Ymir is a small town south of Nelson in the West Kootenay district of British Columbia, originally known as Quartz Creek. A booming mining town in the late 1800s, the townsite was laid out in 1897 by railway magnate D.C. Corbin, with the Salmo River running through the centre of the town.
The name Ymir is originally that of the father of all giants in Scandinavian mythology, whom Odin slew to make the world from his bones, blood and skull (mountains, sea and sky).
Today, Ymir consists of a store and two hotels, plus a number of residential properties. Local pronunciation of the name is WHY-mirr.
Population: 200-300
Location: Ymir is located between Nelson and Salmo on Highway 6, approximately 10 km north of the town of Salmo, in the Kootenays region of British Columbia.
Golf: The 9-hole Salmo District Golf Club on Airport Road, 3 kms south of downtown Salmo, features flat and wide open fairways. The relatively short holes are complimented by small elevated greens that will even challenge seasoned pros. The par 3 holes play very tough, and the lone 550-yard monster par 5 will make even the longest hitters shake their heads. Golf Vacations in British Columbia.
Winter Activities: Winter vacationers head to the Salmo Ski Hill, which provides groomed runs, gently sloping runs, moguls, steep slopes, pristine powder, racing courses, a half pipe for snowboarders, a bunny hill, and cross country ski trails.
When the snow starts flying, powderhounds flock to Nelson’s legendary ‘bottomless powder’ at Whitewater Ski Resort, a popular spot for snowboarders and cross-country skiers a short drive from Nelson. Nelson’s community Ski Hill, Morning Mountain, also offers great family and beginners skiing.
Shambhala Music Festival is a celebration of music, art and life held annually in early August on the 500-acre working Salmo River Ranch in nearby Salmo. The festival features six uniquely themed stages each managed by their own Stage Director. With ten thousand guests and a crew of two thousand workers and volunteers operating during showtime, the bustling ‘city’ of Shambhala becomes the largest city in the West Kootenays for five days each summer. Electronic sound, DJs, performers, lasers and visuals add to a sensory world that defines Shambhala Music Festival. Wander art galleries, the festival market, nibble good eats or soak in the river. The world of Shambhala is the stuff of legend.
South of Ymir is the small village of Salmo, another of the booming mining towns whose prosperity was curtailed by a decline in gold and mineral mining successes. Salmo is a quaint and interesting little town that has visitors arriving every year to sightsee in the old downtown, and relax in the mountains and trails around the region.
North of Ymir on the shore of the Kootenay Lake is Nelson, one of the prettiest towns in British Columbia in one of the most beautiful settings. Life in Nelson is unhurried, and people still smile and greet visitors.
Circle Tour: See the best of the area on the Okanagan and Kootenay Rockies Circle Tour. Travel the sunny interior of British Columbia, north through the Okanagan to Sicamous, following Highway 1 into the mountains of the BC Rockies. From Golden, head south through the Columbia Valley to Creston, and west through Boundary Country and the Southern Okanagan to complete the loop. Circle Tours in British Columbia
