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Hiking, Running, Walking, Climbing, Horse Back
Riding, Surfing
If you want to do some hiking, there are
numerous trails, especially along the road from Horseshoe Bay to
Squamish. Some are marked, but you can spot most of them if you
keep a sharp lookout. Most are quite steep and usually end up at
an Alpine Lake. There are also many other hikes within easy reach
of Vancouver, some are even accessible by transit. Lynn
Headwaters, for example) If you are interested in hiking, it is
worth buying a copy of "103 Hikes in SW British
Columbia" (You can order it online
by clicking the link, or pick it up in virtually any Vancouver
Bookstore) This book contains descriptions and maps of most of
the trails, and is quite good. Also recommended is "Best Hikes & Walks in
Southwest BC" . NEVER go
hiking in BC without letting someone know where you are. If you
fall down an embankment, they may find your bones a couple of
years later, especially if you are a visitor, and not missed.
This is especially important in the winter months, when there are
fewer other hikers around. It is also a good idea to carry a cell
phone if you have one, although you have to be close to
civilization or a major highway for it to work. Some trails have
registration booths at their start. This allows the Ranger to
know if someone has not returned. Fill out the card at the start
and end of your hike, for your own safety. So far, the government
bears the cost of rescuing lost hikers, but there are moves afoot
to pass some of costs for helicopters, etc. on to the rescued
party, especially if negligence is involved. There are usually
about 50 hikers a year that require rescuing and a couple of
fatalities are not unusual. A recent irritating development is
the presence of mountain bikers on hiking trails. They can be
very annoying (unless you happen to be one of course), and the
bikes can turn a pleasant trail into a sea of mud. Hikers have
right-of-way, but some bikers don't observe this. If you are
thinking of hiking the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island,
check the link in the table below. Also check the
"Backpacking in BC" Link in the table below for some
descriptions of hikes. There is also a link for less strenuous
escorted walks around Vancouver.
Chances are you may encounter a Bear while
hiking. Mostly these are Black Bear who are more concerned with
avoiding you, than the other way around. Your chances of running
into a Cougar is more remote. Check out my Camping section for detailed information on Wildlife hazards.
Hiking Links
 
Taigaworks is a Vancouver based outdoor store that has been around for years. When I traveled throguh Europe, the Middle East & Asia in the early 70's, it was with a Taiga backpack. I still have it, and after over 35 years of use, it is still in good shape, albeit dirty. I actually just tried to donate it to the Salvation Army but it was too dirty for them. Their loss.
Walking Links
Climbing & Misc
Links
Horse Back Riding
| Poole Creek Stables-Whistler (no web site) |
Phone 604-932-8666 |
| Adventure Ranch - Pemberton (near Whistler -no web
site) |
Phone 604-932-5078 |
| Canadian
Outback |
Horseback riding Vancouver/Whistler |
| Sea to Sky
Stables |
Squamish |
Surfing:
Best Place for Surfing is the West Coast of Vancouver Island. This is
considered some of the best surfing in the world, especially in winter, but you
definitely need a heavy mil wet suit. Be careful, though, there have been some
nasty turf wars, between surfers, as is the case in most parts of the world,
where this is hardly a gentleman's sport. Most surf companies are located in
Tofino. To get there you need to take a ferry to Nanaimo & then bus to Tofino.
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