| BOATING |
| Boating at Rainbow Lodge was mainly a recreational
pastime. Back then, there were no motorboats so guests entertained themselves
by sailing on the windy days and rowing on the calm days. Alex was an excellent
oarsman and loved to paddle young couples down the River
of Golden Dreams, hoping to ignite romance. However, because there were
no roads at Alta Lake, boats were also used for transportation to visit
neighbours and to carry supplies from one household to another. For example,
the Barnfield's,
who were the only family in the area with cows, would use their boat to
deliver milk each morning. |
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| FISHING |
| The fish were what first attracted Alex and Myrtle
to Alta Lake. John
Millar, the Texan trapper, told Alex stories of lakes overflowing with
fish - so full that it was difficult to swim! When the Philips arrived at
Alta Lake and saw this to be true, they decided that it would be the perfect
place for a wilderness, fishing lodge. Although it was Alex who led the
fishing trips, Myrtle was also an outstanding fisherwoman.
It was said that she could throw the best line in the entire valley. Although
fishing was a recreational pastime, it also supplied the people of Alta
Lake with a valuable source of food. Alta,
Nita, Alpha and Lost Lake were all filled with Rainbow
Trout. While the number of fish in local Whistler lakes has declined
and there are now restrictions placed on the number of fish that can be
caught, there is still good fishing to be had in some of the surrounding
rivers. |
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| "Myrtle Philip is the best fisherman in the whole
district. She ties her own flies, and she can put a fly against a downstream
wind like most people just dream about." (Pat
Prowd) |
| HIKING |
| Alta Lake was a great place to come hiking
because it was surrounded by five gigantic mountains; Sprout,
Rainbow, Wedge, Blackcomb and Whistler. Alex and Myrtle usually took
their guests up Whistler Mountain because it provided the best views. It
was also high enough to keep snow all year round in the alpine areas. This
meant that hot and tired hikers could play
in the snow during their picnic lunch - a certain novelty for many visitors! |
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| HORSEBACK RIDING |
| Horses were first used at Rainbow Lodge purely
for work. They helped in the construction of the lodge by dragging logs
from the forest and pulled the plow to turn the soil for the gardens. In
the early days, horses were also the main means of transportation. There
were no roads and no automobiles so the most popular way of traveling around
the valley was to ride. Myrtle was a very skilled equestrian rider. In addition
to the daily chores that were done with horses, Myrtle loved to ride in
her free time. She thought that her guests might enjoy horseback riding
as much as she did, so she borrowed four horses from the Linehams farm at
Green Lake. They were such a hit that the following summer she increased
the number of horses to eight. Riding quickly became very popular at Rainbow
Lodge and so Myrtle decided to acquire twenty of her own horses. She organized
the construction of a barn, stables and a pasture for grazing. Soon guests
were coming to Rainbow Lodge just to go riding with Myrtle. They went on
trail rides into the mountains, to Lost
Lake for picnics and to Green Lake for early morning, pre-breakfast
exercise. The guests favourite event, however, were the midnight rides.
David
Esworthy, Rainbow's wrangler, would lead a trail ride deep into the
forest and build a whopping campfire. The guests would then roast marshmallows
and sing songs late into the night. |
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| Equestrian
fashion was just as important at Rainbow as the horses. Western fringe
and leather, intricate embroidery and English jodhpurs all made an appearance
as fashionable riding attire on the valley trails. Myrtle herself was known
to sport a few striking ensembles and was not to be outdone by her guests. |
| HUNTING |
| Hunting was a recreational pastime but it also had
practical purposes. The Alta Lake valley was filled with all sorts of game
- ducks, rabbits, grouse, pheasants, deer and bears. Some expeditions were
lead by foot through the forests while others set out by boat. In the case
of duck hunting, the boats had to be carefully camouflaged
with tree branches and moss, and a great amount of patience was required.
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| SWIMMING |
| Although the winters at Alta Lake were cold and snowy,
the summers could be incredibly dry and hot. This meant that the lake warmed
up to a temperature that was just right for swimming. Rainbow Lodge guests
old and young alike loved to swim. It was a refreshing break from the heat
and yet another excellent form of exercise. The Philips constructed a long
dock and a large raft
with a diving tower that was anchored in front of the lodge. Alta Lake
was the perfect place to spend hot, summer days lazing in the sun. |
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