Pemberton Visitors Guide 2023

2023-2024 FREE

KNOCK ON WOOD

Meet Pemberton’s talented woodworkers

FARM FRESH

Tour Spud Valley’s agricultural offerings

RIDE ON

See the valley by horseback

WELCOME TO PEMBERTON!

TOURISM PEMBERTON

would love to warmly welcome you to our vibrant community. We are glad you are here. Our organization exists to support you, our residents and local businesses. We are fuelled by members, a volunteer board of directors and strong relationships and partnerships with the Village of Pemberton, the Lil’wat Nation and the Squamish Lillooet Regional District. Together, we envision responsible and respectful tourism that holds us accountable for the promotion of local economic growth, access to beautiful terrain, and education on how to best protect our area.

Whether you are visiting us for our amazing bike trails, panoramic hikes, fishing, horseback riding, golfing, paragliding, heli-adventuring, lakes, swimming, birding, camping, indulging in farm produce, finding more about our history at the

museum or being curious about our local art and culture, adventures in Pemberton are as varied as our seed potatoes! We are the place of choice to take the great outdoors all in. The charm of our restaurants, coffee shops and stores will infuse your visit and taste buds with the kind-hearted hospitality of our community.

Our favourite annual Sunday, the Slow Food Cycle, taking place on August 20th, will take you on a truly local experience. Bringing you into the valley on your favourite bike greeted by farmers and assorted local vendors, this iconic event is the brainchild of one of our legendary farmers and it is the agri-tourism event not to be missed!

We thank you for visiting the Pemberton Valley and invite you to take the pledge for your visit to only leave a positive impact. Responsible and sustainable tourism, sharing all the beauty

our town has to offer, is only possible with your collaboration and your caring. Protect our water stream, our soil and our awe-inspiring view by being the accountable and reliable visitor you wish to be. We trust that you choose to travel to our valley with the best intentions and that it will win your heart as it did ours.

We look forward to you taking part and having fun with all the initiatives we prepared for your visit on two or four wheels , in the air or on water or leg powered!

Pemberton: Adventure Begins Here!

Christine Raymond Executive Director / Tourism Pemberton

CHRISTINE NANJI PHOTO / GETTYIMAGES.CA

PHOTO BY MIKE CRANE/GETTY IMAGES

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TOURISM PEMBERTON leads and supports the development of a responsible and sustainable tourism economy for the benefit of local residents and visitors. Our mission is to promote Pemberton and District as a year-round destination for responsible travel and make a positive contribution to the region’s economy and residents’ lifestyle.

We hope you get the chance to experience our beloved town and discover all the reasons we love to live here and that you take part in protecting the unique ecosystem of our valley, mountains and lakes.

We look forward to welcoming you on the following initiatives:

Slow Food Cycle Sunday - August 20th

Backcountry Sanitation Infrastructure

Range Beyond Range Circle Route

Sea to Sky Cultural Connector

Raven Backcountry Festival

Nairn Falls Winter Trail & Parking Access

Agri-tourism Wayfinding Signage

Pemberton Farm Tour

Sea to Sky Biking

BC Ale Traill

HAPPY TRAILS

BY KATE HESKETT

SURROUNDED BY THE INSPIRING PEAKS OF THE PACIFIC RANGES, PEMBERTON HAS LONG BEEN KNOW FOR ITS AGRICULTURAL PROWESS. THESE DAYS, THE NORTHERN-MOST STOP ON THE SEA TO SKY TRAIL HAS ALL OF THE ADRENALINE-FUELLED MOUNTAIN SPORTS, AS WELL AS SOMETHING THAT NEIGHBOURING WHISTLER DOESN’T HAVE: SPACE.

Space to grow, space to move, space to fly. In Pemberton you can take a road trip through a valley of fertile farmland, dotted with organic produce stalls; explore expanses of fresh water lakes, host to migrating birds; play on worldclass golf courses, with five-star mountain views; and for the vertically inclined, enjoy some of the best paragliding on the continent.

Birding and The Pacific Flyway

Birding is a great addition to any outdoor adventure, and a gentle invitation to slow down and start paying attention to the minutiae of the living world around you. Try the easy walking loop around One Mile Lake and concentrate on what you can hear. A hotspot for bird activity, One Mile Lake is part of The Pacific Flyway, a chain of freshwater lakes

and wetlands used by migrating birds that stretches from Patagonia to Alaska.

Trumpeter swans are among the first birds to fly north after the winter, and have a wingspan of up to two metres. They’re North America’s heaviest waterfowl and are a great “beginner bird” as

their size and white plumage make them easy to identify. These elegant swimmers are also fun to watch on land as they awkwardly waddle about. They can often be seen in the Pemberton Meadows paddocks when the snow melts, digging in the mud for food.

