Discover the winged beauties at Cranberry Marsh in Valemount

from 2020 North Thompson Valley Visitor Guide

by Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association

Hike hut-to-hut on guided excursions through the wilds of Wells Gray Provincial Park

Get your turns in at the Valemount Bike Park

Photo Boosted Imagery your friends and start a game of pick up hockey.

Sensational Summer

Sensational is the word used to describe summer in Valemount. Kick off summer in June 2021 at the vALEmount Craft Beer Experience, a block party-style beer fest with food and music. Explore the trails and boardwalk at Cranberry Marsh. Hawks, eagles, geese, ducks, woodpeckers, owls, swifts, and warblers all make their home here. Look closely and you may spot muskrats, mule deer, moose and even bears.

The Fraser River starts in Mount Robson Provincial Park and it’s where you’ll also find a large inland salmon migration. Hike or heli-hike Mount Robson and experience the sights and sounds of the Valley of a Thousand Falls, Emperor Falls, Berg Lake and Kinney Lake.

Photo Boosted Imagery

Photo Kelly Funk Photography

Steps from Valemount a boaters paradise is found at Kinbasket Lake

Up for a challenge? Then take your mountain bike up to the Valemount Bike Park! There are 25 trails of varying degrees for all ages and abilities. There are also hundreds of miles of service roads for exploring by ATV. For the adventurous, head up Canoe Mountain for stunning 360-degree views. It’s the highest place in North America you can go with a motorized vehicle. For those who prefer a slower ride, sign up for a guided horseback tour of our valley.

White-water rafting, fi shing, boating and swimming are great ways to spend your day on our waters. Take in one of our signature events. We have the annual vALEmount Craft Beer Experience, the Canoe Mountain Rodeo, Mud

Experience the North Thompson during any season

Photo Kelly Funk Photography

Races, or the Robson Valley Music Festival. Close out the summer at the Mount Robson Marathon with a 50 km (31 mi) ultra-marathon, a 25 km (15.5 mi) half-marathon or a 12 km (7.5 mi) or 5 km (3 mi) event.

Accommodation

Sleep steps away from nature at area hotels, motels, inns, B&Bs, vacation rentals, cabins and cottages. Camping is popular here from May to October, so reservations are recommended. There are over 700 campsites in the area with front and backcountry camping and seven full-serviced RV Parks. There are also three provincial campgrounds in Mount Robson Provincial Park.

Photo Kelly Funk Photography

Wilderness... just a step away

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EVENTS

Photo Dan Roberts Photography For more events, dates and times, please visit our site at norththompson.ca

JANUARY

> Ice Man Fishing Derby (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Clearwater Winter Festival (Clearwater/Wells Gray)

FEBRUARY

2 Birch Leg Cross-Country Ski Race (Clearwater/Wells Gray)

MARCH

28 North Thompson Fish & Game Club’s Wild Game Banquet (Barriere) 28-29 North Thompson Agriplex – BC Team Cattle Penning Competitions (Barriere) > LA Community Spaghetti Dinner (Blue River) > First Annual SledFest (Valemount)

APRIL

13 Spring Fling, End of Winter Dance (Blue River) 24-26 Honouring Young Women PowWow (Chu Chua) 25-26 North Thompson Agriplex – BC Team Cattle Penning Competitions (Barriere) > Meet the new Lambs at Averly Ranch (Clearwater/Wells Gray)

MAY

3 Investors Group Walk for Alzheimers, Barriere Seniors Hall (Barriere) 16-18 Junior High School Rodeo, NT Fall Fairgrounds (Barriere) 16-18 Serenity May Long weekend Concert Festival (Clearwater/Wells Gray) 23 North Thompson Fish & Game Club’s Poker Run (Barriere) 17 May Day Parade (Clearwater/Wells Gray) 25-26 High School Rodeo (Valemount) 26 Welcome to Summer, Community BBQ (Blue River) 31 North Thompson Fish and Game Fishing Derby (Barriere) > Saturday Farmers’ Market (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Thursday Farmers’ Market (Barriere)

