2021/22 BC Southern Interior

[BCMtnHound]

There hasn’t been secret hot springs in the east or west kootenays not spread by some form of social media since before there was the internet. Visited most in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Those times are gone. Get over yourselves.

[ski_it]

Why do locals sell out there only heritage left…lol

Ask ur self that in 10 years

Your answer should strictly be radium/ fairmont…

I've enjoyed Radium when driving through the area. Not too spendy, and big enough so hasn't felt crowded to me (compared to Ainsworth-which is often so busy it is annoying).

[teamdirt]

Nobody is saying it’s a secret, at least make the person do some of their own research so they earn the reward.

[kootenayskier]

There are plenty of obscure backcountry lines, hot springs, huts, and surf breaks that I’m very selective about who I share beta with, but when something appears on the first page of a Google search and is on Trip Advisor and Wikipedia, I don’t feel like I’m violating the “code” to provide a genuine answer to a Maggot. My life is far richer for all the random acts of kindness I’ve benefited from over the years, and I like to pay it forward whenever I can. It’s the raison d'être of this place (along with self therapy through venting).

[teamdirt]

Fair enough- I don’t use google/trip advisor/ Wikipedia or social media so I wouldn’t know the “code”

[pano-dude]

There are plenty of obscure backcountry lines, hot springs, huts, and surf breaks that I’m very selective about who I share beta with, but when something appears on the first page of a Google search and is on Trip Advisor and Wikipedia, I don’t feel like I’m violating the “code” to provide a genuine answer to a Maggot. My life is far richer for all the random acts of kindness I’ve benefited from over the years, and I like to pay it forward whenever I can. It’s the raison d'être of this place (along with self therapy through venting).

At least give him some good "local" advice like Be prepared to be run off the road by a fully loaded log truck or Carry a radio and know how to use it and don't go with a Honda civic.

The hiway between Radium and Golden is a shit show now the TransCanada is closed. Accidents, closures and fatalities almost once a week.




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[BFD]

I stopped at Fairmont in early April. Mainly wanted to take a shower. You need to be a member in the winter which requires buying a membership. I think it was $21. I decided to buy one since I was there and converted to US dollars is almost free. Anyway the young girl working the ticket window was usually the lifeguard. She did not know how to use the credit card machine. She let me in for free. Set the tone for the rest of my trip through candidate. Anyway yes Fairmont is a resort but on a winter day when there is less than 10 people there can be a nice experience.

[Kevo]

Thanks everyone.

If it makes anyone feel better, a friend already told us about the hot springs in question before it was posted in this thread.

We might have found it anyway based on the 700+ reviews on Google maps.

I do understand not wanting lesser known places to be ruined by crowds.

We'll be driving my 4runner with Blizzaks and we'll try our best to be responsible and respectful to others on the road.

I have FRS and VHF radios. If anyone knows the frequency (or can confirm if the frequency is posted on a sign somewhere) I'd gladly take a heads up.

Thanks again for info and advice. I'm very much looking forward to exploring interior BC in the winter.

[BCMtnHound]

I have FRS and VHF radios. If anyone knows the frequency (or can confirm if the frequency is posted on a sign somewhere) I'd gladly take a heads up.

All FSR’s should have the resource road channel posted, not usually the frequency itself. Road permit roads built by tenure holders (feeder forestry roads) should have the frequency posted, but not always.
https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gs...g/sf11127.html

[pano-dude]

Thanks everyone.

If it makes anyone feel better, a friend already told us about the hot springs in question before it was posted in this thread.

We might have found it anyway based on the 700+ reviews on Google maps.

I do understand not wanting lesser known places to be ruined by crowds.

We'll be driving my 4runner with Blizzaks and we'll try our best to be responsible and respectful to others on the road.

I have FRS and VHF radios. If anyone knows the frequency (or can confirm if the frequency is posted on a sign somewhere) I'd gladly take a heads up.

Thanks again for info and advice. I'm very much looking forward to exploring interior BC in the winter.

Sounds like you're set up better than most people. Radium hot springs is the recommended public soak.

Fuck Fairmont, they told locals this summer to stay away so the tourists could use the pools.



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[el hefe]

On a more positive note it has been nuking in the Monashees. Even Silver Star had 40cm when I was up there on Monday. The annual Remembrance day ski is looking positive.

[skuff]

Radium is great, Fairmont is great, Whiteswan was so crowded when I went, people had to stand up in the center because there was no room to sit down. I wanted to take a photo of the spring but that seemed too creepy.

