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Outdoor Tips, Tricks, Inspiration and Activities | MEC Blog

*MEC Ambassador Sabrina Chapman is one of a handful of Black women in the world who are attempting elite grades. “The path has not been easy,” says MEC Ambassador Sabrina Chapman. “The reward is the possibility of inspiring other women of colour. If they can see something in me that they relate to, then that is enough.”*

*Titan is the project, and this is her story.*



Climber Sabrina Chapman and the 5.14a Titan Project

## How did this project begin?
**Sabrina**: In March 2019, Danielle Williams (founder of Melanin Base Camp) and Aman Anderson (CEO of Beast Fingers Climbing) reached out to ask if I’d be interested in working on a film about how I got into climbing. I’m not sure how they got my name, but after some hesitation I said yes. A month later, I mentioned that I was going to Kentucky for a week, and suddenly Shane Smith, the filmmaker, contacted me to meet up so he could start shooting.

The Titan project is a means of telling my story as a daughter of immigrants whose path to climbing and pushing difficult grades is not shown in mainstream media. It’s an acknowledgement that there’s an audience for stories of BIPOC in the outdoors who are driven, determined and creating a world in their own image.

## Why did you choose Titan?
Titan is located on Saugeen Ojibway Nation land. It’s about 36m (120ft) of limestone, and has two distinct cruxes. The first crux is to gain the headwall after roughly 15m (50ft) of long moves on small crimps with minimal rests on slightly overhanging rock. The second is about 21m (70ft) higher, and involves a shallow two finger pocket, a pinch and small footholds on a vertical face.

I love how long I get to be on the wall surrounded by rock and sky, and the moves are exactly what I enjoy in climbing – good body tension, strong fingers and mental focus.

## How have the past few months impacted your training?
I injured my finger in 2019 and wasn’t able to put in attempts on Titan. In the first couple of months of quarantine in 2020, I was still focused on my goal of starting the season in top shape. I’m lucky to have a really good training set up at home, but when the protests began in the US and Canada, my motivations changed. A lot of repressed racial trauma resurfaced and I didn’t have the energy to stick to a training schedule.

Working out is part of who I am and how I manage my mental health, so I just listened to what my body needed day-to-day – moving around my wall, getting on the hangboard or swinging some kettlebells. Right now, my goal is to regain my equilibrium, and to relish being outside and on the rock without any expectations. That said, a while back I’d had a burn on Titan where I fell just below the lip; I pulled back on right away and went straight to the chains. What stands out about that attempt was how quiet my mind was. I pulled on the holds and stretched up through my legs with just the right balance of strength and grace. I’ve been holding onto the promise that I’ll climb that way again, which is why I know the 2020 season won’t end for me until I get back on and give myself that chance.



## What barriers and goals have you been working through recently?
I have found it difficult to be at the base of Titan waiting for my turn while two to three other guys are working the route. The dynamics of trying to stay focused and calm within that energy made some days more exhausting than others.

One new goal I’ve created for myself is to move at a faster pace when I climb. So far it’s been really fun to learn a new way of moving across the rock while staying in sync with my body and I’m excited to keep working on that.

## What’s your advice to women and BIPOC who want to start climbing?
For women and BIPOC who want to get into and push themselves in climbing: know that everyone is intimidated when they first start out, I know I was! A lot of gyms have intro classes you can take so you don’t feel like you’re the only one who doesn’t know what they’re doing. Search out other BIPOC on social media who are psyched to climb – we’re everywhere! Some accounts that I follow are [MelaninBaseCamp](https://www.instagram.com/melaninbasecamp/), [BrownGirlsClimb](https://www.instagram.com/BrownGirlsClimb/), [IndigenousWomenClimb](https://www.instagram.com/IndigenousWomenClimb/), [ClimbersofColor](https://www.instagram.com/ClimbersofColor/), [BrownGirlsDocMafia](https://www.instagram.com/BrownGirlsDocMafia/), and [HeyFlashFoxy](https://www.instagram.com/HeyFlashFoxy/).

