Uncategorized

The Lower Stein Valley Trail near Lytton, BC, is one of my favourite places. I’ve made 8 hiking and backpacking trips to the eastern portion of Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park over the years. It is southern BC’s only intact watershed and is a truly special place. There are a few reasons why I love …

Vernon is a small town nestled between two huge lakes in British Columbia’s Okanagan region. Over the past few years, I’ve taken two trips to Vernon. I discovered so many things to do in Vernon, BC including tons of hiking and lots of delicious food! In fact, despite visiting twice, I haven’t have enough time …

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 …