Invermere is a community in eastern
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . In 1871, it became the sixth province of Canada.The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the 15th largest metropolitan region in Canada...
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, near the border of
AlbertaAlberta is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south....
. With its growing permanent population of almost 4,000 (including Athalmer and Wilmer), swelling to near 40,000 on summer weekends, it is the hub of the
Columbia ValleyThe Columbia Valley is the name used for a region in the Rocky Mountain Trench near the headwaters of the Columbia River between the town of Golden and the Canal Flats. The main hub of the valley is the town of Invermere. Other towns include Radium Hot Springs, Windermere and Fairmont Hot Springs...
between
GoldenGolden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located 262 kilometres of highway west from Calgary, Alberta and 713 kilometres east of Vancouver.-History:...
, and
CranbrookCranbrook, British Columbia is a city in southeast British Columbia, seat of the Regional District of East Kootenay. As of 2006, Cranbrook's population is 18,947, and the metro population is 27,229....
. Invermere sits on the northwest shore of
Windermere LakeLake Windermere is a very large widening in the Columbia River. The village of Windermere is located on the east side of the lake, and the larger town of Invermere is located on the lake's northwestern corner...
and is a popular summer destination for people from Calgary.
Invermere is located south of
RadiumRadium Hot Springs is a village of approximately 800 people situated in the East Kootenay of British Columbia, located west of Calgary, Alberta. The village is named for the hot springs located in the nearby Kootenay National Park...
, and south of
GoldenGolden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located 262 kilometres of highway west from Calgary, Alberta and 713 kilometres east of Vancouver.-History:...
and from the
Trans-Canada HighwayThe Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
.
Invermere is a community in eastern
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . In 1871, it became the sixth province of Canada.The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the 15th largest metropolitan region in Canada...
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, near the border of
AlbertaAlberta is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south....
. With its growing permanent population of almost 4,000 (including Athalmer and Wilmer), swelling to near 40,000 on summer weekends, it is the hub of the
Columbia ValleyThe Columbia Valley is the name used for a region in the Rocky Mountain Trench near the headwaters of the Columbia River between the town of Golden and the Canal Flats. The main hub of the valley is the town of Invermere. Other towns include Radium Hot Springs, Windermere and Fairmont Hot Springs...
between
GoldenGolden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located 262 kilometres of highway west from Calgary, Alberta and 713 kilometres east of Vancouver.-History:...
, and
CranbrookCranbrook, British Columbia is a city in southeast British Columbia, seat of the Regional District of East Kootenay. As of 2006, Cranbrook's population is 18,947, and the metro population is 27,229....
. Invermere sits on the northwest shore of
Windermere LakeLake Windermere is a very large widening in the Columbia River. The village of Windermere is located on the east side of the lake, and the larger town of Invermere is located on the lake's northwestern corner...
and is a popular summer destination for people from Calgary.
Geography
Invermere is located south of
RadiumRadium Hot Springs is a village of approximately 800 people situated in the East Kootenay of British Columbia, located west of Calgary, Alberta. The village is named for the hot springs located in the nearby Kootenay National Park...
, and south of
GoldenGolden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located 262 kilometres of highway west from Calgary, Alberta and 713 kilometres east of Vancouver.-History:...
and from the
Trans-Canada HighwayThe Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
. Invermere is also north of Fairmont Hot Springs, north of Canal Flats, north of Fort Steele, north of
KimberleyKimberley is a small city in southeast British Columbia, Canada along Highway 95A between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains. Kimberley was named in 1896 after the Kimberley mine in South Africa. From 1917 to 2001, it was the home to the world's largest lead-zinc mine, the Sullivan Mine...
, and north of the hub of Cranbrook and the
Crowsnest HighwayThe Crowsnest Highway, also known as the Interprovincial or, in British Columbia, the Southern Trans-Provincial, is a 1,163 km long principal highway through the southern parts of British Columbia and Alberta, providing the shortest land connection between Vancouver and Medicine Hat...
.
Residents of Invermere value the ecological wealth and diversity of the Columbia Valley. Invermere is situated within the Columbia River Wetlands, North America's largest intact wetland and a RAMSAR designated site. Located in the
Rocky Mountain TrenchThe Rocky Mountain Trench, or the Trench or The Valley of a Thousand Peaks, is a large valley in the northern part of the Rocky Mountains. It is both visually and cartographically a striking physiographic feature extending approximately 1600 km from Flathead Lake, Montana, to the Liard River, just...