## What’s some of your favourite climbing gear?
There are a few pieces I go to again and again:

- I love the [**MEC Gateway Tights**](/en/product/6022-673/gateway-tights) for climbing. There’s enough give and range of movement for high stepping and stemming and they look great when grabbing a bite to eat on the way home from the crag.

- I wear the [**MEC Rockwall Half Zip**](/en/product/6011-747/rockwall-half-zip-midlayer?queryID=01a97556cc68ac906e62727debf1602c&colour=Obsidian) during shoulder season to keep me warm on the hike in and out of the crag. The half zip is handy mid-route when my body starts heating up and I need to cool off. [(Check out the Rockwall Midlayer here!)](/en/product/6011-749/rockwall-midlayer)

- The [**MEC Cragalot Backpack**](/en/product/6020-275/cragalot-45-pack?queryID=8f4fd3ec241f757a0ca8703f3b9ce49a&colour=Black) is the perfect crag bag. It has two different access points to the main compartment, enough space for your rope, draws, shoes and chalk bag, and a smaller zippered pocket on the outside for your keys and wallet. The padding on the shoulder straps and back also make it super comfortable to wear on long approaches. [(See similar backpacks here!)](/en/products/packs-and-bags/backpacking-packs/overnight-packs-35-55l/c/1340?filters%5Bcustom_fields.ideal%20for%5D%5B0%5D=rock%20climbing)

- When bouldering, it’s nice to have a chalk bag that can hold your tape, locker key and phone in addition to chalk. The [**MEC Chalkalot Bouldering Bucket**](/en/product/5050-926/Chalkalot-Bouldering-Bucket) does all of this, and I love its magnetic closure to prevent spills.



## Related articles
- [Mental strategies to improve your climbing](/en/article/mental-strategies-to-improve-your-climbing)
- [Tips to exercise outdoor safely while social distancing](/en/article/tips-to-exercise-outdoors-safely-while-social-distancing)
- [How to choose climbing shoes](/en/explore/choose-your-climbing-shoes)



An inspiring film that shares a path to climbing not shown in mainstream media.

Let’s face it: there are few other MEC products as iconic as the Rad Pants. Over MEC’s 49-year history, Rad Pants have become pretty legendary and have a bit of an infamous backstory.

They first hit the MEC catalogue in 1989, and we never expected to be carrying them for decades. We ended up discontinuing the Rad Pants in 2001, only to bring them back a season later because so many members were asking for them. Eventually, they dropped out of our assortment and seemed destined to become part of MEC folklore or relegated to a lucky thrift-store find.

Until now. Because Rad Pants are back – again.



MEC Rad Pants

## Wait – they’re really back again?


Yes. Last year, we opened the design vault to unleash a special limited run of Rad Pants, and were blown away by the response. Members scooped up nearly the entire run of MEC Rad Pants in about a day and a half.

With a response that huge, we decided to give you another chance to own a slice of history. It’s another limited run, and we’re mixing things up with a new heritage colour option: Desert Red.



## Committed to real Rads
For decades, Rad Pants have helped Canadians climb, hike, paddle, travel, bike and bask in the glory of bellowed thigh pockets. When they were discontinued, they caused tearful outpourings of love and broken hearts at Annual General Meetings, spawned online obituaries and poetry, and caused heated debates over the merits and failings of different (non-Rad) reincarnations.

When we decided to bring back Rad Pants, the MEC Label design team was committed to recreating them in their true shape, material and even with the original MEC woven label. This year’s limited run of Rad Pants is just as true to form.



There’ve been so many iterations of Rad Pants over the years that they had to dig deep into our archives to revive them. “We looked up the original pattern specs of the last incarnation of the Rad Pants in our system,” said James Brittain, MEC Design Manager, “and sent them over to the factory – without a single change to the pattern – to create our limited runs of Rad.”

After the patterns were locked down, the next challenge was to faithfully recreate the fabric. The only issue? “No one who owned old Rad Pants would let us cut up their heritage pair to send a physical sample to the fabric mill for them to recreate the raw material,” said James.



