Winter Wonderland
You’ll find plenty of winter activities in New Denver when the slopes are blanketed with a coat of winter white. Cradled by the Monashees Mountains to the west and the Selkirk Mountains to the east, this beautiful southeastern British Columbia winter recreation area is a popular playground among skiers, snowmobilers and ice fishermen who gravitate to Trout and Box lakes.Most communities in the New Denver area offer cross country skiing. A few additional top southeastern British Columbia cross country skiing areas include Barnes Creek between Fauquier and Edgewood, the Upper Brouse Road area southeast of Nakusp and Wensley Creek Ski Trails closer to Nakusp. Snowcat skiing and snowmobiling also await visitors geared to southeastern Canada’s best winter activities. Summit Lake Ski Area offers downhill skiing and snowboarding on 10 runs ranging from beginner to expert levels. Other top southeastern British Columbia downhill conditions await at Summit Lake that also offers spectacular snowmobiling, and both groomed and ungroomed cross country trails. For those seeking more of a challenge, local helicopter skiing companies will whisk you and your guide high into the backcountry to enjoy southeastern Canada’s best virgin powder snow.
Springing Into Spring
Can’t visit this winter? No worries! After the snow melts, nature lovers will love New Denver’s best spring activities. With its natural wonders, wildlife, and rare and delicate plants, Galena Trail can be explored along an eight-mile route from Rosebery through New Denver, Denver Canyon and Alamo Siding, and on to Three Forks. Reserved for non-motorized vehicles, this famous British Columbia trail includes the former Nakusp & Slocan railway.
Other top spring activities in and around New Denver include:
1) Hiking – Take the trail to the Idaho Peak Lookout for a gorgeous view of the Slocan Valley, Slocan Lake and the Valhalla Mountain Range.
2) Fishing – Head to Slocan Lake to test your skills at hauling in a Dolly Varden, Rainbow Trout and Kokanee Salmon.
3) Ghost Town – The former capital of Silvery Slocan, the Ghost Town of Sandon found itself as an incorporated city of 5,000 people at the height of 1892’s mining boom. At its glory, two railroads served this “Monte Carlo of Canada” with 28 saloons, 29 hotels, an opera house, a bank, 5 men’s clothing stores, 2 newspapers, random brothels, gambling halls, stores, offices and businesses. As a restored and renowned historical site, Sandon attracts thousands of visitors each summer.
4) Golf – Those into British Columbia golf vacations have access to above-par options like the 9-hole Slocan Lake Golf Course (slgc.ca) overlooking Slocan Lake as it parallels Highway 6 between New Denver and Rosebery.
5) Valhalla Provincial Park – This world-class wilderness area encompasses nearly 123,000 acres of natural high in the Valhalla Mountain range along Slocan Lake’s west shore. Popular for its backcountry hiking and camping, the park delivers abundant cascades and waterfalls flowing throughout.
Seven More Fast Facts About New Denver
To be more in the know about this top southeastern British Columbia destination, check out Seven More Fast Facts About New Denver, BC Canada.
1) New Denver’s Old Times – New Denver was the site of an internment camp housing some 2,000 Japanese Canadians displaced from their West Coast homes during World War II, not long after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
2) Location – New Denver is located in the BC Kootenays on the eastern shore of Slocan Lake at the junction of Highway 6 and Highway 31A, five miles north of Silverton and 29 miles southeast of Nakusp.
3) Population – As of March 2020, population is set at 556.
4) Japanese Homes – On the south side of town, these tiny houses were originally built to accommodate relocated Japanese Canadians. The homes remain small despite subsequent additions.
5) Kohan Reflection Garden – Located on First Avenue, this site honors Canadian citizens of Japanese heritage who were resettled to the BC Interior during WWII.
6) Silvery Slocan Museum – Catch the pioneer spirit as you discover historic treasures in this gateway to the silver mining era’s glorious past. The museum homes a remarkable collection displaying the area’s mining, transportation, logging and bustling village life history. Located in the former Bank of Montreal building (1897), this designated heritage building shows techniques and finishes used more than a century ago.
7) Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre – In its Josephine Street site, the Centre welcomes visitors to improve their understanding of internment history. In 1942, some 22,000 Nikkei (people of Japanese descent)–75% of who were Canadian citizens–were stripped of their civil rights and labeled as “enemy aliens”. The federal government ordered men to road camps, while families were placed in animal stalls awaiting forced removal to interior BC relocation camps or to sugar beet farms in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.
This is just the beginning! For more details on the exciting new resort opening this fall in New Denver, please contact us.
