British Columbia - Radium Hot Springs

Radium Hot Springs is at the gateway to thecommunities and has become a four season resort
Kootenay National Park (KNP) which has long been antown.Not counted among the village's 750 residents
east-west travel route. It is believed that the areaare some 200 members of a Rocky Mountain bighorn
encompassed by the park, some 1406 sq. km., wassheep band. Few other communities can match
traveled on a seasonal basis by First Nations. TheRadium for the numbers of sheep. Built on part of the
Ktunaxa regularly crossed the Rockies via Whitemanband's winter range, Radium and valley residents have
Pass, Simpson Pass and Vermilion Pass to huntlearned to live and work side-by-side with the sheep
buffalo on the plains.The first non-native people in theand appreciate the blue-listed species. The sheep are
area were trappers and fur traders with the firstcommonly seen in the village only from late autumn to
recorded visit by Sir George Simpson in 1841. Hard onmid-spring.Like most valley communities, Radium has
Simpson's heels was James Sinclair who came overan interesting past. Human beings have been making
Whiteman Pass leading a cavalcade of Red Riverthe most of the healing waters for hundreds of years,
settlers en route to Walla Walla, Washington. In 1858beginning with the First Nations people who used
geologist James Hector led a branch of the PalliserSinclair Pass for access between the Columbia and
expedition into the north end of the Kootenay area.ByKootenay valleys. In 1920, when its population consisted
the early 1900s local businessmen were lobbying for aof a handful of construction workers and lumberjacks,
road linking Windermere to Banff. Eventually the roadaccommodations neither so plentiful nor civilized as
was completed by the federal government inthey are today. Two dollars a week bought you space
exchange for title to a strip of land on either side ofshared with strangers in a tent with a bed made of
the route. In 1920, this land was set aside as Kootenayclean hay, illuminated by candles stuck in empty whisky
National Park.The best known built up area in thebottles. Use of the hot pool cost 50 cents or $1 a day
region is Radium Hot Springs which is just at the southfor as many soaks as you wanted.In 1923 an analyst
entrance to the park through the narrow gorge of thefrom the Canadian government did some tests that
Sinclair Canyon. Although it has a reputation for beingshowed the waters were radioactive, hence the name
perhaps the petunia and bighorn sheep capital of BC,Radium. It is believed that the water is therapeutic,
Radium is most famous for which it was named, theparticularly for arthritis sufferers. Even for completely
healing, hot water springing from the earth andhealthy people, the water is certainly relaxing and
captured in a huge soaking pool.Known internationallysoothing and the view provided from the pools of the
as a resort town, it has more than 30 motels andred walls of Sinclair Canyon is sheer beauty.
hotels, all geared to providing accommodation for theGeographical formations are the order of the area, as
thousands of visitors who pass through every year.witnessed by the redrock wall and the dramatic crack
They arrive on one of three highways, Hwy 95 southwhich you pass through upon entering Radium.The
from Golden, Hwy 93 southwest of the TransCanadavillage of Radium is also now synonymous with golf as
Highway between Lake Louise and Banff, or north onit boasts two top-rated 18-hole golf courses; the
93/95 coming in from Montana and Idaho. The VillageSprings at Radium and the Radium Resort. Radium is
of Radium Hot Springs with a current population of 750also the gateway to a will Purcell Mountain
year round residents, was incorporated in 1992. Itbackcountry rife with recreational opportunities.
remains one of the province's fastest growing