Biking

I’ve driven off the ferry in Nanaimo dozens of times on my way to various Vancouver Island adventures, but until recently I hadn’t really spent much time in the city. I wasn’t sure what to expect on my visit, but I was pleasantly surprised by the access to nature, the incredible food, and the sense …

Most outdoor adventure books are by and about men. I’ve made it a point over the past few years to seek out women’s adventure books. I love reading memoirs from female hikers, skiers, mountaineers, and adventurers because I’m a woman, but also because they provide a different perspective on the outdoor world.  I’ve always been …

Canada’s prairie provinces are severely underrated… well, that’s my opinion anyway. When I drove across Canada during my university days, we didn’t have time to stop, so we sped through Saskatchewan. Years later, attending a conference in Saskatoon seemed like a good excuse to head back and figure out the best things to do in …

I’ve been to every single Canadian province, but I have to admit I had only passed through Saskatchewan on a road trip and didn’t really stop. I knew I had to fix that problem when I was scheduled to attend a conference in Saskatoon. I extended my stay and spent nine days finding the best …

When I told people I was planning a trip to Saskatchewan, some people asked me why. My answer was simple: to visit Grasslands National Park. I’m on a mission to visit all of Canada’s National Parks and Reserves (so far, I’m at 19 of 48), but I also wanted to visit because I had heard …

I’ve been backpacking for over 20 years and have written two backpacking guidebooks, so I’ve eaten a lot of meals in the backcountry. In this post, I’ll review all of the pre-packaged backpacking meals I eat on my trips. Sometimes I home-dehydrate my backpacking meals. And sometimes I save some money by putting together my …

As a full-time outdoor writer, a guidebook author, and a person who relies on time spent in nature for my mental health, I hike a lot. I also spent seven years writing about hiking gear at the head office of one of Canada’s largest outdoor retailers. That means that I can be pretty picky about …

A few winters ago I got an insulated skirt and it was a game-changer. (I’m not exaggerating!) My puffy skirt meant I could keep my butt warm on the trails – I simply put it on over my pants when I was cold and took it off when I wasn’t. In this guide, I’ll break …

Just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean you need to stop hiking. Since it can be tough to find trails without snow, I’ve put together the an absolutely enormous list of snow-free hikes in Vancouver for you. These are trails in Vancouver that you can hike year-round… and there’s over 50 of them! I’ve got snow-free …

Black Friday is one of the best times of the year to shop for outdoor gear. It’s one of the only times that some brands are on sale. Altitude Sports is running one of the best Black Friday sales for outdoor gear in Canada. I’m a bit of a gear geek: I’ve been writing about …