving the community, stood on this same spot. Although it was endowed with furnishings and silver liturgical service by a wealthy English gentlewoman, the doors of the original church were never locked in a century. It is a matter of record that miners and other travelers slept in the church when there was no room elsewhere and cooked their food on the stove that heated the building. The original chancel was incorporated in the new St. Mary’s and the melodeon and bell from the old church are displayed in the museum. The museum also features native artifacts, Gold Rush era relics, and a recreation of Ma Murray’s old news office downstairs. As you enter the building, look to your left to see the largest mounted Rocky

At the urging of MLA George Murray, the Mile O Cairn was erected in 1939, marking Mile Zero of the old Cariboo Road. From this point in the early stage coach days, all road houses and stopping places from here to Barkerville were known by their mileage from Lillooet - 70 Mile, 100 Mile, etc. In 1858, Governor James Douglas ordered the construction of a trail from Fort Douglas on Harrison Lake to Lillooet. The Royal Engineers supervised the construction and miners with picks and shovels contracted to build the road for the sum of five English pounds each, which they received upon arrival, by land and portage, at Lillooet. While the Mile O Cairn is located in the centre of town, the actual Mile O was across the river in East Lillooet.

5. The Mining Rocks

Just downstream from the old suspension bridge and on both sides of the Fraser at Lillooet, one can

find “Chinese Rocks,” a reminder of the search for gold by Chinese prospectors in the 1800s. Washing the sand and gravel for the elusive yellow metal, the Chinese neatly piled the washed rocks - in some places more than four metres high - in long rows. Some people believe the piled rocks beneath Hangman’s Tree are also “Chinese Rocks.” However, local historian Mike Kennedy says the rocks on the terrace there are remnants of an 1890s ground sluice operation by placer miners named Peters, Ward and Santini. They used water carried by a flume from Dickey Creek aka French Creek aka Four Mile Creek.

6. The Miyazaki House

Lillooet’s most beautiful home is also its most treasured heritage asset. Miyazaki House is located directly behind the Post Office on Russell Lane. Its large porch, shuttered windows and unique Mansard roof reflect the 1880s era when it was built by Gold Commissioner, Government Agent and prominent merchant Casper Phair and his wife, Cerise. Like his father, the Phairs’ son Artie held many of the town’s official positions but, above all, is remembered as a photographer who documented the rugged landscapes, people and events of the area. Artie Phair was taking pictures in Bridge River (South Shalalth) when he met WWII JapaneseCanadian internee Dr. Masajiro Miyazaki. As Lillooet was without a doctor, Phair drafted a petition that allowed the Miyazaki

family to move into his fine home and turn one of its front rooms into a medical office. In 1945, Dr. Miyazaki purchased the property. In 1950 he became the first Japanese-Canadian elected to public office in Canada. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 1977 for his “unselfish service” to Lillooet and his home is now a community landmark. Dr. Miyazaki donated his home to the Village of Lillooet in 1983. His office is preserved as he left it. A new society has taken over the running of the House. Visitors to the house and grounds are welcome. For more information, please visit http://miyazakihouse.com/

7. Post Office

Built in 1939, the post office was originally designed and decorated to complement the provincial government building. It replaced a small two-room house with verandah that had been the local post office.

8. District of Lillooet Office

The former provincial government building was built in 1926. Later additions and renovations have altered the original French provincial design of the structure. The provincial building was purchased by the District of Lillooet in 2003 and now houses the municipality’s offices in addition to the court, probation and conservation

offices. The provincial government agent’s office is now located a few buildings to the south.

9. St. Andrew’s and St. Mary’s Church

This lovely little church celebrated its centennial in 1996. Constructed in 1896 as a Methodist Church and affiliated for decades with the United Church of Canada, its original sanctuary, mellowed with the patina of age, remains as part of the expanded church. Stained glass windows and the original organ are still in place, though today’s congregation sings with more modern accompaniment. Today’s church serves a combined United and Anglican congregation.

10. Hangman’s Tree (Begbie Park)

The remains of an historic old Ponderosa pine tree lie on the bench above Main Street. Turn left 29

at the United Church and head up the hill. Turn right at the first road you come to, and there, on your left in the park above the road, is the tree. For safety reasons, Hangman’s Tree was cut down in 2003. Local lore says it was used as a gallows for the administration of justice more than 100 years ago, when the law here was Judge Matthew Baillie Begbie. There is a record that two thieves were hanged there and buried underneath, but legend has it that in all eight lawbreakers swung from it. If you don’t think the walk is worthy of the story, it is certainly worthy of the view. Beautiful!

11. Camel Barn (Log Cabin Theatre)

This was once the horse barn for the Lillooet News office. In Gold Rush days in the 1860s, Lillooet’s famous camels were kept in it from time to time until it was converted into a livery barn. It became a movie theatre during World War II and was written up in the New York Times and Variety as the smallest theatre in North America. The original hand-hewn shakes remain on the roof. The movie projector was located in the hayloft and the stuccoed structure was dubbed the Log Cabin Theatre.

