What exactly is it about this place? You may not be able to put your finger on it, but you will know it is a special place the moment you arrive.

Between a Lake and a High Place is based in Kaslo, British Columbia but we partner with experience collaborators west to New Denver and the Slocan Valley, North to Meadow Creek and beyond, and south to Ainsworth and Nelson.

Situated 70 km north of Nelson, Kaslo emulates village charm, with the stunning backdrop of the Purcell Mountains to add flourish to the story-line. One thing is for sure, Kaslo wouldn’t be what it is today without the people who call it home. Kaslovians are resilient, friendly folk who work hard to be able to call this piece of paradise home.

Beautiful parks with pristine beaches line the village, and pathways invite you to wander. Heritage buildings have been lovingly restored, including with the world’s oldest intact sternwheeler, the S.S. Moyie. Like stones rolling down the riverbed in spring time, the creative nature of so many Kaslo and area residents rubs off on virtually everything and everybody. Original artwork, a lively arts and music scene, and regular impromptu kitchen parties, Kootenay style, are the result.

The surrounding mountain ranges and the stunning Kootenay Lake help to define this place. The Purcells rise high on the east side of the lake, creating breathtaking silhouettes early in the day and always catching the last of the sun’s rays in the evening. The Selkirk Mountains create the lush, forested, and varied landscape that surrounds Kaslo and area. Mount Loki is the most dramatic peak visible from Kaslo, snow-topped for all but a few weeks every year, named after the Norse god Loki who was a legendary trickster and a shape shifter.

The communities in the area surrounding Kaslo embody their own individual character. Lardeau, Meadow Creek, and Argenta “up the lake” are remote communities, on the edge of wildness. Their residents are as colourful and unique as the natural surroundings. West to the Slocan Valley past Retallack and Sandon to New Denver and beyond, rich mining history and forestry has shaped these communities and helped make them what they are today. Peace, tranquility, living off the land, and environmental responsibility are high on the Slocan Valley Resident’s priority lists. South of Kaslo lies the bustling town of Nelson, bursting at the seams with creative and imaginative folk who call it home.

All these elements interact in what is known as the only inland temperate rainforest in the world.

Inland Temperate Rainforest

“Step into the Inland Temperate Rainforest. Walk silently on a thick carpet of moss, among ancient giants. Centuries-old cedars and hemlocks tower overhead. Breathe deeply. The cool forest air is tinged with humus and rotting wood. Listen to the clear, cold creeks that seem to come from every direction.”

You are within a place shared by two countries, yet still rugged and wild enough for grizzly, wolverine, wolf, and mountain caribou—the world’s only Inland Temperate Rainforest.

The West Kootenays are within a globally unique, rich and diverse landscape. The Inland Temperate Rainforest covers 16 million hectares, and stretches 1100 kilometers in a broad arc from central Idaho to Prince George, BC. There are not other inland temperate zones on earth that harbour so many species, most of which are associated with coastal habitats otherwise.

This is home to the critically endangered mountain caribou that wanders seasonally from valley floor to alpine ridge in search of food and security. It needs this place to be wild, intact, and ancient.