A Ride Through The Kootenay- Home of the Ktunaxa
By Marshall Opel
The setting couldn’t be much more picturesque. Huge snow capped peaks tower over lush green valleys. Natural hot springs bubble in forests of fir, pine, larch, and spruce. Tart purple huckleberry gems of sweet energy await gorging grizzly bears in alpine wildflower meadows. Named a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Kootenay region is the Rocky Mountains proper.
After 20 years of hosting events the TransRockies crew knows this area better than most. They’ve meticulously scouted 375 kilometers of super remote backcountry riding. Almost all on hard packed dirt forest service roads that vary in condition from well maintained to fully decommissioned paths in the woods. Riders will cross icy cold streams and have tons of potential animal sightings. An endless supply of mountain views will keep each day as exhilarating as the last.
The TranksRockies Gravel Royale travels through the Kootenay mountains in southeastern British Columbia between the Columbia river headwaters and the Continental divide which is the homeland to the Ktunaxa First Nations people. The Ktunaxa have lived amidst the area's vast ecological abundance and spectacular beauty for a millennia. Archaeological evidence of human made tools in Ktunaxa territory date back more than 10,000 years. In more recent history, an industry of forestry has necessitated the building of thousands of kilometers of super remote logging roads. If not the tire tracks of a logging truck, these backroads are mostly traveled by hooved and pawed creatures.
Idingenous Lands
The Kootenay region is renowned for its majestic landscape and endless recreational opportunities, but it’s much more than that to the Ktunaxa who use the land to sustain themselves in many ways.
The Ktunaxa have ancient ties to this land and a language that’s totally unique to this territory. The Ktunaxa Nation is made up of six smaller “sister” bands, four in Canada and two in the United States. The TransRockies Gravel Royale course travels through land of the Akisqnuk First Nation (Place to two lakes) of nearly 300 people whose council meets in Windermere, BC. Over generations, Ktunaxa First Nations people have developed connections to both the Salish and Blackfeet territories in Idaho, Washington and Montana to the south.
Below is a brief description of the Ktunaxa creation story.
The Ktunaxa people have been in this area since Naⱡmuqȼin fulfilled his prophecy and placed the Ktunaxa people in this area to be the keepers of the land. At that time there was some disturbance caused by a huge water monster known as Yawuʔnik̓, who killed many of the animals. It was decided that Yawuʔnik̓ had to be destroyed. A war party was formed. Yawuʔnik̓ plied the Kootenay (wu·u ʔaqsⱡmaknik ʔakinmituk) and Columbia (Miȼ̓qaqas) River System. When Yawuʔnik̓ was killed, and butchered and distributed among the animals, Yawuʔnik̓’s ribs were scattered throughout the region that now form the Hoodoos seen throughout the region.
When the prophecy was fulfilled the spirit animals ascended above and are now the guiding spirits of the Ktunaxa. In all the excitement Naⱡmuqȼin rose to his feet and stood upright hitting his head on the ceiling of the sky. He knocked himself dead. His feet went northward and is today known as Ya·kⱡiki, in the Yellowhead Pass vicinity. Naⱡmuqȼin’s head is near Yellowstone Park in the State of Montana. His body forms the Rocky Mountains.
Find a more detailed version of the Ktunaxa Creation Story: here.
The Course
Gravel is especially well known as a fantastic way to experience a place from the senses. Tiny stones crunch under tires that roll efficiency on the dirt roads.
Above, weather can move quickly as storms build and the air changes. Stage 2 follows the Kootenay River, which runs a milky white color from the glacial runoff above. A keen eye will reveal evidence of the area's abundance of wildlife. Look out for herds of elk, mule deer or a moose hanging out in a bog. You probably won’t see most of them, but it’s cool to know that you’re surrounded by big creatures. These mountains are home to wolves, mountain lions, grizzly bears, and wolverines. Oh my!
Gravel Royale starts in the Purcell Mountains at Panorama Mountain Resort. Next, riders will pedal along the Kootenay river towards Nipika Mountain Resort where they’ll spend two nights. Nipika is an endurance lovers’ paradise. This eco-resort focuses on human powered sport with 100 kilometers of tails. Then it’s on to Canal Flats, headwaters to the Columbia River. The final day will have riders climbing White Swan pass before dropping into the charming town of Fernie for a picturesque finish. In all, it’s four epic days of dirt surfing in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.
Fernie, local Krista Turcasso said there “Something people always say about this area is that, obviously there’s amazing terrain to be explored, but it’s the communities that people are surprised by. It’s all these entrepreneurs with their own shops downtown. Even though we’re getting busier, we still have that feeling of community.” According to Turcasso, it’s not just Fernie that has a strong ‘mountain culture.’ “We were over in Rossland, they have these epic trails, then you go town and it’s these cute shops and really nice breweries. You’re staying in a town with people who live there.”