The mountain view is simply dazzling. Because this valley famous for it’s potatoes and agriculture opens up so wide and long beyond the mountains never seem claustrophobic the way they do sometimes in Banff.. Here they’re an amazingly beautiful back drop. Sitting in the hot tub or outdoors on the deck at the back of the lodge the mountain view is pristine. It helps that the nearby condo community housing are all painted in Swiss beige and red, blending in with the local environment in a way Frank Lloyd Wright would approve. I always feel so close to nature here.
The hot tub is to die for. The pool long enough to do laps and feel good. I love the river walk out back. The dog loves it too. The wide trail goes for miles. Beside the resort is a special dog walk with thoughtful dispensers and a handy garbage. In the room the dog friendly resort has a big pillow bed that Gilbert loved. There were also treats for him and water and food dishes. All the staff acknowledged him too greeting him as they greeted us when ever we passed taking him out for walks..
The staff are the best. Always smiling and friendly like a local version of the Best Marigold Hotel without the chickens but all the welcome. They have this wonderful European manner about about them. Even the cleaning staff are happy and friendly and thorough.
Everything is clean. Our kitchenette suite with Keurig coffee and granite counter, full fridge and stove had both Laura and I exclaiming how we could live here.There a washer and drier in the closet. I like the safe’s that are now in all the best hotels. I’ve just never felt the need to use this one here. The door way onto our own balcony was just so perfect. It’s all so comfortable.
I’ve stayed in the rooms without the dining area and loved their size. Over the years I’ve brought a couple of guys up here during hunting season and they’ve been impressed. I’ve never used the work out room with the various machines but one guy did. This year I liked seeing the guest bicycles in the underground parking. The main town is about a half mile away so I thought this a great idea I might partake in one visit.
The resort is certainly a place one could come and just luxuriate like we do at Harrisons. There are two outdoor hot springs I’ve certainly enjoyed in the vicinity. Pemberton Valley is renowned for it’s hiking, horseback riding, mountain climbing, birding, animal watching, fishing and hunting.
For years I used to come up to Mount Currie to trail ride with Wayne Andrews , the former World Champion Aboriginal Rodeo Rider. I actually did Man from Snowy River down a mountainside with Wayne. That was the same year Waye taught me bareback riding and I actually swam a stream holding onto the horses main. Night riding in Pemberton Valley is an unforgettable dream experience beneath the glorious billion star sky surrounded by snow capped mountains. Now the valley is full of horses and multiple equestrian ranches . A couple of outdoor schools operate here teaching survival skills, wilderness lore, woods craft, rapelling and the such. I’ve loved canoeing on the lacks and rivers. The Mount Currie native crafts and lore are reknwned. Everywhere there are great little local restaurants, one actually specializing in Thai. I like that there’s a Macdonald’s with it’s morning McMuffin a short walk across the parking lot outside the Lodge.
Some of Laura and my favourite visits here were the times we came up on my Harley Roadster Motorcycle before Gilbert, a decade back. The Duffy Lake Road is internationally renowned among cyclists and motorcyclists. The circle route is to leave Vancouver coming up the Canyon to Lillooet, doing the Duffy Lake Road, with all it’s winding glory then stopping at Pemberton Valley Lodge for the hot tub and elegance. One of the times we’d done that and arrived here there were at least a half dozen other big motorcycles in the locked basement garage, a couple of Victories, a big BMW and a Gold Wing. The ride down to Vancouver on the Sea to Sky highway is the other best motorcycle ride, one I’ve enjoyed time and time again. My colleague Dr. Horvath does it on bicycle and insists its’ enjoyable. I can’t imagine how it would be but Pemberton Valley is alive with cyclists these day.
I like the 4x4 trails and am looking forward to getting up here in summer with my KTM 690 enduro motorcycle and a fishing rod. I’ll never forget eating trout smoked and cooked over a fire on the shore of the Birkenhead. I used to downhill ski Whistler for decades till the downtown Los Angeles crowds and chair lifts palled and I found I preferred cross country skiing and snow shoeing. That’s definitely what’s available here and I ve said for several years how I mean to get up here for just that. Laura and I brought Gilbert here when he was only a few months old and he has liked snow showing with use, riding on the backs of our snow shoes. I’d like a ski doo. This is ski doo territory. I used to love ski doing when I did my northern fly in doctor days but have never had the place to store a ski doo yet a rental would be the answer. The whole mountain scene is another world when you’re dressed for it cozy and warm and can come back to a perfect place for a hot chocolate. We loved curling up on the couch last night and watch a Disney movie on the wide screen tv eating delicious pizza from Back Country Pizza.
That’s what Laura and I did this weekend but it would be a good winter retreat given that the Sea to Sky Highway is so well kept since it was improved for the Games. It’s only a half hour or so beyond Whistler but a whole other era of peace and friendliness.
I’m very thankful to Pemberton Valley Lodge. Years of reliable romantic elegant cozy friendly clean hospitality. I love Pemberton Valley too and the people here are the best.
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