Nations diet in the Lillooet area for untold centuries. Historically, First Nations from all directions travelled to the confluence of the Fraser River and Bridge River to barter fruit, cereals and wild vegetables for delectable dried salmon. Please respect the privacy of the people fishing.

14. The Old Bridge River-Lillooet News. The newspaper was established in 1934 by MLA George Murray, who founded the paper as a campaign promise to the Lillooet residents of the day. It was made famous by his wife, Margaret, who gained fame as the inimitable “Ma” Murray. A firebrand editor famous for her courageous and sometimes outrageous commentary, Ma never let her lack of formal education hold her back. She was inducted into the Order of Canada in 1981.

13. Fishing Camps

In August, the banks of the Fraser are dotted with fish drying camps. Pole racks are roofed with boughs for circulation of the dry solar heat, driven at this time of the year by searing river winds. Salmon was the foundation of the First

Since the construction of the Bridge of the 23 Camels, this old span is known as ‘The Old Bridge’ to local residents. It was built in 1911 and is a suspension bridge of steel cables and wood with ‘dead men’ embedded in the rock banks of the river. The middle of the bridge is held up by cables. This bridge replaced a truss bridge, which in turn replaced a reaction ferry that was powered by the river current and had been in use since 1860. Lillooet celebrated the 100th birthday of ‘The Old Bridge’ in October 2013 - a little late but better late than never! The bridge offers views of a nearby sturgeon fishing hole and is home to a colony of bats that live in specially constructed houses on the underside of the structure. The Lillooet Naturalist Society has installed a web cam on the top of the bridge to observe the comings and goings of a family of ospreys who nest there every spring and summer.

12. Old Newspaper Office

The old ‘salt box’ frame house was originally built as a rooming house for PGE construction crews working on the railway. It now accommodates private apartments., Once ringed with porches, it is the former home of the Bridge 30

Photo Credit: Dr. Ian Routley

XwĂSTen eXperienCe TOurS

Photo Credit: www.coastphoto.com

Traditional Fishing & Archaeological Village Tours Available June to September

BOOk nOw

250-256-7844 www.xwistentours.ca email: tours@xwisten.ca Shuttle Service Available

Photo Credit: www.coastphoto.com

for in-town pick-ups. Call for more details.

Community Link Bus

Serving Bridge River & Lillooet Areas Operates Mon. to Sat., July 4 to Sept. 3/16 Schedule available at: www.xwisten.ca 31

9th Annual

Apricot Tsaqwem Festival July 22-24/16

Fun for the Whole Family!

• • • • • • • •

Farmers Market Quilt Show Show & Shine Family Activities Live Music Street Dance Great Food Tons of Fun!

Don’t Miss Lillooet’s Biggest Event of the Year! 32

Faces of Lillooet William Matthews

“This is Shangri-La, it really is,” according to artist William Matthews. “My lifestyle is based on mountains, more mountains and hot weather. It was a no-brainer when I came here one summer. It was August, baking hot and I turned to my best friend Michael and said, ‘Michael, this is where I’m retiring.’” He has lived here now for almost 17 years. While the weather and mountains brought him here, it’s his life as a painter that sustains him here. “The creativity of being a painter and portraying this region is my reason for being,” he says. William is captivated by what he calls the “intangible beauty of the area and the spirit of the place. I am blessed to be in such a magnificent area where you don’t get just the greens, you get the maple reds and yellows. It’s a challenge to paint those colours but it’s so satisfying.” While he’s dazzled by the quality

of the light and the intense local colours, he’s also intrigued by the “lack of intensity” in the more desert-like landscapes here. “That’s when you experiment, that’s when you play,” he says. “There’s almost an O’Keeffe quality to some of the landscape down by the Fraser, but for me, it’s more than that. There’s a sensual quality.” William works part-time at Creative Haven. Through his job, he’s met many creative residents working in textiles, fabric, canvas, sculpture, pottery and beading. “But it’s kept very private,” he observes. “I would have to say there are a lot of closet artists in the community. People don’t like to talk about their personal creations unless they’re going to be selling them. They’re a bit shy and their work is so personal.” He hopes Creative Haven will nurture those artists and the classes he teaches at the local Thompson Rivers University centre will help painters connect with each other. That way, more people can share the vision of Lillooet as Shangri-La.

