Top 5 reasons to visit Wells in winter
By Abby Cooper
While known for its summer shenanigans, I can assure you Wells, B.C. is most certainly not sleeping during the winter. This vibrant town’s heart is pulsing with the stacking snow and is most definitely a winter destination for outdoor seekers. A meander through town showcases many of the bright, bold and historic buildings and gives you a quick the lay of the land for all of your winter musts in Wells.
Wells is a true launch pad for winter adventure whether out your front door or a couple kilometres away Wells has access to it all. Narrowing it down to just five reasons to visit Wells is tricky, you cannot go wrong in this town with any activity.
Ski your way into winter bliss while visiting Wells. Plan your trip...
Photo:
Abby Cooper
Cross-country skiing
Slap the skis on at the front door and ski to get a coffee at the Pooley Café, not a joke, you can seriously ski around town if you’d like. Take the skis to Jack Of Clubs Lake for some time in the mid day sun. If the wind is pumping you might even get lucky with a kite ski. Whitegold Adventures offers one-, three-, four- or five-day day guided cross-country ski tours all accessible from Wells. Most famous is the Bowron Lake Chain Traverse. You’ve heard of it by canoe, but experiencing it on cross-country skis is magical.
Photo:
Abby Cooper
Ice Fishing
Another great way to enjoy an afternoon on Jack of Clubs Lake is to ice fish. The trout are plentiful and the views are stunning. Sit still enough and you’ll most likely catch a glimpse of a moose moseying across the lake or a couple of foxes playing. Nature at its finest, above and below the ice.
Photo:
Abby Cooper
Skiing
Downhill skiing is available at Troll Resort. A short drive from town will drop you at the foot of this family-friendly resort with enough terrain to entertain all ages and abilities. Don’t miss out on the newly gladed Wildcat run, that’ll get your heart pumping and the powder flying. Backcounty skiers can tour right from Wells and up into the alpine if they desire. There are options galore, just be sure to check Avalanche Canada’s bulletin, have the proper training and gear and let someone know where you’re headed before venturing into the backcountry.
Photo:
Abby Cooper
Barkerville
Wells historic Gold Rush charm is impressive, but just six kms away lies a “ghost town” by the name of Barkerville, and its open for tours. This perfectly preserved Gold Rush town looks straight out of the 1870s, because most of it is. Enjoy a day playing and exploring the old-fashion way by skating, snowshoeing, ski touring, snowmobiling or by kick sleigh.
Adventure accommodations
Open the front door of Mountain Thyme Getaway or The Willow River Inn and adventure lies right at your feet. Snowmobile from your parking spot or put on skis or snowshoes instead of snow boots and tour your way through town and into the vast trail network surrounding.
BONUS: You can’t possibly mention Wells, B.C. and not name drop the famous Wells Hotel. With over 340 types of single malt whiskey, this sampling room is worth the drive on its own. Sip a smokey one by the fire, jam on an instrument from the collection adorning the pub and let the good times flow.
If You Go
Start planning your Northern BC getaway here.
Search #ExploreBC to learn more about winter adventures that await across the province.
Life is so good up on Wells, people don't just visit, they move here; it’s one destination within the Cariboo Regional District
Find out more about the winter activities in Wells and Barkerville.
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