Its resorts boast superb support services and facilities that

include snow-making capabilities, equipment rentals and food and beverage services.

Downhill skiing can be enjoyed at Mount Timothy, 45 minutes north of 100 Mile House and 23 kilometres east of Lac la Hache. Mount Timothy is a fun-filled family ski area that attracts avid skiers and boarders alike to its 32 runs with everything from slow cruisers, exceptionally-groomed runs and steep powder-filled basins.

Enjoy the cozy hand-crafted log day lodge that offers a fully licenced cafe, wood stoves to warm up to and wi-fi Internet connection.

Mt. Timothy features 930-feet of vertical drop and the triple chair lift makes accessibility easy. Beginners can enjoy the Magic Carpet lift on the bunny slope and the 2009-2010 season will see a new platter lift and another Magic Carpet that will service a couple of terrain parks. The intermediate park will welcome boarders to a series of challenging jumps and other features while the other will be dedicated to beginners. A well-stocked ski shop is open for rentals and equipment sales.

Run by a non-profit society, the hill is open from mid-December to March, including all holidays such as Christmas and spring break.

Call the ski office for more details at 250-395-3772 or the Snow Phone at 1-877-392-1446.

You can also access Mt. Timothy’s Website at www.ski timothy.com.

The Timberland Alpine Ski Society is based at Mt. Timothy and offers youth ski programs for all abilities.

The family-oriented ski-and-snowboard park at the Hills Health Ranch at 108 Mile offers seven runs, night lights until 9 p.m., a handle tow, ski rental and lessons. It’s a great place to learn to ski or brush up on forgotten skills. Its halfpipe is a favourite amongst the snowboarders but there is something for everyone. Downhill and cross-country rental equipment is available, as well as snowboarding and snowshoeing. And, for those who like to do other activities, skating at outdoor rinks, a series of tube runs, cross-country skiing, snowmobile tours and sleigh rides with entertainment are also on hand.

The park opens to snow sports Dec. 18 this year, but earlier if weather allows.

The South Cariboo is giving birth to a resurgence of this unique mode of transportation and the area’s many rivers, lakes and small mountains make it an ideal location to experience the romance and history of dogsledding.

Dogsled tours are available throughout the South Cariboo and offer an adventure to remember. The easiest way to find out where dogsledding is available to the public is to contact local resorts, tour providers or the South Cariboo Visitor Centre in 100 Mile House.

Be it a two-hour trip, a day trip, an overnighter or a week-long adventure, dogsled trips are sure to please those with a love of the outdoors.

Braver souls can plunge right in with winter camping or a stay at a back-country cabin or enjoy the luxury of one of the Cariboo region’s fine hotels, resorts or intimate bed and breakfasts.

Few things are more endearing than dogs, nor more exhilarating than a good race, so for those who are interested in being charmed or excited, look no further – the annual Jack Gawthorn Memorial Dog Sled Race held January 15-17 this year at the Hills Health Ranch at 108 Mile offers spectators and participants a special treat.

The dogsledding competition has been in 100 Mile for decades and, in 1991, it was renamed for local trapper and guide Jack Gawthorn who went through the lake with his team of dogs one spring day. He nor his team were ever found.

The dogsled race course is second to none and the atmosphere is friendly. Make plans to be a part of the second oldest race in BC’s history.

A good portion of the excitement of the event comes from the dogs, before they take off, and there is a cacophony of yelps and howls before the grand unleashing.

Spectators will enjoy watching the race from various vantage points along the course and there are always puppies to pet, mushers to meet, treats to enjoy and a bonfire for warmth.

The 100 Mile Curling Club has over 60 members from 100 Mile, 108 Ranch and the surrounding communities. Most curlers tend to be adults, but the club has worked hard to include younger folks in their popular and inexpensive junior program.

It’s an easy sport to join as all you need are a pair of clean shoes and a broom.

The curling rink is conveniently located just off Highway 97 in the heart of 100 Mile. Turn off the highway at Airport Road.