Faces of Lillooet Florence Jack

As the finance manager for the Bridge River Indian Band (Xwisten), Florence Jack is also responsible for economic development, including community planning, managing Xwisten Experience Tours and organizing the Community Links shuttle bus. Born and raised here, Florence has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a specialty in Accounting. She frankly admits, “I don’t know if I could sit here seven hours a day, just punching in numbers. The economic development side keeps me busy, too.” In her 12 years on the job, she’s helped Xwisten Experience Tours grow from a concession stand at the fishing rocks to a St’at’imc cultural experience that has earned accolades across B.C and employs six people during the summer. Over that same time, Bridge River has formed a successful partnership with a University of Montana archaeological team. Florence says the tours allow

Xwisten to share its history, while the archaeological excavations reinforce the timelines and stories handed down among generations of band members. What does she hope visitors will learn? “The biggest thing that stands out for me is: We’re still here. Our people are still alive and thriving. What most people think of as history is still part of our living, day-today traditions and culture. There’s a reason why our archaeological site is where it is – it’s exactly where we built our subdivision. There were reasons our ancestors lived there and they are the same reasons we build where we build now.” She continues, “On the fishing tours, we teach people the different ways of drying, cutting, hanging and preserving salmon. Yes, we have modern tools and a few new ways of doing things, but it’s still the traditional way. And that’s really apparent when people come here in August when we actually are fishing and they see the hundreds of people down there, still doing that; it’s still a part of who we are. Basically, we’re still St’at’imc.” 33

Faces of Lillooet If you want to see John Redan’s office at Split Rock Environmental, look around you. In one direction, there’s Marriage Mountain, where St’at’imc men traditionally went to ritually prepare themselves for their marriages. To the east, you’ll see the rugged escarpment of Fountain Ridge. Nearby are the clear, rushing waters of Cayoosh Creek. Born and raised in Lillooet, John had ideas of being a video game designer. That all changed when he was offered a job at Split Rock – his first day, he washed pots for the nursery’s plants. That was in 2010. Today, John is a trained environmental technician. His work involves everything from dyeing salmon smolts so they can be monitored and counted, to surveying endangered gopher snakes. It’s about as far as you can get from sitting at a computer designing video games.

John believes in the value of his work and the importance of restoring fish and wildlife habitat, saving endangered species and ridding the landscape of harmful invasive plants that upset the balance of Nature. Working outdoors, he’s had some memorable wildlife encounters. He vividly recalls the time he and a friend were surveying along the Downton Reservoir in the upper Bridge River Valley. They came upon four wolf pups, coloured a most unusual and beautiful beige. They would have liked to linger and watch the pups, but “we finished our survey and got out of there as soon as possible.” There was no sign of the cubs’ mother but she was likely nearby. One of John’s upclose-and-personal wildlife encounters occurred when he and a buddy were checking out screech owl boxes. John reached into the box and out popped an angry squirrel, disturbed by his intrusion. “In the blink of an eye, he was gone.” Just another day on the job for John Redan.

the Okanagan before choosing Lillooet. Today, Fort Berens has 20 acres of grapes under cultivation. Last year, the winery sold 6,000 cases of wine. That will increase to 8,000 cases this year, with production expected to eventually rise to 12,000 to 13,000 cases. Heleen and Rolf happily acknowledge the support they’ve received from a group of investors who came

to their financial rescue in 2010, their “great” employees who work as a team, the Lillooet community and the winery’s early customers. “Initially, all we had was a shed and what to expect from a winery in a shed?” Rolf remembers. “But we had a lot of very loyal customers who were blown away by the wine that came out of that shed. They saw the courage and boldness of this venture and the pioneering aspects of it.”

John Redan

Faces of Lillooet Rolf de Bruin and Heleen Pannekoek

Fort Berens Estate Winery co-founder Rolf de Bruin remembers saying, “This is the Canada we came for,” as he and his wife/business partner Heleen Pannekoek first drove from Lytton to Lillooet. He continues: “The mountains have their own magnificence. As you drive up this way, you feel a sense of bigness and space where there’s a nice rhythm of small farms, big farms, creeks, rivers and forest. That’s what really drew us here. I think people come to Canada with certain expectations and this was the expectation we had.” By May 2009, Lillooet’s first commercial vineyard was on its way. It was the end of their quest to find a smalltown home for their family and a place to pursue their long-cherished dream of owning a vineyard. That dream first took shape when the young Dutch couple visited vineyards in France and saw the connection between the land, the wine it produced and the people who created it. Heleen was working as a banker, Rolf as a management consultant. They looked at locations in France, Eastern Europe, the Niagara Peninsula and 34

e s

Faces of Lillooet Susan Bell

Susan Bell’s Lillooet roots run deep, going back to her great-grandfather Robert Carson, who came here with the 1860s Cariboo Gold Rush and then built a sprawling ranch at Pavilion. So it’s fitting that Bell is the longtime curator of the Lillooet Museum and the manager of the Lillooet Visitor Centre. “When my kids were little, I could never tell them the family stories enough times,” says Susan. “As soon as I see Chimney Rock (a limestone pillar near Pavilion), it feels like home. I definitely have a sense of my roots and my history here.” Susan has been fascinated by Lillooet history since she was a teenager. She recalls how archaeologists from Simon Fraser University used the pool table in her family’s basement to store, document and photograph artifacts. Later, she worked as a summer student at the museum and a guide at the Visitor Centre.