, Invermere is 15 minutes to
Kootenay National ParkKootenay National Park is located in southeastern British Columbia Canada covering 1,406 km² in the Canadian Rockies and forms part of a World Heritage Site. The park ranges in elevation from 918 metres at the south-west park entrance to 3,424 metres at Deltaform Mountain...
, Purcel Wilderness Conservancy, several provincial parks and hotsprings and other rare and protected wilderness and wildlife.
Climate
Invermere is said to be almost "protected" by Mt. Nelson to the west which towers over the community. Invermere has a temperate, semi-arid climate, characterized by warm summers and cold winters. The Rocky Mountains to the east shield Invermere from the worst effects of Arctic air in winter, although extreme cold spells do occur on occasion. Spring arrives earlier than on the plains to the east of the Rocky Mountains. Although warm, summers are variable, with weather alternating between hot, dry spells and cool, showery periods.
Sports and recreation
Hockey
The
Columbia Valley RockiesThe Columbia Valley Rockies are a Canadian 'B' Junior ice hockey team from Invermere, British Columbia. They play in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.-History:The team was founded by Eddie Mountain, of whom a KIJHL division was recently named...
play in Invermere. Former New York Islanders and University of Denver goaltender
Wade DubielewiczWade Roger Dubielewicz , is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender, who plays for Minnesota Wild. He is currently assigned to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League.-Playing career:...
was born in Invermere.
Skiing
Panorama Ski ResortPanorama Mountain Village is a ski and golf resort located in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It is a popular tourist destination known for its rolling cliffs and spectacular view of the mountains...
lies about 30 minutes nearby.
Kimberley Alpine ResortKimberley Alpine Resort is a ski resort located in Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada.It is located in the Purcell Mountains, on the east face of North Star Hill...
about 1 hour away in Kimberly.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is about 1.5 hours away in
Golden, British ColumbiaGolden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located 262 kilometres of highway west from Calgary, Alberta and 713 kilometres east of Vancouver.-History:...
Golfing
Invermere is also a major centre for
golfGolf is a precision club-and-ball sport, in which competing players , using many types of clubs, attempt to hit balls into each hole on a golf course while employing the fewest number of strokes. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not require a standardized playing area...
courses.
- Copper Point Golf Course is the new golf course about east of Invermere along Highway 95/93.
- Eagle Ranch Golf Course is located northeast of Invermere also along Highway 93/95 and was rated 4.5/5.0 stars by Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
.
- Greywolf Golf Course is located in Panorama Mountain Village
Panorama Mountain Village is a ski and golf resort located in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It is a popular tourist destination known for its rolling cliffs and spectacular view of the mountains...
about west of Invermere, along the Toby Creek canyon.
- The Resort Course and Springs Course at Radium Hot Springs are very popular.
- Mountainside, Creekside, and Riverside golf courses are located in Fairmont Hot Springs south of Invermere.
- Edgewater Hill Top Par 3 is located in Edgewater
Edgewater is a common name used throughout the world as a place name. It is often found in English-speaking countries such as Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and United States...
north of Invermere.
- Setekwa is located about 7 km north of Invermere.
- Windermere Vally is located approxamently 4 km south of Invermere in the town of Windermere
Gliding and Soaring
The
Invermere AirportInvermere Airport, , is located 1.4 nautical miles northeast of Invermere, British Columbia, Canada on the Shuswap Indian Band Reserve. It is for small propeller planes only, and larger airplanes must use Fairmont Hot Springs Airport, around 20 kilometers away.-Activities:*Gliding****-References:**...
is home to the non-profit Canadian Rockies Soaring Club. The club is active during the summer months, when it welcomes dozens of student pilots and private owners. The Invermere Soaring Center is a separate commercial operation which provides aerotowing services and glider rides to the general public.
Hot springs are numerous in the area, with the major developed ones being
FairmontFairmont Hot Springs is an unincorporated community located in eastern British Columbia, Canada. This community has a population of 489, but receives many vacationers from Calgary, who come to play on Fairmont's three golf courses on the Columbia River, and visit the Fairmont Hot Springs...
and
Radium Hot SpringsRadium Hot Springs is a village of approximately 800 people situated in the East Kootenay of British Columbia, located west of Calgary, Alberta. The village is named for the hot springs located in the nearby Kootenay National Park...
; the latter is located inside
Kootenay National ParkKootenay National Park is located in southeastern British Columbia Canada covering 1,406 km² in the Canadian Rockies and forms part of a World Heritage Site. The park ranges in elevation from 918 metres at the south-west park entrance to 3,424 metres at Deltaform Mountain...
.
External links