DESTINATION PEMBERTON

A charming mountain town in the Garibaldi Range where the crowds are thin, adventure is high and the vibe is chill

BY DESIREE MILLER

TThe iconic Sea-to-Sky drive to Whistler is a well-known road trip for locals and tourists alike. However, for a remote getaway with a change of pace, keep driving. Continuing on Highway 99 just 30 minutes north will take you to the quaint little town of Pemberton. With a foundation built on forestry and agriculture (known for Pemberton potatoes) it’s a peaceful community that has evolved into a backcountry, off-road, mountain mecca for outdoor enthusiasts looking for a more rustic adventure.

The exploration begins just outside of town at Nairn Falls Provincial Park. This well-known pitstop features a 1.5-kilometre hike along the Green River that leads to the trail’s end where a stunning close-up view of Nairn Falls awaits.

Some of the walking edges are exposed and there is a mix of steep and flat surfaces along the trek, but with that in mind, the trail is accessible to most. This can be a quick 40-minute round trip hike, or a place to stay for lunch and relax. The park itself is a great spot for spotting wildlife and taking in nature’s handy work of interesting rock formations formed by countless years of water erosion. The park also has a good provincial campsite that can serve as a base camp for exploring the area.

From here, it’s a five-minute drive to Pemberton where Mount Currie is the star of the show. As the main focal point of the valley, and with an elevation of 2,591 metres, this majestic mountain dominates the skyline. Known as Ts’zil in the St’at’imcets language this is the northernmost summit of the Garibaldi Range and is a mesmerizing presence in the valley.

Pemberton’s village centre is a casual wander by foot with a mix of local shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs and businesses. It’s a quick walk about, with enough to poke around for a feel of what life is like in this area. The General Store is the a great “little” department store, and offers a little bit of everything. It is fun to look around here to find the perfect item you need, or didn’t know you need. Another fun stop is the Pemberton Collective, which features creator and artisan made goods from all around BC, including pottery, jewelry, apparel and more. Small Potatoes Bazaar is an independent home and gift store with an eclectic mix of goods that reflects the laidback vibe of the area.

Pemberton also features some really good eats to check out. Backcountry Pizza is downright unreal. Possibly the best pizza available in the province, it is so amazing that you might want to plan more than one meal around these pies. Daily made dough and homemade sauce, golden brown crust cooked to perfection with cheese melting over the edges and high-quality, farm-fresh ingredients to top it off. Pro tip: leave a time buffer for your order, as busy nights can have a 45 to 60 minute wait.

Mount Currie Coffee Co. was created to reflect the small town feel and honour the adventurous spirit of the community. Fueling customers with a powerful kick-ass cup of coffee and a delicious selection of wraps and paninis, this has become a cult classic for locals and those passing through. For an epic start to the day try the breakfast panini featuring freshly baked focaccia style bread and a homemade pepper spread, shaved ham, cheese and fluffy scrambled eggs. The Pony, also known as the Pony Espresso, is a coffee shop and watering hole wrapped up in one. Featuring food that is locally grown and produced, they serve delicious meals and feature rotating taps. In the old train station in the centre of town is the Blackbird Bakery, serving homemade baked goods with locally sourced, organic and natural ingredients. Fresh breads of potato, ciabatta, baguette and creative creations are baked daily and served with coffee roasted in the Pemberton valley.

County Roads

No doubt, a part of the romance of the area are the country roads that run through this mountain valley. The whimsical Pemberton Farm Tour is a lovely way to meander country roads as you hit-up each farm and get a taste of the area. From Pemberton centre,

Side Trips

Back Road Adventure

The Range Beyond Range Circle Route is a 284-kilometre back-road excursion that loops the rugged backcountry of the Coast, Cayoosh and Chilcotins, through the unceded ancestral lands of Lil’Wat Nation, St’at’imc Nation and the Tŝilhqot’in Nation. This circuit links Pemberton, Lilooet and the Bridge River Valley on a mix of paved and unpaved terrain for a deeper look into remote lands of British Columbia. This is a fourhour drive for those with a high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle. Bringing a spare is recommended. For more in-depth guidance visit tourismpembertonbc.com/rangebeyondrange/

Train Wreck Hike

Off of Highway 99 before you hit Whistler, the Whistler Train Wreck mixes history, art and nature in this adventure with a twist. Seven box cars that were derailed in the 1950s are scattered in the woods near the Cheakamus River. This interactive trek crosses a suspension bridge, winds through a rustic trail and ends on a site with the abandoned boxcars covered in colourful graffiti art. Climb in and over them and explore all around for an intriguing scene. Two of the cars further down the hill have lost their bottom and you can view the rushing river below. Access the trail east of Highway 99 on Cheakamus Lake Road.

Pemberton Meadows Road houses six different farms each with their own harvest and flavour. Blue House Organics, HappiLife Farm, Helmers Organic Farm, Laughing Crow Organics, The Beer Farmers and Plenty Wild Farms each feature unique specialties, seasonal fruits and veg, flowers, herbs, honey and ales.

Heading back to Highway 99 leads you to North Arm Farm with farm fresh breakfast served daily and a U-pick selection throughout the year. For those who want to start the day with a clear mind and soul, outdoor yoga at the farm is held periodically in spring and summer and overlooks Mount Currie. It is truly a unique and special experience. Kids of all ages can feed the resident sheep, chickens and pigs with bags of feed available for three dollars. Pemberton Distillery has farm-to-table spirits, including Pemberton potato vodka.

EPIC SCENERY

Some say it’s the drive of a lifetime. The route from Pemberton to Lillooet is a coveted drive for those who seek roads less travelled. This is where Highway 99 becomes Duffey Lake Road and a series of switchback turns and single lane bridges overlook waterways, mountains, forests and thriving wild-

If You Go

Lodging

Birken Lakeside Resort blrproperties.net

Pemberton Valley Lodge pembertonvalleylodge.com

Log house Inn loghouseinn.com

Food The Pony theponyrestaurant.com

Mile One Eating mileoneeatinghouse.com

Town Square Restaurant townsquarepemberton.com

Mount Currie Coffee mountcurriecoffee.com

Blackbird Bakery blackbirdbread.com

Hops & Spirits Pemberton Brewing pembertonbrewing.ca

The Beer Farmers thebeerfarmers.com

Pemberton Distillery pembertondistillery.com

Farms Plenty Wild plentywild.ca

North Arm Farm northarmfarm.com

Happilife Farm happilife.ca

Blue House Organics bluehouseorganics.ca

Pemberton Farm Tour pembertonfarmtour.com life. Enroute, you’ll pass iconic provincial parks such as Joffre Provincial Lake Park and Duffey Lake Provincial Park. It’s an hour and half drive nonstop from Pemberton to Lillooet, but trust me, you’ll want to stop. Experience first-hand the beauty of turquoise blue waters, glacier streams, sub-alpine forests and fresh mountain air. This is the utopia for hiking, mountaineering, fishing and wilderness camping. There is no gas station on this drive so be prepared!