There’s a particular feeling in the Bella Coola Valley when the last guests of the season head home.
The days are getting shorter, the morning air has a bite to it, and the first snow is beginning to settle on the mountains above us. The salmon are finishing their journey up the rivers, the grizzly bears are making the most of their final feeding opportunities, and the rainforest is slowly preparing for winter.
At Firvale Wilderness Camp, the transformation is just as noticeable.
Only a few weeks ago, the lodge was full of conversation. Guests were gathering for breakfast, guides were preparing for the day’s adventures, and the kitchen was busy getting dinner ready for everyone returning from the river.
Now, the cabins are empty, the dining room is quiet, and the pace of life has changed completely.
Another season has come to an end at Firvale, and for Jen and me, winter is beginning.
The Last Guests of the Season
Every year, our season begins in spring as the Bella Coola Valley comes back to life.
By summer, we’re in full swing with our Great Bear Rainforest Adventure Package. Guests arrive from around the world to explore the mountains, rivers, rainforest and Pacific coastline that we’re fortunate enough to call home.
The days are long, the kitchen is busy, and there’s always something happening around camp.
Then September arrives, and our focus shifts to the salmon run and our Grizzly Bear Adventure Package.
Fall is one of my favourite times of year in Bella Coola. There’s something special about watching the valley change colour while the grizzlies gather along the rivers to feed.
It’s also one of our busiest periods.
By the time the final bear-viewing guests depart in October, we’ve spent months preparing meals, hosting travellers, organizing adventures, maintaining the property and making sure everyone has the best experience possible.
We love it, but there’s also something satisfying about the moment the season finally ends.
The last dinner is served.
The final guests head home.
And suddenly, everything becomes quiet.
Closing Up Camp for Winter
Closing a wilderness resort for the winter is a little different from shutting the doors of a regular hotel.
There are cabins to winterize, water systems to look after, outdoor furniture to put away and countless little maintenance jobs that have been waiting for the end of the season.
The gardens need attention, the kitchen gets a thorough cleaning, and the property slowly transitions from a busy guest operation back into our home.
The A-frame cabins and glamping domes that welcomed guests throughout the summer are now resting until spring.
The dining room, which was full of laughter and stories just weeks earlier, sits empty.
It’s always a strange transition.
For five months, our lives revolve around the people staying here. There are schedules to follow, meals to prepare, adventures to coordinate and a constant stream of questions to answer.
Then, almost overnight, the resort becomes quiet again.
But after a busy season, that quiet is something we look forward to.
The First Snow in the Mountains
One of the things I love most about living in Bella Coola is how dramatically the seasons change.
By late October and early November, the mountains surrounding Firvale begin turning white.
At first, it’s just a dusting of snow on the highest peaks.
Then the snowline slowly creeps down the mountainsides.
The valley floor is still green, with the rainforest holding onto the last of its autumn colours, while the alpine above us is already entering winter.
On clear mornings, the contrast is incredible.
Fresh white snow against dark mountain rock, deep green cedar forests and the occasional patch of blue sky.
It’s a reminder that we live in a pretty extraordinary place.
And while the summer months are beautiful, I think the Bella Coola Valley is just as spectacular when the seasons begin to change.
There’s a different kind of beauty to it.
Quieter, colder and a little more dramatic.
Frankie and Cutie Have the Right Idea
Of course, not everyone at Firvale is particularly concerned about preparing for winter.
Frankie and Cutie seem perfectly happy with the change of pace.
With the guests gone and the temperatures dropping, they’ve settled into their favourite spots beside the fire.
While Jen and I are working through our winter projects, the two of them have pretty much perfected the art of doing absolutely nothing.
A warm fire.
A comfortable place to sleep.
And no particular reason to go outside unless absolutely necessary.
It’s hard to argue with their approach.
After months of activity around camp, there’s something nice about having the house to ourselves again, with Frankie and Cutie curled up nearby and the fire going on a cold evening.
These are the quieter moments of life at Firvale that guests don’t often get to see.
And they’re some of our favourites.
My Winter in the Kitchen at Bella Coola Heli Sports
Although Firvale closes for the winter, my cooking season isn’t quite finished.
In fact, it’s about to start all over again.
Each winter, I head to work as a chef with Bella Coola Heli Sports, at their small boutique wilderness lodge on the Chilcotin Plateau, Sand Creek Ranch.
It’s a completely different experience from summer at Firvale.
Instead of the lush green rainforest of the Bella Coola Valley, the Chilcotin landscape is covered in snow, with wide-open winter scenery and the Coast Mountains stretching into the distance.
The guests are there for heli-skiing, and the days revolve around exploring some of British Columbia’s incredible backcountry terrain.
My job is to make sure everyone is well fed.
It’s work I really enjoy.
After spending the summer managing Firvale’s operations, guiding, marketing and culinary program, there’s something refreshing about being able to focus more closely on cooking again.
I get to spend time in a professional kitchen, work with great ingredients and prepare meals for people who have spent their days outside in the mountains.
In many ways, it’s the same philosophy that guides our culinary program at Firvale.
Good food and outdoor adventure belong together.
