Sandpoint Evening (Canadian Selkirk Mountains in Far Right Background)

Recent examples in a long list of “best of” awards are Sandpoint’s designation as the “Most beautiful small town in America” and Schweitzer Mountain Resort’s selection as Ski Magazine editor’s pick as the “Best Kept Secret”. Sandpoint’s charm has not gone unnoticed, especially among our neighbors to the North. The number of Canadian license plates in town has increased significantly in the last few years, and this trend has been a big benefit to local business owners. Canadians have brought a welcome surge in commerce that has helped many businesses stay afloat in tough economic times.

The Pend Oreille River from Sandpoint's Long Bridge

Apparently some Canadians have recognized that there is a lot of value in the local real estate market. North Idaho has experienced a surge in vacation home and investment property purchases by Canadian citizens, with some choosing North Idaho as a place to retire. It’s no secret that property values are low almost everywhere in the U.S., and there are great deals out there for anyone with a bit of liquidity and a positive vision of the future. In Sandpoint, we are lucky to be less than an hour from the Canadian border and a short days drive from Calgary and other population centers in Southern Alberta. Oil and gas exploration has really taken off in Southern Alberta, and the economy there is much better off than in most areas of the United States.

Sunrise over Lake Pend Oreille (from an Owner's Lot on Garfield Bay)

Canadians visiting the US also benefit from lower prices on goods and services here, most notably gasoline and building materials. Currency exchange rates are also favorable for Canadians, though they are down a bit from a historic high in March of 2009. I remember only about 10 years ago the situation was opposite, and shopping trips or vacations to Canada were a great way to get a lot for the American dollar. Southern B.C., Alberta, and the National Parks of the Canadian Rockies are still very popular vacation spots for North Idaho residents, and most vacations I hear about involve outdoor enthusiasts enjoying Canada’s natural treasures and great skiing.

Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park

In Sandpoint, everyone I know is glad to see that our neighbors to the north are frequenting North Idaho and discovering how much this area has to offer. We are finding that they make great neighbors, clients, and friends. When I visit Canada, I never really feel like I am in a different country, and I suspect Canadians feel the same here. To acknowledge our kinship with Canada, Schweitzer Mountain has adopted Whitewater resort near Nelson, B.C. as its Canadian sister, and is offering Whitewater pass holders free skiing if they stay in any of the resort owned accommodations.

Whitewater Resort

Anyone visiting Sandpoint, Canadian or otherwise, is welcome to stop in and see our portfolio of beautiful mountain homes. We speak fluent Canadian, and would love to talk to you about designing your new mountain home.

Hendricks Architecture specializes in the design of timber mountain style homes and cabins.  Most of the homes we’ve completed are in mountain resort areas throughout the West.  If you are interested in a mountain home, or you have any other inquiries, please contact us.

Tom Russell, Architect LEED AP

Click to Subscribe to Hendricks Architecture’s Blog.

Schweitzer Bowl - The front of the mountain

Opening day at Schweitzer was November 19^th, and even though the terrain was limited the conditions were great. There was even some fresh snow to get everyone excited! Schweitzer closed again during the week, with a promise to reopen the day after Thanksgiving. The big surprise came a few days before Thanksgiving – a two day storm event that dumped several feet of heavy, wet snow and provided excellent coverage on the entire mountain. A few days later temperatures cooled down, 8” of light snow fell, and the day after Thanksgiving looked like a mid-winter powder day. A lot of the front side was open, conditions were excellent, and everyone was smiling!

This Schweitzer fan showed up a few days before opening day to avoid the crowds.

From what I have seen on other ski area websites, we have about the best conditions in the country right now. The Lake Tahoe region (Kirkwood, Squaw Valley and Heavenly Valley) has very little snow, Alta and Telluride are reporting less than a 30” base, and the central Colorado areas of Vail, Aspen, and Summit County are all hurting for snow. Even further north in Sun Valley and Big Sky, snow depths are thin and the ski resorts are barely open.

