Exploring Gold Country - Heck ya!

Exploring Gold Country – Part 1

When the Executive Director of Gold Country reached out this winter to see if I could jump in to help with some photography for a Destination British Columbia funded project, I asked “how high”. My task was to photograph winter adventures in Clinton, Cache Creek, Ashcroft, Spences Bridge and Lillooet, a region close to my heart with charm and a winter beauty all of its own!

Cache Creek and Ashcroft

A visit to Cache Creek and Ashcroft with the beautiful @Chiomadarahani and family brought us to Horsting’s Farm Market, where Rhema’s eyes were almost as big as the ever-famous pies. We stopped at Junctions Coffee House, conveniently located where Highway 1 and 97 meet, for some lively conversation with the locals and some delectable coffee treats. The Cache Creek Recreational Park with its’ wide-open spaces, grand weeping willows and fish viewing platform was a lovely place to stretch the legs and have an impromptu snowball fight. A visit to Cache Creek is not complete without a stop at the Cariboo Jade and Gift Shop, a fixture in the community for over 50 years. The kids were excited to bring home some jewelry and stonework made with BC’s provincial gemstone, nephrite jade.

Slim Jim’s Diner on Railway Avenue in downtown Ashcroft welcomed us for lunch. This is the ultimate in 50s Diners and as the kids sipped their old-fashioned milk shakes (strawberry with a cherry on top pretty-please), they announced “this is the best restaurant ever”!

A walking tour of the stained-glass art proudly displayed throughout the community, a visit to UniTea Cafe and Lounge and a wander through a few of the many unique health, gift, clothing and craft stores downtown rounded out a perfect day.

Downtown Clinton | 70 Mile

On a bright, sunshiny mid-December day, I joined the truly @the.wildandfree.family in Clinton for a stomp through the Tin Can Trail on snowshoes. The snow was knee deep and powdery on this well-signed scenic trail at the edge of town.

We worked up an appetite and earned our place at the log table at The Sugar Shack in 70 Mile, just 20 minutes north. Did somebody say poutine and cotton candy? Yowza!

Back to Clinton, we saddled up to the coffee bar at The Junction Coffee House (this one owned by David who sings and plays guitar as well as he makes coffee) to warm our bellies before heading to the local park for some good old fashion fun.

I have so much more to share about this photography journey but I will savour it for another day. Stay tuned for Part 2.