Guest reviews Tyax Lodge & Heliskiing, Gold Bridge

by calgaryguy Kelowna, Canada

Lovely Environment

The lodge is located on a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains. While we were there, the mountain tops got whiter every day. The room was spacious with two queen beds. We were on the ground floor with a walkout to the lawn and lake. Had it been warmer, we would have spent much more time sitting on the patio enjoying the ambiance. The lodge has a bar with all sorts of games. The dining room overlooks the lawn and lake and is very pleasant when the fire is roaring. Meals were fine although I found them a little overly fussy and had to substitute because of me allergies. Service was always friendly. There was a nice selection of BC wines and beers from which to choose. There is a nice nature walk along the lake, but beware of bears. We saw a bear every morning and evening, though we never felt threatened. There are canoes and kayaks. We tried the canoes and found the seats slippery, which made the canoe a bit tippy, so we did not go far. We enjoyed our stay. There was one thing that disappointed us amd that was the back was too well lit at night to appreciate the stars. A little darker would be nice. Enjoy. We enjoyed our aty

by afcb0k uk

Tyax, the facts and why you should go

We spent 3 days at the Tyax lodge as part of a touring holiday and it was one of our highlights, if you are thinking of going...just go. Here are the main points of information we think you should know. The road. When you meet Brits at Tyax everyone talks about "the road". Unless you have a good 4x4 and are used to driving dirt roads do NOT CONSIDER any other road other than Pioneer road 40 from Lilloet. Do not think about the hurley or the Highline road...end of. The route from Lilloet is 100km and took us about 2 hours to travel in a Nissan qashqai with locked all wheel drive on the dirt sections. There are 3 dirt sections, the first arrives shortly after you leave Lilloet, is the roughest and lasts about 12km. Go slow, if a local comes up behind you simply pull over when you can and they'll go by at speed. After the initial dirt it returns to a wonderful paved road for quite a while. It is remote , your mobile won't work, enjoy the most stunning of drives. Should you break down its bonnet (hood) up and attach something white to it. A local will stop and will have a satellite phone on them.There's then a series of switchbacks...relax the road here is paved. You reach a second dirt section close to the dam, it's 10 km long and has a few hairy narrow sections and turns, rocks falling from the immediate hills are main concern. Once through this section it's paved all the way to Gold Bridge...you can chill knowing you're past the worst, you then turn off Route 40 and the last 8 km to the lodge are unmade and a bit rutted. The road, in our opinion is a challenge but not as bad as some reviews we'd read. Do your homework, get the right vehicle your driving to a wonderful place! Don't rely on sat nav, download the maps in advance onto your phone for offline use, that works fine and the road is easy to find in Lilloet. Check also your rental provider is happy for their car to drive highway 40, ours was. The lodge is great, friendly staff, comfortable rooms, make sure you get a lake view. Food we thought was excellent given where you are. Ok it's a little more expensive than normal but hey, this place is from your dreams!!. There's an included "basic "breakfast which was fine for us, cereals, bit of fruit and breads ,the a la carte breakfasts looked huge. Lots of water craft available for complimentary use, spotted a bear falling from a locals apple tree on a kayak paddle we did...wow. The hot tub is a treat not to be missed. Activities, this caused us some confusion, we wanted to book a hike in advance of our arrival but they tend to book things on the day. If you book something via the lodge you will go with a local company called Chilcoltin holidays. There is another outfit called Tyax adventures who offer similar trips , they however have no connection to Tyax lodge depite sharing the name. You will find each activity via the lodge has a group price, if you are the only two people who want to take a trip you have to pay for the full group . There is a float plane available, I fancied a go but my wife didn't. If i had been the only person to go on that trip i would have to pay the individual rate of $179 x 4 the number of people required to make the flight happen. The lodge will try to find others to go with you but cannot guarantee success. In a nutshell its a wonderful, unique, remote experience with real comfort and hospitality thrown in...you must go...but do your homework. Oh and when you return to Lilloet immediatly on your right at the end of highway 40 is a small car wash where you can smarten up your rental and blast off all the mud!!

by Roger B Toronto, Canada

A unique gettaway

I read several reviews about the drive up there being perilous but it turned out to be not as bad as I was expecting. There were several unpaved sections but it added to the sence of adventure and remoteness. The room was clean and comfortable but we were suprised to find there was no airconditioning which was ok because the weather wasnt too hot. Overall a nice place to stop for a couple of days with plenty of activities, friendly staff and great mountain biking trails nearby.

by ElegantGipsy Vancouver

A Comfortable Base and Gateway to Magnificent Mountains Adventures

Tyax Lodge is an ideally situated and comfortable gateway to one of Canada’s most beautiful regions. It is a down-to-earth, grand old log-built lodge set on the idyllic shore of Tyaughton Lake in a remote yet accessible region of southwestern British Columbia. Most importantly, it is at the foot of South Chilcotin Provincial Park, a wondrously beautiful expanse of mountains, valleys, rivers and lakes that is internationally renowned with mountain bikers, hikers and horseback adventurers. In the winter, Tyax is also a major heliskiing centre. The lodge offers luxurious, comfortable accommodation and good food, and a multitude of activities, from canoes, paddle boards and kayaks to explore the clear, scenic mountain lake, to dramatic sightseeing flights on their own floatplane. It even has a spa. The nearby mountain biking and horseback riding opportunities are absolutely world-class. This place is fantastic. I have been going to Tyax since it opened in the mid 1980s and it seems to be better than ever, still attracting an outdoorsy and adventurous clientele that enjoys comfort too. I can’t wait to return.

by palinscamera Epsom, United Kingdom

Well worth the effort

If you are driving there as we did be ready for the approach road from Lillooet. Its the only road to take but it is no more than a track of 100km (roughly) full of rocks and avalanche risk. Make sure you have a spare wheel and go carefully. The hotel once you get there is amazing. Small, amazing staff, secluded - it is one in a million. Enjoy it.