Rest Days in the Kootenays
The Scenic Route to Revelstoke
We decided to stretch the journey to Revelstoke over two days, to give our legs a break. The Kootenay region of British Columbia is stunning, defined by massive bodies of water like Arrow Lake. We spent hours winding along cliffside highways and dipping into side canyons like Enterprise Creek, stopping at bookstores and cafés to break up the drive. Nelson was the highlight, with Packrat Annie’s having a big selection of used books to pick from.
A Tale of Two Hot Springs
Further north, our attempt at a “hidden gem” natural hot spring turned into a thirty-minute masterclass in reversing a van down a snowy, rutted-out mountain road. After that comical retreat, we pivoted to a developed spring outside the town of Nakusp that Josh and Monika found. The shower and long soak was exactly what the doctor ordered. We ended the day camping on the beach in Nakusp, enjoying a pleasantly warm (at least for Canada) night by the water.
Ferries and Logging Jerrys
The next morning, we missed the lakeside ferry by a mere eight minutes. In true modern nomad fashion, we didn’t stress; we just popped the Starlink on the roof and watched the Olympics men’s snowboard halfpipe finals while waiting for the next boat.
Once across, we rolled into Revelstoke for some final chorin’ and another quick thrift store pass. Finding a campsite proved tricky though: after nearly getting swallowed by a comically muddy logging road, we settled for a large pullout five minutes from the resort. It wasn’t the most glamorous spot, but the price (free) and the proximity were right.
The Midnight “Local Welcome”
Just after settling into a deep sleep, we got our first real taste of the “disgruntled local” experience. Around 11:00 PM, someone decided to do a few laps around our pullout while leaning on their horn. Apparently it’s a classic experience for van dwellers sleeping off roads in populated areas, but it was a first for us. Once things calmed down, we managed to get a solid night’s sleep, ready to see if the snow in Revelstoke lives up to the promise!
