Kootenay Lake - BC, Canada
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 49° 38.911 W 116° 54.429
11U E 506702 N 5499556
Kootenay Lake is a really long, wide spot in the Kootenay River as it meanders its way from the East Kootenays to its meeting with the Columbia River in the West Kootenays.
Waymark Code: WMH9C0
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 06/10/2013
Views: 3
Between the Selkirk and Purcell mountain ranges in the Kootenay region of British Columbia, the 104 km long, 390 km², lake has been the major transportation medium in the area, before the railroad, then usable roads, entered the area, and is now a popular tourist destination.
Gold was discovered in several areas around the lake, giving rise to many towns on its shores. Some have disappeared as the gold ran out while others have survived and still others have prospered through the rise of other, more stable, industries.
Before European settlement, the Sinixt and Ktunaxa peoples used the lake and associated river systems as part of their seasonal migration and trading routes for thousands of years.
This is a great fishing lake with seven species of fish: Rainbow Trout (Gerrard), Bull Trout, Burbot, Mountain Whitefish, White Sturgeon, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch and Kokanee Salmon.
Coordinates given are at roughly the centre of the Balfour-Kootenay Bay Ferry route (the longest free ferry ride in the world-q.v.), from where some of the photos were taken.