Closer to Sandpoint, Whitefish Mountain Resort had to cancel plans to open the first week in December due to lack of snow. 49 Degrees North is open and has almost as much snow as Schweitzer. North of the border, Fernie has a decent amount of snow, as do Red Mountain and Schweitzer’s Canadian sister resort of Whitewater. However, only Fernie is open this early in the season and the terrain is limited.

I have been seeing a lot of Canadian license plates in the parking lot at the ski resort, and also in town. The Canadians I have talked to are coming here from Calgary and other cities in Alberta, as well as from Southern British Columbia. It seems that word is getting out up there that Sandpoint in Northern Idaho is a wonderful place and that the skiing is pretty darn good. It probably doesn’t hurt that property is less expensive here, our taxes are lower, and the exchange rate is favorable too, eh. Whatever the reason, we welcome our visitors from Canada and are glad to be close to Southern B.C. so we can visit there as well.

A Schweitzer Skier on Opening Day

If you’re looking for some great early season skiing, come to Sandpoint and check out Schweitzer Mountain Resort. The entire front side (see trail maps – Schweitzer Bowl) is open now, including some excellent tree skiing for which Schweitzer is famous. You’ll find out why Schweitzer was the Ski Magazine editors pick for the best kept secret, but you have to promise not to tell anybody! Hope to see you there, and while you’re in Sandpoint stop by and see our portfolio of beautiful Mountain Homes.

This post was written by an author at Hendricks Architecture who wishes to remain anonymous.  We are mountain architects located in Sandpoint, Idaho.  Click to Subscribe to Hendricks Architecture’s Blog.

Garfield Bay near Sandpoint on Lake Pend Oreille

We set out on a Friday morning from Sandpoint.  Sandpoint is about 45 miles south of the Canadian border, and was recently voted Most Beautiful town in the USA by USA Today.  After being through the border from Seattle to Vancouver many times before, we found this border to be a breeze in terms of crowds.  There were only about five vehicles heading into Canada, whereas there were about fifty entering the United States.

We had lunch in Creston, BC, and then headed up the eastern shore of Kootenay Lake to catch the ferry.  Kootenay Lake is a very long and narrow fjord-like lake surrounded by the Purcell Mountains on the east and the Selkirk Mountains to the west.  The beautiful, winding drive up the eastern shore to the ferry landing at Kootenay Bay is lined with roughly 40 miles (64 kilometers) of waterfront homes, resorts and parks.  The toll-free ferry is a treat for the kids (and adults).   Mountain fresh air, a glistening blue lake, and awesome views of the Purcell’s come with the 35 minute ferry ride.

Kootenay Lake from the Kootenay Ferry

Once we landed in Balfour, we headed north along the west side of the lake to look at campgrounds, with the idea of staying at one and going to Ainsworth Hot Springs the next day, before camping at Slocan Lake the next night.  However, the campgrounds we saw were a little too open and populated for us, so we decided to head straight for Slocan Lake.

Slocan Lake

We drove north to Kaslo before turning west.  Kaslo is a very pretty town situated around a small bay.  We would have liked to explore it more, but we wanted to make sure we found a campground and were set up before dark.  We headed west, climbing over the Kootenay Range.  Near the top a tourist on a slow motorcycle heading east took too long a glimpse of a waterfall and fell over in front of us.   After helping him get his bike up and making sure it wasn’t scratched (it was a rental), we drove down into the town of New Denver on Slocan Lake.

We were one of the last to get a spot at Rosebery, a campground just a couple of minutes north of town.  We were right on Wilson Creek, so the kids really enjoyed it.  The next day we strolled around New Denver, a quaint, rustic town on the east side of Slocan Lake.  New Denver is in a beautiful setting and is up there on the list of the most scenic towns.  There are plenty of outdoor activities, including hiking, cycling, boating, fishing, etc.  We explored the Silvery Slocan Historical Society Museum, which has some interesting artifacts dating back to the 1800’s.  We also ran across the Villa Dome Quixote, an interesting complex with a lodge and cottages.

