A Winter Road Trip Finding BC’s Best Frozen Lakes & Waterfalls

One of the many beautiful things I enjoy about finding waterfalls in the winter vs. the summer is that they’re ever-changing. Depending on the outside temperature and time of winter you visit, the waterfalls of Wells Gray Provincial Park reveal a sculpted work of art each different than the next. Many falls continue to rage at astonishing levels and I discovered that rather than freezing entirely, some freeze from the bottom up with a cone and ice crystals around. This was the case at the famous Helmcken Falls where nature’s elements of water and frigid air created an otherworldly crystalized spectacle I’d never seen anywhere else before. Helmcken Falls can be accessed year-round and doesn’t require snowshoe equipment to get in unlike Triple Decker and Dawson Falls. The beauty of both Triple Decker and Dawson Falls (separate hikes but easily doable in one afternoon) is that we got to enjoy a scenic snowshoe through snow-covered cedars that felt entirely like a winter wonderland. Both falls were frozen from top-to-bottom with water gushing behind the ice making for a completely different view and experience to Helmcken. Last on our list was Spahats Falls which also can be accessed by a short hike from the parking lot. This canyon-like view is again, very different from any other falls but also has a snowshoe trail through one of the largest inland temperate rainforests. Snow-covered old-growth cedars dwarf everything around while a clear stream flows through and eventually to the falls.

There’s something nostalgic about ice fishing while surrounded by mountains and wilderness that gets me every time. Bundle up, grab your partner, friends or the whole family, drill a hole and hope for the best! There could be a monster rainbow trout and an adrenaline-pumping experience of pulling it in waiting for you. My favourite part about this trip is frying it up on the ice with some lemon and butter using a camping stove–delicious! BC’s fishing highway 24 in the Cariboo region is an area famed for countless lakes that offer an abundance of adventure at any time of year. Bottle up some hot chocolate (I prefer to bring a little Irish cream as well!), some snacks and head out on the ice. If you’re like me and don’t own any of the equipment, South Point Resort on Canim Lake rents it to their guests (and at 50% off in February) or you can do a guided tour with Lone Butte Sporting Goods.

Probably the most quintessentially Canadian activity you can do is a good old fashioned game of pond hockey. Compliment it with a log cabin in the background, and you have just another winter day in the Cariboo. Many resorts in the Fishing Highway area have their own private rinks outside their accommodations and this is my favourite way to hit the ice. It’s fun to see even seasoned winter warriors lose their appetites for chirping and throwing hip checks as a slow setting sun paints the ice a gentle tint of yellow - my favourite is the enormous surface at Fawn Lake Resort near 100 Mile House. Dress in layers because it’s easily twice as cold as a traditional rink.

The Cariboo is full of all sorts of hidden gems that I feel like people from the Lower Mainland and other parts of BC know nothing about! This is one of my favourite parts of the province and one that you’ll likely have all to yourself. Going along with common themes, this area definitely has plenty of spaces and few faces. Among these gems is one that I recently discovered and loved – 100 Mile Nordics Club. Cross country ski rentals and lessons take amateurs (like me) on groomed trails through the pine-rich forests that smell of the freshest nature scents around! Sometimes there’s just not enough light in the day for all the activities you have planned, so I took advantage of the Nordics Club LED-lit trails in the evening. And for those who are also new to this sport, you’ll be happy to know that the trails which twist and turn through the forest in constantly-changing mountain scenery are groomed and track-set making for an easy experience skiing at your own pace. Most trails are a loop and will bring you back to your starting point – a beautiful log lodge serving up warm hot chocolate and a toasty fire.

The whole Wells Gray and Cariboo regions are some of the most affordable places to vacation in BC. Private log cabins can be rented for under $150/night and come with a kitchen and everything you need to be self-sufficient. Don’t forget to look up, because winter is the best time of year to stargaze and these areas have no light pollution. And when it’s time to warm up, get toasty around the wood-burning fire. This region has cozy cabins throughout the area (I stayed at Nakiska Ranch in Wells Gray which was perfect!) and places like Fawn Lake Resort and Wind & the Pillows also have beautiful cabins available for rent.