As we lifted into the air from Golden, we were treated to 360-degree views of majestic peaks. To the north was Bus Stop Hill. To the south and west were the Selkirk Mountains. And to the east was the Purcell Mountain range. But wait. This wasn’t Golden, Colorado and these weren’t Colorado Rocky Mountain peaks. We were in the Canadian Rockies, traveling in a helicopter on our way to Purcell Mountain Lodge, a backcountry getaway nestled at the edge of Canada’s Glacier National Park in British Columbia. And the beers that awaited us were local Canadian microbrews, not Coors.

Last summer my husband, Shaun, and I ventured north to British Columbia to explore the “other Rockies.” As diehard Coloradans who enjoy most everything outdoors, we were in search of activities we love to do at home, in particular hiking and mountain biking. We were in for a treat.

The Canadian Rockies, which run north to south along eastern British Columbia and western Alberta, are a recreational wonderland. A quick scan through BC’s adventure guide and you’ll be overloaded by opportunities for every outdoor activity possible from hiking and backpacking to mountain and road biking, rock climbing and mountaineering to canoeing and kayaking, camping and wildlife viewing to horseback riding and hot springs. And those are just the mountain-oriented activities. The western part of the province, which borders on the Pacific Ocean, is host to multiple ocean activities including sea kayaking, surfing and scuba diving.

July is a prime time to visit, when the temps are just right and the wildflowers are in full bloom.

Our adventure began in Fernie where I was signed up to do a women’s weekend mountain bike clinic with Sacred Rides (www.sacredrides.com), a company that offers clinics and tours in BC, Peru and Chile. Shaun would be on his own to explore the area on two wheels, which he was quite looking forward to.

Tucked in the Kootenay Rockies, Fernie is abuzz in winter with skiers in search of the challenging terrain at Fernie Alpine Resort. But from late spring to early fall, fat tire fanatics take over to tackle the terrain on mountain bikes. The resort opens up miles of trails that you can pedal up or hop a chairlift and ride down.

At our introductory meeting, we met our instructor, Johanna, a petite, seemingly mellow woman with a secret passion for launching her mountain bike off 10-foot-plus jumps. She told our group of 12 what we’d be working on over the weekend—ramps, teeters (teeter totters), skinnies (super-skinny bridges) and jumps. I started to wonder if I’d gotten in over my head. But I’ve been riding mountain bikes for over 20 years so I thought what the heck, it’s always good to take on new challenges. Check out a gallery of photos of the gals during the clinic.

The weekend turned out to be awesome. And it didn’t hurt that I was hanging out with a group of Canadian women—I was the only American—who just happen to be some of the friendliest people in the world. We cheered one another on as we practiced riding up and over ramps and teeters. We hooted and hollered when someone caught air. And we rode some of the most fast and fun trails I’ve been on in years with names like What’s Up Doc, Eco Terrorist, Sidewinder and Splitting Bears. At dinner, we’d chatter away about our day’s adventures. Shaun was the luckiest guy in Canada that weekend as he got to hang out with 12 cool mountain bike chicks at night.

After a weekend of phenomenal riding, Shaun and I were ready to switch gears to hiking mode. Our next stop was Golden, about three hours north. Along the way, we treated ourselves to a soak at the remote Lussiter Hot Springs in Whiteswan Provincial Park in Skookumchuck. (In Ktunaxa Kinbasket Indian jargon, the name Skookumchuck means “meeting of good waters.”) The wilderness hot springs are host to three pools with temps ranging from 110 F down to 94. It was a welcome respite for our tired biking bodies.

As we drove, I kept remarking how the mountain ranges just never seemed to end. It made me feel right at home.