If you’re in the Meadows, keep an eye out for the stunning mountain bluebird, whose brilliant blue plumage will have you thinking someone photoshopped them into real life.

For more birding information, checklists and song identification, go to eBird.org

Soaring Above It All

For four generations, the Miller family has owned and operated its nearly 500-acre Pemberton Meadows farm, raising cattle and potatoes dating back to the 1890s. But the allorganic farm is anything but dated.

These days, along with their regular farm operations, the Millers also run one of the best spots in the Sea to Sky to catch a few rays with a craft beer in hand: The Beer Farmers. And the name isn’t a gimmick either. The Beer

PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA

PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

Farmers were the first brewery in B.C.—and one of only a handful on the planet—to grow and malt their own barley onsite. Add to that the fact they source local hops and use the same pristine well water they use for their certified-organic farm fields, and you can be sure you’re getting the freshest brews available, from field to bottle.

Don’t forget to stop for a pint in its expansive tasting room, which, in the summer, opens right onto the farm’s land.

Golfer’s Paradise

SUNSTONE GOLF CLUB - 1730 AIRPORT RD

BIG SKY GOLF - 1690 AIRPORT ROAD

Set at the foot of majestic Mt. Currie, Pemberton has two 18-hole, bent grass golf

courses lying side by side—Big Sky Golf and Sunstone Golf Club. Located within a 25-minute drive of Whistler’s golfing options, crowds are minimal, tee-off times can be easier to secure and, invariably, the weather is warmer.

Rated four-and-a-half stars by Golf Digest and the Best Public/Resort Course in B.C., Big Sky Golf is suitable for golfers of any ability.

Sunstone Golf Club offers distinctly different layouts for both the front and back nine holes, with the tighter, forested back nine offering a more challenging game that can surprise even the most seasoned golfer.

THE COZY GOLF CAFE - 108 7433 FRONTIER STREET

Too wet to play outside? The Cozy Golf Cafe is a year-round indoor driving range, where you can practice your shots with state-of-the-art golf simulators. Suitable for all skill levels, you

can play through courses, or challenge your friends, and be ready to make the most of the summer months.

Range Beyond Range

If you have extra time, and a sturdy vehicle, why not explore further afield with the Range Beyond Range self-tour. This adventurous loop connects Pemberton with Lillooet, and the Bridge River Valley, and passes through the unceded ancestral lands of the Líl ’ wat Nation, the St’at’imc Nation, and the Tsˆilhqot’in Nation. Not for the faint hearted, the rugged terrain rewards prepared travellers with a deeper connection to the land and its history.

For more information and driving times head to tourismpembertonbc.com/rangebeyondrange.

PHOTOS BY ROBERT WISLA

FACES OF THE VALLEY

Olivier Godbout, Woodworker

IF YOU GO ON A TOUR of Olivier Godbout’s wood library, which is filled with slabs of different species, shapes and sizes, he’ll point to one and tell you its story.

A rich walnut that made its journey to his Wood Streams shop in the Industrial Park in Pemberton from Sacramento. Another, a white oak from Abbotsford that had been salvaged. Then a memory of how he cut into a big leaf maple from Maple Ridge, only to find gunshot pellets from someone hunting years ago. It’s a countertop in Owl Ridge now.

“I imagine myself at 85-years-old inviting someone into the library, pulling out a slab, blowing off the dust, and feeling the magic of when I first found it and milled it,” he says. It’s a lifelong dream for Godbout who started woodworking at just eight years old.

Instead of relying on third-party wood suppliers or millworkers, Godbout chooses to mill logs himself using his intimate knowledge and vision for them. “The woodworker really sees the full potential of a log,” he says, quoting American woodworker George Nakashima.

And much like the trees he works with, with life spans into the hundreds, time seems to move for Godbout on a different scale. In sharp contrast to fast fashion, food and furniture, his Tree to Table philosophy slows everything down.

Behind his philosophy is a three- to four-year drying process for any single log that arrives at Wood Streams. “The slower you dry the wood the better it will be,” he explains. Godbout uses solar and electric kilns he

designed and built from scratch to carefully bring their humidity content down from as high as 70 per cent to the desirable seven to nine per cent. Only then are the wooden slabs considered stable and ready to be transformed into custom furniture for his clients.

“Clients can choose the colour or the grain that goes with their house from the wood library,” he says. “They can find the one that appeals to them. We can create a base that is totally different from any other they’ve seen before. Clients are really creating, they’re in the process—we do it together.”

The result is wholly unique furniture of exquisite quality, which has caught the attention of clients across Canada, and recently, of interior designer Sarah Richardson. While filming the HGTV series Sarah’s Mountain Escape in Whistler, Richardson worked with Godbout to create a sleek dining table that was symbolic of her family.

“The value of our work, yes, it’s in the beauty of the tree, but it’s also the value in the story,” says Godbout. “The story includes how clients take part in the project and the Tree to Table.”

