Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Oh Canada!

My wife, daughter, and I have taken most of our family vacations to enjoy our U.S. National parks, and have been fortunate enough to experience all the "majors" (Yellowstone, Tetons, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Brice, etc.). When we were in Glacier, we also went up into Waterton, and loved it.

So, this year we decided to spend a couple of weeks in the Canadian Rockies....what a great experience! We, of course, spent lots of time in Banff, can't even describe the beauty of Lake Moraine, Lake Louise, Little Beehive, Big Beehive, into Jasper for the Columbia Icefields, the lake shaped like a wolf's head that I can't remember the name of, and many, many more hikes. I feel genuinely blessed that we all love to just hike, look, listen and stand in awe of what's out there if you just get away from where the tour busses can go.

We also spent several days in the Columbia Valley in a house next to Columbia Lake, Canal Flats, also Invermere, Windemere, Kootenay NP, etc.

We've been home for almost 2 weeks now, and we just can't stop talking about this wonderful experience. All the local Canadians we met were very gracious, and more than willing to take the time to answer our probably numbing questions, and more importantly to us, share their recommendations for hikes, sites, restaurants, etc., that may not be the obvious tourist destinations and allow us to get out by ourselves and enjoy the local flavor.

One funny experience I thought I'd share. Having always enjoyed BC30cals's posts, and remembering the name Okanagan Falls, when we stopped at the Canal Flats tiny post office to mail our post cards, I asked the lovely lady at the desk in my best Kansas tone, "How close are we to o-KANNAGIN Falls? (Let me add here that if the ladies there were any indication of your standard postal employees, they'd never make it in the U.S.! Both were polite, professional, willing to spend time, and answer questions, etc. About 180 degrees from most of ours.). She gave me a quizzical look and asked "where?" My answer was in the same Kansas tone, "o-KANNAGIN Falls". By now, the other lady had come up front and they had a brief discussion, ending with, "do you mean oka-NOGGIN falls?!?" I said, "I'll bet that's it!" They described your town as an absolutely beautiful area, and major fruit producer, probably 7 hours from where I stood. Of course, I had to answe the obvious question, "how would you know about that tiny place?" I gave the essential 24hourcampfire answer, thanked them for their help, and headed out for another great day.

Not sure where our hiking boots will lead us next year, but we'll always cherish the memories of our trip to your wonderful country, and your hospitality.

Oh, my ladies also commented on how much I enjoyed your local beers, and that we surely hit every establishment with Brew or Pub in the name!

Thanks,

Kurt

That's a place I've never tired of going to....

and the women in Alberta and most of Western Canada.. sure don't look like the average female customer at Walmart...nor are they stupid like the average customer at Walmart...

Most of Canada is just a wonderful place with Wonderful People...

Well, BC30cal is one of the least erudite, most aggressive and rudest Canadians around, so you can't judge Canadians by his posts.

In fact, I'm sure he will soon post on this thread to berate you for not letting him know you were in the area so you could visit him -- and get some of his famous abuse in person.



John

USMC2602;
Thanks for the kind words sir and the travel report.

For the life of me I can't recall where the post office is in Canal Flats, but if you were to look up the tall mountain directly west of town, we spent some time chasing elk up there in the late '80's.

Our family always enjoyed the Kootenays as the scenery is grand and the people there match the view in the main.

It's funny you mention how Okanagan is pronounced, as it's even spelled different as soon as one crosses the medicine line and they pronounce it more OAK AN OH GAN but as you note we Canucks are OAK AN AH GIN - gin being like one might hear in your part of the world "I'm going to do that agin.

Honestly we've traveled a fair bit in the western states too, though haven't made it quite to Kansas yet and were typically impressed with the way folks treated us stateside.

Thanks again sir for the kind words and I'm glad your trip was safe and successful.

Dwayne

jpb;
You cut me to the quick sir, truly you do.....

I'll try to better articulate my thoughts in a less abrasive manner from here on in.

Thanks for the kind words seriously sir and I hope you folks are having a good summer.

It's been nice here, albeit a tiny bit more dry and a few more fires than we'd like, but as we say - that's summer in BC!

Thanks again sir and all the best to you this summer.

Dwayne

Dwayne
Finally, someone has called you out for all your outrageous behavior on here!
(And, for those of you with no sense of humor, there is no one on the fire that is more of a gentleman than he is. That was in jest)

How are the forest fires affecting you , my friend? The maps of current fires look as though you guys are having a rough summer.
Fred

Fred;
It's always nice to hear from you sir and yes it's been a tad of an early start to it somehow.

We've cooled down somewhat in the last week and the coast got some much needed rain - they were as dry as I've ever seen it truly.

Anyway we're somewhat used to fire season here after more than 3 decades living here, but honestly it's one of the few things about an Okanagan summer that is not enjoyable.

I hope you folks are having a good summer sir, thanks for the kind words and all the best to you all.

Dwayne

Dwayne
We are having a great summer. I am "suffering" from what seems to me to be an embarrassment of riches- I have a significant other that is a terrific, I have all the money I need (don't need a lot, really), my health is good, and I live in the middle of mountains lakes and rivers, and within walking distance of sagebrush, and I have a couple of friends that I would trust my life with. If a man needs more than that to be happy, something would have to be wrong with him.

Dwayne, you stubblejumper, we in BC, that is native BCers, have always pronounced OKANOGAN just as it appears. I have lived there and always heard it that way.