The Villa Dome Quixote in New Denver

That afternoon we took it easy and hung out on the beach on the north side of town.  My daughter is an avid swimmer and convinced me to swim with her out to a floating platform.  The water was actually much warmer than I expected it to be.  It was also crystal clear as I could easily see the bottom, which must have been at least 5 meters deep below the platform.  However, when I tried diving down the water was mind-numbing so I quickly turned back.

The north side of Slocan Lake from New Denver

That evening we played charades around the campfire.  Charades is a very entertaining game when you have small children.  Our youngest boy is a big fan of pirates.  Here is one of his turns.

“Three words.  It’s a person.  A person on a pirate ship.”

“Is it a pirate?”

“Yes!”

The next morning we set out for Nelson.  The drive down the eastern side of Slocan Lake has some great views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

Nelson Fire House, featured in Roxanne

Nelson is ANOTHER beautiful town, though much bigger at just over 9,000 people.  It’s set at the end of an “arm” that comes off the middle of Kootenay Lake.  The town’s main street has an impressive collection of buildings from the days of the silver rush.  The Steve Martin film Roxanne was filmed here.  Much of the film was shot at the firehouse, shown above, where Steve Martin was the fire chief.

Nelson Court House

After a great lunch at the Twisted Tomato, we headed toward the waterfront and took a restored streetcar to Rotary Lakeside Park.   This park has everything; a great playground with modern equipment that I enjoyed almost as much as the kids, a beautiful beach with Laser sailboats frolicking offshore, tennis courts, and playfields among others.  One of our favorites were the modern exercise stations on the west side of the park.

Nelson's Rotary Lakeside Park

In the late afternoon we headed back towards Sandpoint.  It was a great trip for a 3-day weekend, though we could have easily stayed longer.  A map of our trip can be seen on this Google Maps link.

Tom Russell, an architect here at Hendricks Architecture, took a longer trip up Banff and Revelstoke which included passing through New Denver and Nelson on the way back.  You can read more about his trip under our blog post Mountain Vacation in Southern British Columbia and Alberta.

John Hendricks, AIA Architect

Hendricks Architecture is a mountain architecture firm located in Sandpoint, Idaho.  Subscribe to Hendricks Architecture’s Blog.

North View from the Beach House

Views are wide ranging out to the Pacific Ocean and up and down the coast.  More information, including schematic plans and elevations of the home, can be found on our Mexico Beach House blog post.

The builder is Israel Magna Rodriquez of In-Progsa.  Construction materials for a beach house are quite different from a mountain style home.  The typical cedar siding over wood frame construction in the mountains would quickly rot in a high humid location.  The best materials to use in high humidity climates such as coastal Mexico and Nicaragua are less perishable ones like concrete and native hardwoods.  This home will be concrete with some hardwood trim and finish work.

John Hendricks, AIA Architect

Hendricks Architecture, Mountain and waterfront architects

Subscribe to Hendricks Architecture’s Blog.

A unique feature of the fractional ownership will be a concierge type service where someone will completely customize the home to each owner’s preferences prior to their arrival so that everything will be ready for them when they arrive. This service will include filling the refrigerator with food as ordered and getting gear out of storage so owners are ready for action as soon as they arrive.

The new homes that are being built at Mountainside at Schweitzer are employing some green building technologies, and plans call for them to attain some level of LEED certification. Some of the green strategies they will be using include:

• Geothermal hydronic heating and snowmelt
• Structural insulated panels on the Roof
• Reclaimed wood interior finishes
• High Efficiency windows
• Walking distance to the Schweitzer Village and all resort amenities
• Increased development density to maximize open space

The homes in Mountainside at Schweitzer will have excellent views of Lake Pend Oreille and the Cabinet Mountains beyond. They also look out on Schweitzer’s South Bowl, the Sunnyside lift area, and have exterior decks that look down to the village. The design style of the homes being built at mountainside currently is Modern Mountain Rustic, a subdivision of Mountain Architecture.  Some of the features include large rough sawn timbers, stone veneer, predominantly shed or flat roofs, and lots of windows. All of the homes have garages and indoor gear storage, virtual necessities given the amount of snow that Schweitzer gets.

