Location: located on Highway 99, (the Sea to Sky Highway), southwest of Lillooet and 35 km north of Whistler
How to get there: Map
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Quick Facts:
| Name: |
Was named for Joseph Despard Pemberton, a surveyor-general for the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1850s. |
| Population: |
About 2,500 people and covering 320 hectares of land. The Village is the service centre for 6,000 people which includes the communities of Pemberton, Mt.Currie, Birken and D'Arcy.
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| Elevation: |
210 m
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| Climate: |
Very warm and dry in the summertime and mild and wet in the winter. The regulated temperatures are created by the surrounding Coast Mountains.
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Pemberton is known for is World-class golfing, paragliding, horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, ATV tours, mountain biking, snowmobiling, camping and fishing
Nestled under the majestic Mt Currie, with an estimated population of approximately 2,500, the Village offers
a variety of services including various retail stores including grocery and hardware stores, a pharmacy, auto-service outlets, food and beverage establishments and health care/wellness facilities.
Economy
Pemberton is an important agricultural community famous for producing seed potatoes, and diversifying into market gardening, cranberries, food products and events. The main seed potato producers are located along the Pemberton Meadows Road, many of whom have been there for generations. Agri-tourism is growing, pioneered by Mayor Sturdy's North Arm Farm and popularized by Slow Food Cycle Sunday. Organic farming is also a growth area, initiated by Helmers Organic Farm and Across The Creek Organics, and followed by Riverlands and a clutch of new young farmers. The Pemberton Farmers Institute is a body representing local agricultural affairs. Pemberton is vital to the food security of the Sea to Sky corridor.
History
Native peoples from the Interior Salish tribe were the first to call this area their home. The band settled at the foot of majestic Mount Currie and the head of Lillooet Lake where Mt. Currie village exists today.
In the early 1880s, the area saw an large number of Europeans settle on the rich farm lands instead of continuing on to the northern gold rush. Pemberton was named after Joseph Despard Pemberton, a surveyor-General for the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1850s. read more...
Recreation
Golf
Home to two challenging world-class golf courses snuggled up against the base of majestic Mount Currie; Big Sky Golf & Country Club is a classic links design built on gentle rolling terrain that integrates seven lakes connected by a serpentine creek. Big Sky is the longest of four championship courses that comprise the Whistler Village golf community, with four sets of tees ranging from 7,001 to 5,208 yards (18 holes, Par 72). More information on Golfing in Pemberton
Camping
There are two provincial parks in the Pemberton region . Nairn Falls Provincial Park offers a large number of campsites along the Green River and somewhat remote Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park , an hour's drive north of Mount Currie near D'Arcy.
There's is also camping at a variety of Forest Service recreation sites around the Pemberton Valley and along Lillooet Lake. The Owl Creek sites are located 4 miles (7 km) north of Mount Currie on the D'Arcy-Anderson Lake Road. Farther north towards D'Arcy you'll find four campsites beside Spetch Creek, in a pleasantly forested location off the D'Arcy-Anderson Lake Road. Recreation sites on Lillooet Lake are located along gravel-surfaced Lillooet Lake Road at Strawberry Point, Twin Creeks, Lizzie Bay, Driftwood Bay, and at Lizzie Lake on a logging road 7.5 miles (12 km) east of Lizzie Bay. Residents of the Pemberton Valley have been camping at Tenquille Lake since the 1920s. An old cabin that was constructed there in 1940 is now best left to the pack rats, but it still provides shelter if needed.
Wilderness camping at Joffre Lakes Provincial Park . For those who plan to overnight in this park, follow the hiking trail on the southwest side of Upper Joffre Lake to where the alpine forest provides some slight shelter. This is perhaps the toughest but most rewarding hike in the region. There are no facilities, an outhouse and a few rough camping spots. The three lakes in this subalpine chain are strung like a turquoise necklace on the mountainside below the massive Joffre Glacier Group.
Duffey Lake road offer several small Forest Service recreation sites suitable for camping appear beside the lake and along Cayoosh Creek.
Mountain Biking
North of Pemberton the Sea to Sky Trail has received some of the most concentrated attention, as trail builders fine-tune the route between Mount Currie and D'Arcy. At present, a 31-mile (50-km) loop runs between D'Arcy (the trail's northern terminus) and the whistle stop of Gramsons on the BC Rail line south of Birkenhead Lake. Quite a variety of mountain biking terrain is up for grabs along the way. A challenging section lies between Birkenhead Lake and D'Arcy, particularly the steep descent on Smell the Fear. For a more gentler approach, a power-line road is the one. The heart of mountain biking in the Pemberton region is centred around Mosquito and Ivey Lakes.
Cycling
Pemberton has few great options for the road cyclist. Pemberton Meadows, Birkenhead River towards Birken and D'Arcy passes scenic Gates Lake, The last option is to ride south to Whistler, a 35-km test of endurance and climbing skills . More information on Cycling in Pemberton
Hiking
One of the oldest hiking routes in the Pemberton Valley leads 7.5 miles (12 km) from the trailhead off the Hurley River Road to Tenquille Lake. During the first half of the 20th century, miners used pack-horse routes to reach the subalpine region surrounding Tenquille and Owl Lakes. An alpine trail system that links Tenquille and Owl Creek, as well as the original horse trail from Tenquille to Barber's Valley and Ogre Lake, has been constructed. The revitalizing of the trails around Tenquille, coupled with those around nearby Birkenhead and Blackwater Lakes, makes this region one of the best destinations for experienced hikers and mountain bikers.
Farther north, a rough trail follows the Lillooet River into the Upper Lillooet Headwaters, a sublime wilderness region that is now a provincial park. Plan on a 2.5-mile (4-km) hike from the trailhead at Salal Creek to reach broad sandbars that stand revealed in late summer on more open sections of the Lillooet River.
The Shadow Lake Interpretive Forest offers over 6 kilometres of connecting trails in 125 hectares in the Soo Valley alongside Highway 99 between Pemberton and Whistler. The highlight of the forest is Shadow Lake, which is fed by a number of small creeks from the south and west, and a northerly outflow channel takes the lake water into the Soo River. Trails are easy and moderate, and range in length from 400 metres to 2.1 km.
Horseback Riding
The many stables in the beautiful Pemberton Valley offer a variety of horseback riding on trails through beautiful mountain and valley scenery for riders of all levels. Stables are located up Pemberton Valley Meadows Road, Highway 99, and close to the village. More information on Horseback Riding in Pemberton area.
Roaring and Paragliding
Soar from the launch site just north of Pemberton and see the valley like you have never seen it before. Paragliding courses and tandem paragliding flights can be arranged at the Pemberton Soaring Centre. More information on Roaring & Paragliding in Pemberton area.
Canoeing and Kayaking
Guided tours in 22-foot canoes provide a gentle cruise down the Lillooet or Ryan River through prime Pemberton farming country. Paddlers choose to relax or paddle as they wend their way through the area of the Pemberton Valley known as Pemberton Meadows. Kayaking experiences on the rivers of Pemberton are available for novice and expert kayakers.