I’m not a huge water person, but I LOVE hot springs. After a day of hiking or hours in the car on a road trip, being able to sit in some warm water, outdoors, surrounded by nature… bliss. Thankfully, Western Canada has some great hot springs. In fact, all of the hot springs in Canada …
Sea to Sky
Whistler might be best known for skiing, but it has great snowshoeing too. (And it’s waaaay less expensive than skiing!) In this guide to snowshoeing in Whistler I’ll give you info and directions for 10 different trails ranging from super-flat beginner trails to all-day epics treks in the backcountry. This guide covers every trail in …
Squamish is one of the best small towns in Canada for outdoor adventures. So it’s no surprise that the outdoorsy fun continues in the winter… in the form of snowshoeing. The terrain around Squamish is pretty rugged, but there are still a few great places go snowshoeing in Squamish. In this guide to snowshoeing in …
The River of Golden Dreams is one of the best things to do in Whistler in the summer. It’s often described as a natural lazy river that winds its way between two lakes in the Whistler Valley. I live in nearby Squamish so I have paddled the River of Golden Dreams both in my own …
Joffre Lakes near Whistler, BC is a spectacular spot: three gorgeous turquoise lakes surrounded by glacier-capped mountains. I first hiked to Joffre Lakes in 2004 and have returned every few years since then. I think I’ve hiked here 9 or 10 times and I never get tired of it. If you’re interested in hiking to …
The High Falls Creek Trail is a great mini-adventure of a hike. It has gorgeous waterfalls in a steep canyon, mountain views, and the exhilaration of scrambling up some fixed ropes. While the scrambling sections make the trail a bit of an adventure, it’s doable for most hikers. And since this is a loop hike, …
If you’re in Whistler, I recommend checking out the Blackcomb hiking trails. It’s a great network of easy and moderate trails that wind between alpine lakes and flower-filled meadows. They also have great views of mountains and glaciers. And my favourite part: lots of chances to see adorable marmots and pikas! You also don’t have …
Semaphore Lakes near Pemberton is a special place. It’s a short and easy hike to three gorgeous alpine lakes with incredible glacier views. And the logging road to get there is 2WD accessible (most of the time). I first hiked to Semaphore Lakes back in 2014. (In fact, an earlier version of this trail guide …
The Al’s Habrich Trail is one of my favourite hikes in Squamish. It has an excellent effort-to-reward ratio since the hike has spectacular views all the way along. And since it starts from the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola, you get up high in the mountains without working too hard. I live in …
These days, Elfin Lakes in Garibaldi Provincial Park is the closest backcountry camping to my house in Squamish – it’s literally just up the street. But I’ve been going to Elfin Lakes for two decades – it was my first winter backpacking trip back in 2003! I’ve hiked the Elfin Lakes Trail more times than …