She says some foreign visitors have pre-conceived notions about Canadians. Some assume everyone speaks French. On one occasion, a solicitous elderly American couple asked her, “How do you make it through the winter, dear?” Australian visitors, toting their parkas, sweaters and umbrellas, have been known to descend from their tour bus and ask if Lillooet is experiencing a very strange, very abnormal heat wave. (FYI: Lillooet shares the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded in B.C. – 44.4 degrees C, or 112 degrees F, in July1941. That’s also the secondhighest temperature ever recorded in Canada). Susan says the best word to describe her job is “fun.” She explains, “When you consider these people are on holiday, 99.9 per cent are in a great mood and good spirits. They like to joke with you and they like to know what people are like here. The conclusion they come to just about every time is ‘People are the same around the world, aren’t they?’”

Faces of Lillooet Jae and Bonah Han

Ten years ago, Jae and Bonah Han decided it was time to leave Vancouver. They ran a grocery store, Jae was involved in a co-operative association for Korean grocers and he was vice-president of the 1,000-member Korean Business Association. Add in their family responsibilities and it was a busy life lived at a strenuous pace. Jae takes up the story: “My friends recommended that I should invest in Lillooet but at that time, I didn’t know where it was. They said it was about a three-hour drive from Vancouver. When I came here, it was August, September and I loved the hot climate and that it was a small town. When I walked around town, I felt comfortable. With that one visit, one time, we decided right away to move to Lillooet.” He adds, “When I like something, I just go!” The Hans haven’t looked back. They own the Hotel DeOro and the adjoining Café DeOro. Jae is active in the Chamber of Commerce, they are enthusiastic supporters of the historic Miyazaki House and they are

happy to open their café’s doors to showcase local performers. On occasion, Jae sits in on drums. The hotel welcomes guests from across North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America and Asia. There have been a few guests from the Hans’ South Korean homeland and they hope to welcome more. “It’s a great experience to meet all kinds of people from all over the world,” says Jae.

The Hans enjoy Lillooet’s climate, good neighbours, food fresh from the garden, the healthy environment, the fresh air and the pace of life. On Fridays, Bonah visits the Farmers Market to see what’s new. Jae encourages others to invest here: “Stay away from Vancouver. It costs too much when you invest your money in a big city. With less money you can go to a small town and start whatever business you like. And there’s less stress!” 35

YOUR TRACKS. STOP INVASIVE STOP SPECIES IN INVASIVE YOUR TRACKS. SPECIES IN TOPYOUR INVASIVE National Invasive Species Awareness Week TRACKS. SPECIES IN Willows at 6 Mile OUR TRACKS. National Invasive Species Awareness Week February 22-28, 2015

From Household to Health & Beauty, Toys to Office Supplies,

WE HAVE IT ALL!

February 22-28, 2015

86 - 7th Ave. Lillooet Across from Esso

250-256-0066

Campground - 10 Minutes from Town • Showers/Laundry • Water/Sewer • Hydro

nal Invasive Species Awareness Week February 22-28, 2015

www.willowscampground.com email:

Help Prevent The Spread Of Invasive Plants And Animals.

• Arrive with clean gear. • Burn local or certified firewood. • Use local or weed-free hay. • Stay on the trails. • Before leaving, remove mud and seeds.

willowscampground@telus.net Ron Marks & Shelley Matheson

7 km S of Lillooet - Hwy 12 S - 250-256-0429

STOP INVASIVE SPECIES IN YOUR TRACKS.

PlayCleanGo is currently sponsored by State of Minnesota and USDA Forest Service, equal opportunity employers. G’D

d Bran

Help Prevent The Spread Of Invasive Plants And Animals.

• Superb Alfalfa/Sweet Clover Honey • Pure Natural Beeswax Candles • Beeswax Furniture Polish • Beeswax Hand Lotion your photo ke & Honey Soap

Photo Credit: Megan Menhinick

Prevent The Spread ent The Help Spread OfPlayCleanGo Invasive Plants Animals. is currently sponsored and by State of Minnesota and USDA Forest Service, equal opportunity employers.

• Arrive with clean gear. • Burn local or certified firewood. • Use local or weed-free hay. • Stay on the trails. • Before leaving, remove mud and seeds.

STOP INVASIVE SPECIES IN YOUR TRACKS.

ve Plants And Animals.

• Arrive with clean gear. • Burn local or certified firewood. ar. • Use local or weed-free hay. d firewood. • Stay on the trails. ee hay. • Before leaving, remove mud and seeds. • Clean, Drain, Dry your boat. ove mud and seeds.

For more information or to report sightings ponsored by State of Minnesota and USDA Forest Service, equal opportunity employers. contact: Jacquie Rasmussen STOP INVASIVE SPECIES IN YOUR TRACKS.

