Nice day for a walk....Matthias had Dad carry him most of the way though....Go Daddy!
Just five minutes into the drive and Logan's very first camping trip he is fast asleep. With a full tummy and dry diaper he is a very happy little camper. Matthias on the other hand, he's the very observant and inquisitive co-pilot. "What's that mummy, what's that daddy". Derek and I try to explain that the colored balls on the electrical lines are markers that tell the airplane pilots where the electrical lines are.
The drive to the Radium Valley Vacation Resort in Radium Hot Springs, Kootenay National Park, took us just over three hours. Both boys were perfect on the drive there with just one stop for Logan's diaper change and the opportunity to fill up his tummy. We stopped at a pull out on highway 1 just 8.6 km away from the highway 93 South exit which gave Matthias the opportunity to get out and run around for a bit. After that, it was smooth sailing all the way to the resort.
Travelling through the mountains is always a treat on its own. There were a few rough patches along highway 93 which made for a bit of a rough ride for Logan. If you are pulling a trailer be ready for quite an elevation gain with the highest as you travel across storm mountain. You might also be lucky to catch some fresh snow up there.
Misty Range
It was nice to see fences are being erected along highway 93 together with animal crossings to keep wildlife off the highway (as the signs say, "your fees at work"). Having said that, don;t forget your park pass as it is required in the National Parks.
Happy to get out and run around for a bit
Now where did that Moose come from...pull out along Highway 1
The welcoming committee..Big Horn sheep roam the streets freely in Radium so keep an eye out for them.
The Resort is beautiful with each site having it's very own cabana, bar b que grill and gas. You do pay an extra fee for the gas at the end of your stay. Once we got the trailer set up, Matthias was eager to explore the campground. At this time of year the campground is not very busy which gave him the opportunity to roam freely. He was very happy that we brought his tricycle along as he spent most of the day just riding around and testing the limits to see how fast he could go.
You can see the camp sites with the cabanas in the back....
"Mom, I'm just going to ride to mamam and Papa's house ok".
Having left the leafless trees and brown grass back in Calgary it was wonderful to see all the green in BC and actually get to hear the pitter patter of the rain drops on the roof of the trailer.
So, what do you do on a rainy day? Well, with great company and a great cook in the house....uhummm trailer, you cook up a storm of coarse. On the dinner menu was roti..buss up shut to be exact, curried goat, curried channa and potato and Derek made some tamarind chutney to tie it all together. As yummy as all of these dishes are, they are far from "traditional" camping food.
ohhhhh....yum!
Day two was wonderful and what camping is all about. The weather was perfect for a nice hike. We hiked up to Sinclair Falls and then made a loop into town and around the campground. All together it was probably a 9 km hike that took us just under three hours. Logan was happy to be carried in the baby harness and slept through the entire hike. With all the fresh air there was nothing that could wake him, not even his very excited and sometimes loud brother. Matthias on the other hand wanted "uppie daddy" most of the trip.
Fresh air = sleepy baby
This is a community right next to the campground and lots for sale...just in case you're in the market for a vacation home.
Sinclair Falls
Almost at the top...family photo time
Radium is a beautiful little town and there are a few campgrounds out there. Red Streak campground is 2.5 km above the village of Radium Hot Springs and can be booked online through parks Canada. Down in the valley just over from where we stayed is the Canyon campground which we would like to stay at the next time we are in Radium because they have the bonus of fire pits.
The Canyon RV Resort
Along our hike, looking down into The Canyon RV Resort
Better view from up there I guess
Little explorer...Sinclair Creek along our hike. Matthias finally decided to give Daddy's shoulder a rest.
At RVVR I do like that you have your very own private cabana and it is a resort set up for family fun with lots for the kids to do. Never a dull moment with the pool, hut tub, tennis courts, playground, etc. If you really like it here you can even buy into a time share. Matthias really loved the campground as the train tracks were just down the valley so he could see and hear the trains as they went by. I must mention that he is very much in love with trains right now so we do our best to accommodate him.
Just a note, there is a lumber yard down in the valley from the campground and they do seem to work 24 hours during the week so do expect a bit of noise.
Looking down into the valley from the campground..."trains, trains, trains".....
We decided to stay one extra day since the weather was warming up and we were just starting to get into a routine with the boys. On day three we drove to a nearby honey farm, Beeland Market and Coffee House. We always try to do a drive and bit of exploring wherever we visit. With some local advise we ventured across the Columbia river along a 10 km stretch of gravel road that lead from Spillimacheen through Brisco back onto highway 95. We were told that this drive was very promising for bear sightings but no bears to be seen that day.
Milk stop..."Logan was not the only hungry baby out that day"
There's lots more to see and do in Radium, but there is only so much that you can do with a toddler and yes, a "newborn" in tow. Being Logan's first time out we did not want to pack too much into this trip as we tried to maintain his routine and stay within our comfort zones.
It was a wonderful and memorable first trip for 2016 and most importantly Logan's very first camping trip that just happened to fall on his one month birthday. Oh, the stories he'll have to tell!
As we leave Radium, we eagerly anticipate our next trip out to the Bow Valley Provincial Park and hope you look forward to reading about our experiences (old and new) there.
Love this sign