FIND WOOD STREAMS AT WWW.WOODSTREAMS.COM.

PHOTOS BY DAVID BUZZARD

PEMBERTON: WHERE YOUR ROOTS HAVE TIME TO GROW.

PEMBERTON: WHERE YOUR ROOTS HAVE TIME TO GROW.

PEMBERTON: WHERE YOUR ROOTS HAVE TIME TO GROW.

PEMBERTON: WHERE YOUR ROOTS HAVE TIME TO GROW.

PEMBERTON: WHERE YOUR ROOTS HAVE TIME TO GROW.

It’s no secret that I love Pemberton. Born and raised in the Pemberton Valley, I am the fourth generation of my family to call this beautiful valley home and this little slice of paradise has my heart. I know the valley and the people; I truly enjoy sharing my love of Pemberton with others and helping them to find the perfect property to call home.

It’s no secret that I love Pemberton. Born and raised in the Pemberton Valley, I am the fourth generation of my family to call this beautiful valley home and this little slice of paradise has my heart. I know the valley and the people; I truly enjoy sharing my love of Pemberton with others and helping them to find the perfect property to call home.

It’s no secret that I love Pemberton. Born and raised in the Pemberton Valley, I am the fourth generation of my family to call this beautiful valley home and this little slice of paradise has my heart. I know the valley and the people; I truly enjoy sharing my love of Pemberton with others and helping them to find the perfect property to call home.

It’s no secret that I love Pemberton. Born and raised in the Pemberton Valley, I am the fourth generation of my family to call this beautiful valley home and this little slice of paradise has my heart. I know the valley and the people; I truly enjoy sharing my love of Pemberton with others and helping them to find the perfect property to call home.

As a licenced Realtor ® with over 15 years experience I have the skills, background and knowledge to guide you through the process with confidence.

As a licenced Realtor ® with over 15 years experience I have the skills, background and knowledge to guide you through the process with confidence.

As a licenced Realtor ® with over 15 years experience I have the skills, background and knowledge to guide you through the process with confidence.

As a licenced Realtor ® with over 15 years experience I have the skills, background and knowledge to guide you through the process with confidence.

Come home to Pemberton! Born and raised in the Pemberton Valley, I am the fourth generation of my family to call this beautiful valley home and this little slice of paradise has my heart. I know the valley and the people; I truly enjoy sharing my love of Pemberton with others and helping them to find the perfect property to call home. As a licenced Realtor® with over 19 years experience I have the skills, background and knowledge to guide you through the process with confidence. Let’s connect!

REALESTATEPEMBERTON .COM

REALESTATEPEMBERTON .COM ( 604-698-5128 ( 1-877-242-2488 ext.333 danielle@wrec.com

REALESTATEPEMBERTON .COM

( 604-698-5128 ( 1-877-242-2488 ext.333 danielle@wrec.com

( 604-698-5128 ( 1-877-242-2488 ext.333 danielle@wrec.com

REALESTATEPEMBERTON ( 604-698-5128 ( 1-877-242-2488 ext.333 danielle@wrec.com

Toll-free 1-877-242-2443 ext 333

Victoria Saddleman, Lil’wat jewelry designer

“WHEN YOU WEAR MY JEWELRY, you are wearing a piece of the land everywhere you go,” says Victoria Saddleman, a 24-year-old jewelry designer from Lil’wat Nation, a vibrant First Nations community just outside Pemberton. As the daughter of Raymond Saddleman, a Syilx woodworking artist also based in Lil’wat, Saddleman comes from a long line of artisans. When the COVID-19 pandemic caused her former workplace, the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) to temporarily close in 2020, she decided to finally pursue a long-held idea of creating wooden jewelry. “In my culture, we are taught that wood is a very good energy source. So I thought, what if I could help people wear that?”

Saddleman explains.

She approached her father with the idea and he taught her how to use a bandsaw for the very first time. She spent that summer learning how to make wooden pendants. It was then that she decided that she’d only ever use fallen or salvaged branches.

“As Indigenous people, when we go out to hunt or fish we are told to only take what we need,” Saddleman shares. “When I go out to look for branches for my jewelry, I do the same.”

Her business is aptly named Sziktsút (zikshoot) Creations, which means Fallen Tree in Ucwalmícwts. “A lot of what I do is clean up trails,” she says.

Three years on, Saddleman has dedicated herself to her business and her craft. She creates wooden pendants for bracelets, earrings and necklaces out of cedar, pine, alder and vine maple branches collected from her traditional territory. Recently, her father brought juniper branches from his home community. Each brings something different to the finished pieces.

Not only do Saddleman’s customers get to wear her visually striking pendants, she says they can benefit from them as well. “People tell me that when they wear my jewelry, they feel lighter. I believe the wood absorbs the energy.”

