Valhalla Provincial Park is home to one of the best hikes in BC. The 6 km trail into Gwillim Lakes is take-your-breath away beautiful, especially in the evening light. You'll find meadows to explore, mountain ridges to climb and lakes for skinny dipping. Also look for well-spaced tent pads, a kitchen area and a couple of outhouses. You could easily spend a few nights here. This post includes some affiliate links. If you make a…
One of the best hikes in Banff takes you to Fish Lakes via North Molar Pass. Very fit hikers could knock off the 29.6 km return hike to the lakes in a very long day. But my recommendation is to book a backcountry campsite (in January) and stay for a couple of nights at the Fish Lake Campground so you can truly enjoy what is truly one of the best hikes in Banff. The mountain…
The original list of 10 hiking essentials came from the Mountaineers, a Seattle based organization for climbers and outdoor adventures and the people behind the bible of mountaineering - Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. The idea then as it is today, is that people be prepared for emergency events outdoors, even if it's miles from civilization. The 10 hiking essentials list has since been slightly modified, primarily to keep up with technology. I try…
"The Lake Superior Coastal Trail is more difficult than the Coastal Trail in Pukaskwa National Park" exclaims one of the staff working at the Lake Superior Provincial Park Visitor Centre. I roll my eyes - thinking "as if". What does she really know? Now that I've hiked a major section of the Lake Superior Coastal Trail over a three day period - and not the most difficult section which is the 20 kilometres from Gargantua…
You've put a lot of work into planning a multi-day backpacking trip but it turns out to be a disaster. You want to try it again but you haven't decided if it's worth the effort. Maybe you'll just stick to day hikes instead. If this sounds like you don't give up on backpacking. It's always going to be one of the best ways to get into areas that are off limits to day hikers. Instead…
If you're traveling to British Columbia in search of adventure, I've got you covered. Check out these 25 adventures in British Columbia that include everything from hiking to backpacking, and biking to canoeing and kayaking. I've done 23 of the adventures in British Columbia and the two I haven't - Mt Edziza and the Rim Trail are at the top of my wish list. Backpacking in British Columbia Backpack the Juan de Fuca trail Not…
Interested in a four day hiking trip on the Juan de Fuca Trail - a cousin to the better known West Coast Trail? Located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, just 90 minutes from Victoria, the 47 kilometre Juan de Fuca Trail runs parallel to the coast dodging and weaving through temperate rainforest and along rocky beaches. The trail goes all the way from China Beach to Botanical Beach just outside of Port Renfrew.…
I did a four day backpacking trip on the 47 kilometre long Juan de Fuca Trail in early June before the crowds appeared. Located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, a little south of its more famous cousin, the West Coast Trail, its short distance belies the difficulty of the trail. This post is meant for those who have yet to hike the Juan de Fuca Trail but want to - and would like…
I spent a week hiking the Sunshine Coast Trail with a friend - Judy, one of the few people I know that would actually agree to long days of hut to hut hiking with a pack followed by sleeping on a hard, wooden floor in a hut in the forest. Without wine. Most of my friends have chosen luxury now over roughing it and real adventure. And hut to hut hiking with no showers, hard…