In the Purcell Mountains, 480 mi/770 km east of Vancouver and between Golden and Kimberley, lies the Bugaboo Glacier and Bugaboo Glacier Provincial Park, British Columbia. We've never heard of anyone who didn't enjoy the helicopter ride to the glacier—it's truly an exciting experience, especially during the winter months. The ice fields have an unearthly beauty you won't see anywhere else.
For hardy outdoors enthusiasts, the park is a great place for strenuous hiking excursions (the park maintains a mountain cabin for overnight stays). The south ridge, just south of Golden, is a paradise for mountaineers who head there from around the world to test their skills on the sheer rock faces. Both hikers and climbers will find that this is not a place for the faint of heart or inexperienced. Adventurers also can go heli-skiing in the Bugaboo district of the Purcells. The skiing is superb, but go with an outfitter: Avalanches are common in these rugged mountains. Several outfitters out of Banff, Alberta, operate mountain lodges that skiers and hikers can use.
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