This post from writer Sylvia Dekker takes you on a couple of hikes near Merritt British Columbia - a community you might have stopped in for gas or coffee while driving the Coquihalla Highway between Vancouver and Kamloops or on the way to the Okanagan via Kelowna. If you're like me, you probably didn't know about the great hiking and backpacking opportunities in the region. Now you will! The area surrounding the Merritt, British Columbia…
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…
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…
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…
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 km 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.…
Summer time is made for backpacking and with so many options within a short drive of Calgary, it can be incredibly hard to choose where to go. Several months ago I decided on Tombstone Campground in Kananaskis but last week the permitting team called me to see if I wanted to switch to Lillian Lake as it had just reopened. I’d been hiking to Lillian Lake previously but just as a day trip so the…
Through experience I can tell you there are tricks on how to pack your backpack. A backpack that's improperly packed can throw you off balance and make the whole experience far more uncomfortable than it needs to be. Learn how to pack a backpack from a pro who has spent summers hiking in the bush for decades - and has learned how to pare down and make the most use of what little space there…
Hiking Canada's famous 75 km long West Coast Trail is for you - if you have masochistic tendencies. Every year approximately 6,000 people attempt it between May 1st and September 30th. It's almost a rite of hiking passage to be able to say that you survived the trail. (In 2021 it doesn't open until June 4th.) The West Coast Trail offers the best and the worst of hiking experiences. It is stunningly beautiful when the…
Every summer I plan at least a few backpacking trips in the wilderness. But I take the preparation for granted as I’ve done it so many times. It’s not until I get queries on my blog from readers that I remember how hard the first few trips are. Then it all comes back - all the questions that go through your mind, all the self-doubts and second guessing so I came up with these seven…