Off Campus Culture
Outdoor Recreation
When you are in the Kootenays, you can enjoy all four seasons to their fullest extent, soaking up the summer on a pristine lake in a kayak, carving some deep pow lines at the nearby mountain resorts, blazing a trail on your mountain bike or hiking through some epic backcountry. Recreation enthusiasts flock to this area for super accessible and authentic outdoor activity and leisure.
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In the summer, enjoy renowned trails, mountain and rock climbing routes, provincial park camp grounds, local golf courses, fishing, stand-up paddleboarding and some genuinely rad river kayaking. Community parks provide great spaces for picnics, sandy beaches, slacklining and boarding.
- Find our BC Parks Campgrounds.
- West Kootenay Go & Do suggests summer adventures.
- Endless Adventure gives you the river experience.
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In the winter, take an avalanche skills training course and explore the backcountry on some powder skis (you'll need those to conquer the forty feet (average) of snow fall. Enjoy ice skating, snowshoeing, sledding, cross country ski trails and the general winter wonderland that is yours to take in.
- RED Mountain Resort offers a great student rate on their season pass.
- Whitewater Ski Resort offers deep powder and unique terrain.
- Enjoy cross country skiing trains maintained by Nelson Nordic Ski Club.
- Nancy Green Provincial Park offers year-round recreation but its ski trails are renown.
- The mountains are close, the lakes and rivers even closer. This is some of the best terrain British Columbia has to offer. If you are interested in an interpretive walk, trail running or just getting a taste of the forests and rivers minutes from college classes, check out the trails on our Castlegar Campus.
Find what you are looking for on this digital map put out by Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism. It features campsites, heritage sites, museums, galleries, theatres and public art pieces in Nelson, Kaslo and the Kootenay Lake area. Selkirk College partnered on producing this resource.
Do you have questions about coming to British Columbia to study at Selkirk College? We have tackled a few of the FAQs in this handy guide.
Boost Adventure By Bus
Selkirk College’s own Saints show off the benefits of jumping on board West Kootenay Transit in a video produced by Selkirk College's Digital Arts & New Media student James Tucker. The partnership between the college and BC Transit aims to change how the community thinks about transportation. The video helps demonstrate how, with BC Transit, you can put down your map, relax, and get lost in the spectacular West Kootenay views.
Creative Culture
The Kootenays are rich in history and culture. In each community and city you will find a sense of place based on extraordinary stories and an abundance of art, music and wellness activities.
- Culture at the Confluence - Castlegar's Art, Culture & Heritage
- Nelson and Kootenay Lake Tourism - Arts, Culture & Heritage
The Kootenay region is known for progressive attitudes, creative communities and a wealth of artists and musicians who enrich the lives of those who live here. You'll have a full after-studying schedule. Whether through a beautiful mural in a park, diverse ethnic foods from a bustling main street, locally made crafts at a market or the newest fusion of local musicians and visitors from afar, there are so many activities to get passionate about and so much vibrant culture to take in.
A place where stress takes a back seat to health, wellness and recreation.
That's the Kootenay lifestyle.
A Student Perspective on the Kootenay Outdoors
While studying, Selkirk International Exchange Student Steve Robert found time to ski, fish, mountain bike and hike throughout the Selkirk College surrounds. Visit Steve's Vimeo for more beautifully captured glimpses of his lifestyle in the Kootenays.
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In the News
Selkirk College has a top quality Business Program and the location to boot. For students like Bryanne Mcelroy, both weighed equally important as she decided where she wanted to pursue her post-secondary education. The Alberta native came to the West Kootenay to study and snowboard, balancing work and leisure as she strives for success.
What People are Saying
