Paton Peak, North Vancouver, BC

This hike was awesome. It was pretty easy and the pay off is huge. Gorgeous views. One of the best, most majestic views one can see in the lower mainland of BC. It's a little difficult to find if you don't know exactly where to look. We did our research and plugged the appropriate GPS way-points and off we went.

From 2012-05-18 - Paton Peak

Mt. Apodaca & Mt. Collins, Bowen Island, BC

Originally, Mt. Apodaca and Mt. Collins were going to be hiked on the same day. However, due to poor time management, by the time we finished Apodaca, it was too late in the day for Collins. This turned out to be a blessing as the scenery was so diverse and interesting, it would have been a shame to rush through it all and miss the beauty.

From 2012-04-(28-29) - Mt. Apodaca, Mt. Collins, Bowen Island

Gear Review: Marmot Ultra Kompressor Backpack

The more experience I get with hiking/camping gear the more I like Marmot. They are generally the less expensive alternative to The North Face, Arc'teryx, etc. However, less expensive doesn't necessarily mean lower quality. In fact, this pack has taught me that Marmot may have some of the best finishing of any day pack in its price range that I've tried out.

From The Big Outside

Mt. Artaban, Gambier Island, BC

A few weeks ago, my hiking friends and I decided that Mt. Artaban on Gambier Island would be our first camping trip of the year 2012. We synched our schedules and made plans for the end of April. Weather was a consideration, but in order to make sure we all had the same days off, work was notified well in advance, so we just had to hope for the best. Days before leaving, the weather forecast was grim. Cloudy with showers on the Saturday we would camp and rain on Sunday. Fortunately, the weather did a 180° turn and both days were beautiful and sunny.

From 2012-04-21 - Mt. Artaban, Gambier Island, BC

Mt. Strachan, South Peak

Richard had wanted to do Strachan for some time so it was decided that we'd finally tackle one, maybe two peaks. The day started out with decent weather. Some cloud with routine sunny breaks. This would change later in our hike, but at the start, it felt like a great day for a hike.

From 2011-11-13 - Mt. Strachan South

Goat Mountain via Grouse Grind

Goat mountain was a really fun hike. Richard and I woke up early one morning to tackle the Grouse Grind, rest a bit at the Chalet and then take on Goat Mountain. We arrived at the base of Grouse a little before 7am and it was still dark out. We had a head lamp so instead of waiting for the first morning light to penetrate the canopy, we just started grinding. I felt really winded for the first 15 minutes or so. I couldn't explain it. Each step seemed like it was the hardest thing for me to do. Luckily, that feel subsided and we were on our way to the top, excited to get past the snow makers and get to Goat.

From 2011-11-04 - Goat Mountain

Eagle Bluff, Cypress Provincial Park

I can honestly say that this highly accessible and relatively easy hike has the best view from any hike I've ever done. This was only the 2nd time I had been out hiking since my return from Manitoba where I lost my summer. We were experiencing a lot of rain and fog so when the forecast said "Sun, no clouds!", Richard, Lindsey and I headed out early in the morning so Lindsey could be at work on time later that afternoon. There was no way we were going to miss the first nice day in weeks.

From 2011-10-25 - Eagle Bluff, Cypress Provincial Park

Hollyburn Mountain on a Foggy Day

It was a cloudy morning in October when Richard and I headed out on what was my first hike since coming home from working out of province in Manitoba. It was such a nice familiar feeling on the highway, navigating towards the north shore mountains. Even though it was cloudy and I knew there would be no spectacular views to behold, I was excited to reconnect with the BC outdoors. When we arrived at the parking lot at the base of the trail, the sun actually started to burn off the thick cloud cover and blue sky was peeking through. Good start! We started off and it wasn't before too long the trail turned into a meandering stroll worthy meadow. The fall fauna was vibrant and enchanting as we made our way upwards.

From 2011-10-20 - Hollyburn Mountain, Cloudy Day

The 3 Peaks of the Stawamus Chief

Doing all three peaks of The Chief is absolutely worth the sore legs that will be waiting for you the very next day. The Chief is one of those quintessential hikes that are dotted in and around the great Vancouver area. Most people do just the first or second peaks, but trust me: you will get a tremendous sense of accomplishment by completing all three; and the views: tremendous.

From 2011-04-22 - Stawamus Chief

MEC Long Sleeved Midweight Crew Baselayer: The Art of Staying Warm

I run cold. I always have. While other people are comfortable and relaxed, I'm huddled into a shivering ball trying to keep warm. This is how it's always been and I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to let cold, tense nights ruin an otherwise perfectly good sleepover in the woods. Little did I know, this would be one of the purchases I would be most happy about.