Cultus Lake

I’m a wife and mom of three who works from home as a web designer, content creator and small business consultant. I am an active member of my community, both socially and physically. I love to hike, run, paddle board, play soccer in our local 30-plus women's rec league, and have previously volunteered for Yarrow Family Place (Chilliwack Community Services). I am a weekly contributor on www.aroundchilliwack.ca, where I showcase small local businesses every Wednesday with Reel Feature, and share weekend events every Friday.

I moved to Cultus Lake because I wanted to offer my children the chance to grow up surrounded by nature. I grew up on a 20 acre parcel of land in rural Aldergrove and loved the slow pace of life/being immersed in nature. With the cost of housing today, it’s no longer feasible to have that kind of lifestyle. We were able to purchase a townhouse only a four minute drive to the lake, right along the Vedder River, and access the outdoor lifestyle having the Chilliwack and Cultus trail network, waterways and forests just steps outside our door – basically an extension of our backyard.

Fourteen years. Cultus itself has not changed too much. The surrounding areas have grown in population, which drives a lot more traffic to the lake in the summer – especially on weekends. Many more people come from out of town as well: Langley, Surrey, Vancouver. Locals know what times to leave the lake and when to stay put to avoid the traffic. September to May is pretty laid back up here still. The tourists have mostly gone home, and the locals have the place to themselves.

Townhouse. Talk to your potential new neighbours about what their challenges and joys are about living in their particular area. Ask about summer traffic, ask about the sun in the winter (some areas are tucked close to the mountain and have a few months of shade), and get to know them. It’s a tight-knit community up here, and developing relationships with your neighbours is important. Also, don't be afraid of the tourist season. It is only about eight weekends per year of craziness. The shoulder seasons are so gorgeous, it more than makes up for the noise of summer.

The one road access is tough. The more development happens, the more congestion we will see on that roadway.

The calm warmth of September and May. Getting out on the water as the leaves change colour is everything. You will have bald eagles soaring above you, and if you go early, the lake will be calm enough to enjoy a coffee as you paddle.

I can't share them or they wouldn't be secrets anymore now would they? ;)
There are some fabulous lesser-known trails though (ones that aren't just Teapot Hill), cliffs to paddle to and some people jump from them. And the Lakeside Beach Club has live music every Thursday night that is a lot of fun.

Cultus Lake days every June. They host a pancake breakfast at the firehall, followed by a small-town parade and a full day of events. Also, in December they light up the trees at Main Beach with tons of Christmas lights and bring in Santa. We love walking through the lights in the evening.

Amazing. My kids are 14, eight and six years old. They have such a love of nature, purely because they were raised in it. My 6 year old loves to forage for mushrooms and point out all the different types we find along the trails. All three kids are fish in the water from spending so much time at the lake. My oldest loves to golf and fish – two things he learnt to do right in our neighbourhood. When my kids were very young, if we were having a hard day, both the lake and the trails offered an escape for all of us.

There is a quote I love: "If they are crabby, add water [...] Run a bath, take a shower, water the garden, wash the dog, have a hot drink, have a cold drink – just add water. It works 99% of the time." – Cup of Jo

For us, it means going for a hike in the rain under the canopy of trees, jumping in the lake, or splashing in the river. It works every time.

I frequent all the events, dine at the local restaurants, and spend a lot of time up there. My volunteering was in the neighbouring community of Yarrow though. I play soccer in Chilliwack.

Legends Bistro for brunch on the golf course. Land Cafe (just outside of Cultus) is the best coffee spot. Lakeside Beach Club for dinner or drinks, especially with live music on a Thursday night. Cultus Lake Pub for Friday Karaoke with the locals.

That is just a super busy tourist place. This is true eight weekends per year. The other 46 are for the locals to enjoy!

Our family: Paddleboard, swim, hike, forage, karaoke, go for dinner, Cultus Lake Adventure park, water slides, get ice cream.
Others: All of the above, plus: Mountain bike, 4x4'ing, boating, golf, camp.

I work from home – the commute is great.

Scenic, recreational, tranquil