Published on TheTrek.co
Seven Exercises to Build Strength and Stability
We often think about training our larger muscles but neglect to develop good posture and alignment. This series of exercises was developed to help build strength and stability so that your body can move more efficiently with less risk of injury.
The Evolution of Backpacking Gear
Backpacking and thru-hiking gear are experiencing an evolutionary change. Few innovations had occurred in outdoor gear for decades. Thankfully, the new millennium brought about several shifts that have benefited the backpacking and thru-hiking community immensely.
Trail Profile: Hut to Hut on the Sunshine Coast Trail
The Sunshine Coast Trail is a 112-mile community-built trail located just north of Vancouver, British Columbia. Traveling through damp coastal rainforest and the drier Georgia lowlands ecoregion, the trail takes thru-hikers alongside the ocean, past old-growth forest, and up to mountain peaks with views of glaciated mountains.
Pacific Crest Trail Section Profile: Washington
512 miles, 111,000 feet of elevation gain, and 107,450 feet of elevation loss. And you thought the Sierra were hard! Washington seldom gets the praise it’s due however, this state has such a wide variety of terrain and such incredible beauty that it’s worth hiking all by itself in the prime summer months.
8 of the Best Stretches for Thru-Hikers
Thru-hiking requires stamina, muscular endurance, stability, and mental fortitude. A good athlete practices a holistic approach to fitness: nutrition, rest, and mobility alongside the more strenuous training. Stretching helps to keep the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy.
The Pacific Northwest Trail: 1,200 Miles of Rugged Wilderness
The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail is a 1200-mile route crossing the northern reaches of Montana, Idaho and Washington. This year the trail celebrates its tenth anniversary as a National Scenic Trail and yet many adventurous hikers have never heard of it. Let’s set the record straight.
Gear Reviews
Gear Review: Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout
I’m not a gearhead, and it’s because I simply can’t afford to be. I seldom buy the brand new, current season gear, and never buy anything at full price. As a new writer for The Trek, I was thrilled to be offered the chance to review a brand new tent. I chose to review a tent that would fall within my actual budget: the Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout.
Gear Review: Altra Superior 4.0
The most important piece of gear for long-distance hikers is also one of the most personal: our shoes. The more traditional leather hiking boot is declining in popularity and the lighter and more dynamic trail runner is now a shoe of choice. Altra’s Superior 4.0 features upgrades to the design including more reinforcements to the upper and soles of the shoe.
Gear Review: Six Moon Designs Daybreaker Pack
The Six Moon Designs Daybreaker Pack is the company’s first foray into making daypacks and it’s evident that a lot of thought went into its design. Six Moon Designs is on a mission to offer a modern all-in-one daypack, weekend adventure pack, international travel bag, and weeklong hut-to-hut hike pack.
Gear Review: Altra Tushar Boot
The brand new Altra Tushar Boot is the ultralight hiking boot you didn’t realise you needed. The Tushar is lightweight, waterproof, breathable, grippy, rugged, and tough—perfect for all-weather mountain adventures. Altra’s been tinkering with waterproof options for their shoes for a few years and the Tushar appears to be the company’s first truly competitive offering in the hiking boot category.
Published in Mount Baker Experience Magazine
Community-built hut is the first of three in the Whistler backcounty
Just beyond the chairlifts and busy slopes of Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort lies over 750 square miles of protected land encompassing jagged peaks, deep valleys, glaciers, rivers and lakes. Multi-day backcountry exploration beyond the confines of the ski resort has been limited to the committed few. That changes this season. The community-built, 38-bed Kees and Claire Hut opened this fall in the heart of some of Whistler’s best backcountry terrain.
Whistler on a budget – shoulder season fun
Whistler is a high end, world-class ski resort, but it doesn’t have to put a dent in your wallet. The picture-perfect, international destination is much more than gondolas and lifts – the whole municipality spans over seven and a half miles in a lush valley with five lakes, miles of hiking trails and singletrack, breweries, hostels and more.
In autumn, the town of Whistler quiets down and there are some great deals to be found. Take advantage of the season and plan an inexpensive shoulder-season trip to Whistler.
Escape to the Southern Gulf Islands
From Washington state the San Juan island archipelago continues north across the border, where they’re known as the southern Gulf Islands. This collection of 15 islands is every bit as charming as the San Juans, and many of the islands are easily reached by ferry from Tsawwassen, B.C.
Winter Magic: 3 easy snowshoe trips near Vancouver
Many favorite trails become inaccessible by road in the winter, but the few that remain are worth seeking out. Layer up, grab a pack, strap on your snowshoes and venture out onto one of these B.C. trails to enjoy the magic of winter in the mountains.