About Us

About Us

The McLean’s – We’re sticky

Well, this is our about us page, so here goes. The story starts with my parents, Bud and Corinne McLean. Bud McLean was born in Huntington BC in 1927. He grew up in the Fraser Valley trying on many different jobs; logging, farming, ranching and being a steward on a ship to Alaska. Eventually he joined the Canadian navy during World War Two. As Bud would say about finding his place in the universe “nothing would stick”. After the navy he hung out with his brothers in Oregon where he met my Mom, Corinne McLean. Corinne was originally born in Wisconsin. Her family worked their way from Quebec to Wisconsin, after the depression they migrated to Oregon where she married my Dad. They had four small children, Nancy, Larry, Janey, and Michael. Being the adventurous souls that they are, at the ripe old age of 30 (Bud) and 26 (Corinne) they decided to purchase a small hunting and fishing lodge at Chilko Lake. I am happy to say Chilko Lake, the lifestyle, and the guiding business stuck, and happily so, because after a few years, I arrived.

Passing the Torch

My name is Karen McLean. When my parents retired in 1989 I purchased the guiding business from them. Like my parents before me the lodge and guiding business and more importantly this area has “stuck” on me. If you decide to join us at Tsylos in the beautiful land of Chilko Lake, it will stick to you too. It has a way of imbedding itself in people’s memories and hearts, and quietly works its magic. Chilko Lake is our home. We love it, and you will too.

Old Ways and New Ways

Over the span of sixty years some “old ways” have been replaced with “new ways”. We no longer use kerosene lamps to read by, we now have LED friendly lights. The ringer wash machine has been replaced with an energy saving front load wash machine and dryer that uses less electricity and water. Although we still use the clothes line sometimes, it’s refreshing and we love the smell of sundried clothing.

The radio phone and mail systems have been replaced with Satellite internet and email. The town trip which use to take two days by vehicle is now a quick 3 ‘1/2 one way trip to town for supplies. Although many old systems have been updated with new technology, we keep the tried and true of what makes a vacation at Tsylos so unique and memorable to many people; the gathering at the lodge for meals where everyone sits down together, elbow to elbow, and eye to eye. The many Adventures that people come to enjoy and share, and of course the absolute breathtaking beauty of the land we call home.

Communication Systems – Eye to Eye, Elbow to Elbow

Communications at Tsylos is elbow to elbow and eye and to eye. Laughter is what we share every day. There is no cell phone access at Chilko Lake which is a blessing. When you join us for a vacation, you are on a vacation. You don’t need to worry, we do have satellite internet in the office with a VoIP phone so if someone has to reach you, they can call the lodge and we will track you down regardless if you are on horseback, floating the river, or exploring Chilko lake.

Water Systems

The Chilko water shed is a pristine system and this is what we use for our water supply. It’s cold, clean, and soft water. You will love the taste and the softness of your hair after you experience the Chilko water. For our drinking water we have a filter system and electric system so you don’t have to worry about any “visitors” in your drinking water. What you will love is the taste of the pure, clean, Chilko water.

Electrical Systems 24/7

In 1990 we started the journey of using battery systems to supply electricity to our cabins and lodge, not because we were being “earth friendly” but out of necessity. In 2010 we completely upgraded our electrical system because green energy makes sense for our family, business, and the planet. We now run the lodge and cabins 24/7 off of solar panels, a 48 volt battery storage, and an inverter. We have a backup 15 volt diesel generator for the days when the sun doesn’t shine. For some people who are reading this, your eyes are probably starting to glaze, but what this means to you, is you have electricity 24/7.

Transportation

In the old days all of our guests arrived by their own aircraft. In the 1950’s and 1960 the sky was a highway if you owned your own plane. Having an airport at Chilko Lake has always been a must. In the 1970s “insurance” impacted on the affordability of many people owning their own planes. So a new system had to be developed to easily get our guests in and out of Chilko Lake. The scheduled charter flights were born. Our flights leave Sunday mornings at 9:30 am from Vancouver to Chilko and return you to Vancouver the following Sunday by 1:00 pm. We ask you not to book a connecting flight prior to 3:30 pm in order to give you plenty of time to transfer between airports and clear customs.

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Tsylos Park Lodge & Adventures

Location: Chilko Lake, BC Canada
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2560 Williams Lake, British Columbia Canada V2G 4P2
Toll-Free: 1-800-385-6614 / Office: 1-250-483-4368
Email: [email protected]

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