The rink is right beside the South Cariboo Recreation Centre and shares the arena’s unique geothermal cooling system.

Many South Cariboo residents join teams through the local club, which plays host to visiting curlers throughout the season. The season starts just after Thanksgiving with lessons and events, with registration advertised in advance.

Curling tournaments are called bonspiels and the local club hosts a variety throughout the year, including a charity bonspiel early in the season, the 100 Mile Ladies Bonspiel and a mixed bonspiel in November.

This year, the 100 Mile club will also be hosting the Regional Masters’ Playdowns in February.

The small communities of Forest Grove, 27 kilometres northeast of 100 Mile, and Clinton, which is south of 100 Mile, also have curling surfaces. Lac la Hache, 15 minutes north of 100 Mile, even turns part of the ice in its indoor arena into a curling rink, testament to the enduring popularity of the sport. From October to April Lac la Hache offers curling for those who wish to play on the local arena. ;

There are a variety of art galleries and craft stores nestled throughout the Cariboo.

Local resorts offer pool and hot tub facilities to their guests.

The Cariboo Mall, Coach House Square and the downtown core on Birch Avenue in 100 Mile House feature an assortment of intriguing shops. Quaint coffee shops and bistros also grace the town.

If the plan is to snuggle up with a good book or magazine, the 100 Mile House Public Library is the place.

It’s being temporarily housed in the Pinkney Complex on Horse Lake Road while a new log facility is under construction. It’s due to re-open on Birch in the spring of 2010.

If sports are your thing, curling, hockey, bowling, archery, walleyball, basketball, badminton and more are available locally, many on a drop-in basis.

Stop by the 100 Mile Curling Rink to watch a match or the South Cariboo Rec Centre to enjoy a hockey game.

At Creekside Seniors’ Centre on Cedar Avenue you can usually find a friendly game of cards including bridge, whist or crib. Other activities include pool, shuffleboard, darts and carpet bowling – and you don’t have to be a senior to participate. Anyone 55 years and older is welcome.

There is a movie theatre in 100 Mile House and community halls throughout the area host a variety of events including everything from Scottish Highland dancers, cowboy poetry, choral groups, medieval recreationists, native powwow festivals, Oktoberfest celebrations, musicians and bands, craft fairs, Christmas fairs and concerts in all genres.

The Royal Canadian Legion, with branches in 100 Mile, Forest Grove and Clinton, also offers a host of activities.

The South Cariboo Visitor Centre is located in the log building on Highway 97 at Airport Road, right beside the 100 Mile Marsh.

The centre is open throughout the winter months from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is a wonderful place to gather information on coming events and local attractions.

Likewise, the 100 Mile House Free Press carries the dates and times of many upcoming events in the region.

A vast number of trails and thousands of square kilometres of untamed wilderness makes the South Cariboo region a cross-country ski mecca for families and sports enthusiasts from all over the world.

With dry interior snow and plenty of motel and resort accommodations, 100 Mile, combined with the 108 Ranch, is the “Cariboo’s Nordic skiing capital.”

The two areas of 99 Mile and 108 Mile Ranch offer an outstanding network of groomed trails.

The 99 Mile trails are set up in round-trip loops from one to 20 kilometres in length and about 3.5 kilometres of trail are lit for night skiing. There is also an adventure trail for the young ones.

The 100 Mile Nordics Cross-Country Ski Club offers a wide range of lessons and programs and their crews ensure trails that are well-groomed and marked for easy accessibility and safety.

The club hosts the well-known Cariboo Marathon in February that attracts skiers from all over the world each year. Skiers get the opportunity to test their skills at various levels including skiing distances of 10-, 20-, 30- or the full 50-kilometre marathon.

The Nordics also host one race of the BC Cup Series each winter. There is no admission cost for those who want to go watch top-flight competition, and the race distances will range from one to 10 kilometres.

