Hiking

We took advantage of the early snowmelt this year to head into Paradise Valley and up and over Sentinel Pass before Canada Day. Hiking here so early also means that you don’t have to worry about grizzly bears – later in the year there are hiking restrictions and your need to hike in a minimum group size. We also did an easy dayhike the following day – climbing Parker Ridge near to the Columbia Icefield – fantastic views of the Saskatchewan Glacier.

The Rockwall is dubbed as one of the finest multi-day backpack trips in North America – a 55 km one way trek along the base of the famous limestone cliffs. The route includes several alpine passes, which combine with steep plunges into lush forested valleys where great backcountry campsites are located.

An August weekend with a great weather forecast – we wondered where to go backpacking that would potentially not be too busy. We picked Rainbow Lake and did not regret it – we had the place pretty much to ourselves.

A great option for the backpacker who wants to enjoy a convenient trip in the Coast Mountains near Vancouver, but doesn’t want to suffer the hordes of idiots that descend on beautiful places like Garibaldi Lake with cases of beer and stereos on long weekends.