Of all the principles of Leave No Trace, one of the most important tackles the topic of going to the bathroom when there are no facilities at hand. No one wants to visit a gorgeous location only to find a pile of poop or used toilet paper (and yet...). It's unsightly, it's bad for the … Continue reading Oh the places I’ve been…
Opinion: Well, the South Chilcotin Mountains work their magic once again! A tough but immensely satisfying week-long traverse of the park with many literal and figurative ups and downs. If ever a trip could qualify as epic, it'd be this one. Although the weather was kinder to us than on previous trips, it was gratifying … Continue reading South Chilcotins, 17-25 Jul 2021
Opinion: A beautiful area for hiking and camping with gorgeous lakes, stunning vistas, and fascinating rock formations. There is a significant cost (physical or financial) to get here, but it's worth it, and it's a great destination for getting into backcountry camping without having to carry an overnight pack very far. The highlights are - … Continue reading Cathedral Lakes, 30 Jun – 5 Jul 2021
This multi-day backpacking trip was outstanding. So much so that it kick-started my blogging habit! That first blog was called "The Intertidal Flush" with a sub-heading of Pity the fish, inspired by our first experience of hiking somewhere where there were no toilet facilities. According to the guide book (Hiking the West Coast of Vancouver … Continue reading Nootka Trail, 25-30 Aug 2006
We awoke at dawn. At least, that's what the alarm clock said. Inside the cave it was still quite dark. A really good night's sleep too! Even though the sea was quite loud in the cave, it provided a soothing white-noise background which made it easy to sleep, and not worry about little scurrying sounds … Continue reading Nootka Trail Day 6, 30 Aug 2006
All good things must come to an end I suppose and we were back to our early starts. Another beautiful calm and clear morning greeted us as we sat around the remains of last night's camp fire eating breakfast. We hit the pebbles around 8 am again, walking past the cabins, the wilderness retreat and … Continue reading Nootka Trail Day 5, 29 Aug 2006
Something woke me up. Listen. Nope – must have been imagining things. Take a look outside to be sure. I unzipped the tent as quietly as I could and looked out. You know, words just can't convey the bit fat WOW I felt when I found myself staring into a beautiful starry sky. I almost … Continue reading Nootka Trail Day 4, 28 Aug 2006
Aaaah - what a relaxing night's sleep! The sound of the waterfall was soothing and the gravel remarkably comfortable. I opened my eyes a few minutes before the alarm went off and hauled myself out of my sleeping bag. I rolled and packed my bedding to get moving and warm up a little. Another clear … Continue reading Nootka Trail Day 3, 27 Aug 2006
Off went the alarm at 6 am and I dragged myself out of my sleeping bag. It had been a restless first night – was this the start of a pattern? Scurrying noises had kept me awake and there were plenty of tiny footprints all around our tent. But thankfully no big ones. A beautiful … Continue reading Nootka Trail Day 2, 26 Aug 2006
Setting the trend for the next few days, the alarm went off at 6 am. We packed our tents, piled our stuff into the car, and headed for Gold River. We reached the town within half an hour and before we knew it, we were out the other side, heading for the Air Nootka dock. … Continue reading Nootka Trail Day 1, 25 Aug 2006
