08 Feb Nipika – a History: Part 2
The Nipika Years
In March 1979, Lyle skied into the middle of the meadow, turned 360 degrees around, and knew it was to be the place for his dreamed rocky mountain accommodation. By April, Lyle and Dianne owned it! Lyle left his job with the Alberta Government in outdoor recreation, and Dianne, a tenured teacher, packed up everything, including new six-month-old son Steven, and moved to Invermere to develop the dream: Nipika.
Dianne was soon teaching in Invermere, Lyle was coaching cross-country skiing, and developinig Nipika was the hobby. They built trails, learned the true beauty of the surroundings, and developed a philosophy of stewardship of the spectacular wilderness surrounding the property.
In the late 1990s the timing was right to develop the resort, so the Rocky Mountain Cabin, a beautiful timber frame building, was built as a rocky mountain accommodation. The decision was easy to make Nipika an Eco-resort by developing everything in harmony with the natural environment. The response was terrific to the comfortable rocky mountain cabin, so the building continued to include a workshop/staff loft, 8 more guest cabins, and the Nipika Day Lodge, a 110-year-old hand hewn log barn was restored as a banquet hall, day lodge, and conference facility. Today, Nipika continues to offer travellers a unique, exhilarating yet restful experience surrounded by the beauty of the rocky mountains.