B.C. in the Summer?

[huzer]

My son is to going to an Eli Wilson goalie camp in Summerland at the end of July.  Looking at it, it seems like a pretty typical mountain/resort type area (we have some local goalie camps available, but summer road trips are always fun). Does it get crazy touristy in the July/August months?  Any cool areas we should venture out to explore? Most of the mountain areas in CO are ski resorts, so they tend to be a little less busy in the summer, but this area in BC doesn't seem to be major ski country.

 

On a side note, one of his teammates signed a Scholarship/Development agreement with the Regina Pats last fall. Kid is pretty talented and has been fun to watch. 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

As a BC guy, I feel like I should answer this…but the fact is I seldom get out to the Okanagan, being on the coast (about 5-6 hours away); so can’t speak to it with much authority. Summerland is in the Okanagan region, which is not so much skiing as wine county. Beautiful semi-arid climate. It certainly attracts a lot of tourists, although I don’t imagine it will be insanely chock-a-block with them like Disneyland or something.

 

Its main appeal would be Okanagan Lake (with the usual lake-based activities) and the amazing vineyards and wineries in the area. This is probably not an option with your son, but if you *can* do it, you should absolutely take a wine tour. The wines are glorious and the views often exquisite, with good food often part of the set-up as well. Orchards abound too. As with anywhere in BC the hiking is probably excellent. The Channel Float in nearby Penticton has been recommended to me by friends though I’ve never done it myself.

 

The Okanagan is a unique micro-climate unlike anywhere nearby. Enjoy the gorgeous vibe of it all.

 

One thing to keep an eye on is wildfires. When we first moved out to BC near the turn of the century, my wife and I talked about retiring to the Okanagan someday. With climate change, that’s off the table because the region is semi-routinely targeted by apocalyptic fires. It’ll probably be fine though. 

 

 

[huzer]

Thanks. I didn't know how many folks from out west we had on here, so I figured I'd give it a shot. We're definitely more nature folks than city, which is why we chose this area for a hockey camp instead of, say, Toronto or Boston. And while it would be most unexpected, my son harbors hopes that Carey Price would show up, as he has a few times in the past.

 

The area itself looks quite beautiful, and a bit different from the mountain scapes we have here in CO. Since we're basically a high plains desert, it'll be nice to be on some water again, if just for a week. The scant reservoirs here get quite busy, and they're fairly small. Hopefully we avoid any wildfires, which is something we're far too familiar with here, too. And with the minimal snowpack remaining, it's not looking good for the summer.