Saskatchewan Crossing to Maligne Lake – 135km
June 2 – Washout
I left Saskatchewan Crossing on a crisp morning. It felt like September, not the beginning of July. The walk along the highway was actually quite enjoyable. There was no traffic at all. Continue reading “GDT – Christmas in July”
Field BC to Saskatchewan Crossing – 100km
I’ve had two wonderful days in Golden with Dan and Tara. We stayed up late talking about hiking, geeking out on backpacking gear, and just having a good time. It’s great to connect with like-minded people, especially such nice, generous ones. Tara and Dan are doing a great job of helping hikers and making the Great Divide Trail more accessible. I feel well rested, well fed, and ready to hit the trail. Here’s their sweet dog, Sitka… Continue reading “GDT – Through the Car Wash”
Rockwall Trail to Field BC – 75km
June 21 – First Day of Summer
Andrew and Nicky dropped me back at the trail at noon, which was actually really good timing as the rain had just stopped. Fresh snow dusted all the peaks to the north.
It’s a big climb from the highway up through an old burn but I enjoyed the mix of bright green young plants and dark charred trees. Continue reading “GDT – Rockwall Trail”
Kananaskis Lakes to Highway 93 – 126km
June 11 – Camping in the Snow
A few days after the big snowstorm, I returned to Kananaskis Lakes for what is perhaps the most popular and busiest part of the entire Great Divide Trail. Sil and two good friends joined me for the first half of the day. Continue reading “GDT – Pass the Snow, Please”
Cache Creek to Kananaskis Lakes – 117km
June 4 – Crossing the River
After a few days off waiting for the deep snow to melt a bit, I headed back to the trail. I’d crossed the Old Man River to get to the road and now I needed to cross back. Only that melting snow now swelled the river and made me anxious about being able to cross back over. This is what awaited me immediately downstream if I got swept off my feet… Continue reading “GDT – Snowstorm”
Coleman to Cache Creek – 89km
May 27 – Just Stretching the Legs
I said goodbye to Coleman and set out on a long road walk.
Continue reading “GDT – Deep Deep Snow”
West Castle to Coleman – 48km
May 23 – Postholing Through Deep Snow
For hiking, May is early season in the Canadian Rockies. Really early. July is a pretty normal time to begin walking the 1100-km long Great Divide Trail, June adventurous, but May? Well, it’s been such a low-snow winter, I thought why not start as soon as avalanche conditions permit? Shouldn’t be too much deep stuff left, should there?
Continue reading “Great Divide Trail – Too Early?”
I’ve just begun my second long-distance hike of the year. I really enjoyed New Zealand’s Te Araroa and now I’m excited to challenge myself on a long trail back home in Canada.
Continue reading “Great Divide Trail”
Craters of the Moon National Monument in southern Idaho is often described as “the strangest 75 square miles on the North American Continent”. This chaotic mess of volcanic craters, lava flows, and piles of loose rock is so other-worldly that the Apollo astronauts trained here in preparation for their moon missions. Julius Merrill, who visited in 1864, described it as “a mass of Black Vomit”.
Continue reading “Craters of the Moon”
A month ago we completed the South Island portion of the Te Araroa, New Zealand’s national trail, which runs the entire length of the country. We were amazed at the rich diversity of scenery and landscapes. From the steamy rainforest and hidden coves of the Queen Charlotte Track to the craggy cliffs of the Richmond Range to the endless golden tussock fields of the Rangitata, we felt like every day was a new discovery. New Zealand packs a tremendous amount of variety into a small country. Sore feet and heavy packs are already fading memories. Instead, we think fondly of the people we met along the trail who shared the journey with us or welcomed us into their homes.
Continue reading “Te Araroa – New Zealand’s National Trail”
Eating Snow Around the World 