http://www.seevirtual360.com/themes/35/hotel.aspx?listingID=6337 360 degree virtual tour Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort features three odorless pools, 150 foot horseshoe cave, main lounging pool and stream-fed cold plunge. The pools provide the perfect place to relax and enjoy some of West Kootenay’s majestic scenery – Purcell Mountains and Kootenay Lake. Our 43 room Resort was winner of the 2003 Excellence in Housekeeping Award from Tourism BC. The Springs Dining Room offers something to tantalize everyone’s tastebuds and we take pride in our wine selections. http://www.britishcolumbia.com/hotsprings/?id=11 In the heart of the Kootenay wilderness is the community of Ainsworth Hot Springs. Set into the mountainside overlooking the vast expanse of Kootenay Lake and the Purcell Mountains is Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort, which features three odourless pools, a unique 150-foot horseshoe-shaped cave, main lounging pool, and stream-fed cold plunge. A highlight of the natural hot springs is the horseshoe cave, where the darkness, the mineral deposits, and the humidity all combine to offer an exhilarating experience. The hot steamy, odourless shower of mineralized water falls from the cave's roof and forms a waist-deep pool, providing a rejuvenating natural steam bath. Gallons of hot mineral water flows through the pools, changing the water naturally about six times per day. The hot springs are heated naturally and vary in temperature between 40-42°C (104-114°F) in the Cave, 35-38°C (96-101°F) in the Pool, and 4-10°C (40-50°F) for the Cold Plunge. The springs originate in the Cody Caves area, which is directly above and to the west of Ainsworth Hot Springs. The water works its way down through porous rock to a depth of 1-1/2 to 2 kilometres. The water picks up temperature at a rate of 40 C° per kilometre down until it strikes what is known as the lakeshore fault. This fault is an impervious layer of rock lying at an angle of 45 to 50 degrees from Ainsworth Hot Springs to a point directly below the Cody Caves. Hydraulic pressure forces the water up along the fault where it emerges at Ainsworth Hot Springs. Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort under Moonlight The caves are old mine tunnels carved out by miners attempting to increase the flow of hot water from the springs. Visitors can explore the cave's tunnels and stalactites, relax on a hot ledge, find the natural hot shower, or have a natural sauna. Ainsworth is open year-round, and is popular with families and local residents wishing to linger in the soothing waters and play in this exhilarating wilderness playground. The pools provide the perfect place to relax and enjoy some of West Kootenay’s majestic scenery - the Purcell Mountains and Kootenay Lake. Ainsworth Hot Springs was probably first discovered by First Nations People, who came up to Kootenay Lake in the late summer mainly to take advantage of the Kokanee Salmon run and the ripening of the huckleberry crop. Native use of the soothing pools probably continued for decades until they guided the first prospectors to the pools. In 1882, George Ainsworth of Portland, Oregon, applied for a pre-emption of the townsite that is now Ainsworth Hot Springs. Any time is a good time to visit Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort, but the cool, crisp air on winter days provides a delightful contrast to the warmth and humidity in the caves. Location The Caves at Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort The Ainsworth Hot Springs are located near the community of Ainsworth Hot Springs, located on Highway 31 on the western shore of Kootenay Lake, 11 miles (17 km) north of Balfour and 12 miles (20 km) south of Kaslo. Contact Information Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort P.O Box 1268 Ainsworth Hot Springs, BC VOG 1A0 Phone: (250) 229-4212 ----------------------------------------- http://www.themermaidlodge-motel.com/hotsprings.html The caves are completely natural, horse-shoe shaped, and waist deep. Cave temperatures can exceed 115°F, and the mineral formations inside provide you with a brilliant array of colours and shapes. ------------------------------------------------- http://www.gobc.ca/ainsworth-hot-springs-travel/travelinfo.php You are here: BC Travel & Tourism -> BC Destinations -> Kootenay Rockies -> Ainsworth Hot Springs 1. Ainsworth Hot Springs Map 2. General Information