CANADIAN ROCKIES - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 458

The summer tourist season in the BC Rockies is shorter than it is in the rest of the
province. Emerald Lake doesn't become ice-free until early June, and the road to Takakkaw
Falls remains closed until mid-June. While July and August are the prime months to visit,
September is also pleasant, both weather- and crowdwise. Lake O'Hara doesn't become
snow-free until early July, but the best time to visit is the last week of September, when the
forests of larch have turned a brilliant gold color.
If you follow the loop this chapter takes, you'll end up in Golden, where a gondola ride
at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is the highlight.
Radium Hot Springs and Vicinity
One of two main western gateways to the Canadian Rockies is the small town of Radium
Hot Springs (pop. 1,000), which lies at the junction of Highways 93 and 95, 140 kilometers
(87 miles) north of Cranbrook and a stunning two-hour drive through Kootenay National
Park from the famous resort town of Banff. Its setting is spectacular; most of town lies on
benchlands above the Columbia River, from where the panoramic views take in the Rock-
ies to the east and the Purcell Mountains to the west. As well as providing accommodations
and other services for mountain visitors and highway travelers, Radium is a destination in
itself for many. Aside from the town's namesake, the area boasts a wildlife-rich wetland,
two excellent golf courses, and many other recreational opportunities.
SIGHTS AND RECREATION
Columbia River Wetland
Radium sits in the Rocky Mountain Trench, which has been carved over millions of years
by the Columbia River. From its headwaters south of Radium, the Columbia flows north-
ward through a 180-kilometer-long (110-mile-long) wetland to Golden, continuing north
for a similar distance before reversing course and flowing south into the United States. The
wetland nearby Radium holds international significance, not only for its size (26,000 hec-
tares/64,250 acres), but also for the sheer concentration of wildlife it supports. More than
100 species of birds live among the sedges, grasses, dogwoods, and black cottonwoods sur-
rounding the convoluted banks of the Columbia. Of special interest are blue herons in large
numbers and ospreys in one of the world's highest concentrations.
The wetland also lies along the Pacific Flyway, so particularly large numbers of ducks,
Canada geese, and other migratory birds gather here in spring and autumn. The northbound