Garibaldi Provincial Park protects almost 2,000 square kilometres of rugged alpine wilderness just north of Squamish and provides world-class hiking, mountaineering and skiing objectives for locals and tourists alike. The majority of the park is virtually impenetrable, but a few well-developed access points between Squamish and Whistler allow outdoor enthusiasts to explore some of the region's gorgeous, alpine terrain. The iconic volcanic peak, Black Tusk, is one of the area's major draws, and shortly before the fall rains settled onto the B.C. coast, we made an exploratory trek up Empetrum Peak to see the Tusk from a new perspective.

Garibaldi Park

Howe Sound from the west ridge of Deeks Peak

Not one for stasis (see: previous blog posts), I’m on the road again. After a brief stint in Oregon, I have recommenced the road trip:

You know that saying, “it’s the journey, not the destination”? Yeah, I think about that one a lot. It’s one of the many small truths I frequently wrestle with. This most recent leg of my US adventure has given my ample time to consider the implications.

It’s a forty six hour drive from Portland, Oregon to Chattanooga, Tennessee. The last half is prime reflection country. Not much going on there, in the fly over  states. Cruise control, 70 on 70, just gotta stay between the lines. 

Nate Drolet on Interplanetary Escape

Rock climbing on the Hawaiian island of Oahu is currently closed due to an accident that occurred a number of years ago. With this restriction in place, climbers stranded in paradise can either entertain themselves with a bit of jungle bouldering (check out Unrealhawaii.com) or leave the beach to explore Oahu's varied topography on a well-developed network of local hiking trails. Hiking in Hawaii has gained a lot popularity in the last decade and there are now guidebooks, maps and websites dedicated to this away-from-the-sand activity.

(Edited on 3/2/15- A local climber reached out to us indicating that two of the three main areas on the island have since reopened to climbing.) 

With the opening of the new Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish, alpine adventures have suddenly become far more accessible. However, with improved access comes increased traffic and Sky Pilot, the prominent alpine peak just south of town, has likely seen more ascents this year than in the last 10 combined. Looking to escape the crowds and the summer heat in the valley, we decided to check out Mountain Lake, a beautiful yet tough-to-access zone on the south side of Sky Pilot, far from the burger-eating crowds at the top of the gondola.

The West Coast Trail is a world class hike on the far side of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This scenic journey is a wonderland of thick coastal forests, sweeping beaches and rugged headlands riddled with caves and sea stacks. Wildlife is abundant, and sightings of bears, cougars and whales are very common. A few thousand visitors challenge themselves on the 75-km trail each year and the varied surface and weather conditions provide a challenge when it comes to selecting gear. Upon returning from a five-day trek along the trail, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on gearing up.

In between climbing projects this spring, I started researching a new hiking guide to Squamish. This has turned out to be a fantastic opportunity to explore the wilderness around Squamish, which is vast. I've lived here for over 20 years, but am seeing places I've never eyed before. I've got many hikes left to do, but hope to have the book ready for 2014.

Boardwalk in Crumpit Woods