The Hills Health Ranch offers great skiing conditions combined with a spectacular world-class nordic ski facility. The resort offers an extensive 150-kilometre community trail network that is equally divided between beginner, intermediate and advanced skill levels. The terrain ranges from wide open spaces through gently rolling countryside to challenging descents on a 20,000-acre land base with up to 1,000 vertical feet in varying elevation.

The South Cariboo is an easy five-hour drive from Vancouver.

Trails will take you just about everywhere and offer accessibility, variety, wilderness

areas, a long winter season, great powder snow, spectacular scenery, exciting events and pleasurable weather.

Get your friends together, pack up a picnic lunch, some warm clothes, start up the motor and take off to enjoy the great outdoors and an adventure that will long be part of fond memories.

The region is home to several snowmobile clubs, including the 100 Mile Snowmobile Club and clubs based out of Green Lake, Bridge Lake, Interlakes and Forest Grove.

For those who like to live slightly on the edge, the Mica Mountain Riders Club will challenge your skill in the Spanish Mountain area.

The members of these clubs and the many tourists who come to this area to snowmobile have learned just how much fun it is travelling back-country trails.

The Mica and 100 Mile clubs keep their grooming machines humming and rely on membership money to help pay for the upkeep of the trails that local volunteers have spent a great deal of time constructing.

The trail network in the South Cariboo includes the Green Lake Trails system, the Interlakes Trails system (probably the most elaborate collection of trails and includes Windy Mountain), the 100 Mile House trails system and the Gold Rush Snowmobile Trail, which stretches from 70 Mile House to Wells.

Snowmobilers can opt to explore the endless trails west to the Fraser River, head east to Spanish Mountain and the alpine meadows that border Wells Gray Park, or trek to nearby Big Timothy, which offers a pleasant day’s outing for snowmobilers of all abilities.

The trails are all marked.

Anyone using South Cariboo snowmobile trails is encouraged to purchase a membership with an area club, which provides liability coverage (check with a particular club for insurance specifics).

In addition, membership automatically makes people members of the BC Snowmobile Federation.

The area clubs host a variety of events during the winter including the 100 Mile Snow Drags, which are tentatively set for February. Just check the 100 Mile Snowmobile Club’s website, www.100milesnowmobile.com, for details.

With the right equipment – an axe, line and hook will do – anglers can take advantage of the hundreds of lakes in the region that quickly turn to thick ice and offer up some fine tasting fish.

Kokanee can be found in Bridge, Deka and Sulphurous lakes (east of 100 Mile House) as well as Lac la Hache (to the north).

Rainbow trout are abundant in lakes such as Sheridan, Paddy, Christmas, Loon, Watch, Ruth and Timothy.

(Please note there are lakes in the South Cariboo with fenced-off aerator systems, and ice fishing near these is discouraged for safety reasons because the ice tends to be thin near aerators.)

Before heading out, anglers must do some homework.

They need to find out what type of vehicle is required to get to their destination lake and whether there are public access routes to a given spot. Some of the more rugged sites are four-wheel drive access only, while getting to others can make for a nice snowmobile trek.

Though anglers enjoy ice fishing, which is often an opportunity for social interaction, there are many rules and reminders to check up on before putting hook to water.

Ice should be at least six inches (15 cm) thick to walk on and 18 inches (45 cm) to drive on in a pick-up truck. The ice should be tested regularly to make sure it is thick enough.

At the end of the day, anglers should remove any trash and items they have taken onto the ice with them.

If you are inclined to build a hut, do so, but be aware that failure to remove ice fishing huts from lakes before spring breakup is an offence under the Environmental Management Act.

Anglers have to be aware of the general regulations and of those for specific lakes.

Some lakes, like Valentine or Whale,

are closed to ice fishing while others have special restrictions. Numerous lakes have special catch limits.

People can only use one line at a time and cannot leave their lines unattended. If they walk off the ice, they must remove the hook from the water.

It goes without saying that ice anglers 16 years and older require a licence to fish.