There are more ski-in/ski-out building lots available at Mountainside at Schweitzer, and also at other desirable subdivisions around Schweitzer, including The Ridge at Schweitzer and The Spires.

John Hendricks, AIA Architect and Tom Russell, LEED AP

Hendricks Architecture, mountain architects in Sandpoint, Idaho.  For other photos, please see previous mountain architecture projects.

.

Subscribe to Hendricks Architecture Blog.

Please feel free to leave a comment or question!

I love summers in Sandpoint. The weather is great, the lakes are warm, and the local events calendar is jam packed with enough festivities to keep everybody busy and active. One of my favorite activities in the summer is mountain biking, and I feel lucky to live in a place that has so much great riding. There is a great variety of mountain bike trails here, and a healthy population of mountain bike enthusiasts to enjoy them. A local cycling club/ advocacy group called the Pend Oreille Pedalers is actively building new trails, so the opportunities for great riding keep expanding.  There are lots of trail guides and they are always looking for new members or people to help with trail building.

Lake Pend Oreille from the Monarchs, with Mineral Point in center background

When I go out riding I am always surprised at how uncrowded and well maintained the trails are. If you have ever ridden in places like Moab or Colorado’s front range, you’ll appreciate the quality conditions and solitude that can be found here, even on the most popular rides. I was in Bend , Oregon a few weeks ago and did a ride that was loose, dusty and rutted from overuse. It was a great trail, but I kept thinking how much more enjoyable it would have been if it was in North Idaho.

From the town of Sandpoint, there are several great rides you can do without ever getting in your car. There is a network of high quality single track trails just west of town in the hills between Pine Street and the town of Dover. Known as Syringa Ridge or Sherwood Forest, the trails there are not well documented, and it is a bit of a local’s secret. Efforts are being made to map it, but I haven’t seen anything public yet. When I first moved here , I enjoyed the adventure of finding my way around there without a map and checking out trails I had never been on. I won’t deprive anyone of the same opportunity by giving away too much about it. If you do go exploring in that area, be aware that there is a lot of private land and access is an issue, so please read the signs and obey parking restrictions.

Gold Hill Trail #3

Gold Hill trail #3 is my favorite. It is a thrilling ride with a sustained 3 mile climb, spectacular views, and a smooth, fast descent on the return trip. There is an expanding complex of trails above the gravel quarry on Bottle Bay Road (another local’s secret area) that connects to the Gold Hill trail #3 and offers a variety of alternatives to explore.

Mineral point has some great trails not unlike Gold Hill in quality and scenery, but noticeably easier on the legs and lungs. My favorite ride there is a 10 mile loop that starts and ends at the fabulous Green Bay beach.

One of the views from Mineral Point

Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort also has some great biking, both lift served and self-serve. Ambitious pedalers can get to the resort trails by climbing the 9 +/- miles to the ski area on a fun single track trail that is accessed from several of the even numbered switchbacks on the Schweitzer road. My favorite rides at Schweitzer  are cross country ski trails in the winter. For those who like to compete, Schweitzer has a mountain bike race series every Wednesday evening in August.

New Schweitzer Mountain Resort Trail

Priest Lake is about an hour from Sandpoint, and has some great trials on both the upper and lower lake. Spectacular views, lots of berries, and nice beaches with crystal clear water are all highlights of mountain biking around Priest Lake and Upper Priest Lake.

Upper Priest Lake

Faragut State Park between Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene has a lot of mostly moderate mountain bike trails, and it is also a nice place to camp on the lake. It is a good spot for a family outing, especially if cycling is not the only activity you have in mind. One ambitious ride here worth checking out is Bernard Peak.  I think you will agree – the views are well worth the effort.  All About Adventures hosts a mountain bike race series at Faragut every Wednesday in July.

