British Columbia

WINE-der WOMAN at the Oliver Osoyoos Half Corked Marathon

Posted on June 6, 2018 by carolinehelbig
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Team Wine-der Woman running through the vineyards—C.Helbig

It’s my favourite weekend of the year! It’s filled with belly laughs, outrageous silliness and much wine consumption with great friends. This is our fourth year participating in the Oliver Osoyoos Half Corked Marathon, an annual event that takes place in the vineyards of British Columbia’s beautiful Okanagan Valley. Named the 2017 Canadian Event of the Year at the Canadian Tourism Awards, the “marathon” is an 18 km (11.2 mile) course that winds its way through bucolic countryside with more than a dozen wine tasting and food sampling stops along the way. There are no prizes for speed, only creativity. After being pushed off the podium last year, we were thrilled to reclaim first prize with our WINE-der WOMAN costume. Continue reading →

Categories: Activities, British Columbia, Canada, Crazy Fun Stuff, Places, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | 22 Comments

Winter hike and overnight at Elfin Lakes, Garibaldi Provincial Park

Posted on February 17, 2018 by carolinehelbig
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Elfin Lakes Trail, Garibaldi Provincial Park—C.Helbig

I have raved about this hike in summer and now I’m going to sing its praises in winter. The snowy mountain scenery along the Elfin Lakes trail in Garibaldi Provincial Park, near Squamish, British Columbia, is stunning. Hiking it on a windstill day, under a cerulean sky is pure happiness for me.  It’s still early in 2018, but our hike to Elfin Lakes and overnight at its backcountry shelter may well turn out to be the highlight of my year.  Continue reading →

Categories: Activities, British Columbia, Canada, Hiking, Places | Tags: , , , , | 36 Comments

Snowshoeing in Whistler’s Callaghan Valley and Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains

Posted on February 7, 2018 by carolinehelbig
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Snowshoeing in West Vancouver’s Cypress Provincial Park—C.Helbig

There is one silver lining to the incessant rainfall in Vancouver: snow in the mountains, and lots of it! A couple of weeks ago, Whistler had 79 cm  (31 inches) within 24 hours. Our local mountains too, just a 15 minute drive from my rain-soaked abode, have piles of the white stuff. This makes me very happy! During the last few weeks I’ve snowshoed at Whistler’s Callaghan Valley and on the North Shore mountains, in West Vancouver’s Cypress Provincial Park. They were very different experiences, from trailblazing in hip-deep snow to a gentle jaunt in a winter wonderland. Continue reading →

Categories: Activities, British Columbia, Canada, Hiking, Places | Tags: , , , , | 27 Comments

The Festivities Continue at Vancouver’s Chinese Lantern Festival

Posted on January 12, 2018 by carolinehelbig
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Entrance arches at Vancouver Chinese Lantern Festival—C.Helbig

January can be a bit of a letdown after the merriment of Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s celebrations. A few nights ago, I was thrilled to get another festive jolt at the Vancouver Chinese Lantern Festival.  Lantern displays featuring everything from giant dragons to smiling trees light up the night sky at the Pacific National Coliseum (PNE) complex. The holidays have come and gone for many of us, but this festive event runs through January 21. The bonus: no holiday traffic, parking issues and crowds to contend with. Continue reading →

Categories: British Columbia, Canada, Crazy Fun Stuff | Tags: , , , , | 28 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving from Mount Seymour, North Vancouver

Posted on October 9, 2017 by carolinehelbig
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A perfect fall hike on Mt. Seymour—C.Helbig

My very first blog post was about being thankful for a great local hike called Mt. Seymour in North Vancouver. I’ve hiked this trail many times since I wrote that post, most recently a couple of days ago with my sister. I never get tired of hiking Mt. Seymour trail with its phenomenal views. On this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend I am again thankful for Mt. Seymour and all the other amazing hikes and parks on Vancouver’s North Shore. Continue reading →

Categories: Activities, British Columbia, Canada, Hiking, Places, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | 20 Comments

Cheakamus – Garibaldi LakeTraverse: On and Off the Beaten Hiking Path

Posted on September 2, 2017 by carolinehelbig
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View from Panorama Ridge, Garibaldi Provincial Park—C.Helbig

Less than two hours from downtown Vancouver, Garibaldi Provincial Park epitomizes the Super, Natural British Columbia tourism tagline. Its extraordinary alpine scenery and iconic hikes to Garibaldi Lake and Black Tusk make it extremely popular with day hikers and backpackers. Despite the knowledge that we would not be alone, a couple of my hiking pals and I were lured by the beauty and proximity of this park. Our three days of backpacking took us on and off the beaten hiking path—from busy but stunning Panorama Ridge, to the overlooked gems of Mount Price and Clinker Peak.

Continue reading →

Categories: Activities, British Columbia, Canada, Hiking, Places | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Paddling the Broken Group Islands in Comfort at the Sechart Lodge

Posted on August 13, 2017 by carolinehelbig
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Relaxing in Sechart’s hot tub after a day of paddling—C.Helbig

“We’re the closest hot tub to the Broken Islands,” says Nancy, one of the managers at the Sechart Lodge on Vancouver Island’s Barkley Sound. That’s music to the ear for anyone who has kayaked through the frigid waters and often fog-laden air of this magnificent archipelago. Until recently, I had no idea that you could kayak the Broken Group Islands, part of Pacific Rim National Park, in warm, dry comfort. Last weekend, we had the pleasure of staying at Sechart Lodge. It’s the only viable non-camping option for kayaking the Broken Islands, and a haven for nature lovers and relaxation seekers. Continue reading →

Categories: Activities, British Columbia, Canada, Kayaking, Places | Tags: , , , , , , | 17 Comments

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