Harruummpphhh!!!!!! The resident BC-Kootenay curmudgeon!

SNAP;
Good evening to you sir, I trust that you're staying cool enough and you good folks can see the sky again?

We were on the Sunshine coast for the worst of the smoke and honestly didn't know the Island was that close to Sechelt until our way back home on Thursday.

I do apologize if I mucked up the proper phonetic spelling of my adopted home - funny my good wife and I were musing the other day that it's been a good decade or more since we thought of the flat land as home, but then that makes sense as I've spent 31 of my 53 years here.

One thing that I still find a bit amusing is that even few born and raised south valley locals don't seem to agree on the pronunciation of Osoyoos.

All the best to you and yours this summer SNAP.

Dwayne

Glad to hear you enjoyed your visit. Waterton is a true gem, quietly hidden away. Jasper is one of my favourite parks to visit.
But, for true hiking adventure here in Alberta you need to venture a bit further north. The Willmore Wilderness is truly Heaven on Earth. It is a walk in or horse back only area. It was set aside as a special protected area under its own Legislation many years ago, unlike other Parks and protected areas here in Alberta.
It is home to an unbelievable amount of wildlife. You can hunt, fish or just enjoy a quiet hiking adventure there. Everyone should have a trip there on the ole bucket list!

troutfly;
Good evening to you sir, I hope this finds you and your fine family well.

My goodness it's an evening for folks twigging my memories somehow and thanks kindly for doing so.

Way back before we started our family - so more than two decades now - my good wife and I did a horse pack trip up the Wilmore with Tom and Shawn Vinson. They'd had a cancellation and fit us in to a sort of family ride - so their boys Cole and Logan were maybe 5 and 3 or so at the time.

It truly was a grand trip and we remember it still - though I will say that when we went some of the alpine bogs and bugs would have been daunting had we not been on good hay burners.

Thanks again for the pleasant memories this evening sir and all the best to you and yours this summer.

Dwayne

Good evening Dwayne,
For some reason I have been thinking a great deal about the places I have been over the years. Trips there and to the Yukon have been front and centre.
It sure is a pretty part of this great country. A good friend of mine runs a small lodge near the Willmore, as well he has a trap line nearby. He spends quite a bit of time there, I envy him deeply! He was instrumental in the making of a documentary about the region. I have a copy somewhere I believe.

I recognize the name Vinson. I suspect they or at least their family are still operating in the Willmore.

Last year there was an interesting documentary on Wild TV about the area and how it intersected with the Native's lifestyle.

Hope you and yours are well. All is well here on the open prairie. Getting ready to leave on holidays next Saturday for a couple of weeks.
Take care,
Jeff

It is traditionally OOO SUU YUUS, NOT OOSOYYOUS

Good day! Funny to hear you guys discussing the proper way to pronounce Oakanagan. A while ago, I listened to an old adventure story audio book, and the narrator pronounced it like an Irish last name - O' KANagan.

O CAN AUG AN is the correct pronunciation.

SNAP;
Good afternoon to you sir, hopefully this finds you well and you folks are keeping acceptably cool.

It's a balmy 37° in the shade here today and in Osoyoos it's 38° or 100.4° F for our American brethren.

Thanks too for the phonetic spelling of Okanagan, I'd not argue the point with a local and happily accept your pronunciation as the correct one.

I recall way back when in another discussion about this topic, the chap said to me something like "it's like you've got a wooden head - you know - an oaken noggin"

Have a good week sir and hopefully we'll get that rain they say is headed this way without too, too much lightning attached.

Dwayne

I learned this from a lady from Osoyoos with whom I "did a trip" and lived with in Vancouver and Ocean Falls, back in 1969-70, when I was a young college student.

She was born and raised there and was quite adamant about it all.

We are about 34-35ish here in Abby, far too hot for shooting or mountain hiking, but, did a few laps of one of the local running tracks early today.

I HATE hot weather and cannot wait for cool autumn and Sept.Elk opener...... Yahooo!!!!

SNAP;
Thanks for the reply sir - which led me to look up exactly where Ocean Falls was.

Holy annual rainfall SNAP!

It also said there were 3500 souls there in the '50's but it dropped to 1500 in the '70's and is about 70 now.

Honestly I can't begin to wrap my head around 172.8" of average annual rainfall.

Somehow when I was younger I used to take working out in the heat better than I do now - no doubt just another of the mounting signs of my aging.

Thanks again for the education this evening sir and all the best to you folks this week.

Dwayne

We get around a bit but no matter where we travel, my wife and I are always happy to get back home. We always enjoy our trips to Florida (we spend our time camping in Everglades National Park)but it always feels good to get home, even if it's cold!
Yesterday, I had to run into town (town being Cranbrook)so I hopped on the motorcycle and made a quick trip in. Now, my wife is in North Carolina visiting the daughter so I'm independent for a week so when I didn't feel like heading back home, I didn't have to!
I rode up through Kimberly then up to Canal Flats. From there I took a side trip up to Whiteswan Lake and up the White river. Then I stopped at Fort Steele for an ice cream cone and took the river road back to Wardner and the backroad from Wardner to home. I'm quite sure some people would have paid money to have followed me. We really have it good. I've lived in the northwest for most of my life and I still love it. It makes me feel good that visitors can appreciate it as well.
Maybe because I'm a transplanted Idahoan, I've always said uh-soy-oos. GD