My thoughts on itinerary is to leave earlier Friday morning and get across the border and stop in Creston for any groceries or monopoly money. We should then have plenty of time to go on the short but very worth it hike to the Pilot Bay Lighthouse and check out the artisan shops in Crawford bay or go to the beach. After crossing the ferry at 5:20pm PST, we head to our first campground Lost Ledge Campground 40 minutes north of Ainsworth. Saturday Morning we head to Ainsworth Hot springs hopefully at 10:00AM and I will need to know ahead of time how many people because we have to book ahead. I believe the hot springs are about $8 American per person and they are awesome, right on the side of the lake with a cave that does a loop through the side of the mountain. From there we head up to Kaslo and stop at the old steam paddle boat. From Kaslo we go over Highway 31A towards Slocan Lake. Halfway to Slocan lake there is a turn off to go to a Ghost town called Sandon, which was a Silver mining town that pulled $35 billion out of the ground and has some pretty cool structures and the locals that run the place said they would open things up and give us a tour if we let them know ahead of time. We will then head back to Lost ledge campground to camp. Sunday we pack up and head home, if anyone wants to stop in the city of Nelson on the west arm of Kootenay lake, there is a very nice park downtown that will probably be brown or covered in snow this time of year. We return to America through the Nelway Border crossing and head home from there.

Ainsworth takes American cards, however some of the campgrounds might only take cash. none of them will be very expensive with the exchange rate but might be a good idea to bring some Canadian cash or get some when we cross the border in Creston. Passports are your best bet for traveling, however The Canadian border does accept birth certificates which me and a handful of friends have used to cross the border in the last few years, if you are an adult, plan to have your drivers license with you also if intending to use your birth certificate. Do not attempt to bring any firearms as you will be arrested and detained. Also look up the regulations on meats and produce. you can bring most foods through but there are some items you cant. I usually just buy produce in Creston and I don't bring any unpackaged non store bought meat.

As I said before I will reach out to campgrounds and come up with a more sure plan as we get closer It looks like winter camping is for sure available at lost ledge campground and likely free, or closer to the fairy crossing and Ainsworth is Woodberry campground. Anyone that wants to leave Friday afternoon or evening can forgo the ferry and come up the Washington side through the Nelway border crossing and meet us at camp.

This is more of a traveling experience trip rather than a 4wd trip. We will mainly be on paved roads and campgrounds so you won't need a crazy vehicle. If you want to bring your van or an expedition trailer that would work just fine. The ferry holds 80 vehicles and can accommodate trailers. It is winter in Canada mountains though so always be prepared for bad weather and emergencies.


Let's meet at the Lancaster Market parking lot at 10:00AM on Friday and head north from there.

Pilot Bay Lighthouse
https://www.nelsonkootenaylake.com/listing/pilot-bay-lighthouse

Ainsworth Hotsprings
https://www.ainsworthhotsprings.com/

Kootenay Ferry
https://www.nelsonkootenaylake.com/plan/getting-here/ferries?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA19e8BhCVARIsALpFMgFbk-_XTj5tXyLPmsE6MI83GE9iaMr9WeBLymVPa_Os_dNvnOB3NBwaAsmAEALw_wcB

Sandon Ghost town
https://www.sandoninthekootenays.ca/#/

Night 1 campgrounds
Woodberry Resort - +12503537717
Lost Ledge - free camping further north

Night 2 Campground
Possibly in New Denver - Centennial Campground

OnX link so far. camping locations may change. also feel free to research more cool things to do, especially day 3. I have not explored Slocan lake much at all and there might be some cool things to see on our way home.

https://webmap.onxmaps.com/offroad/share/content?share_id=01JJMMZ7HMF1XRF7YW5BCEW403