If you can zoom in, there were ~30 backpacks against the wall at the bottom of the walkway, but only ~5 cars in the parking lot, so how did all those people get there?

[skisurfmirth]

Sounds like a great trip. Highway 95 is not going to be the detour for the transcanada when you here so that should be a better drive. KH is a pretty awesome hill, hopefully it has snow when you ski it.


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[Stuntmonkey]

I stopped at Fairmont in early April. Mainly wanted to take a shower. You need to be a member in the winter which requires buying a membership. I think it was $21. I decided to buy one since I was there and converted to US dollars is almost free. Anyway the young girl working the ticket window was usually the lifeguard. She did not know how to use the credit card machine. She let me in for free. Set the tone for the rest of my trip through candidate. Anyway yes Fairmont is a resort but on a winter day when there is less than 10 people there can be a nice experience.

Not exactly unknown but if you just walked over the bridge to the RV park, then on the right hand side opposite the toilet block there is a path down to the river. Follow that down for about 400m and there's hot springs right on the river.

[pano-dude]

Not exactly unknown but if you just walked over the bridge to the RV park, then on the right hand side opposite the toilet block there is a path down to the river. Follow that down for about 400m and there's hot springs right on the river.

That is the outlet from the hot pools and Fairmont resort has rerouted it so it does not attract users.

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[teamdirt]

That is the outlet from the hot pools and Fairmont resort has rerouted it so it does not attract users.

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Gross!! Lol

[Stuntmonkey]

That is the outlet from the hot pools and Fairmont resort has rerouted it so it does not attract users.

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lmao I'm gonna go shower.

[toast2266]

A few years ago we were at white swan around the time of (American) Thanksgiving. So we're there in the evening, and it's not too crowded - one or two other groups. Another group shows up with 3 guys and 1 girl, and they're partying hard - they were already pretty loose, and copious amounts of alcohol and other substances were being consumed. But they were friendly enough, so not a problem at all. Eventually we wander back up the hill to eat some food, and we decided to spend the night there (in our slide in camper). Around the time we left, the girl was falling over drunk while trying to take her bathing suit bottoms off, much to the entertainment of the 3 guys.

Sometime around 2 in the morning, both my wife and I wake up to screaming. It took me a little bit to register what was going on, but someone down by the hot springs / river was screaming at the top of their lungs for help. Looking around the parking area, there's only 1 vehicle left, and it's the one that belonged to the group of 3 guys / 1 girl. Given the tone of the screaming and the (very) drunk condition that we last saw this kids in, I'm starting to form a mental picture of what's going on. So, with the assumption that there's going to be a fairly serious injury and this is going to take some time, I bundle up and work my way down towards the river with a head lamp. It takes a bit because that walkway down to the river gets super icy. My wife hangs back a bit, since we're assuming she's gonna need to drive back to cell service to get help.

So I make it down there and guy #1 is standing just outside of the pool alternating between yelling and whimpering. I ask him what the problem is. He chokes back his tears for long enough to tell me that he can't find his shoes. I scan around with my headlight for a couple seconds until I see a pair of shoes about 5 feet from the guy. Those are the missing shoes, and guy #1 is overcome with joy and relief. According to him, I am his greatest savior. Guy #2 is chilling in the warm pool like nothing had happened. Guy #3 and Girl #1 are apparently up at the car, passed out.

So I help Guy #1 work his way back up the icy staircase to his car. Guy #2 follows. We meet my wife halfway up the staircase. Guy #1 makes sure to tell her that I saved him. They all pile into their car (some sort of older, small sedan that's definitely not sized appropriately to sleep 4 people). Everyone seems happy, and wife and I are mostly relieved that we're not fishing a dead girl out of the river. We go back to bed.

A couple hours later, probably around 5 am, we wake up to the shitty small sedan blasting some sort of Insane Clown Posse-ish music at full volume. The drinking has resumed and a small party is underway. Apparently everyone has recovered from the night's previous tribulations.

When we finally rolled out of bed around 8, the car and it's occupants had driven off.

[skuff]

^^^ That's awesome, sad, but awesome ^^^

[paulster2626]

White Swan.

HA!! Got super wasted there once. Lost my shoes for a bit; I'm deathly afraid of cold feet ever since I lost a toe at Lake Louise.

[el hefe]

Full on nuking downtown Vernon. Anyone been out yet? Silver Star is skiable.

[snoboy]

Time for a new thread methinks...