Author Topic: BC coast adventure??  (Read 5508 times)

scrubbyfish

  • Guest
BC coast adventure??
« on: June 07, 2015, 11:59:17 AM »
In my dream world, this summer I would join a group of good strangers doing about five days of wilderness living, preferably: catching seafood and/or small game, cooking it over the fire, successfully keeping bears at bay, hiking, etc, plus chatting and sleeping. Stuff with a spirit or art bent is a bonus, but not necessary. I'm strong and resilient, but also a total newbie at catching/paddling/fire-cooking/etc.

Does anyone know of any such thing? (Has to be BC coast re: child care arrangements.)

scottish

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2716
  • Location: Ottawa
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2015, 12:12:26 PM »
Successfully keeping bears at bay?  I picture you in front of your campsite with a pack of bears making bluff charges as you fend them off with your trusty hunting knife.   :-)

You can do some nice sea-kayak trips off of Vancouver Island.   The fishing's ok, but I would bring my own food anyway.     Some minor navigational skills are needed to deal with the tidal channels.   And if you're not familiar with a sea kayak you should learn the basics first.  Especially how to pull off the spray skirt when you're upside down.

Sorry, I'm just rambling here.    I'm not sure how you would go about meeting people who like to do this.  Do you live on the BC coast?   And are you thinking of a guided trip?   

scrubbyfish

  • Guest
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2015, 12:19:58 PM »
Yes, I would definitely need to be with experienced people, either a professional guide or an experienced and skilled group that lets newbies tag along.

I've located excursions of a few hours, but no multi-day ones. Where's Scouts camp for adults? Outward Bound for adults with only five days of child care?

A couple of summers ago I did a five-day hike with a friend with enough experience to make it work. I'm super keen to do that again. I like a group because (a) more people = reduced chance of bear conflict (I think), (b) people chat while I daydream, (c) not 24/7 attention on me, and (d) cool conversations with a wider number of people.

scottish

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2716
  • Location: Ottawa
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2015, 12:30:47 PM »
I hear you, I did some excellent wilderness trips - both with and without DW - before we had kids.    Not so much anymore.    We're not up to the same level of exertion we were 20 years ago.

When I was in university, there was an 'Outdoors Club' at the university.   This was a great way to get to know more experienced people and to go on trips.   Is there anything like this at UBC?  Another option to sea kayaking would be backpacking the west coast trail in Pacific Rim national park.   I did this back in 1990 and it was gorgeous.   I think you have to book reservations way in advance now though.

In the rockies the Alpine Club of Canada would be what you're looking for.   They have a Vancouver section, you could check them out.   http://www.accvancouver.ca/

Spudd

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 217
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2015, 12:32:51 PM »
Check out http://www.wanderung.ca/ - looks like it might fit the bill!

Or if you're not in Vancouver, try meetup.com for a local group that's into that sort of thing.

scrubbyfish

  • Guest
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2015, 12:43:31 PM »
Wow, I wasn't sure about posting this query because I couldn't imagine much chance of someone knowing something fitting the bill, but all of these leads are GREAT!

I don't live at the Coast (it's only where I have multi-day child care) so can't hang out locally first, but the electronic options are great! I didn't find any multi-day options via Meetup, which surprised me, but I'm going to try everything else posted here so far. Thanks!!

kpd905

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2029
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2015, 01:26:47 PM »
Have you heard of the West Coast Trail? 

It has tons of ladders and some cable cars on ropes to get over rivers.



Jon_Snow

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4458
  • Location: An Island in the Salish Sea (or Baja)
  • I am no man’s chair.
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2015, 01:35:28 PM »
BC coast adventure = Jon Snow's FIRE :)

But you probably know this Scrubby. I love it that you are desiring a taste of this. Good luck finding your own unique adventure...I will be following along.

scrubbyfish

  • Guest
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2015, 01:47:20 PM »
I love it that you are desiring a taste of this.

Yeah, "taste of" is the right expression :)    I don't currently crave to live like that all the time. Right now my full-time life is "glamping" in the Interior, which I love! So, I have the quiet, the nature, the trails, the water, the snow, the animals, etc, literally outside my front door (and back window). The catch is that here I have no child care and no adventure buddies (yet), so I can only do the adventure parts at the coast. Pretty convoluted, but them's the cost of my primary FIRE dream: parenting!

I haven't done the West Coast Trail, but would if I had a buddy and enough child care days. Last such opportunity, I did a section of the SC Hut to Hut, and that was WONDERFUL!!!!

scrubbyfish

  • Guest
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2015, 01:48:52 PM »
...she writes moments before shutting the laptop to wander barefoot to the water for hours of playing ;)

thismuch

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 6
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2015, 10:00:31 AM »
Check out NOLs and also REI. Not sure if they have trips specifically in BC but do have guided rustic trips in awesome locations.

scrubbyfish

  • Guest
Re: BC coast adventure??
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2015, 06:37:25 PM »
Great leads, everyone, thanks again! I'm having fun exploring possibilities, and was delighted when the Wanderung list issued an invite to the Sunshine Coast Hut to Hut Trail, which is precisely what I was dreaming of!

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!