250-256-4292 www.lriss.ca

“We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia”

ee Come s ft. 0 1 e th Bear!

Tours, Groups, & Buses Welcome!

with the bee s!

Your face here! Your face here!

250-256-7231

Cariboo apiaries 4007 Moha Rd. LiLLooet, B.C.

4 km North on Hwy. 40 To Gold Bridge at the Bottom of the Hill.

We’re having a party! And you’re invited.

Mark your calendar for these fun events: • Elks May Day Parade and crowning of the May Queen - May 23 • Walking With Smolts – May 27 • First Adventure Tourism Festival - May 28 • Lions 60th Anniversary Dinner/Dance - May 28 • National Aboriginal Day - June 21. • Canada Day in the Park – July 1 • Apricot Tsaqwem Festival – July 22 to 24 • Winners Edge Sturgeon Derby – July 23 • Harvest Festival – Sept. 17 • Halloween Fireworks and Haunted House Tour – Oct. 31 • Lions Club Christmas Tree Light-Up Ceremony and Santa’s Arrival – Dec. 3 • Lillooet Naturalist Society Annual Christmas Bird Count – last week of December • Lions Club Ice Fishing Derby at Pavilion Lake – January-February, 2017 exact date depends on the thickness of the lake ice • Bridge River Valley WinterFest – Feb. 11-12, 2017 • Lillooet Memorial Curling Club April Fool’s Bonspiel – weekend closest to April Fools • Federation of B.C. Naturalists AGM and field trips – May 4 – 7, 2017

DINAS PLACE Restaurant Specializing in Greek Cuisine, Pizzas & pastas Enjoy El Fresco dining on our patio

•PIZZA • PASTA • STEAKS

Hours: Fully Licensed Mon.-Thurs. 11:30am - 2:30pm 4:30pm - 8:00pm 250-256-4264 Friday 11:30am - 2:30pm 4:30pm - 9:00pm 690 Main St. Saturday 11:30am - 9pm Closed Sundays & Holidays

See our Website: www.dinasplacerestaurant.ca

Lillooet Glass

Got a Windshield Chip? A Flat Tire? No Problem... Come visit us! on Main St. across from the fire hall

561 Main St • Lillooet • 250-256-4111

Lillooet’s Heritage

Miyazaki House Built in the 1880’s for the Phair family, the Miyazaki House is the heart of Lillooet’s gold rush history. Purchased by Dr. Masajiro Miyazaki after WWII, it tells the fascinating story of his life in Lillooet and his many contributions to the community over four decades.

643 Russell Lane, Lillooet, BC (Behind the Post Office) www.miyazakihouse.com Dr. Miyazaki’s original office Open Seasonally Museum, local art, weekly music concerts and community events. Available for private tours and event rentals. 250-256-6808 FB.com/TheMiyazakiHouse/

Like us on

Top quality produce, fresh bakery, deli & meats and award winning service. Our people make the difference!

Your Proud Community Supporter!

Old Mill Plaza 38

250-256-7922

Take a Hike ... with Lillooet’s

Hiking Guide To enjoy the best of Lillooet’s spectacular scenery, climate flora and fauna, how about a refreshing and rewarding hike into the rugged mountains and wildflower meadows surrounding the town? Considered to be the “bible” for hikers in the area, the Lillooet Naturalist Society’s “Canyon to Alpine: Lillooet Hiking Guide” contains trail and access information, route maps and topographical information. Enjoy its spectacular colour photos as you plan your trek, from a leisurely stroll to a more challenging excursion. Enjoy your hike, enjoy your stay, enjoy Lillooet!

Available for sale at various local retailers in Lillooet

Lillooet Naturalist Society www.lillooetnaturalistsociety.org

TRU Continuing Studies LILLOOET

•

LYTTON

•

ASHCROFT

•

CACHE CREEK

YOUR LOCAL CONTRACT TRAINING EXPERT • • • •

Flexible, affordable, convenient Customized training for organizations Training can be delivered off-campus University credit programming available

Located in the Old Mill Plaza, Lillooet p 250-256-4296 | e mhohner@tru.ca tru.ca/regionalcentres/lillooet

Fraser River Lions Trail

Parking: 50°40’54.53”N 121°55’49.37”W Park in Cayoosh Campground close to the Bridge of the 23 Camels. Distance: 2.4 km (1.5 miles). Time: 45 min. one-way. Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Built by the Lillooet Lions Club in the 1990s, the Lions Trail is a staple for local hikers, traversing the bank of the Fraser River through diverse habitat affording breathtaking views of the mighty river.

Bridges Walk

Lillooet Area T -------------------------

Parking: N50° 41’ 43.4’’ W121° 56’ 19.9’’ Park in lot behind REC Centre (access behind Museum). Distance: 8.7km (5.4 mi). Time: 1-hour jog, 2-hour walk. Difficulty: Moderate. Popular route with local runners, walkers and cyclists, crosses the Bridge of 23 Camels and the Old Suspension Bridge, offering gorgeous views of town and the famous river with fabulous mountain backdrops.

