Nicknamed Patagonia of the North, Tombstone Territorial Park is 2,200km² of protected alpine terrain located between kilometre 50 and 120 along the Dempster Highway in central Yukon. The area's Hän name Ddhäl Ch'èl Cha Nän means "ragged mountain land." The park is a legacy of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Land Claim Agreement and lies within their Traditional Territory. The park boasts unique wilderness of rugged peaks, permafrost landforms and abundant wildlife which is popular among photographers, hikers and hunters (August 1st until October 31st) alike.

For adventure enthusiasts I can’t imagine a better year-round Canadian destination, with world class surfing (wave dependant), mountain biking, hiking, trail running, sea kayaking… and more passive activities such as whale and bird watching as well as walks with coffee on a seemingly endless maze of trails that are extremely well maintained there isn’t too terribly much that you can not do in Tofino. With just shy of 2,000 permanent residents, Tofino is located on the tip of the Esowista Peninsula at the southern edge of Clayoquot Sound. It is situated in the traditional territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations.

Larch trees are coniferous trees that lose their needles every fall. Before the needles drop they turn from green to a spectacular golden yellow. In Alberta, the variety that we see are alpine larches (Larix lyalli). Because they usually grow in groups at high elevations, the impact of their foliage display is nothing short of stunning. Larch season in the Canadian can be unpredictable in timing and short lived given our tumultuous weather patterns but typically they start to turn from green to yellow the middle of September and (barring no heavy wind, rain or snow storms) will last until mid-October. I have compiled a list of some of my favourite hikes to view larch trees in the Canadian Rockies at every skill level.

I woke up long before the sun on my first morning at WhiteCap Alpine Lodge and peered out my window to a sky filled with starts and a layer of fog filling the valley floor. After a few weeks in the city the silence felt almost deafening. I crept down the stairs in the WoodHall building where I slept, out the front door and down the path toward the soft glow of the main lodge. This is where Ron, the patriarch of WhiteCap sat beside a wood burning fireplace with a fresh cup of coffee in hand, a pot on the stove. It is moments like these, quiet conversations around a fire dozens of miles from cell phone towers, cars and any other conscious human, that remind you of what is important in life. A story of a baby born on a set of stairs wrapped in newspaper, tales of children learning to ski in the backcountry and the indirect route that life (more often than not) takes.

I don’t think I necessarily wanted to venture into the backcountry by myself: full disclosure. There was no burning desire or hurdle to leap over, a box to check. But, when my go-to hiking partner has made alternative plans, I decided that it just might be the opportune time to give it a try.

I spent a month earlier this year, cooped up in my house putting pins on a map of all of the off-the-beaten-path places that I wanted to explore if the rain ever stopped falling. When I took a moment to zoom out and gain some perspective I realized that at the apex of so many was the town of Golden, BC. Home to a few thousand full time residents who all seem to love the summer, live for the winter and excel at every activity that brings them outside of a building and under the sun I knew that I needed to spend some quality time across the Alberta-BC border. First on the list was this traverse…

One of my favourite towns in the world, under an hour and a half from downtown Calgary and a five minute drive from Banff National Park east gate, Canmore has the heart of a small town with nearly every outdoor activity to offer as well as amazing food and great local shops .

With Banff National Park growing in popularity over the years there are few times to visit the iconic vistas within the National Park without being elbow to elbow with other visitors. One of the best times to avoid the crowds is the lull between the summer hiking rush and the winter skiing frenzy. Although the weather can be unpredictable I have composed some of my favourite places to eat, sleep and things to do in Banff National Park in-between adventures.