JUNE

12-14 Valemountain Days (Valemount) 21 North Thompson Fish & Game Club’s Father’s Day Fishing Derby (Barriere) 21 National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations (Clearwater/Wells Gray) 26-28 Old Time Fiddlers Jamboree Fall Fair Hall (Barriere) > Bike Fest (Valemount) > Summer Solstice Disc Golf Tournament (Clearwater) > Thursday Farmers’ Market (Valemount) > Friday Night Bandshell Music in the Park (Barriere) > Saturday Farmers’ Market (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Thursday Farmers’ Market (Barriere) > vALEmount Craft Beer Experience 2021 (Valemount)

JULY

1 Canada Day Celebrations throughout the North Thompson 5 Barriere Show and Shine Fadear Park (Barriere 13-14 Canoe Mountain Rodeo (Valemount) 17-19 Clearwater Kayak Festival (Clearwater/Wells Gray) 20 Canada Parks Day (Mount Robson) Continued on next page

31-2 Kamloopa PowWow (Lower North Thompson) > Thursday Night Concert Series (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Thursday Farmers’ Market (Valemount) > Friday Night Bandshell Music in the Park (Barriere) > Saturday Farmers’ Market (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Thursday Farmers’ Market (Barriere) > Ice Cream Social (Dunster near Valemont)

AUGUST

31-2 Kamloopa PowWow (Lower North Thompson) 1-2 North West Mud Racing (Valemount) 3-5 Blue River Blues Slo-Pitch Tournament (Blue River) 5 Clearwater Children’s Arts Festival (Clearwater/Wells Gray) 14-16 Robson Valley Music Festival (Valemount) 29 Thunder Alley Stomp’n Toy Run (Barriere) 29 Candle Creek Half Marathon (Clearwater) 31 Valemount Marina Fishing Derby (Valemount) > First Fish Ceremony (Simpcw First Nation – north of Clearwater) > The Blueberry Tea (Valemount) TBA > Star Gazing Festival (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Thursday Night Concert Series (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Thursday Farmers’ Market (Valemount) > Friday Night Bandshell Music in the Park (Barriere) > Saturday Farmers’ Market (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Thursday Farmers’ Market (Barriere) > Thunder Alley Stomp’n Toy Run (Barriere)

SEPTEMBER

1 Valemount Marina Fishing Derby (Valemount) 4 BCRA Great West Equipment Wildcard Qualifying Rodeo for the BCRA Finals starts at 1:30 p.m. NT Fall Fairgrounds (Barriere) 5-6 Valemount Marina Fishing Derby (Valemount)

Canada Day Celebrations, Valemont

Photo NTFFRA files - Kristina Bradley

Photo Dan Roberts Photography

5-7 71st Annual North Thompson Fall Fair & the BCRA Polaris Rodeo Finals (Barriere) 12 Mount Robson Marathon Run (Mount Robson) 24-27 4-H BC Agricultural Expo and Sale, NT Fall Fairgrounds (Barriere) > Chu Chua Men’s Softball Tournament (Barriere) > Banff Film Fest World Tour (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Thursday Farmers’ Market (Valemount) > Saturday Farmers’ Market (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Thursday Farmers’ Market (Barriere)

OCTOBER

19 Annual Harvest Dinner, Community Hall (Blue River) 31 Kid’s Halloween Party (Blue River) > Coho Day at Dunn Creek Hatchery (north of Barriere) > Thursday Farmers’ Market (Barriere)

NOVEMBER

11 Remembrance Day (North Thompson Valley)

DECEMBER

8 Christmas Craft Fair (Blue River) 14 Welcome to Winter Dance (Blue River) > Christmas Light Up and Market (Clearwater/Wells Gray) > Christmas Light Up and Shop Local Champaign (Barriere)