Hangman’s Park Trail

Jade Walk

Parking: N50° 42’ 21.7’’ W121° 55’ 55.6’’ Park at Old Mill Plaza. Distance (Time): 2.4 km from mall to cemetery (30-45 minutes), 5.3 km for complete route (1 to 1.5 hours). Difficulty: Easy to moderate. This trail commemorates Lillooet’s history as the site of the first jade mine in BC. Stroll down Lillooet’s Main Street and enjoy over 30 unique pieces of jade, some weighing many tons. Pick up a brochure at KC Health & Gifts.

Golden Mile of History

Parking: N50° 40’ 97.9’’ W121° 55’ 89.1’’ Park at Bridge of the 23 Camels. Distance: 4.5 km (2.8 miles). Time: 1 to 1.5 hours one-way. Difficulty: Easy to moderate walk. This walk highlights the many sights the Lilllooet Historical Society recommends you enjoy in a town whose post-European contact history dates back to the Cariboo Gold Rush. Pick up a “Golden Mile” brochure at the Lillooet Museum and Visitor Info Centre.

Red Rock Trail

Parking: N50° 41’ 52.9’’ W121° 56’ 65.9’’ Park in gravel cul-de-sac at west end of Victoria Street. Distance: 3.4 km (2 mi.) Time: 2 to 3-hour hike Difficulty: Moderate to difficult, 500 metres elevation gain. This popular route takes hikers to the famous Red Rock outcropping 500 metres above town, offering an astounding panorama of the Fraser River valley. Local flora and fauna abound. Take water with you.

az iy n

ou iH t

e re St

Sát’atqwa7 - The River

Parking: N50° 40’ 51.2’’ W121° 55’ 49.7’’ Park in parking area just off Powerhouse Road. Distance: 190 m to 2 km Time: 30 min. to 1 hour. Difficulty: Easy (rocky shoreline). A chance to get up close to the mighty Fraser River. Enjoy a walk through an active ecological restoration site that showcases our beautiful grasslands and Black Cottonwood ecosystem at the confluence of the Seton and Fraser Rivers.

Parking: N50° 40’ 61.9’’ W121° 56’ 09.8’’ Park at Miyazaki House. Distance: 0.3 Miles Time: 1520 minutes. Difficulty: Easy to moderate loop walk. In the heart of Lillooet’s downtown, a brisk walk from the Miyazaki House to the scenic bench where, legend has it, frontier Judge Matthew Begbie hung murderers in the Gold Rush era.

Naxwit Park

Parking: N50° 40’ 25.1’’ W121° 58’ 11.9’’ Park in beautiful, paved wayside park. Distance: 0.35 km (0.2 miles). Time: 10 minutes Difficulty: Easy. A short, easy walk along fast-moving Seton River offers the chance to see mountain goats on the cliffs above and other wildlife. Trails follow spawning channels full of salmon in season. Interpretive signage reveals local ecology and First Nations history.

Seton Spawning Channels

Parking: N50° 40’ 37.1’’ W121° 56’ 39.7’’ Parking lot is off gravel road that is immediately west of Lightfoot Gas. Distance: 1.4 km (0.9 mi.) Time: 20 min. Difficulty: Easy. A pleasant loop around a man-made spawning stream complex built to assist the reproduction of the many species of salmon. When the salmon are running these streams harbour thousands of spawning fish. Now managed by the Sekw’el‘was First Nation.

Campground Trails

Parking: N50° 40’ 06.2’’ W121° 58’ 67.3’’ Park at BC Hydro Campground entrance. Distance: 3.3 kms (2 mi.) Time: 60 minutes. Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Two pretty loop walks connected by a steep hill. The loops go through forest, along Cayoosh Creek and offer awesome mountain views. Across Highway 99 from the upper bench you can access the incredible Seton Lake lookout.

Canal Walk

Parking: N50° 40’ 14.1’’ W121° 58’ 40.6’’ Park on immediate south side of Canal Bridge on Highway 99. Distance: 3.2 kms (2 mi.) one-way Time: 40 minutes Difficulty: Easy. On this level roadway along the south side of the BC Hydro canal which connects Seton Lake with the powerhouse on the Fraser, you walk in the shadow of the majestic towering cliffs at the base Mt. Brew. Watch for waterfowl on the canal. Thanks to Fort Berens Estate Winery, the District of Lillooet, the Lillooet Naturalist Society, the Lillooet Historical Society and Sekw’el’was First Nation for their help with this project. For more trails and information, pick up a copy of ‘Canyon to Alpine, the Lillooet Hiking Guide.’

Seton Lake

Th on do th tra

ea Trail Map - - - - - brought to you by

Fraser

Riv er

12 99

This map is provided as a guide only. The Chamber of Commerce does not take responsibility for the accuracy or safety of the trails included here.