about Ainsworth Hot Springs, British Columbia 3. Ainsworth Hot Springs Links 4. Ainsworth Hot Springs Tourism Directory Ainsworth Hot Springs Map Map data ©2008 Tele Atlas - Terms of Use Map Satellite Hybrid accommodation marker = Accommodation, free wireless hotspot marker = Free wireless HOTSPOT Ainsworth Hot Springs, British Columbia Surrounded by the majestic Purcell Mountains and the ideal water playground of Kootenay Lake, the small village of Ainsworth Hot Springs is regarded by many "spring seekers" as a sublime rejuvenating destination. The springs actually originate in the Cody Caves area and the hot waters beneath the surface seep through deep underground faults until they reach the caves. As the water drips in through the roof of the caverns it forms icicle-shaped cones containing the earth's minerals. These unique formations and the waters are an enchanting place to relax and awe at the wonders of nature. There are also surrounding pools and natural saunas. Some are accessible via resorts on the site. The waters in the caves can reach 40 - 42 degrees Celsius and are especially pleasurable during the winter months situated in the frosty or even snow coated wilderness setting. Located in the Selkirk Mountains of the West Kootenay region is Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park, one of British Columbia's oldest provincial parks. The park covers an area of over three hundred square kilometers, which includes three unique glaciers; Kokanee, Caribou, and the Woodbury. Together these glaciers feed over thirty various lakes and multiple creeks. One of the access roads to the park is directly out of Ainsworth. Passionate mountaineers take note of Bugaboo Provincial Park with over twenty-five mountain peeks to choose from and hiking trails there are several highlights, which include more well know peaks such as; Bugaboo Spire, Howser Spire, and Flattop Peak. Population: 100 Highlights: Kootenay Lake, late summer - the Kokanee Salmon run Kootenay Lake, dive for relics at Kaslo to the north of Ainsworth. Buchanan Lookout Kokanee Creek Provincial Park Morning Mountain, Nelson - ski hill, family or couple fun Kokanee Creek and Kootenay Lake - great fishing stocks Cody Caves Provincial Park - ancient collection of limestone, 3 hour tours available. Climate: Summer average 24 degrees Celsius Winter average -6 degrees Celsius History: Kootenay Lake was a familiar seasonal fishing ground for the First Nations Kootenay Bands - the Ktunaxa people, 'Kokanee' means 'red fish', referring to the Kootenay Lake's abundant salmon runs which occur near the end of summer. The members of these bands lived throughout the region for over 5,000 years. Undoubtedly they would have found the hot springs rejuvenating for healing sore bodies after their long travels. Ainsworth Hot Springs gained its name from Captain Ainsworth, who founded the Oregon Navigation Company and had interest in the mineral deposits located on the western side of Kootenay Lake. From 1885 to 1893, the town had six hotels and approximately 3,000 residents - the mining boom was on! After that period, Ainsworth and many surrounding towns ran out of mineral and the mines began closing. Many remnants of the good old days stand as ghost towns today. ---------------------------- The Hot Springs feature a unique horseshoe cave, where the Hot Water first comes in. It comes into our systems at about 117 F degrees and we have to cool it to average 42 C, 114 F before it enters our caves. The mineral waters fall from the caves roof and forms into a pool about waist deep, providing a natural steam bath. Stalagmites and Stalactites form everywhere. The main lounging pool temperatures average about 35 C / 96 F. Gallons of Hot Mineral Water flows through our pools, changing the water naturally about 6 times a day. For the brave we also offer a streamfed cold plunge which temperature varies with the seasons. For a first hand view of the horseshoe cave, check our our virtual tour. Rates and Hours Hot Springs Public Hours – 10am until 9:30pm, 365 days/year. Single Entry Adult - $8.00 Senior - $7.00 Student - $7.00 Child (3 to 12 yrs) - $6.00 Or enjoy unlimited entry to the Springs with a day pass. Day Pass Adult - $11.50 Seniors - $10.50 Student - $10.50 Children - $8.00 Where Does The Water Come From? The springs originate in the Cody Caves area, which is directly above and to the west of Ainsworth Hot Springs. The water works its