Lake Lovely Water, British Columbia
Flying with Glacier Air
By Peggy Gordon
 The
pilot circles above the snowy peaks of the Tantalus Range and then suddenly Lake
Lovely Water comes into view. This pristine, alpine lake lies at an altitude of
3 thousand eight hundred feet in the coastal mountains of British Columbia,
about 40 miles northwest of the 2010 Olympics city of Vancouver. Lake Lovely
Water is a renowned hiking and rock-climbing area which can be reached by float
helicopter or by foot. It is one of the most beautiful hikes in this area. Other
activities include swimming, fishing, and canoeing. The Alpine Club of Canada
has a two-storey hut on the lake which will sleep 20 people.
This licensed pilot could be you, along with a pilot guide
from Glacier Air, located at the nearby Squamish airport. Or relax and let one
of their experienced mountain-flying pilots show you the dramatic splendours of
snow-covered mountains, icy glaciers, and secluded lakes while you take stunning
pictures and build memories.
 Glacier
Air offers helicopter tours, fixed-wing airplane sightseeing tours and charters,
as well as mountain flight training. If you want to celebrate that special
occasion, or treat that special person, what better way than with a champagne
lunch on a glacier. After touring the Tantalus Mountain range, the helicopter
lands on Serratus Glacier and everyone gets out to stretch their legs, sip
champagne and drink in the spectacular view. If you don’t drink, it doesn’t
matter – the view itself is worth the trip! This alpine lunch is only offered
from May to September and requires 24 hours notice. Even the warm, lined,
waterproof boots are provided by Glacier Air.
If you are planning to come to the 2010 Olympics, Glacier
Air will pick you up in Vancouver and take you on one of their many tours around
the breath-taking local mountains. If you go via the shimmering blue waters of
Howe Sound, you will pass by cascading Shannon Falls,
 the
third highest waterfalls in BC at a height of 335 metres above the sea-level
freeway known as Highway 99. Next to this is the famous Stawamus Chief, another
world-renown hiking and rock-climbing formation. It is a 700 metre granite
monolith with 3 summits and is the second largest granite monolith in the world.
It is surrounded by Stawamus Provincial Park suitable for camping. If you view
the Chief from Runway 14 at Squamish airport, you can pick out the shape of a
beige-colored witch on her broom against the gray granite rock background.
 You
can fly up to Mount Garibaldi and around Garibaldi Park which is one of the
largest provincial parks in British Columbia. See the “Barrier” which is a
volcanic lava formation that restrains the turquoise-coloured waters of alpine
Garibaldi Lake. Another tour takes you up to Whistler and Blackcomb, two
world-famous ski resorts. Included in this tour is the striking volcanic rock
formation known as Black Tusk, which is visible for miles around. You will also
see Cloudburst Mountain and Wedge Mountain.
 Besides
all the organized tours, there are customized tours arranged to your
satisfaction. If you don’t know exactly which are the best choices, the friendly
knowledgeable staff at Glacier Air will be quite willing to assist you. The
owner/manager is Colette Morin, who has come up the ranks from private pilot,
commercial pilot, instructor, tour guide, and now “le grande fromage” at Glacier
Air, since 2002. The fleet consists of two Cessna 172s, and two Cessna 206s,
along with a Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter. Glacier Air now has a base in
nearby Sechelt and is truly capable of offering you an awesome mountain-flying
experience in the coastal mountains of British Columbia, Canada.
If you wish to visit Colette’s website, it is
www.glacierair.com. All the appropriate links, fares, and contact
information are on the site. |
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