MAP LEGEND Trail Heads Hospital Police Fire Department

Museum & Visitor Centre Campgrounds View Points 99 Provincial Highway 1 kilometre

Scenic Drives With four spectacular scenic drives reaching all corners of the Lillooet area, this is a circle-touring paradise. Explore one scenic drive or use Lillooet as your base and explore all of them.

Coast Mountain Circle Tour

691 kilometres (429 miles) Three to seven days.

CLINTON Fraser River

Kelly Lake

PAVILION

Tyaughton Lake

GOLD BRIDGE

CACHE CREEK 1

Gun Lake

Carp

Brid

ente

Downton Lake

Pavilion Lake

ge R

r Lake

Seton

BRALORNE

iver

Lake

SETON PORTAGE

Anderson Lake

ASHCROFT

LILLOOET

Thompson River

97C

SPENCES BRIDGE

Duffey Lake

PEMBERTON

LEGEND

LYTTON Lillooet Lake

Circle Tour (paved)

WHISTLER

Circle Tour (unpaved) Caution: Some roads are seasonal

1 Fraser River

Highway Number

BOSTON BAR

which winds through rugged wilderness, past snow-capped mountains and glacial lakes to Pemberton. It continues through the Coast Mountains and past the world-famous ski resort at Whistler on the newly upgraded Hwy. 99 to Squamish and the Pacific Ocean and then to Vancouver. East of Vancouver, the trip north along the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) provides a striking transformations in scenery as the metropolitan area gives way to the fertile agricultural heartland of B.C. - the Fraser Valley. Highway 1 follows the Fraser River and the old Cariboo Gold Rush Trail. With their pick-axes, gold pans and mules, prospectors in the 1850s and 1860s endured peril after peril to follow their dreams of gold to the Cariboo. Tunnels along the route are named for former Fraser River gold mining bars. The region around Lytton and Lillooet offer another change of landscape. This semi-arid area receives less than 25 centimetres of rainfall annually and there’s a friendly rivalry between the two towns over which community can claim the title as Canada’s real hot spot.

TO MERRITT SQUAMISH 5 Harrison Lake

HOPE HARRISON HOT SPRINGS

HORSESHOE BAY

VANCOUVER MISSION

7 1

TO PRINCETON

CHILLIWACK

Duffey Lake - Hurley River Road Circle Tour

Some seasonal roads (June to October), 281 km (174 miles): one day

BRITISH COLUMBIA WASHINGTON

The round-trip loop from Lillooet to Vancouver provides some of the most beautiful vistas in southern British Columbia. Starting in Lillooet, this route follows the spectacular Duffey Lake Road (Highway 99),

Grant a Wish

Gifts • Home Decor • Jewellery Fashion & Accessories 600 Block Main Street Downtown Lillooet 250-256-7310 42

Like us on:

The trip to Gold Bridge-Bralorne from Lillooet follows Highway 40, a mostly gravel road, along the steep canyon of the Bridge River. Watch for wildlife and rocks. For a photo op, stop at the spectacular Horseshoe Bend, where the varied rocks and minerals in the hillside tell a fascinating geological story. The road hugs the shoreline of Carpenter

DEANO’S PIZZA

Pizza • Lasagna • Spaghetti TAKE OUT & DELIVERY Free Gluten st Cru e l Availab

682 Main St.

250-256-0064

Brid

Riv

GOLD BRIDGE

Downto

Carp

ente

Year-round gravel road, 68 kilometres (42 miles) 2 ½ hours

r La

r ve Ri

Fountain Valley

n Lake

Lil

loo

Hu (S r le y Ro ea s onal ad )

BRALORNE

Ro al on as

Riv

SETON PORTAGE

LILLOOET

ke La

D'ARCY

Fra R ser

Duffey Lake

PEMBERTON

r ive

MOUNT CURRIE Lillooet Lake

Lake, formed by the construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Bridge River in 1948. Gold Bridge and Bralorne were home to the richest gold mine in Canada for 40 years, until the mine closed in 1971. The area is a hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and rockhounding paradise. The route continues over the Hurley Pass and down into the Pemberton Valley. The final leg of the journey returns to Lillooet via Highway 99 (Duffey Lake Road).

