British Columbia

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Introduction

British Columbia

British Columbia's motto, Splendor sine occasu ("Splendour without diminishment") says it all. The natural beauty of the Rockie Mountains, the rugged coast along the Pacific Ocean, the history of Victoria or the big city vibe of Vancouver make British Columbia a big draw for travellers.

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Geography

British Columbia is the western most province in Canada, bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west, Alberta on the east, by the American state of Alaska on its northwest, and to the north by the Yukon and the Northwest Territories, on and on the south by the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana.

British Columbia's coastline stretches for more than 27,000 kilometers, including deep, mountainous fjords and about 6,000 islands, most of which are uninhabited. The Coast Mountains and Canadian Rockies run the length of the province.

More than three quarters of the province is considered mountainous; the Rocky Mountains run its length, flanked by a series of companion ranges. These are the Columbia, Monashee, Cariboo, Selkirk, Purcell, Cassiar, Omineca and Skeena ranges

Vancouver Island, the largest island off the west coast of British Columbia encompasses 31 284 square kilometres (12,076 square miles of land, approximately 29 times the size of Hong Kong.

As well as being the home of British Columbia's Capital City, Victoria, the island boasts has one of the world's most diverse ecosystems, consisting of rainforests, marshes, meadows, beaches, mountains, oceans, rivers and lakes all of which provide homes for multitudes of wildlife species.

Nestled between Georgia Strait and the mainland are the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. Each island has its own distinctive geography, ranging from pastorial, farmland and orchards, sandy beaches to rocky beaches and rugged cliffs.

British Columbia's large size and diverse geography means the climate can vary greatly from area to area. This creates wide variations in average hours of sunshine, rainfall, snowfall and temperatures, sometimes over very short distances. There is no "one size fits all" when discussing the geography and climate of British Columbia.

British Columbia's geography ranges from temperate rain forest to the rugged and vast wilderness in Northern areas of the province. From rain forest to lush agricultural areas, orchards, vineyards, grain fields, desert like areas of sand and rock formations with cacti and sagebrush, deep river valleys and tumbling waterfalls, towering mountains, glaciers, vast forests, rolling grasslands, and alpine tundra.

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Cities

Vancouver - largest city in British Columbia.
Victoria - Capital of the province located at the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island.
Kamloops Tournament Capital of British Columbia located 4 hours from Vancouver, in the Thompson Valley of the Southern Interior.
Whistler - Co-host of the 2010 Olympics, the ski resort of Whistler-Blackcomb is consistently ranked in the top 10 of ski-resorts world-wide, and the village of Whistler provides excellent apres-ski opportunities.

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Sights

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Activities

Fishing

Looking for a Summer Run Steelhead

British Columbia offers some of the best fishing opportunities in the World for all ages and styles.
From the renowned salmon runs of the Fraser River to the superb still water lake fisheries of the BC interior, Spectacular Alpine Lakes, and the Saltwater fishery of the Pacific Coast, the diversity and breathtaking scenery will satisfy the most seasoned angler as well as the first time fisherman/woman.

(a work in progress please bear with me as i expand this category.)
BC Fishing Resorces