Recently I wrote a post called “You Killed A Bear” that ended up getting way more online attention than I had anticipated. My message in that post was that less experienced hikers should read up about bear safety before they head out for a hike or go backcountry camping. Lots of people asked questions about …
Backpacking
Over the Easter long weekend I spent three days backpacking a section of the Sunshine Coast Trail with a group of friends. We hiked from Manzanita Bluff to Rievely’s Pond, then finished near Powell River. Never heard of the Sunshine Coast Trail? The whole trail is 180 kilometers long and stretches the whole length of …
As part of my “Ask Taryn” series D. from the Rockies messaged me on my Facebook page to ask about backpacking hygiene. She writes: My partner and I are planning to do the full 180km Sunshine Coast Trail in September and were hoping you had some tips in regards to hygiene…How can we cleanse without …
So you want to go winter camping… but you’re not sure how to stay warm, what gear you’ll need or how to pitch camp in the snow. No worries: I’ve got you covered in this guide to winter camping for beginners. Winter camping can be pretty daunting but it can be lots of fun. If …
My friend K has a birthday in late September and every year she organizes a backcountry camping trip to celebrate. Last year we went to the beautiful Semaphore Lakes and this year we headed over to Vancouver Island to explore the Forbidden Plateau area of Strathcona Provincial Park. The way I had previously thought about …
Ever since we did the West Coast Trail in 2004, my husband Greg and I had wanted to hike the Nootka Trail as it was rumoured to be like the West Coast Trail “used to be”: no permits, no boardwalks, no crowds. If you aren’t familiar, the Nootka trail is more of a route and …
Don’t get me wrong, I love being high up in the mountains, but there’s something magical about coastal hiking: The scenery is totally different, the changes in elevation are minimal and its nearly impossible to get lost. Nearly every year I try to do a coastal backpacking trip. I’ve done most of the more popular …
On Easter weekend we headed to the East Bank trail on Ross Lake in North Cascades National Park in Washington. Apparently Good Friday isn’t a statutory holiday in America so we hoped it wouldn’t be crowded. (Spoiler alert: it wasn’t!) Our group of seven hikers drove down in a convoy of two cars on the …
Last Sunday I had a little bit of free time in the morning before meeting friends for lunch so I decided to head to the North Shore to do a quick hike. My husband was busy and it was short notice so no one could go with me. I decided that instead of missing out …
My good friend K’s birthday falls in late September and every year she organizes an awesome backpacking trip to celebrate. This year we headed to Semaphore Lakes which is northwest of Pemberton, BC. I had heard that the Semaphore Lakes area has a lot going for it: a relatively short hike in, lots of options …