Partial View of the Southern End of Lake Pend Oreille

There a many more great rides in the Sandpoint area, including some big, epic rides in the Cabinet and Selkirk Mountain Ranges. Information on many of these can be found with a quick internet search. There is currently a Falcon guide to mountain biking in the Spokane Coeur d’Alene area that covers some of the Sandpoint area rides. While there is no formal guide to Sandpoint yet, rumor has it a comprehensive guide is in the works.

Tom Russell, LEED AP, Project Architect

Hendricks Architecture, mountain architects located in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Please feel free to leave a comment or question!

Subscribe to Hendricks Architecture Blog.

Sandpoint, Idaho is a relatively new community, at least in terms of being known as a resort area.  It is located on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, the biggest lake in the Northwest, before it becomes the Pend Oreille River.  Homes and properties surrounding the lake are just starting to be bought and turned into more upscale luxury homes.  The Idaho Club is one example of a private mountain home community in Sandpoint, and has a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, as well as waterfront properties. Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort has a few mountain neighborhoods, including The Ridge, The Spires, and Mountainside at Schweitzer.  Dover Bay, The Crossing at Willow Bay, and Salishan Point are lakefront developments along the Pend Oreille River.

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho boasts Black Rock and Gozzer Ranch on opposite sides of Lake Coeur d’Alene.  Black Rock is a private lakefront community and has a Jim Engh designed golf course.  The course is often mentioned as one of the finest golf courses in the Northwest, and the Clubhouse is beautiful.  Gozzer Ranch has a Tom Fazio designed course.  Galena Ridge in Kellogg has a mining theme, set on a golf course below Silver Mountain Resort.

Sun Valley, Idaho has been around forever, so there are big mountain homes everywhere, sometimes mingled with smaller homes.  Sun Valley has the original ski resort, and includes the cities of Sun Valley, Ketchum and Hailey.  Basically the closer you get to Sun Valley Resort the more upscale they are.  A few examples of development occurring on new lots are White Clouds on the northern edge of Sun Valley Resort,  and Independence, located about a mile east and up the hill from Sun Valley.  White Clouds includes 30 home sites at the northern edge of Sun Valley Resort, bordered by the Sun Valley golf course and open space.

In Western Montana, The Wilderness Club in Eureka, north of Whitefish is a big development with a Nick Faldo designed course.  In Whitefish, the area is centered around Whitefish Mountain Resort (formerly Big Mountain), and Whitefish Lake.  Iron Horse has been around for a few years and the homes have the rugged, rustic Montana look.  Smaller, newer neighborhoods include The Homestead and Elk Highlands.  Saddlehorn, in Big Fork on Lake Kalispell is another big development.

The Ranch Club, six miles northwest of Missoula, Montana, has a Les Furber designed course, with 198 custom homesites on 343 acres, 72 townhome & condominium sites, and 95 club lodge sites.  In Hamilton, Montana, south of Missoula, is Stockfarm.  Stockfarm has a Tom Fazio golf course among it’s 2,600 acres.  East of there, Rock Creek Cattle Company outside Deer Lodge has 3 to 110 acre homesteads, and a Tom Doak golf course.

Big Sky, Montana is well known for the Big Sky Resort in the Spanish Peaks.  The Big Sky area includes The Yellowstone Club, The Club at Spanish Peaks and Moonlight Basin, all well known for rugged Montana mountain style homes.  The Yellowstone Club is an ultra-exclusive, invitation only private community with it’s own ski area and Tom Weiskopf designed golf course, all on 13,400 acres.  The Club at Spanish Peaks also has a Tom Weiskopf designed golf course, as well as private ski lifts to Big Sky Resort.    Moonlight Basin is on the north side of Lone Mountain, and the ski resort also accesses Big Sky Resort with the “Lone Peak Ticket”.  Moonlight Basin also includes a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course.

