The North Coast Trail is a multi-day wilderness hike across the very northern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It’s a challenging and remote hike through old-growth rainforest, along beaches, and across muddy coastal bogs. The 43-kilometre-long hike is difficult but beautiful. I hiked the trail in 2008 and 2021, so I’ve put …
I’ve spent a lot of time on British Columbia’s coast… but not a lot of time actually on the water. You could say I’m more of a terrestrial mammal. But this summer I wanted to see what I had been missing so I went on a kayaking trip in the Johnstone Strait and Broughton Archipelago …
Cape Scott Provincial Park is at the very northern tip of Vancouver Island. It’s a remote but beautiful place: old-growth rainforest, coastal bog, gorgeous white sand beaches, and lots of historical sites. It’s a 23.6km hike from the trailhead to the lighthouse at Cape Scott, so most visitors do it as a backpacking trip, staying …
While Vancouver is a beautiful city with lots to offer, sometimes you just want to get out of town. Living here my whole life, I’ve been on more weekend getaways from Vancouver than I can count. I’ve put together a great list of over 20 weekend trips you can do from Vancouver. There’s something for …
If you think of National Parks in Canada, you probably think of the famous National Parks in Canada’s Rocky Mountains near Banff. And yes, the mountain parks are spectacular. But… Canada is a REALLY big country with a REALLY varied landscape. And we have dozens of National Parks spread all the way from sea to …
I’m not a huge water person. I’d much rather be hiking up a mountain than paddling a kayak or swimming in a lake. But hot springs… that’s a whole other thing. I LOVE hot springs. After a day of hiking or hours in the car on a road trip, being able to sit in some …
Organizing transportation to the West Coast Trail can be one of the most complicated parts of the hike. There are a few different options for getting to the start and getting back from the finish, and it can be hard to figure out which one makes the most sense for you. I have also talked …
The West Coast Trail is a wilderness experience: each night you’ll pitch your tent on a remote beach and listen to the waves crash as you fall asleep. I’ve hiked the West Coast Trail twice and visited all of the campgrounds. And I can tell you… some of them are definitely nicer than others. (And …
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 …
Due to the way the campgrounds are spaced out, and the placement of the difficult trail sections, most people use a 6 or 7 day West Coast Trail itinerary. When I first hiked the trail in 2004, we just winged it. But when I was planning my 2019 trip I worked out tons of options. …