Winter Wonderland in Windermere!

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:40:00 GMT

Every season has its own special moments in the East Kootenay’s and winter is no exception. Located in the central Columbia Valley region, the new home community of Aspen Meadows is a short drive from several great ski resorts and an abundance of other winter activities.

Come skate with us December 30th.

We’re having a skating party and you’re invited! Join us on Thursday December 30 from 11:30 AM – 4:30 PM at the new outdoor skating pond at the Aspen Meadows new home community. Enjoy hot chocolate and smokies by the fire pit and bring a donation for the local Food Bank. A great way to celebrate the new year!

Great skiing, sledding and more.

Aspen Meadows is perfectly located in Windermere, in the central East Kootenay region and close to several major ski resorts. Panorama Mountain Village is a short drive from Invermere and Kicking Horse (50 min.), Kimberley (90 min.) and Fernie (2.5 hr) ski resorts are within easy driving distance. Panorama Mountain Village also offers dog sledding, snowmobiling and even heli-skiing adventures.

Enjoy rugged snow-capped mountain views from your cozy craftsman or log home in the community of Aspen Meadows. This is one of the finest Lake Windermere real estate communities in the area, with fully serviced lots, walking trails, a scenic pond (skating rink in winter) and private resident’s clubhouse.

Wintertime also means you can go ice fishing on nearby Lake Windermere and cross-country skiing at many locations. The Fairmont Hot Springs Hotel and Radium Hot Springs Hotel offer year round accommodation and many amenities such as fine dining and hot springs. Don’t want to drive across the Rockies in winter? You can fly into Cranbrook, ( just 1.5 hours south ) from several major western BC and US cities and easily enjoy your East Kootenay home in Windermere all winter long.

Hot springs – A unique Columbia Valley experience

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:37:00 GMT

The majestic Rocky Mountains are Canada’s grandest evidence of geologic forces of long ago. Their towering peaks seem to be silent sentinels of history past but forces continue to act upon them in a slow dance of time and geology. One noticeable result is the soothing, relaxing waters of mountain fed hot springs.

Aspen Meadow’s Lake Windermere real estate is just 20 minutes from the refreshing, therapeutic waters of Radium Hot Springs.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2001, Radium Hot Springs is nearly as old as the Rocky Mountains. Located just 20 kilometres from Windermere real estate, the hot spring pool at Radium is the largest in Canada and one of the best known.

During the formation of the Rockies, powerful underground forces cracked the Earth’s crust along a fault line, creating an underground chasm more than two kilometers deep. Snow melt and rain erode the mountains, picking up minerals along the way. Some seeps into cracks and crevices and finds its way into the underground chasm.

The mineral-rich water travels deep into the crust where the Earth’s primal energy heats and pressurizes it, forcing it back to the surface. Typical for hot springs, anaerobic bacteria deep down reacts with sulphur in the water, creating hydrogen sulphide gas – an awful smelling product that is the signature of many hot springs.

At Radium Hot Springs, hydrogen sulphide gas is filtered out before it reaches the surface and the result is the crystal clear, warm and odorless water that attracts a quarter million visitors a year. The water at Radium contains more than 700 milligrams of dissolved minerals per litre and gushes from the Earth at a rate of 1,800 litres per minute.

Sir George Simpson, the governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company, was the first recorded visitor at the hot springs in 1841. In the late 1800s, the first permanent settlers came to the region and the hot springs gained in popularity. Roland Stuart purchased the springs in 1890 for $160 and continued owning them until 1922, when they were expropriated for inclusion in the new Kootenay National Park.

In 1914 the first bathing pool was constructed. The pool was extended in 1927 and a bathhouse was built. Construction began in 1941 on the Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt. Finished in 1951 at a cost of nearly $1 million, the Aquacourt is historically recognized and has been classified by the Government of Canada as a Federal Heritage Building.

The Aquacourt is situated in the Sinclair Valley and is towered over by a sheer rock wall. It features a u-shaped building around a large, cool pool (27 C, 84 F) and the hot spring pool at a constant 39 C (103 F). There is a cappuccino bar, a restaurant and nearby campground for visitors.

See the directions here! www.radiumhotsprings.com

windermere-real-estate-news

Winter Wonderland in Windermere!

Hot springs – A unique Columbia Valley experience