Rachel Bertsch Explorer

Leave from Okeover Arm just north of Powell River to get into the passage to the park. If you are coming from Vancouver, expect a 6 hour drive with multiple ferry rides.The paddle to the campground is fairly easy for an intermediate kayaker. Distances are about 10km from one camp to the next. Only a small section was vulnerable to high winds. Most of the waterways were sheltered and the ocean w...

This is a very challenging trail! If you are going to carry in a backpack for an overnight hike, you should have a good level of fitness. For a day hike, the trail is nearly 30km long, so still a good level of fitness is required. The trail isn’t technically challenging, but it is up in the alpine and has some serious altitude gains. The very last section of Black Tusk requires a minimal amount...

Whistler is better known for the winter activities, but in summer months, with the famous mountains towering above you, the weather is so warm. Nothing beats cooling off on top of or in the water. This paddle is a picturesque, great way to experience something different in the ski capital.The paddle is dead easy. Even if it is your first time in a canoe, you should be able to do this. Just don’...

This is no walk on the beach. There are many ascents and descents that range from not so steep to hold on for your life as the mud cliff crumbles steep. You might think 200m of elevation gain isn't much, but it is a constant ascend and descend trail in the moderate-difficult sections.A high level of fitness and experience is required because if you hurt yourself, it’s a hard walk to get out of ...

If you are hiking this spot, you can do so even as a beginner so long as you have a good fitness level. I’ve seen people do this in jeans and dress shoes, although they are crazy. Wear some hikers and prepare to get your sweat on. There are three peaks, first is the most popular, second has the best views and third makes it a longer 11km hike. There is a 600m elevation gain in 1.5km, so this is...

Southwest of Hope and just east of Chilliwack, Jones Lake is a recreation site at a reservoir lake in the coastal mountain range, managed by BC Hydro. Set below granite mountain peaks and surrounded by a dense forest (that is unfortunately being logged), this lake isn't pristine, but it sure is pretty. There is a total of 55 campgrounds in 3 campgrounds around the lake with pit toilets and room...

About one hour outside of Vancouver, Golden Ears Provincial Park is a great escape for hiking and paddling opportunities. The massive drive-in campgrounds are usually full for most of the summer, but deep into the lake's wilderness are marine spots for backcountry camping. Get your backcountry permit here.Set off from the main parking lot at the south end of the lake and follow the western shor...

Depending on the time of day, Patricia Lake has many appearances.A lake surrounded by pines and trembling aspens , the early morning magically reflects the blues of the sky and multi-toned mountains surrounding it, interrupted once in a while by morning mist.By early morning until the lake evening, the lake reveals itself to be crystal clear with emerald green hues that are impossibly vivid. A...

Set off from Sechelt, a small seaside community on the Sunshine Coast - about two hours from Vancouver which is accessed by ferry or float plane.As soon as you start paddling from the harbour in Sechelt, the calm waters are so clear that starfish and other marine life are easily visible beneath the surface near the shoreline.Rocky beaches covered in barnacles are easily reached at beginning lev...

Located on Bellevue Creek, the trailhead to find these falls is hidden in suburbia. Take Gordon Drive to Dehart Road to Crawford Road to Westridge Road to Canyon Ridge Crescent and park on Canyon Falls near the fence.Follow that dusty trail into the canyon along the ridge. About 10 minutes on this trail you’ll see a steep path that descends to the lower falls, which is assisted by a series of ...

Ever wanted to sleep beside a calving glacier? Wake up with a humpback whale feeding along the shoreline of your private beach? Watch the sunset for hours until midnight?Witness bears foraging in the tidal zones or watch a moose go for a swim? This, and more, is possible in Glacier Bay.Starting at Bartlett Cove, the park headquarters, the nearest glacier (which in 1750 used to cover the entire ...

Setting out from Deep Cove’s pebble shoreline, it only takes a few minutes before you are away from small village and paddling the calm waters of this gorgeous arm. Seals can be frequently spotted as you follow the path of off oceanfront homes, some living off the grid, deeper into the mountains. Thick green forests are interrupted by pristine waterfalls. This paddle is continually surrounded b...

The 12km (7.5 mi) drive on Neaves Road to Pitt Lake from Pitt Meadows is one of BC's most scenic routes. As soon as you start this section of the drive you already feel miles from the city, but this route is only 30-45 minutes from Vancouver, depending on city traffic.Once you reach the parking lot, get your kayak or rent a canoe ($50-100 for the day) and set off from the boat launch. Paddle to...

Grab your shovel and head to one of the south sandy beaches in PEI to dig for your dinner. Specifically, head to the sand bar near Maximeville, Pinette, or Tea Hill.Digging for clams is relatively easy, just look for the small air holes in the sand at low tide. Make sure you place the shovel a few inches away from the hole and dig straight down to lift the sand out, being careful not to hit the...

If you have your own equipment and are experienced, start paddling west from North Rustico Beach on the far eastern part of PEI National Park - Cavendish.If you don't have your own gear, you'll have to hop on a tour with Outside Expeditions departing from North Rustico Harbour. They're the only service available, but luckily super friendly and knowledgeable.In either case, it is best to check t...

Starting in Telegraph Cove, a small former mill town now turned charming tourist destination, you can easily set out into the Broughton Archipelago Marine Park. BC's largest Marine Park has hundreds of islands dotting the waters that range from a small rocky bluff to a densely forest island with white clamshell beaches. Ensure your itinerary includes a few nights in Johnstone Strait, the whale ...

Start at one of the Cavendish Destination Centre car parks, or in town at Cavendish from one of the many bike rental offices. Head north and west along the Gulf Shore Way West (Route 13). In less than 1km (0.6 mi) you will reach the separate multi-use shoreline route along the Gulf of St Lawrence.Follow the light rolling hills east for 8.5km (5.2 mi) to North Rustico Beach before turning around...

Long after the hiking season is done, winter brings with it a new opportunity high on the hills of Monts-Valin National Park. A snowy network of trails that zig and zag between the black spruce and pines that are typical of a boreal landscape. Of the 77 km or 48 miles of trails to pick, the Valley of the Phantoms would be the number one choice. With an annual snowfall of over six metres, or alm...