SUMMER ADVENTURE WITHOUT THE MASSES
Explore some less-visited natural wonders, from caves to falls
British Columbia and Alberta offer a land of sky-scraping peaks, rich, green river valleys, azure lakes, unspoiled, wild coastline and more. It's summer and Canada's 150th birthday, which will no doubt bring the masses to our favourite national parks.
So, consider these less-visited places also filled with adventure that will tug at your heart and soul, provide magical memories and holiday highlights to replay, when you're back into your daily routine. While they may lack the fame of their popular cousins, Banff and Jasper, each has its own natural beauty, where you'll be “surrounded by the raw material of life,” as Thoreau so nicely said once.
GO UNDERGROUND
Challenge yourself and bring out your inner kid at Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park on Vancouver Island. Squeezing and pinching your way forward underground, you'll marvel at the millions of years of geological magic along the way. You'll come away feeling good about yourself , knowing you've perhaps challenged a few of your fears.
STAY HIGH
Take flight into some of B.C.'s most remote backcountry where you'll instantly begin to take life slow at a lakefront cabin in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park. Lakes District Air will transport you to this off- grid gem where you can grab some hammock time with your favourite book in the fresh air. Take to a lake for some trophy- class fly fishing. Paddle a canoe through emerald-green waters below cascading glaciers, or kick back by the campfire, gazing up at the starry night sky, far from light pollution and civilization.
BIKE HERE
Mount Fernie Provincial Park is the perfect place to camp and mountain bike. Acting as a spoke to the hub of Fernie's bountiful variety of trails for your riding pleasure, options range from an easy, breezy cross-country style rides, to hard-core downhill flowy, fast forest rips with jumps and other wooden features.
FOSSIL HIKE
See the famous ‘Stan-animal' a 505-million-year-old predator recently discovered in Kootenay National Park, with a guided hike led by a Parks Canada heritage interpreter. On this family-friendly 10-kilometre round-trip hike to an alpine basin below Mount Stanley, you get stunning views of the hanging Stanley Glacier and get hands-on with famed Burgess Shale fossils. After the hike, stay in the historic Kootenay Park Lodge, enjoying a 1930s-era cabin in the woods.
SPIN AND SPRAY
Alberta's tallest waterfall, Kakwa Falls, will have you marvelling at its gorgeous location, squeezed tight in a mountainous region with deeply forested valleys. Add to your adventure by camping at Two Lakes Provincial Park and then head to Park Lick Creek where your 19-km mountain bike journey begins on a rough fire road. You'll be treated to peak views in all directions as you pedal your way to the spectacular waterfall.
GEAR ESSENTIALS
Here's some gear to get you going on your summer adventures.
Tent: Get excellent protection and space for a great price from the MSR Access two-person tent available at MEC.
Sleeping bag: Stay cosy in the new Therm-a-Rest Questar HD650 down-filled bag with the latest innovation maintaining warmth through mixed conditions.
Jacket: Even in the summer, mountain weather can take a turn for the worse so having a breathable, water-resistant softshell, like the Outdoor Research Realm will keep that nasty rain at bay.
Headlamp: Make setting up latenight camp easy with the powerful lamp provided by the ultra bright Petzl NAO.
Flannel: Get classic in camp with trail worthiness, from the Performance Flannel from Royal Robbins.