Saddleman’s jewelry line found its first retail home in 2021 at the Pemberton Collective, located on Portage Road, where she works part-time. You can now also find her work in the SLCC Gift Shop, The Velvet Underground, and Arts Whistler. This summer, she’ll be selling at the Squamish and Whistler Farmers’ Markets.  When asked about what she hopes for the future of her business, she refers to the Seven Generations teaching. It encourages sustainable practices that will protect future generations. “I’m not trying to build my business to be so big that it’ll tear down a tree,” she reflects. “I will only take what the forest is ready to give.”

FIND @SZIKTSUT.CREATIONS ON INSTAGRAM.

PHOTO BY DAVID BUZZARD

Johnny “Foon” Chilton, Founder & Lead Craftsman

WHEN A YELLOW CEDAR needed to be cleared off Franz’s Run, a popular west-facing ski trail in Whistler, a friend of Johnny “Foon” Chilton dragged it down and gave it to him.

Foon took it to a local mill and turned it into several pairs of skis, including one set he kept for himself. He later skied on them right past where the tree had come down.

“It’s all connected,” Foon says. “It’s almost like it was meant to happen, like the forest pushed it out so we could ski.”

This symbiotic relationship has driven much of the success behind Foon Skis, his business and namesake located in the Industrial Park in Pemberton. Foon is known for producing impeccably handcrafted skis that are local to their core and designed for the terrain they come from.

It all started in 2009 when Foon, a professional skier, decided he was tired of waiting for someone else to make him the perfect pair of skis.

“I knew that skis were the single biggest tool that could make you a better skier through their design and construction. So, I thought, why don’t I just make them?” Foon shares.

Using old cabinet making skills and insight he’d gleaned from ski manufacturers in Austria, he produced the first set of his nowrenowned “Tyfoons” in his basement.

In the beginning, most of his skis were mainly made from fir, the “workhorse of the coast forest wood,” he explains.

Then, on a whim, Foon tried out yellow cedar. He quickly realized the lightweight, subalpine tree was uniquely formed for skis.

“Yellow cedar is full of natural oils that allow it to absorb vibration,” he says. “They’re super damp, so you don’t need to add other materials. You get it naturally in the core.” Foon then adds two strips of big leaf maple for strength and screw retention.

Yellow cedar and big leaf maple both grow in abundance within a short radius from Pemberton and Whistler. That radius acts much like a compass for Foon for his business. He aims to partner with local businesses and artists whenever possible. Not only is it a more sustainable model, but he believes it builds stronger communities too.

“Living in Pemberton and Whistler for most of my life now, this place has an effect on you,” he says. “Making decisions like these matters. Living here makes you think that way.”

Now 62, Foon is starting to think about his legacy and what he’ll do after retirement. “I know I want to work with wood for the rest of my life,” he says, holding up a new powsurfer he’s been perfecting in the hopes of offering a real alternative to cumbersome touring gear. “The more people we can get to see the coastal mountains, the more they will care and want to save it.”

PHOTO BY BLAKE JORGENSON

SUNSTONE GOLF CLUB SUNSTONE GOLF CLUB

BAR & GRILL BAR & GRILL

EPIC VIEWS

Don't believe us? Come in and see it with your own eyes!

We promise it's worth the drive! Call us: 604-894-6197

Plus, we know a Guy with a Jet Boat! If you want we could set you up with him Ask us how!

GREAT GOLF

Show us who else in the Sea to Sky area has a Par 4 - Island Green below a Mountain & NO DRESS CODE!

Plus, if you ask us nicely, we might be able to set up a booking for a helicopter ride to the 19th tee on top of the mountain! (The one in the picture)

FABULOUS FOOD

Yeah our Food is great! We eat here all the time We've all stopped bringing our lunches and just let The Chef cook for us now!

The views are awesome from any of our 2 patios We also offer Brunch on the weekends, a Pool Table, & Sports on 6 TVs Life is good at Sunstone!

FROM ONE-HOUR MEANDERS TO OVERNIGHT CAMPING TRIPS, ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO SEE SPUD VALLEY IS BY HORSE

BRIGITTE MAH

IT’S NOT EVERY DAY A PERSON GETS TO SADDLE UP A HORSE AND RIDE THROUGH GRASSY MEADOWS, UP RUGGED PEAKS OR THROUGH A RUNNING RIVER, BUT IT’S POSSIBLE TO DO ALL THREE AT COPPER CAYUSE OUTFITTERS.

Located just an eight-minute drive from Pemberton’s village centre, Copper Cayuse Outfitters is a locally operated horse ranch that’s quickly gaining international recognition. Owners Don Coggins and Dudley Kennett come from a long history of riding and backcountry

travels, and created the company to share their passion for horses and exploring. While many would say their memorable Wild West adventure at the ranch is because of the down-to-earth experienced staff, the grilled homestyle meals, or the stunning scenery, Coggins says it’s really about the horses.

