Delicious smells wafting from the kitchen and friends laughing on the patio make up the summer vibe at Buckhorn & Main Mountain Eatery. With potted flowers outside and rustic cabin-like styling indoors, the restaurant weaves itself seamlessly into the mountain landscape. Buckhorn & Main is connected to the Trickle Creek Lodge at Kimberley Alpine Resort and is the perfect jumping off point for your next summer get-away. The reason you’ll want to come back year after year though, is because of people like Food and Beverage Manager – Shawna Crawford.
Shawna’s been with the resort since 2000 when the restaurant first opened as Kelsey’s. She fondly remembers celebrating Mother’s Day there with her then 18-month and 4 year old daughters. Her girls were raised in the small community of Kimberley and largely at the hill. This fuels her passion for patrons to experience the same friendly and comfortable environment her own family had growing up in the area.
In spite of being the gateway for an endless number of activities, Kimberley has maintained it’s small town, off-the-beaten-path feel. Locals have an inherent pride of where they are from and extend the invitation to visitors to enjoy their town as locals too. When the restaurant ended it’s franchise with Kelsey’s and launched Buckhorn & Main Mountain Eatery it was only natural that it was named after one of Kimberley’s own favourites, the beloved fixed-grip lift the “Buckhorn” and the longest night skiing run in North America the, “Main.”
With the restaurant, golf, biking and hiking trails, swimming and hot tubs all on the hill, staying at Trickle Creek or the Polaris Lodge make for a nice locale to go out from but that’s only the start of activities in the area.
You’ll feel yourself slip into holiday mode walking around the Bavarian style Platzl with it’s quaint boutiques, coffee and bike shops and restaurants where it’s not uncommon to take in live music or a game of open-air Ping-Pong.
Must-see activities include the short, easy walk along the meandering river in Marysville (just south of Kimberley) to take in the views of a 30-meter waterfall. Enjoying an ice cream across the street at Lickity Split before heading to the skate and bike-park for the kids to play is a sure favourite. The area is surrounded with bike trails, from easy 2 km loops like Happy Hans that’s great for even the smallest of pedalers accessed easily from the Nordic Centre parking lot to the Bootleg Bike Trails for the downhill enthusiasts.
Thankfully the Spirit Rock Climbing Centre is open most nights until 10 pm allowing you to sneak a climb into an already activity-filled day. There are routes for everyone from seasoned climbers to beginners, and with the auto-belay system the whole family can have fun together.
Lastly, make time to unwind with the scenic 83 km drive north of the city to take a short hike at White Swan Provincial Park to soak in the natural, rocky pools along the river that make up the Lussier Hot Springs. It’s the perfect way to end a perfect trip.
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