Radium Hot Springs, BC

Jan 07, 2007 05:01:34

Radium Hot Springs(50°37′14″N, 116°4′22″W) is a village of approximately 800 people situated in the East Kootenays of British Columbia, located 280 km west of Calgary, Alberta. The village is named for the hot springs located in the nearby Kootenay National Park. Despite it being named after the radioactive element, the springs have among the lowest level of radium in the world. From Banff, Alberta, it is accessible through Sinclair Canyon. Hot springs pool in RadiumSeveral golf courses are located nearby, along with 600 hotel and motel rooms. The hot springs complex itself contains two large pools, one with hot water for soaking (Usually around the temperature of 39° C (114° F)), the other a 2/3 Olympic swimming pool that is usually around 29° C (103° F). There is also a hot-tub sized pool that has been dubbed the "Plunge Pool", because the water can be hot - right from the source at 44° C (114°F) - or cold, right from a creek running beneath the pools. During the summer of 2004 (August) there was a subterrainian earthquake that caused the water of the hot spring to become black with sediment. Banff Hot Springs was also affected by this event. The water has since cleared up however, and the pool has reopened. Radium is located 16 km north of the tourist town of Invermere, and 105 km south of Golden, British Columbia. Wildlife in the area includes mule deer, grizzly bears, black bears, Mountain goats and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. Source: Wikipedia