way down through porous rock to a depth of 1-1/2 to 2 kilometers. The water picks up temperatures at a rate of 40 C° per km down until it strikes what is know as the lakeshore fault. This fault is an inpervious layer of rock lying at an angle of 45 to 50 degrees from Ainsworth Hot Springs to a point directly below the Cody Caves. Hydraulic pressure forces ther water up along the fault where it emerges at Ainsworth Hot Springs - Voila - Hot Water. High Mineral Content Odourless Water Calcium Carbonate - 35.25 Calcium Sulphate - 68 Magnesium Carb - 35 Magnesium Sulphate - 74 Sodium Carbonate - 57,60 Sodium Sulphate - 31 Sodium Chloride - 6.08 Potassium Chloride - 5.42 Lithium Chloride - 28 Silica - 11.70 Iron and Alumina - 2.44 (parts per 100,000) AINSWORTH HISTORY In the early 1890's The slopes above Ainsworth Hot Springs (and most other West Kootenay towns) were frequented by hopeful prospectors looking for silver. Henry Cody, the cave's discoverer and namesake, came originally from Prince Edward Island. He worked as a miner and followed the mineral rushes through the southwest United States, up through Idaho and into the West Kootenay area of BC. Later he followed others to the Cariboo in search of gold, but returned to Kaslo to retire. His headstone is in the Kaslo cememtery. In 1899, the caves were the subject of a short story written for Argosy Magazine by Roger Pocock, called the 'Noble Five'. Pocock's story described a cave whose walls were lined with gold. After this, the popularity of the caves grew among visitors to the area. In 1908, the caves were visited by then Govenor General, Earl Grey. The stone walls of Cody Caves are not covered in gold, but like other limestone cave systems, they display an impressive array of ancient calcite formations, growing at the slow rate of about one cubic centimetre each century. 600 milion years ago, the first occeans of our planet laid down layers of sediment that eventually turned to limestone. About 170 million years ago, the limestone sea bed was thrust upward to its current elevation and location near Ainsworth Hot Springs. Flowing water has since dissolved the solid rock, created the tunnels and passages within the cave and decorated those walkways and crawlways with calcite. The cave we see today is the result of millions of years of erosion, solution and deposition. Flowing water percolates through soil, incorporating carbon dioxide from the organic matter of the forest. As flowing water erodes the limestone, the carbon dioxide reacts with the limestone to form a weak carbonic acid. The acid dissolves the rock and pulls the calcium content out of the limestone, carrying it downstream in solution. Eventually, the carbon dioxide evaporates, and the calcite is deposited on the walls, ceilings and floor of the cave to create milky and crystalline formations such as soda straws, flow stone, stalactites, stalagmites and rimstone dams unique to the underground. Cody Caves, like other limestone caves, continues to evolve, grow and change. Some areas have collapsed in ages past as erosion has undermined the integrity of solid rock. Glaciers have choked the cave with silt from their grinding down of moutain ranges, and streams have rinsed it clear again. The entrance way we use was created by a collapsing ceiling as retreating glacial ice broke the rock apart. Thousands of years from now, visitors will enter the cave where the stream bubbles and springs from the small hole in the rock on the path to the cave mouth. Today, over 2000 visitors come to Cody Caves Provincial Park every summer. Although created from solid rock, caves are among the most fragile and sensitive environments we know of. The calcite formations are incredibly delicate. Mud, dirt and the touch of oily or acidic skin can halt their growth for centuries. Broken pieces, some of them millions of years old, will never regrow. Even the exhalation of carbon dioxide alters the growth of calcite features in the cave. Ironically, because of careful guiding practices and education, 2000 visitors each season will do less damage to the caves than the 100 or so unguided visitors that the Park received prior to establishing this vistor service. Moreover, because the Park has instituted the guiding services and gated the cave entrance, more British Columbians and visitors, not fewer, are able to safely access their natural heritage and experience the world below the surface of the earth.