“Everyone thinks it’s about the riders and riding, but it’s not,” he says. “It’s about the horses.”

All of the ranch’s gentle horses are geldings purchased from the local Lil’wat Nation.

“It’s not that mares make bad saddle horses,” says Coggins. “But when they get in with the boys, the boys start acting like stallions.”

The benefit of purchasing local horses is farreaching, including mutual support between the Nation and the ranch, but it also comes in handy on the backcountry trails if the horses happen to encounter a bear.

“These guys grew up in this area,” says Coggins. “They’ve run into bears and cats so when they see them they don’t worry.”

Not that there are many bear encounters— because horses aren’t as quiet as people assume they are—but the terrain they travel in is grizzly and black bear country. The trails are also home to deer, moose and cougars.

“They hear us and tend to move out of the way,” says Coggins. “The bear doesn’t see you as two things when you’re on a horse.”

Coggins and the wrangling team—many of whom are women—make a point of sharing each horse’s story with the guests, so that they get to know them, and in turn, trust them.

PHOTOS BY HAPPILIFE

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The ranch offers a variety of horseback riding experiences, each with a destination to give a purpose to the ride.

Visitors looking to satisfy their curiosity without a long commitment can take a one-hour ride on flat terrain along the dike, through wooded forest, and into the running waters of Miller Creek.

The two-hour riders experience similar flat terrain and grassy fields, but from a different perspective, all with the dramatic snow-covered Mount Currie in the backdrop.

Those looking to do some trail climbing on horseback can choose from half- or fullday rides, which meet at the trailhead on Birkenhead River Road, then ride up steeper mountain trails and through forests overlooking inspiring scenery.

Half-day rides loop back through the woods, while full-day rides head to scenic Birkenhead Lake.

For the hearty adventurers who want to slow the pace of their lives and connect to land and animal, the three-day backcountry trips are a unique way to live a moment of Wild West history, with a little bit of comfort.

“We try to make it as much the way people 50 years ago would have tried to do it or have done it, but without the angst,” says Coggins, who does most of the cooking on the camp’s grill, and makes his famous dessert jars for postdinner campfire enjoyment.

Backcountry riders will cross rivers, visit lakes, and explore forests, while gaining roughly 1,524 metres in elevation over the course of the trip. Riders will marvel at the athleticism of their horses, as they climb steep singletrack and stop

for only 30 seconds to catch their breath.

“These guys from Mount Currie, they’ve done this all their life,” says Coggins.

Camp is rustic “glamping” with everything from tents on platforms, sleeping bags, towel, washcloths, hot showers, covered eating area, and fire pits.

“When people get on the horse they’re just taking what they need,” said Coggins. “We don’t have to pack the horse.”

Riders get two nights of star-lit skies and campfire stories as they satisfy their soul’s craving for adventure, legend, history, and nature in a true Western trip that leaves their hearts and stomachs full, and maybe a little more wild.

FOR FULL DETAILS VISIT COPPERCAYUSEOUTFITTERS.CA.

Open June to October Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 5pm Pembertonmuseum.org Check us out for your special event!

Take a step back in time and explore Pemberton’s early days!

We have guided tours, activities for all ages and special events through out the year

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VISIT SPUD VALLEY’S FERTILE FARMLANDS

FROM THE PEMBERTON FARM TOUR TO THE SLOW FOOD CYCLE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF WAYS TO GET A BEHINDTHE-SCENES PEEK INTO THE VALLEY’S AGRICULTURE

ROBERT WISLA

OVER A DECADE AGO, KERRY MCCANN MET ANDREW BUDGELL, AND IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG UNTIL THEY DISCOVERED THEY SHARED A DREAM OF GROWING VEGETABLES AND CALLING THE PEMBERTON VALLEY HOME.

“We discovered we had a mutual ambition to try and grow vegetables and do something that

could feed our community and be involved with land and stewardship. And I guess the farm is the vessel for that ambition,” McCann says.

That became the motivation behind Laughing Crow Organics.

The farm has grown from a half acre of salad greens to over 15 acres, with an honour stand, a well-supported Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership list, a self-pick flower patch, and a very popular sunflower maze that features more than 100,000 sunflowers in the fall.

Laughing Crow Organics is one of many local farming success stories you can experience firsthand on the self-guided Pemberton Farm Tour, which takes you to eight of the most picturesque and tasty agritourism destinations in the Pemberton region.

First established in 2019, the farm tour connects eight farms throughout the Pemberton region. These include Laughing Crow Organics, The Beer Farmers, Blue House Organics, Plenty Wild Farm, North Arm Farm, HappiLife Farm, Helmer’s Organic Farm and Blackwater Creek Orchard.

PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA

PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA

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Signs through the Pemberton Valley guide folks as they go from farm to farm, experiencing what each unique place offers on the increasingly expanding farm tour. You can go at your own pace, doing every farm in a day or taking your time doing it over multiple days.

Budgell helped start the farm tour and has witnessed the success of jointly marketing the different farms throughout the region. “We’ve always tried to come up with new ways where the different farms [could] coordinate and cooperate. It’s a pretty nice way to do it,” Budgell says. “You end up in one place, [and] you find the other places, so that was the idea.”

“There’s lots of opportunity to share customers and plenty to go around. So everybody’s pretty excited to collaborate and share on that, and honestly, no matter what the climate was, everybody would be pretty excited to coordinate on that stuff.”

A perfect example of that farm-to-farm synergy is The Beers Farmers, located right next door to Laughing Crows. They work off each other’s strengths with the popular sunflower maze and

pumpkin patch bringing folks to the area, people staying for a pint, and vice versa.

The Beer Farmers brewery is the perfect spot to enjoy a pint in their tasting room or soak in the view on their large patio looking out towards the valley. The operation is one of the few in the province that grows its barley on-site and has become a hallmark of sustainable beer production.

One of the remarkable things about the farm tour is how close all the farms are to one another. Within a few minutes’ drive from the brewery, many farms specialize in organic produce.

Helmer’s Organic Farm is a fourth-generation farm offering some of the best seed potatoes in the province, which have helped give the Pemberton Valley its famous moniker of Spud Valley. In addition to great potatoes, they also grow various vegetables, such as garlic and parsnips, available at their farm stand.

Just a short drive down the road from Helmers’ is Blue House Organics. This 20-acre farm offers a unique agro-tourism experience where visitors can learn about the farming operation

and stay overnight in their five-bedroom, modern farmhouse.

Another great spot to get some organic vegetables is Happilife Organics. This 14-acre farm has a variety of produce at its farm stand and is well known for its colourful, freshly picked flower bouquets. You can even sign up for a subscription and receive some daffodils, tulips, sunflowers and more every week.

Plenty Wild Farm is the final (or first, depending on your direction) farm to visit on Pemberton Meadows Road. A small-scale certified organic family-run operation, this farm grows over 50 varieties of vegetables, from carrots to tomatoes and unique products like celeriac and kohlrabi.

North Arm Farm is one of the most popular destinations in the Pemberton Valley and for a good reason. Located right on Highway 99, this 50-acre farm features everything from self-pick strawberries, blueberries and a pumpkin patch to a restaurant, a farm store and homemade ice cream that the whole family can enjoy, especially on those hot summer days.

PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA

The farm offers people an opportunity to learn about where their produce comes from and aims to educate people about farming in the Pemberton region. “I hope that’s a draw for people because I know people when they come here they want to learn, they want to understand,” owner Jordan Sturdy says. “I think people feel that there’s value in coming away a little better educated than when they arrived.”

Blackwater Creek Orchard is a recent addition to the farm tour and is located a

bit further away from the Pemberton Valley in a lesser-known area of the Sea to Sky known as Devine. This area is renowned for its proximity to Gates, Anderson and Birkenhead Lakes, a popular draw for locals and tourists alike.

Riley Peterson and Olivia Kester took over the acreage in 2017 from Peterson’s grandparents and have slowly expanded it into a thriving five-acre orchard which offers cherries, plums, pears, grapes, watermelons, peaches and a range of

vegetables. While the farm is more remote than the others on tour, it’s worth checking out and grabbing some delicious fruit, especially if you want to have a nice picnic at one of the lakes in the area.

For each farm’s hours and to download a map of the route, visit www.pembertonfarmtour.com. But perhaps the best way to see the area’s many farms is to hop on a bike for the Slow Food Cycle, a 40-km ride down Pemberton Meadows Road with stops at participating farms. This year, the event is set for Aug. 20, 2023.

For more, visit https://tourismpembertonbc. com/slow-food-cycle-sunday/.

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“We’ve always tried to come up with new ways where the different farms [could] coordinate and cooperate. It’s a pretty nice way to do it. You end up in one place, [and] you find the other places, so that was the idea.” - ANDREW BUDGELL

PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA

Olivia Kester and Riley Peterson of Blackwater Creek Orchard

HELI-TOURING OFFERS INTO PEMBERTON’S

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLACKCOMB HELI

HELI-TOURING OFFERS A LEG UP PEMBERTON’S BACKCOUNTRY

WHETHER YOU’RE SKI TOURING OR SPLITBOARDING, OPTIONS ABOUND FOR OVERNIGHT ADVENTURES ACCESSED BY HELICOPTER

KATE HESKETT

BOASTING SOME OF THE FINEST BACKCOUNTRY SKI TERRAIN IN SOUTHWEST B.C., PEMBERTON HAS A CULTURE OF “EARNING YOUR TURNS,” OR PUTTING IN THE HARD YARDS UPHILL, BEFORE ENJOYING THE EXHILARATION OF FRESH POWDER TURNS GOING DOWN. BUT WITH SO MANY MOUNTAINS TO EXPLORE, A LOT OF THE BEST TERRAIN CAN BE HARD TO REACH ON FOOT.