Northwestern Wyoming includes Grand Teton National Park, and directly to the north, Yellowstone National Park.  The Grand Tetons are one of the most beautiful, picturesque mountain ranges around.  Jackson, in the Jackson Hole valley, has always been well known for the rustic mountain resort architecture.  Mountain style subdivisions are all over, including Spring Creek Ranch, Topnotch at Stowe and Whitetail Resort. The Bar BC Ranch has 35 to 53 acre ranch sites on 1,400 acres with world class trout fishing, along with views of the Teton Range, Yellowstone National Park, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.  The Bar-B-Bar Ranch has ranch parcels starting at 35 acres and up to over 100, with Teton views.  Amangani is a newer development with more contemporary mountain architecture.

Washington mountain style neighborhoods include Suncadia and Tumble Creek (formerly known as Trapper’s Creek) in Roslyn, a town a little over an hours drive east of Seattle in the Cascade Mountains.  Suncadia is an eco-friendly resort and is the largest 3-star built-green resort community in Washington State.  The lodge has 254 luxury guest suites and penthouses.  The Methow Valley is also a popular spot for mountain style architecture, and is a very popular cross-country skiing area.  One of the trails stretches for 120 miles, one of the longest XC trails in the world.

In Oregon, Bend is becoming a well know spot for the mountain style.  Bend is the home of Jeld-Wen Windows & Doors.  Jeld-Wen owns several communities, including Suncadia and Galena Ridge described above.  They also own Brasada Ranch, Eagle Crest Resort, and Yarrow Living in and around Bend, as well as Ridgewater, Harbor Isles, and Running-Y Ranch near Klamath Falls.

Hendricks Architecture specializes in the design of luxury mountain style homes and cabins.  While it is not the only type of work we design, most of the homes we’ve completed are in mountain resort areas throughout the West.  Most of our clients are looking for mountain style homes, often fairly rustic.  Feel free to peruse photos and renderings of mountain architecture.

John Hendricks, Architect AIA

Hendricks Architecture, mountain architects located in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Subscribe to Hendricks Architecture Blog.

.

The first weekend in April this year was a real treat for Schweitzer Mountain skiers.  It was the last weekend of the season, the sky was a cloudless deep blue, and there was new snow on the ground.  By the end of the day Sunday, it was 50+ degrees.  I stood on top of the Mountain on Sunday afternoon taking in the views of Lake Pend Oreille and Montana to the east .  “This is why I live here” I thought.  I find myself thinking or saying this an awful lot, and I probably wasn’t the only one at Schweitzer that day who felt lucky to have chosen Sandpoint, Idaho as my home.

The Great Escape Quad at Schweitzer Mountain

It was a busy day at Schweitzer, maybe the busiest of the season, and there were people everywhere enjoying lunch, drinks , live music, the goofy games of “Spring Daze”  or the great skiing .  Despite the record crowds, I hadn’t stood in a lift line all day, and the slopes never seemed crowded.  Schweitzer boasts 2900 acres of terrain, and it takes an awful lot of people to make that feel crowded.  The only thing I would have changed that day was to have my family there to enjoy it with me – they were out of town for spring break.  Schweitzer is a great family mountain, and we see most of our friends there every weekend.

Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho

Prior to living in Sandpoint, I lived in Colorado and Utah for 20 years.  I tolerated big crowds, gridlock traffic, and expensive lift tickets to indulge my skiing habit.  I knew Sandpoint had Schweitzer Mountain, and we had been there several times in the summer, but I had no idea how great it was until I skied there.  I have been skiing for as long as I can remember, and I have been almost everywhere in the US and Canada.  In all honesty, Schweitzer is near the top of my favorites list.  I continue to be amazed at how un-crowded, affordable, and accessible it is. For quality of ski terrain, I would compare it to Crested Butte in Colorado, Snow Basin in Utah, and Bridger Bowl in Montana.

Schweitzer Village is only about 10 miles from Sandpoint, Idaho, up a steep mountain road. Its relationship to Sandpoint reminds me of Teton Village near Jackson and the Mountain Village at Telluride.  Schweitzer has its own village center, with shops, restaurants, realtor offices, and lodging.  It has everything you need, and there is still plenty of growing room for more businesses and accommodations.  In the summer they have music festivals, mountain biking,  mountain biking  races, Frisbee golf, hiking, and lift service to the top of the mountain.  Many people live there year round, though most residents are part time and seasonal.

