A TRAVEL GUIDE ARTICLE FOR ACTIVE ADVENTURERS
Will and I have fallen in love with the West Kootenay’s and Nelson has become one of our top places to play in Canada. In this Travel Guide Article for Active Adventurers we want to show you why you should never miss Nelson!
WOW! The weather is great!
Nelson and surrounding area enjoys a wonderful valley microclimate. The weather around Kootenay Lake and the Columbia River valley is unlike anywhere else.
Spring starts early at low elevations meaning you can ski midday and bike the evening! Spring is warm days and frosty nights with the sun shining brightly.
Summers are hot and wonderful for swimming, boating and climbing. We find the city unbearable during the day, so being in the forest or on the water while its hot hot it critical. Use the cooler evenings to explore the downtown.
Fall is lovely, with days cooling but not getting too wet until December so biking, climbing and hiking can take you right into ski season.
And winter, most peoples least favourite season, is the nicest we’ve ever experienced! In Nelson, you can wake up to rain and drive 3000ft up and ski a powder day. Oh, and it’s sunny most days of the week and theres almost never any wind. It’s magical!
Affordable food for foodies!
We love to eat (who doesn’t?) but we are pretty picky about eating out. We only want to pay for high quality food in combinations we wouldn’t cook for ourselves. Another reason to never miss Nelson!
Whether you want a quick taco to go or a sit in evening meal, you can have what you want for a reasonable price. Even though Nelson has a strong tourism side, the local restaurants keep their community in mind when pricing dishes.
You can have anything you want too. Dishes from around the world line the menus of Nelsons many unique restaurants. Vegan, no problem. Gluten free, there’s lots to choose from. Diary free, they got stuff for you too. Nelson’s community of restaurant owners and chefs have made dietary adjustments part of their day to day routine. It’s not burdensome to ask for no cheese or no bread – they get it out here!
Access to many outdoor sports, year round.
Right here, this is why as an active adventure person, you should never miss Nelson! Whatever you want to do, in whatever season you like best, is available here.
We came to the area initially to ski. Whitewater and RED are both within an hour and get epic snow with mild temps and no wind. The hills are never as busy as mainstream places like Sunshine or Lake Louise and the terrain has something for everyone. You can read my notes from my AST 1 course at Whitewater from this past winter to get a feel for what that’s all about.
Not a skier? There are many places and trails to XC ski or snowshoe, fat bike and ski tour.
Spring, summer and fall you can hike, climb, paddle, peddle and drive your way through the many valleys around the west Kootenays. Because this is a post for a July destination, let’s dive deeper into summer adventure options;
📷 www.mountainbikingbc.ca/nelson-bc-roots-rocks-and-beer/
For mountain biking
We recommend you explore the Rossland mountain bike trails while staying at the new hostel at Red. We are very keen to get back there to ride the 7 Summit Trail and keep exploring. We’ve ridden a few times at the Salmo Ski Area and really enjoyed the routes there – fun and flowy for a quick 1 hour ride.
We use the Trailforks App to get the details and to track our rides.
📷 www.nelsonkootenaylake.com/explore/recreation/climbing
For climbing
Check out the Mountain Project App or grab a copy of The West Kootenay Rock Guide Book, available at Otter Books, Valhalla Pure and the Nelson Visitor Centre for all the local bouldering and sport routes around Nelson. The book is the local climbers’ bible because it has over 400 listed routes, with updates available online.
We enjoyed meeting people and climbing at the local gym, the Cube, in the off season.
Want to try climbing or prefer to hire a guide?  Summit Mountain Guides offers both rock and ice climbing trips.Â
📷: nelsonpaddleboardandkayak.com
For paddling
Gear up and spend a day paddling Kootenay lake or the Columbia River for views of the valley like no other. It’s easy to launch from the beach near the Big Orange Bridge and explore the city’s shore line.
Need a boat or board? nelsonpaddleboardandkayak.com has you covered!
📷 by Katie – Ymir Cedars
For hiking
Climbing to the top of any summit is worth the effort. We love the westkootenayhiking.ca site for inspiration and deets on where to go.
The Ymir Trails are a top fav for the old growth forest, riverside hiking, a waterfall, a visit to the historic cemetery, and of course the bakery!
Never Miss Nelson – Where to Stay
Nelson is beautiful and vibrant. The town is full of life and there is a wide variety of places to stay. You can stay in historical hotels right downtown or camp in the woods, soothed by the sounds of nature.
AirBnB is a great option for either a good deal or a more homey stay. There’s lots to choose from!
We prefer to camp and keep things affordable. For cheap camping, you should stay in nearby Ymir or Salmo. If you want more access to Nelson, try the city campground.
The Nelson & Kootenay Lake tourism site is a great resource for all places to stay.
Seriously, Never Miss Nelson
Really though, it’s the perfect place for active adventurers to explore and savour the vibe. The great weather, awesome outdoor adventures, eclectic markets and good food are just a few reasons we think Nelson’s the crown jewel of southern BC.
Been to Nelson? What’s your #1 recommendation?