Whether guests have spent the day watching grizzly bears in the Great Bear Rainforest or skiing deep powder in the Coast Mountains, a great dinner is one of the best ways to finish the day.
Working at Sand Creek also gives me an opportunity to continue developing ideas and techniques that I can bring back to Firvale the following summer.
The two jobs complement each other surprisingly well.
And it means I get to spend most of the year doing two things I love: cooking and working in the wilderness.
Jen’s Winter Looks a Little Different
While I’m preparing for another winter in the kitchen, Jen is shifting her attention toward weddings.
Anyone who has visited Firvale knows how much of the property’s character comes from Jen.
She’s responsible for much of the design, décor and atmosphere around camp, and she’s the driving force behind our wedding planning and event coordination.
During the summer, there isn’t always much time to sit down and focus on the details of next year’s celebrations.
Winter changes that.
With the resort closed, Jen can spend more time working with couples, developing wedding plans, choosing florals and décor, and organizing all the little details that go into creating a beautiful celebration.
Our weddings and elopements have become an important part of what we do at Firvale.
We particularly enjoy working with couples who want something a little different from a traditional wedding.
A small, intimate celebration surrounded by mountains.
Exceptional food.
Beautiful accommodations.
And the opportunity to turn their wedding into an adventure in the Great Bear Rainforest.
For Jen, winter is when many of those ideas begin taking shape.
While the property is quiet and covered in frost, she’s already thinking about flowers, table settings, ceremonies and the couples who will be arriving next spring and summer.
It’s funny how different our winter projects can be.
I’ll be thinking about dinner menus for heli-skiing guests, while Jen is choosing wedding colours and planning celebrations months in advance.
But by spring, it all comes together again at Firvale.
The Work That Happens When Nobody Is Here
One thing we’ve learned since opening Firvale in 2020 is that running a seasonal wilderness resort doesn’t mean taking the winter off.
The work simply changes.
During the summer, our focus is almost entirely on our guests.
During winter, we finally have time to work on the business itself.
That means planning improvements to the property, reviewing the past season, developing new experiences and preparing for the next group of visitors.
There’s always something that needs building, fixing, improving or reorganizing.
And because Firvale is a small, family-run business, much of that work still falls to the two of us.
Some winters involve major construction projects.
Others are more focused on maintenance, marketing, wedding planning and preparing for the next season.
We also spend a lot of time looking back at what worked well and what we could do better.
Every season teaches us something.
Sometimes it’s a small operational detail.
Sometimes it’s an entirely new experience that we want to offer guests.
And sometimes it’s simply realizing that we need to make a little more time to enjoy the place we’ve built.
Remembering Why We Started Firvale
When Jen and I began developing Firvale Wilderness Camp, we had a fairly simple idea.
We wanted to create a small wilderness lodge that combined the things we loved most.
Adventure.
Good food.
Beautiful accommodations.
And the opportunity to share an extraordinary part of British Columbia with other people.
We didn’t want to build a large resort.
We wanted something personal.
A place where guests could feel comfortable, get to know the people hosting them and experience the Great Bear Rainforest without sacrificing the pleasures of good hospitality.
Over the years, Firvale has grown considerably.
We’ve added accommodations, developed our culinary program, expanded our guided adventures and welcomed more weddings and celebrations.
But the original idea hasn’t really changed.
And winter is a good time to remember that.
When the property is quiet, it’s easier to appreciate what we’ve created here.
The cabins tucked into the trees.
The domes overlooking the mountains.
The lodge where so many memorable dinners have taken place.
The gardens.
The firepit.
And the incredible landscape surrounding all of it.
Sometimes, after a busy summer, it’s nice to see Firvale simply as our home again.
Looking Forward to Spring
As much as we enjoy the slower pace of winter, it doesn’t take long before we start thinking about the next season.
By January and February, we’re usually deep into planning.
Wedding details are coming together.
Guests are booking their summer adventures.
We’re reviewing menus, organizing guides and making improvements around camp.
And before we know it, the days begin getting longer.
The snow starts melting in the mountains.
The rivers rise.
The gardens come back to life.
And we begin preparing to welcome everyone again.
It’s a cycle we’ve become very familiar with over the past several years.
Each season has its own rhythm.
And each one makes us appreciate the next.
A Quiet Moment Before It All Begins Again
For now, though, we’re enjoying the transition.
The resort is closed.
The mountains are turning white.
I’m getting ready for another winter cooking at Sand Creek Ranch.
Jen is settling into wedding planning.
And Frankie and Cutie are curled up beside the fire, completely unconcerned about any of it.
There are still projects to finish and plenty of work ahead.
But for a little while, life at Firvale is moving at a different pace.
And after another busy summer and fall in the Great Bear Rainforest, that feels pretty good.
Thanks to everyone who visited us in 2026, whether you came for an adventure, a wedding, a honeymoon or simply to spend a few days in this beautiful valley.
We’re grateful that we get to share this place with you.
We’ll see you in the spring.
— Bobby & Jen Sherlock
Firvale Wilderness Camp, Bella Coola Valley, British Columbia