Mountain biking is a popular summer activity at Schweitzer.

One of my favorite aspects of the village is there is still room to move – it isn’t densely developed with homes and condos on every postage stamp sized lot.  Schweitzer Land and Timber is planning to build new LEED certified ski in/out timeshare condos in a new open neighborhood right near the base of the new Basin Express Quad.  A few new quality developments with sizable lots, ski in access, and incredible views have been created in the last few years.  If you are interested in ski area property, check out The Spires & The Ridge at Schweitzer.

When I was a youngster learning to ski on the icy little hills of the Northeast (my Vermont friends might take issue with the little part), I dreamed of heading west to the “real mountains”.  I seem to have ended up just where I hoped I would – a place a lot like the little Adirondack town where I came from but on a larger scale.  I love Sandpoint, and Schweitzer is one of the biggest reasons why.  If you are looking for a place to hang your boards and call home, give Schweitzer a try.

Schweitzer Bluegrass Festival

We design mountain homes of all sizes.  If you find yourself falling victim to the charm of Sandpoint and Schweitzer, give us a call.  We would love to help you create your mountain home.

Tom Russell, LEED AP

Hendricks Architecture, Mountain Architects in Sandpoint, Idaho

British Columbia Mountain Home Developments

Mountain Home Developments in Southern BC:

Lakestone Resort on Lake Okanagan between Kelowna and Vernon.  Luxury lakeside community with some waterfront lots, a Hurdzan Fry signature golf course, village and marina.
Sagebrush Golf and Sporting Club, invite only exclusive resort west of Kelowna on Nicola Lake.
Tobiano on Kamloops Lake.  Waterfront community with Thomas McBroom signature golf course, clubhouse and marina.
Red Mountain ski-in and ski-out lots, near Rossland.

Some developments with mountain architecture in Southeastern BC:

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, a mountain ski and outdoor village in Golden.
Lookout Ridge at Sun Peaks Resort, a skiing, public golf and mountain biking resort.
Whiskey Jack Resort in Sparwood.  Fred Couples signature golf course.
Forest Crowne Resort.  Resort community in Kimberley.
Wildstone in Cranbrook includes Gary Player and Black Knight designed golf courses.

Mountain Home Developments in Fernie, BC, a town near Sandpoint, Idaho and Whitefish, Montana.  Fernie is an outdoor resort community with skiing, golf, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, etc.

Silver Springs Development
Alpine Trails
Silver Ridge Estates
Black Rock Estates
Fernie Golf Estates

John Hendricks, AIA Architect

Hendricks Architecture, mountain architects in Sandpoint, Idaho.

.

Please feel free to leave a comment or question!

Subscribe to Hendricks Architecture Blog.

Last summer my family and I decided to take our vacation to Canada to visit several resort towns in southern British Columbia and Alberta. We usually travel back to my hometown of Old Forge in the Adirondacks, where my family rents a charming old “mini” Adirondack Great Camp on the lake at Morrow Point. Old Forge is so similar to Sandpoint that we thought it would be nice to do something different and see some new places. We had a new V.W. Eurovan that we were anxious to try on a long road trip, so Canada it was!

The first town we visited was Kimberley, which is not too far from Cranbrook in Southern B.C.  Kimberley is supposedly the highest town in Canada, and we had heard they have an extensive network of mountain bike trails. The main attraction in Kimberley in the winter is the ski resort, which we were told is family friendly and gets lots of light dry snow.  Kimberley turned out to be a Bavarian themed town that reminded me of Leavenworth in central Washington. It has a pedestrian mall, called the Platzl, which we visited at 5PM on a Saturday afternoon.