In case there are questions, people need only refer to the Sports Fishing Synopsis, which is published every year by the government of British Columbia.

Government publications are also the place to turn to when you want information on area hunting. Before venturing into the bush, read up on the rules and ensure you have proper licensing and documentation.

British Columbians value their wilderness and resources, and are proud to share them with people from around the world as long as the rules are followed.

Provincial government staff members patrol the region year-round to ensure compliance.

artists and artisans who have decided to settle in the region and bring with them their own unique crafts, art and talent.

Coupled with the many local artists, some of whom have become well-known not only in Canada but around the world, the South Cariboo offers some fascinating surprises and artistic treats for those who want to take the time to explore the hundreds of stores and craft shops in the region.

The Parkside Centre for Arts and Culture in 100 Mile provides a venue for artists to display, create and gather; and the public is welcome to visit the centre at Fourth Street and Cedar Avenue.

The centre features art, music events, a gift shop and workshops/courses on many different topics. The volunteer-run centre can put you in touch with local artisans whose works include everything from weaving to sculptures and painting.

The works of South Cariboo artists are also displayed at Showcase Gallery, in the Cariboo Business Centre, which is located in the heart of 100 Mile on Birch Avenue.

Artwork of every description can also be found on display in the many trendy shops scattered throughout 100 Mile; the soapstone carvings, delicate hand-crafted jewelry and paintings in every medium are all worth a look.

For those who have music in their souls,

the South Cariboo is home to popular performers and community choirs such as Eclectica, which perform at various events throughout the year.

Each May, the 100 Mile Festival of the Arts showcases the area’s music and speech arts talent at venues around the community. The festival is open to the public with daytime performances over the course of the two-week event.

Martin Exeter Hall, in 100 Mile House, provides the region with a quality performing arts venue where local and visiting artists entertain.

The Performing Arts Society puts on a musical performance each year that plays to a full-house every night of their run, this year’s being the Sound of Music.

The annual Bankers’ Variety Show, a huge fundraiser, also attracts visitors from all over to 100 Mile House Community Hall for a fun-filled night of lively entertainment. This show usually takes place in March.

The events’ calendar for the winter also includes Jolly ol’ St. Nick himself, who visits 100 Mile for the annual Santa Claus Parade at the end of November.

Many of the dates are not finalized yet and other events are added to the schedule of community events, so check with the South Cariboo Visitor Centre or the Free Press for the latest information.

The modern facility, opened in 2003 and located just behind the South Cariboo Visitor Centre in 100 Mile House, attracts hockey competition from across the Cariboo, as well as some of the finest figure skaters in the region.

Canlan Ice Sports manages the facility and offers tiny tot lessons, public skating and public hockey sessions throughout the week. You’re sure to find a convenient time to strap on the skates and take to the ice. At different times, hockey camps, schools and workshops are also offered.

There are increased opportunities for public use when kids aren’t in school, such as on professional development days and over the holidays.

Those who would rather watch their friends and family members slip and slide around the ice can sit comfortably in the bleachers. There is an on-site concession that offers a wide variety of hot and cold drinks, snacks and lunch items.

The 100 Mile Figure Skating Club is a frequent user of the arena and offers various events during the season including their bi-annual carnival, which sees youngsters not only strutting their considerable skating skills but dressed in sparkling costumes and funny outfits.

Whether you’re a hockey player or a hockey fan, there is always great hockey action on the ice promising fun and excitement for all involved.

For those who would like to visit another venue, Lac la Hache has the Rolf Zeis Memorial Arena that is home to a growing legion of young hockey players.

In addition, community users convert the ice to a curling surface at various times during the winter.

For those who really want to enjoy the origins of ice skating in the Cariboo, a close check on many lakes in the area will find large patches of ice that have been carefully cleared of snow for outdoor skating areas. So take a warm blanket, some treats, dress warmly and enjoy a day of family skating fun in the Cariboo.