BLACKCOMB HELICOPTERS - ALPX YURT

For the last 30 years, Blackcomb Helicopters have been making a name for themselves as the leading helicopter touring company in the Pacific Northwest. Their tourism division, AlpX, is now offering accommodations for small groups in their new premium backcountry shelter, the AlpX Yurt.

Nestled high in the Pemberton mountains, the yurt is located outside of motorized access, amidst prime backcountry touring terrain, and is available to book with or without a guide.

At the start of the day a helicopter drops you, and your gear, directly at the yurt, so that you can make the most of your time in the mountains. With propane heating and a cookstove, bunks with mattresses and pillows, a kitchen with all the amenities (including a coffee press), and plenty of space to dry out your gear at night, the yurt is a great place to relax after a full day of touring.

The complex terrain in the area offers intermediate to expert options, however all areas are within complex avalanche terrain, and previous backcountry ski touring or splitboarding experience is required.

As with all winter backcountry activities, Avalanche Skills Training (AST) and refresher courses are strongly recommended for all participants. For those who choose to adventure with a certified guide, the AlpX Yurt experience also includes avalanche safety equipment, a radio, and emergency communication devices.

WHITECAP ALPINE - MCGILLIVRAY PASS LODGE AND WHITECAP BASE CAMP

For longer stays with a full-service experience, nothing beats the creature comforts of Whitecap Alpine’s McGillivray Pass Lodge.

Built in the 1970s, with room for up to 15 guests, the lodge can be completely bought out for private groups, and can also accommodate singles. Each lodge stay includes three days of fully guided backcountry touring, and guests are usually split into two groups based on objectives and ability.

Amenities include private rooms, showers, a sauna, a full-time chef and caretaker. Wifi is also available. All food is included and prepared for you, so at the end of the day there’s nothing left to do but swap stories and enjoy the beautiful aprés spread.

In addition, the new Whitecap Base Camp offers guests a premium winter camping trip,

without all the planning. You’ll arrive at camp by helicopter to find everything set up and waiting for you, including private two-person sleeping tents big enough to stand up in, with propane heaters, cots, and plenty of space to dry all your gear.

All meals are catered, and the communal tent is a great space for dining, dancing, and socializing. Base Camp is situated at the outer edge of Whitecap’s tenure, and offers guests exclusive access to the surrounding terrain. With room for up to six people, it also has good availability compared to the lodge, which often books out quickly with return guests.

All Whitecap Alpine tours are led by ACMG certified guides, and all you need to bring are your skis or splitboard, and a sleeping bag.

Heli-touring is an attractive option for a growing number of people who appreciate the greater access that an initial lift into the mountains can provide, particularly when strapped for time.

After decades of being the realm of only the fittest and most experienced athletes, the backcountry is fast becoming a place where more people can go to commune with nature, escape the hustle and bustle of busy resort towns, and just enjoy a deeper connection with the mountains.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLACKCOMB HELI

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WHITECAP ALPINE

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLACKCOMB HELI

PEDAL POWER

VISITORS AND LOCALS OF ALL AGES CAN FIND FUN ON TWO WHEELS IN PEMBERTON

BRIGITTE

The world-class trails, located on the unceded land of the Lil’wat Nation, offer some of the most fun, challenging, and technical opportunities in the Sea to Sky region.

Before you head out for a ride, here are some things to know about trails in Pemberton:

• Trails are for all. Many different user groups enjoy the trails in Pemberton, so knowing what to expect when you’re on a trail shared by hikers, runners, mountain bikers and horse

riders is important. Keeping dogs under control makes for a safe time out for everyone.

• It’s important to earn your turns. While many communities encourage truck shuttling to access trails quickly and easily, the live-by phrase in town is “In Pemberton We Pedal.” Riding to the top is a great way to improve fitness and reduce your carbon footprint.

• Bring sunscreen, bug spray, and plenty of water. In the summer it can get hot with temperatures up to 40 C, and mosquitoes in Pemberton are of a special resilient variety.

• Consider the impact of weather on trail conditions. Pemberton’s special valley environment, which merges a temperate rain forest with a dry continental interior, can cause trails in July, August and September to be loose and dusty.

• Pemberton is bear country. Be bear aware and prepared, and know that you could round a

corner and bump into a furry backside.

