Even in the age of the internet and social media, books are still one of my favourite ways to get info about hiking trails. I’m a bit of a hiking guidebook conoisseur. I own over 100 hiking guide books, most of them for British Columbia. In this post, I’ll give you my recommendations for the …
Gear
Snowshoeing is a fun and easy winter sport. All you need to get started are some snowshoes and some warm clothing. But one of the questions I get asked all the time is: What are the best boots for snowshoeing? What type of boots should you buy? Which features should snowshoeing boots have? What brands …
Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you need to stop hiking. But it’s cold, dark and slippery out there, so you need to be prepare. In this post I’ve got my top top winter hiking tips. Hiking is a year-round activity for me and I’ve been winter hiking for over a decade. (If there’s …
I’ve been backpacking for nearly 20 years, but I still remember my first backpacking trip. I had no idea what I needed to pack and the whole process of choosing gear seemed daunting. But it doesn’t have to be! I’ve put together a super-simple backpacking checklist for you. It lists out all the gear you’ll …
I love to read. Since I was about 5, I’ve fallen asleep every night of my life with a book no matter where I am: at home, in a hotel room, or in a tent. Each year, I read a few dozen books from a variety of genres, but outdoor adventure books are my favourite. …
If you’re stuck inside, watching films about the outdoors can help scratch your need-for-nature itch. With the proliferation of digital cameras and easy-to-use editing software, there are more adventure documentaries than ever before. And like always, most of them are about men. But thankfully, that’s changing. Even ten years ago it was unusual to find …
Packing for the West Coast Trail can be a little bit confusing. Your pack needs to be light, but it also needs to contain everything you need, including lots of food and waterproof gear. The first time I hiked the West Coast Trail in 2004 I was really inexperienced and used mostly borrowed gear. My …
Getting to visit Lake O’Hara in Canada’s Yoho National Park is likely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. (Mostly because reservations are SO hard to get!) And you definitely want to make sure you have the right gear on your once-in-a-lifetime trip so you can stay warm, dry and happy. I spent 4 days at Lake O’Hara this …
In June, I spent a week in Yellowstone National Park. OMG, what an incredible place! I did a bunch of research about what to see before I went, but what I forgot to do was figure out what to bring. Yellowstone presents some unique challenges for visitors. It is located in the Rocky Mountains and …
If you want an introduction to outdoor activities in Vancouver, pick up a copy of Active Vancouver by Roy Jantzen. It’s got local recommendations for hiking, trail running, paddling, snowshoeing, cycling and more. Each adventure has a really cool “Eco-Insight” section with fun info about some of the plants, animals, climate or geology you’ll see. …