1. Copy from Superpages Job
Summary: Brief History and Description
of BC towns
Enclosed in Yellow Pages
Travel Section

2. Balfour
Balfour is a fetching little village on the north shore of the West Arm of Kootenay Lake. Located
at the junction of the lake's North, South and West arms; Balfour serves as the western ferry
terminal for the ferry routes across Kootenay Lake to Kootenay Bay on the east shore of the
lake.
Tranquil today, Balfour bustled in the old mining days of the 1890s, as sternwheelers plied the
waters of Kootenay Lake, transporting prospectors and supplies to and from mining camps
along the lakes' shores.
With the completion of the railroad early the next century, the value and use of the sternwheeler
diminished, with activity in Balfour declining.
Location: Balfour is located on Highway 3A, 22 miles (35 km) northeast of Nelson, and is the
western terminal of the Kootenay Lake ferry, connecting with Kootenay Bay across the lake.
• Take the longest free Ferry Ride in the world, a 40-minute scenic crossing of Kootenay
Lake, from Balfour to Kootenay Bay. Information on the Inland Ferry Schedules.
• Plan your visit to Balfour to coincide with the annual Fishing Derby over the
Thanksgiving Weekend. Fishing in British Columbia.
• Buchanan Lookout (elevation 6,263 feet/1,909 metres) is a great day-use spot for
family outings, with spectacular views, lovely flowers in season, and a 2-km loop trail
below the lookout that provides access to viewpoints on the rock bluffs. Buchanan
Lookout was the first fire lookout constructed in British Columbia (1920) and the sixth to
be registered in Canada. Interpretive displays on fire lookouts are also located in the
present tower, a 14' x 14' cab built in 1965. Travel north to Kaslo, then head west on
highway #31A for 3 km to the Blue Ridge Forest Services Road. Follow the main road for
7.5 miles (12 km) to the lookout, staying right at the 7-km junction.
• To the southeast of Balfour is Nelson, one of the prettiest towns in British Columbia, in
one of the most picturesque settings. Over 350 lovingly restored heritage buildings and
facades, breathtaking views and personable citizens make this city a little oasis of
genuine civility.

3. Salmo
Superpages
Graphic Insert
(Pic Caption): See you at the Salmo Ski Hill!
The small village of Salmo, to the east of Trail in the Kootenays region of British Columbia, is
another of the booming mining towns whose prosperity was curtailed by a decline in gold and
mineral mining successes.
Originally named Salmon Siding on the Nelson & Fort Sheppard Railway, Salmo began its
existence as a railway siding before growing into a small town. The small communities of Ymir
and Erie sprang up to the north and west, and Salmo soon became a centre for supplies and
entertainment; thriving and humming on a Friday night after a local gold strike.
As local mines began to play out, miners turned to the forest for a living. With the growth in the
neighbouring communities of Nelson and Trail, the demand for lumber grew. Today, Salmo
remains a community of forest workers. The pretty town features heritage wooden buildings
from the 1920s and 1930s, and streets adorned with colourful hanging flower baskets in
summer.
Salmo is a quaint and interesting little town that has visitors arriving every year to sightsee in the
old downtown, and relax in the mountains and trails around the region. In 1990, students of
Salmo's Kootenay Stone Masonry Training Institute produced seven murals made of local
stone, all designed by Charlotte Plainden, on buildings throughout the community. Stroll down
Salmo's Main Street to view these unique stone murals depicting Salmo's lively and spirited
past.
• Adorning the exterior walls of many of the downtown buildings, are striking stone murals
carved by students of Salmo's Kootenay Stone Masonry School. Depicting the history of
the area, these murals have been carved out of locally quarried stone.
• Visit the displays on local history at the small Salmo Museum, on the corner of Railway
Avenue and Forest Street, open daily in summer.
• Need to call home? Drop a quarter into the World's Oldest Telephone Booth, carved
out of a huge cedar tree log.
• Eight kilometres south of Salmo, follow Sheep Creek Road to the Sheep Creek Mines.
The old abandoned gold mines and mining towns, dating from before the turn of the
century until the 1950s, include Kootenay Bell, Reno, Goldbelt and Queens

4. Nakusp
In the West Kootenays, there is no better place to relax than in Nakusp, a picturesque setting at
the foot of the Selkirk Mountains, on the east shore of the Arrow Lakes.
Ringed by the Selkirk Mountains to the east, the Valhallas to the south and the Monashee
Mountains to the west; Nakusp offers two hot springs and a host of outdoor recreational
opportunities.
Nakusp is a rare Kootenay Gem, where big water, big mountains and big smiles are awaiting for
anyone who takes the time to explore this vibrant community.
Nakusp was first established during the mining boom in the Slocan Valley at the turn of the
twentieth century. It was expected that Nakusp would also become a mining boomtown, and the
Nakusp Slocan railway was completed in 1893.
With the building of the smelter in Trail, however, the plan for a smelter in Nakusp vanished.
Rich timberland in the Nakusp area gave growth to a local sawmill and logging industry, while
many pioneers settled the fertile land along the Arrow Lakes and established prosperous fruit
and vegetable farms.
Several paddle steamers came into service on the lakes, transporting settlers, produce,
vacationers, and just about everything else. The boats were retired from active service in the
early 1950s.
Nakusp Hot Springs is nestled in the mountains, 12 km up a paved and well-maintained
mountain road. Known as the hidden gem of the Kootenays, visitors can soak their bones in a
beautiful mountain setting of trees and rushing creeks, go hiking and mountain biking, or camp
beside the Kuskanax Creek.
• North of Nakusp is Halcyon Hot Springs, with its 100 years of tradition, surrounded by
spectacular alpine peaks, crystal blue lakes, rivers and streams, an abundance of
wildlife and a magical legend - a place of recreation and wellness.
• Summer in Nakusp is a feast of mountain and rock climbing, hiking, camping and
mountain biking, with Arrow Lakes providing great canoeing, swimming and fishing
possibilities