If you have ever taken the opportunity to drive with Arta from Calgary to Shuswap or vice versa, she will pull out her binder. This binder is pre-Internet and smartphone and full of articles she has gathered over the years to engage any driver in learning about the details of this stretch of Canada.
She will let you know that there is a buffalo jump just outside of Calgary, that you cross the river 14 times along the journey, that there are 3 different mountain ranges (Purcell, Monashee, and Selkirk mountain ranges), and will encourage you to observe how snow clings to branches, fence posts, and signs adding to the beauty and wonder of the drive.
In this spirit I offer you......
Radium Reconnaissance: Please Mind the Sheep
The Kicking Horse Canyon just east of Golden, BC is under construction and a detour is planned around a section of highway 1 that won't be complete until 2024. While the full Canada 1 highway is open and closed and different times throughout the next few years, the detour takes travellers through a beautiful part of BC, through Kootenay National Park into the Columbia Valley, which includes the town of Radium. My partner's parents live down the road in Windermere and we decided to do some Radium Reconnaissance in case people want to pause, stretch their legs, grab a bite to eat, or play tourist for a few hours.
Below is a Revelstoke website that shares construction information with travellers and a calendar identifying which dates the Canada 1 Highway is open and closed:
Kicking Horse Canyon Construction
Radium Reconnaissance
Ask Tim and Art about their unexpected travels to the stop sign at Radium, which has now be replaced by a traffic circle.
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| Radium traffic circle under construction, now complete. |
Radium is located in Kootenay National Park and within the territory of the Ktunaxa (pronounced ‘k-too-nah-ha’) people, the original inhabitants of this area. A town of about 800 permanent residents, as a summer tourist destination is balloons to 5,000 in the summer months. Now it has a smooth traffic circle for the navigation of everyone who is making their way further west, or who many want to divert to places like Invermere and Windermere.
If you want to stop in Radium for food, a stretch, and a chance to learn more about the area before heading on to Golden, I suggest the following plan.
1. Traffic Circle Exit
Once at the traffic circle, pass the Golden exit (highway 93/95 north) and take the exit toward Invermere (Highway 93/95 south). Once beyond the traffic circle, take the quick first next left on to St. Joseph Street. Proceed to the right down this road as it parallels the 93/95 south. Pass the first few business and St. Joseph's church then past the next few businesses. Then find a parking spot just outside the Mountainside Market.
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| Mountainside Market Sign |
2. Mountainside Market
While there are restaurants, gas stations, and pubs in and around the Radium traffic circle, due to the small size of the town there is no fast food available. This small but well stocked market is a great stop for food if you have run out of snacks, your stomach begins grumbling, and you don't want to spend time waiting for food in a pub.
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| Mountainside Market: A quick food stop |
As you walk in, you are immediately welcomed by a hot and cold food section filled with in-store made sandwiches, salads, cold and hot foods. Also hot sausage rolls, bacon wrapped cheese sticks (what!?!), hot small meals and even hot calzones. 😝
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| Hot food counter (try the sausage roles) |
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| Cold food counter |
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| Bakery section |
3. Where to Eat Your Chosen Delectables
All ready to eat? There is one picnic table just outside the door and to the left, or eat while seated along the stone wall between the sidewalk and road. Another option is take a short walk to the next building, The Radium Visitors Centre. and sit on their lawn or use their picnic table.
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| Guess What This Is? |
After eating you can use the public washrooms inside the Visitors Centre. You can also gather a selection of maps and activities you may want to experience if you are sticking around for some leisure and recreation.
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| A sampling of tourism fun in the area. |
4. Inside the Visitor's Centre
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| Geography is highlighted on the model. |
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| The Great Salmon River Display |
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| History of the valley beginning with the Ktunaxa people. |
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| Forest management and forest fire display. |
It is not very large but it does provide you with a mini-museum experience and it gives people more of a sense of connection and place if they know more about where they currently are on the globe (university level education in tourism anyone?)
At this point, you can hop in your car, return to the traffic circle and carry on your way to Golden. But what about the children? Do you want to disappoint the children and teens in your car? I think not. Head to......
5. Olde Tyme Candy Shoppe
Like many historic towns of yore, there is a delectable candy store and this one lives up to the name of fun, quirky, old, new, and daring treats. Observe:
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| Olde Tyme Candy Shoppe in the Kootenay Block |
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| Pez! Gross candy, fun to use. |
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| Cadbury and Gummies of all kinds |
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| Salt Water Taffy! |
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| ???? |
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| Remember these? Laffy Taffy |
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| All the delicious Jelly Bellies! |
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| Lick-a-Maid: Bobb Ross Style |
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| You are only allowed back in the vehicle if you eat one of these 😂 |
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| Bugs incased in sugary anyone? |
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| Rainbow lollipops, enjoyed all the way to Shuswap. |
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| Old school liquorice wall. |
This store reminded me of the summers of my childhood when we were loaded into vehicles and taken into Salmon Arm for an exciting trip to the candy store. We each received 25 cents and took great care at selecting the sugary treats we could afford and would enjoy. We returned to the cabins and savoured our bags of Big League Chew, Lick-a-Maids, sugar filled plastic fruit, and a few gummies. We would even sneak in a pack of mini-candy cigarettes even though the adults banned us from buying them. Such rebels.
One time my cousin Doral had $20 to spend and he bought a paper bag full of treats that lasted him several weeks. It was my dream to someday do the same, but the candy store disappeared before I had access to that kind of cash. Does anyone remember more about this candy store and our trips into town for treats? Good memories!
6. Avoid the Big Horn Mountain Sheep
My final suggestions is to avoid the sheep, which are sometimes on the highway and in and around the town. While they town has created a beautiful piece of art of steel big horns you will see in the middle of the traffic circle, you don't want to mess with these creatures.
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| Six metre high set of steel ram horns. |
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| The sculpture about bighorn sheep outside the Visitors Centre, with small bighorn sheep walking by. |
Feel free to stick around the find more fun things to do in an around Radium, including the Hot Springs, pizza joint, and ice cream company, but remember to mind the bighorn sheep.
P.S. The redevelopment of this area into a traffic circle cost $12 million dollars. Enjoy the bling! 🙌 💥