Follow Highway 99 from Lillooet towards Cache Creek to start this tour. Ten minutes out of Lillooet, to the left and across the Fraser River, are the Xwisten (Bridge River First Nation) fishing grounds. Local Aboriginal people fish for salmon here with dip nets, then cut the fish and hang it on racks to dry in the wind. A right turn at the village at (Xaxli’p) Fountain Flats begins the ascent into Fountain Valley, with its beautiful mountain meadows and deciduous forests. Camping and picnicking spots are available at Fountain Lake. Another right turn onto Highway 12 affords a panoramic view of Fountainview Farms, B.C.’s largest grower of organic carrots. Not far north of the Fountain Valley Road intersection is the “Big Slide” ... so massive that the cost of

To Gold Bridge

er ras

To Cache Creek

Rive

FOUNTAIN VILLAGE

u nt

Valley Road

Fountain Lake

LILLOOET

ain

n to Se

40 Grav

Gun Lake

ge id Br

Tyaughton Lake

To Whistler

To Lytton

Winner’s Edge

• Fishing • Hunting • Camping • Clothing & Footwear • Bikes & Accessories

Book your Sturgeon Trips here! Contact: Steve Alain Sturgeon Season runs July - October 31

14th AnnuAl y Sturgeon Derb

100.5 FM www.radiolillooet.ca 250-999-2086 Local news, weather, music and community events

16 July 23rd, 20 OUR SPECIALTY IS SPORTS 644 Main St. 250-256-4848 winnersedge@shaw.ca

widening the road through it is prohibitive. As a result, for a distance of 400 metres the road becomes one lane carved out of the cliff side. Imagine navigating this by wagon or mule!

Pavilion Mountain

and begin the climb to the plateau atop Pavilion Mountain (elevation 1520 metres). The trip offers an exciting drive through the heart of the Diamond S Cattle Ranch, a producer of prime beef for more than a century that’s now raising organic beef. After descending from Pavilion Mountain, the route follows the shoreline of Kelly Lake. A picnic at inviting Downing Provincial Park allows time to enjoy the beauty of this tranquil valley. The road from Kelly Lake leads to Clinton, with its copper-colored mountains and many historic ranches. On the return trip to Lillooet, drop in at historic Hat Creek Ranch, at the junction of Highways 97 and 99, for an old-fashioned western welcome. Be sure to ask about the ghost lurking in the ranch house. Further along Highway 99, the unique limestone pillar of Chimney Rock can be seen to the left. Camping is available at Marble Canyon Provincial Park, and Pavilion and Crown Lakes are lovely places to swim or picnic.

245 kilometres (152 mile) one day This Scenic Drive follows part of the original Cariboo Wagon Road/Gold Rush Trail. Follow Highway 99 north from Lillooet to the aboriginal community of Ts’kw’axylaw (Pavilion). Turn left TO PRINCE GEORGE CLINTON

ser

Fra er

Riv

Kelly Lake

Br ge

PAVILION ve

Ri r

LILLOOET

Pavilion Lake

99 TO CACHE CREEK

TO LYTTON

THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION Br. 66 MEAT DRAWS

FREE

FRIDAY - 5:30 pm SUNDAY - 3:30 pm

• WIFI • Pool Tables • Shuffleboard • Darts

All welcome at our

Apricotfest BBQ

Come see what we are about!

Thanks to our community for your continued support!

ILLOOET EGION 737 Main Street

Mon - Thurs, Sat & Sun 3pm to 7pm Friday - 3pm to ?

250-256-7332

24 Hour Tire Service • Tires • Brakes • Batteries • Front Ends • Oil Changes Hours: Mon–Fri 7:30am–6pm Saturday 8am–5pm After Hours Call Out Service

Ph: 250-256-4131 • 249 Main St. Lillooet www.kaltire.com

Come join us for

Canada Day Celebration in the Park

Friday, July 1st, 2016 11:00 am in Downton Park • Family Activities • Live Music • Face painting Proudly Sponsored in part by:

• Free Balloons • Great Food and Much More Lillooet Museum & Visitor Centre Bridge River

Lillooet News www.lillooetnews.net

For more information, please contact: www.lillooetchamberofcommerce.com 250-256-3578 45

Come join us at the

Apricot Fest Lawn Dance

The Wild Onions Twin Kennedy

Ben Klick

Saturday, July 23rd 6:00 pm to midnight Lillooet REC Centre Lawn

4th Annual Event Gold Coun g n i h c a try Geoc

September 2-5 2016

Starting in Lillooet September 2

September 3 Loon Lake September 4 Clinton September 5 Cache Creek

PHOTO: GUY LUNDSTROM

in Lillooet GeoTour Geocaches QF9

GC1T isten Fishing Rocks at Xw GC1TTXQ Old Bridge 1TTRH ning Channel GC Lower Seton Spaw GC1VKHP Kaoham Shuttle GC1V1V4 Red Rock 3QN6R GC Trail Burkholder Lake N8Q 3Q GC Trail Camelsfoot Peak N7Z 3Q GC ail Horseshoe Bend Tr 3QN60 GC Mission Ridge Trail GC3P2XW Pavilion Lake GC3QN9X Seton Ridge Trail

For more info, visit us online exploregoldcountry.com GoldCountryBC

Explore Gold Country

Photo: Squamish-Lillooet Regional District

LILLOOET LOVELILLOOET.COM While you explore our rugged landscape, discover our unique, local indie businesses!