When you find gear on the trail, it usually means one of three things: someone has lost it, someone has intentionally stashed it, or someone is in distress. Coming across abandoned gear while out on a hike can sometimes be alarming, but it doesn’t always indicate that someone is in trouble. Circumstances can help to…
British Columbia is full of abandoned places to explore. During the era of settlement and resource pursuit, the wild areas of the province were much more populated, leaving behind old mines, trapper cabins, crumbling canneries, and overgrown homesteads. Whether stumbling across old ruins in the woods or going searching for a long-lost place, it’s wise…
There is nothing mysterious about getting lost in the woods. Ask any hiker, and they’ll tell you about a time they took a wrong turn or made a bad decision. It’s incredibly easy to get lost, which is why it happens, even to experienced outdoorspeople. Many things can contribute to a person getting lost. Sometimes,…
British Columbia is the most beautiful place in Canada. If you disagree, you’ve probably never been here. Getting out in nature is embedded in our culture, and whether you’re new, just visiting, or just getting into outdoor recreation, know that we want to keep it natural and fun for everyone. The majority of us do,…
If you missed reservation day and found out that BC’s most popular backpacking trails are fully booked, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, reservations systems favour planners who book well in advance. For spontaneous folks, trip planning can amount to coming upon a good weekend in the middle of summer and deciding to go somewhere. The good…
Whether new to BC or just visiting, sooner or later you’re going to find yourself trudging up a mountain to marvel at forests, wildlife, and stunning vistas. If you’re wondering how to start hiking, it’s not as simple as picking a trail and leaving the house. There’s a bit of additional planning that goes into…
While there are thousands of kilometres of trails throughout the province, trail maintenance in British Columbia is largely managed by small volunteer groups. Hundreds of them, in fact, which doesn’t just include mountain biking and hiking groups, but ATV, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, off-roading, mountaineering, and snowmobile groups. The fact is, there are far more…
Report Wildfires: *5555 (on cell) or 1-800-663-5555 (toll free) More than a year after the village of Lytton burned to the ground, fences still blocked the view of the burned village from the highway. Through the slats, you could glimpse the remains, street after street of devastation, an entire community razed to the ground. A…
In many BC First Nations stories, Thunderbird lives in the highest mountains. A giant bird large enough to catch whales in his talons, he creates thunder by flapping his great wings, and lightning flashes from his eyes. In some stories he carries two snakes beneath his wings that strike out like harpoons with lightning. When…
If you plan to explore BC’s backcountry, chances are you’ll need to use the province’s 620,000 kms of forest service roads (FSRs), also known as resource roads. Crisscrossing the province’s wilderness, these roads were created to provide access to remote areas for industrial activity such as forestry, mining, oil and gas development, and fire access….
