Enjoy the Shoulder Season at Pilot Bay

This is a great hike for November. With the perfect sunny exposure, it stays snow free long after other trails get icy. The mandatory ferry ride from Balfour to Crawford Bay serves up some pretty incredible views. Here are a few pictures from the trip across. My hands turned to ice holding my camera in the freezing cold wind but it was worth it for a bit of mountain magic. 

To get to the trailhead, turn right immediately after you get off the ferry and you'll find yourself in Pilot Bay Provincial Park. There is a cool lighthouse and viewpoint at the end of the road, and parking for the Pilot Bay trail is on your left just over 3km from the ferry. The trail follows the shoreline of Kootenay Lake the entire way, with lots of lookouts and pebble beaches. This is one of the best lowland hikes around. 

We had a great day at Pilot Bay (view from the trail, above). The peaks were snow capped, the sun was shining, and the ferry ride back was just as amazing. If you want to catch the sunset, the 3:40 from Crawford Bay is your ticket.