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The Okanagan, Similkameen Valleys and Boundary Country Nestled between the Columbia Mountains and the Cascade Range lies a warm, dry valley of the Okanagan, Skaha, and Osoyoos Lakes. This valley extends up from Washington State to Southern British Columbia. This is a country of contrasts. The mountains and gullies give way to lush green orchards and vineyards, and finally sandy beaches around glittering stretches of brilliant blue water. The Canadian part of the valley is only about 130 miles long and seldom more than ten to twelve miles wide. It gives the feeling, however, of being out of proportion to its actual size. To the west is the Valley of the Similkameen. This valley follows the Similkameen river that irrigates the rolling hay fields, fruit and ground crops. Keremeos is called the "Fruit Stand Capital of Canada" with colorful businesses lining the highway. The steep incline up Anarchist Mountain, to the east, flattens out to rolling grasslands. Cattle ranches stretch out with timber stands and hay fields on both sides of Highway 3. Rock Creek lies in the valley of the Kettle River. Travelers to the Okanagan valley are often unaware that hidden is a patch of true Western Desert. This is an extension of the Great Basin Desert of Oregon and Washington. Here is the only such desert north of the border where the cactus blooms, lizards and turtles abound and wildlife and birds, found nowhere else in Canada, make their home. The South Okanagan gets less than 10 inches of precipitation a year and the summer temperatures are tropical though dry. Winter is temperate and the four seasons are evident. Fall comes with a blaze of colored leaves and Spring brings the orchards to breathtaking bloom. Extensive irrigation has transformed the natural dry valley to a fruit and vegetable growing area that provides a great part of the employment in the valley. The bordering mountains provide heavy snow cover for skiing in the winter and steep enough trails for even experienced climbers among the wildflowers in the spring and summer. The first orchard was planted by Thomas Ellis in Penticton in 1866. From these early beginnings, the valley now produces one third of the apples, a fifth of the peaches, half the pears and cherries and almost all of the apricots grown in Canada. In the summer the valley population more than doubles as families flock to the playground around the lakes. The winter population is growing too, as retired people from the colder reaches of the country gather in the motels to wait out the long winters back home. Many of these visitors are now finding their way back to expand the year round population and with them comes more business and building. The well-kept secret of the beautiful valley is now becoming known throughout the country. Watch out, if you are here for a holiday you may become hooked, as most of the present residents have done, and come back to live. Copyright � 2001 Desert Sun Publishing B.C. All rights reserved.
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