Visit to British Columbia

One word for our trip to British Columbia yesterday - WOW! We were told that we needed to drive the Selkirk Loop, a 280 mile loop that encompasses northern Idaho, Washington and British Columbia if driven in total, would take us north into Canada and around Kootenay Lake, but words just cannot express how beautiful the area is.  Stunning.  Kootenay Lake is 90 miles long, very deep, and is a mecca for anyone interested in living the slower life. Kootenay Lake is the largest lake in the Canadian Rockies and the third largest lake in British Columbia.  Nicknamed the “Norwegian Fjord of North America” truly its beautiful.

Got a little crazy trying to convert back and forth

Oh yeah - paradise!

Small marinas every now and then

On Lake Erie you have to watch for zebra mussels

House made of embalming glass jars, oh- kayyyy.

Once we came through the border at Creston, and then traveled north along the Loop, we spotted the lake just to our left.  And as we traveled along, the lake got bigger and bigger.  Stopped along the way to take pictures, stopped at a couple of marinas and watched boaters launch their boats and then zoom off, in and out of small towns we passed, continued north to the longest free ferry in North America, crossing takes 45 minutes from the east side of the lake to the west.  Just before we arrived at the ferry we saw the Kokanee Glacier looming overhead.

Pier made out of tires, small boat ready to go 

Kokanee Glacier

Our ferry arriving

Got a kick out the the old red camper 

 Waiting in line at the ferry we remarked we were back in Ohio, on Lake Erie, waiting for the ferry to take us to one of the islands.  Only there are no snow capped mountains bordering Lake Erie.  There are 2 ferries operating in the summer leaving the dock every 50 minutes, each can take 90 cars.  We had a logging truck on our ferry, boy did the boat drop down when it got on board.  Just magnificent views.  As far as we could see looking north on the lake, mountains topped with snow.

Captain peering down on the loading going on

Our car is right behind the red camper, see logging truck?

The lake goes on and on

We passed the other ferry

Coming into Kootanay Bay, saw fishing boats, camping, beautiful homes

Ferry located at top of lake (small circle)

We must be back at Put-In-Bay, on Lake Erie!!!

After landing on the west side of Kootenay Lake, we continued on to Nelson, a bustling city where in the past boat building was popular. Onward we traveled, took the Kootenay Cutoff pass back over the Selkirk Mountains, headed eastward.  Saw big horn sheep grazing right by the roadway, did not see caribou, passed over the Kootenay summit and continued on back towards Creston and into Idaho.

Heading up to Kootenay Pass/summit

Mangy big horn sheep! Losing it's winter coat

Shoot, didn't see any caribou

Looks like eastbound is the better (more flattened road) than westbound

Just a wonderful sensory day.  Having lived by Lake Erie, and had a sailboat for many years - this area really drew at my heartstrings.  Seeing sailboats sailing out on the lake, fishing boats and charters, traveling on the ferry, just a pure delight to experience again.  If we come back to the area another summer, will definitely see more of British Columbia.  Their license plates says it all - Beautiful British Columbia.

And back to the USA