THE OKANAGAN VALLEY

Is one of British Columbia’s top-producing

wine regions. It is a popular Canadian
vacation destination known for skiing in the
winter and watersports in the summer. You
can head to Kelowna for one of several wine
festivals or to Penticton for the sugary
summer Peach Festival. To the south is
Osoyoos, home to an arid desert filled with
rare plants and animals.

The Okanagan Valley has eleven official sub-

regions, each with distinct soil and climate conditions. Its climate is unique. Daytime
temperatures can reach 40°C, but the cool nights allow the grapes to maintain their natural
acidity – a signature trait in BC wine. It is warmer and more arid than Napa Valley, the
Okanagan Valley gets nearly two hours more sunlight per day during the peak growing
season.

THE MYSTERY OF CANADA'S MAGICAL SPOTTED

LAKE

Throughout the winter and into spring, it looks like any other body of water nestled in the
heart of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

But as the summer sun grows hotter and the sun's rays beat down on the lake, water
evaporates and lowers the surface level. Giant circles — which had been invisible and lying
just below the surface — reveal themselves in gorgeous hues of yellow, blue and green.

Spotted Lake has no river or creek to drain

it and receives all of its water as run-off
from the surrounding hills. As the snow
melts and flows into the basin, it brings
minerals and salts which have accumulated
over centuries. As the lake water
evaporates, the spots change in size and
colour creating beautiful fluctuating hues
depending on the mineral composition of
each one.
During the First World War, the lake was dredged to collect minerals to make ammunition.
Others have collected the minerals for spa treatments. But this lake is also a sacred place for
the Indigenous People of the Okanagan who have visited for millennia for its spiritual and
healing powers.