The Platzl in Kimberley

The Platzl is several square blocks of great old brick and timber buildings, charming shops and restaurants, and cobble paved streets. We expected it to be mobbed that time of day, but it was almost deserted. At our campsite that night we met a local realtor who explained that everyone was probably up at “the Lake” because it was so hot (at least by Canada standards). She also told us Kimberley was trying to rebrand itself and lose the Bavarian village image.

We wanted to check out Fernie, but decided to wait and go there in the winter when we could ski at Fernie Alpine Resort.   Our next destination was Banff, via Kootenay National Park. The park has incredible scenery so we spent three days and nights and did some great hikes.  I would recommend visiting it if you are anywhere near Banff.

Kootenay National Park

Banff is a bustling resort town with European flair and a very diverse population. The compact downtown area has an interesting mix of traditional and modern Architecture, with a great town park along the Bow River. Probably the best know attraction in Banff, besides the great scenery and ski areas, is the Banff Springs Resort Hotel, an architectural wonder surrounded by mountains.  Luxury at it’s best!  Maybe not the best example of the Mountain Architecture style.

Banff Springs Hotel

We camped near Minnewanka Lake, a huge, beautiful lake just outside Banff with great trails, abundant wildlife, and very cold water. I took a mountain bike ride early one morning on the North side of the lake, and on a blind corner I almost hit a mountain goat with 2 babies. They were hurrying down to beg for some snickers bars on the highway, and didn’t seem to mind me very much.

Lake Minnewanka

Our next stop was Lake Louise, probably one of the most photographed and popular places in Canada. Apparently it is popular with the Grizzly bears, too.  The campsites for tent campers have a burly safety fence around them. The lake’s reputation is well deserved.  It is surrounded by stunning glaciated peaks and the water is a brilliant aquamarine color typical of lakes formed by glacial runoff. At the busy end of the lake (the end you don’t have to walk to) is the Fairmont Lake Louise Chateau, a huge luxurious hotel that seems out of place in this alpine setting.

Lake Louise

From Lake Louise we headed west, choosing to visit Revelstoke rather than Jasper, where I had been before. We knew Revelstoke has a new ski area and is in the process of developing a village to support it, and wanted to see what it was all about. From Lake Louise, we went over two mountain passes and through two more National Parks (Yoho & Glacier) on the way. The Rogers Pass area between Golden and Revelstoke has the most incredible scenery we encountered.

Rogers Pass

The peaks here are rugged and covered with glaciers, making this a playground for mountaineers and backcountry skiers. I vowed to return in the future better equipped to explore the more remote areas of this park. We camped near the pass and did some hikes here, but were intimidated by the signs reminding us that grizzly bears would be more than happy to eat us if we woke them up or tried to pet their children.

Revelstoke is a great town that reminded us of Sandpoint, except that they have a great municipal recreation center, and we only wish we had one. If you go there I would recommend visiting it. Oh yea, and their ski hill has an amazing 5600′ vertical. The ski area seems to have a lot of potential and has some great terrain, but the village still has a ways to go before it is a thriving town center.

Heading south out of Revelstoke, we took a ferry across Arrowhead Lake and continued to the hamlet of New Denver on Slocan Lake. This cute little mountain town was a great place to camp and enjoy the slow pace of the Slocan valley. Flanked on both sides by National Parks, the Slocan valley has a string of artsy, down to earth towns connected by a public bus system. It was amazing to see such an amenity in a rural area. A must visit here is the Cedar Creek Café in Winlaw.

Slocan Lake

Our plan was to head to Red Mountain in Rossland, B.C. for some mountain biking, but rain was in the forecast so we headed to Nelson, B.C. to walk around and shop in this funky, eclectic ski town. We had been here during the winter to ski at Whitewater, but were surprised to see how busy Nelson was in the summer.

The final hurrah for the trip was driving over Kootenay Pass, which connects Salmo and Creston in extreme southern B.C. It is the highest road in Canada and a popular ski touring area. We made it back to Sandpoint in time to watch the 4^th of July fireworks that evening.

Tom Russell, LEED AP

Hendricks Architecture, mountain architects in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Please feel free to leave a comment or question!

.