• The post ride is just as important. Visiting any number of local eating and drinking establishments helps give back to the community and the volunteers who help build the trails and may work there. North Arm Farm, The HWY Cafe, Pemberton Brewing Co., Backcountry Pizza, Mile One Eating House, Mount Currie Coffee Co., The Pony, Town Square Restaurant, Blackbird Bakery, Fish & Rice, Stay Wild, A Chef’s Life, The Beer Farmers are all popular post ride destinations—though no one will judge you if you visit before for a grab-and-go snack.

• Give back. All the trails are built on the backs of volunteers, so consider donating to the Pemberton Valley Trails Association or the Pemberton Off Road Cycling Association to keep the trails you enjoyed open and safe for future riders. Visit pembertontrails.com/ give-back.

BIKE SKILLS PARK OPENING IN PEMBERTON IN JULY 2022. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE VILLAGE OF PEMBERTON

PHOTO BY NEVE PETERSON / ANCIENT CEDARS LODGE

MAH

WITH ITS ROLLING HILLS, RUGGED PEAKS AND GRASSY MEADOWS, PEMBERTON HAS BECOME A BIKING DESTINATION FOR MANY VISITORS AS IT BOASTS DIVERSE PEDALLING OPPORTUNITIES FOR RIDERS OF ALL LEVELS.

Where To Go

THE BIKE SKILLS PARK

Opened in 2022, the Bike Skills Park at Den Duyf Park is a great place to start because it offers free riding in three ways: dirt jumps, a pump track, and a skills park.

The skills park helps build confidence and develop bike-body separation as riders go over teeter-totters, flat bridges, double rollers, and a curved bridge.

At the pump track, riders work on fine tuning ways to maximize momentum and develop speed without pedalling. They can practice rolling through berms and try their hand at the

advanced big wall.

The dirt jumps are where riders can work on getting confident being in the air and understanding how their bike handles in the air and on the landing.

The best part about the Bike Skills Park is that it isn’t for one specific rider. Where early riders and younger children may roll over a particular feature, more advanced riders can gap jump. Riders in their seventies have used the park, as have parents with toddlers on Mac Rides.

VALLEY LOOP TRAIL

For those wanting a flat, picturesque trail, this 7.5-kilometre loop starts at the Visitors’ Centre and meanders through riverside woods, creeks

and active farmland. Grab a coffee and snack before or after your ride from one of the local eateries in town.

BLACK TRAILS

There are a number of blue and black trails— though, depending on your experience, all the blue trails may feel like black trails. Fun, fast and a little spicy, these trails are for experienced riders.

Fat Tug is a popular trail, and can be accessed right from town and then up into the woods. Another popular and iconic trail, Cream Puff, is closed for the entire 2023 season.  Visit porcabikes.com and pembertontrails.com to learn more.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

FESCUES RESTAURANT AT BIG SKY GOLF CLUB

1690 Airport Road | 604 894 6106

SUNSTONE BAR & GRILL

1730 Airport Road | 604 894 6197

FISH & RICE

102-7433 Frontier Street | 604 894 0016

MOUNT CURRIE COFFEE CO.

2-7331 Arbutus Street | 604 894 3388

TOWN SQUARE RESTAURANT

7439 Frontier Street | 604 894 3364

MILE ONE EATING HOUSE

107-7330 Arbutus Street | 604 384 3842

SUNSTONE GOLF CLUB

1730 Airport Road | 604 894 6197

BLACKCOMB HELICOPTERS

1850 Airport Road | 1 800 330 4354

BIG SKY GOLF CLUB

1690 Airport Road | 604 894 6106

PEMBERTON & DISTRICT MUSEUM & ARCHIVES SOCIETY

7455 Prospect Street | 604 894 5504

REMAX SEA TO SKY REAL ESTATE - PEMBERTON

1411 Portage Road | 604 894 6616

DANIELLE MENZEL

danielle@wrec.com | 604 698 5128

FRANK INGHAM

frank@frankingham.com | 604 230 8167

WHISTLER REAL ESTATE COMPANY - PEMBERTON

5-7331 Arbutus Street | 604 894 5166

PEMBERTON VALLEY SUPERMARKET

7438 Prospect Street | 604 894 3663

STAY WILD NATURAL HEALTH

106-7445 Frontier Street | 604 894 8884

BIKE CO.

1-1392 Portage Road – 604 894 6625

PEMBERTON BREWING CO.

5/6-1936 Stonecutter Place | 604 894 2337

ANIMAL BARN

1-1384 Portage Road | 604 894 6740

NORTH ARM FARM

1888 Highway 99 | 604 894 5379

CONNECTIONS WELLNESS STUDIO

3-1384 Portage Road | 604 894 1223

VILLAGE OF PEMBERTON

7400 Prospect Street | 604 894 6135

TOURISM PEMBERTON

PO Box 602 – info@tourismpembertonbc.com

THIS WAY TO BIG SKY AND SUNSTONE GOLF