Problem-solving mode engaged, MEC designers turned to our friends at @vintage_mec. They were able to find us a pair of old MEC Rad Pants that we could chop up to give fabric samples to the mill. The new Rad Pants have the exact same fabric spec as the original versions, and the material is [bluesign® approved](/en/article/what-the-heck-is-bluesign) for a reduced environmental footprint.

> The design hasn’t changed at all from the Rad Pants you remember – even down to the old MEC logo. Plus the fabric is now bluesign-approved®.
>
Finally, as a finishing touch for these Rad Pants, the original MEC logo is back. To make sure we stayed true to the heritage label design, we tracked down the retired couple who used to own the now-closed factory that manufactured our woven labels. It turns out they had dusty boxes of original MEC woven labels tucked in the corner of their attic, which our new factory could use to recreate the design for the pants they were destined for.



## Bottom line about these bottoms
They’re back (again), but it’s a limited run (again). If you retired your old pair of Rad Pants decades ago, if you want to own a piece of MEC history, or if you’ve always wondered what all the Rad Pants hype is about, you’ve got another chance to snap up a pair.

We’d say that these new Rad Pants are radder than ever… but really, they’re just as rad as they’ve always been.



## Bonus facts for true Rad Pant connoisseurs
Aching for more nostalgic radness? We’ve scoured the archives for bonus Rad Pants facts and all the cheesy 90s catalogue poses you could possibly imagine.



## The pocket was perfect for 1989 tech
One of the main features of the original Rad Pants were the roomy thigh pockets. These were prime spots to keep a topo map, energy bars… or a 1980s music player. It’s true, the original pockets were sized so they’d fit a Sony Discman.

Only downside? The low pockets were near the knee, which sent your Discman ricocheting with each step (and electronic anti-skip technology wasn’t invented until 1995).

## They came in no less than 27 colours
Basic black? Sure. But Rad Pants also came in a knock-out colour palette over the years, including:

Atlantic Blue, Cinnamon Red Curry, Crimson, Black, Blue, BlueSpruce/Bluespruce, Deep Blue, Desert Red, Driftwood, Eggplant, Electric Blue, Green, Honey Beige, Jade, Marine Blue, Midnight Purple, Navy, Plum, Purple, Red, Royal, Royal Blue, Sage, Sea Green, Taupe, Teal and Turquoise.



## There was a whole “Rad program”
Rad Pants were just the beginning. There were also:

**Rad Shorts**, which hit the catalogue as “A short built for radical action!”

**Rad Shirts** with features like, “a long front zip eases pulling over head gear and fuzz… and a lower kanga pocket for your roo.”



**Cotton Rad Pants** with a “double bum, knit cuff, slash side pockets and wallet pocket all add up to a great, robust summer pants.” Note: we are still hazy on the benefits of a “double bum” feature.

**Radfans I, II and III fanny packs.**“These fannies are state-of-the-art,” was the cheeky catalogue caption. The Radfan III had a whopping 10.5L capacity (for context, that’s 3.5L larger than our current MEC 8-hr Sling.



## They have many nicknames
They were originally launched as “the ultimate movement pant,” and have been called many things over the years – some by us, some by other people. A few stand-outs:

- Baggier than a Shar-Pei puppy
- Indestructible and relentlessly unisex
- The Canadian national uniform
- High fashion in the Rockies
- The trousers of my heart
- MEC legend

## #radpants is a thing
Rad Pants hit the scene 30 years ago and have transcended time. Browse the [#radpants hashtag](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/radpants/) and there are some gems.

They’re true to their roots



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… and will be with you for a long time.



Thanks for the memories, Rad Pant fans. We’re looking forward to many more.



## Related articles
- [The ultimate travel pants](/en/article/the-ultimate-travel-pants)
- [How to repair a torn waterproof jacket or pants](/en/explore/how-to-repair-a-torn-waterproof-jacket-or-pants)
- [How hiking has changed my life](/en/article/how-hiking-has-changed-my-life)



There are few other MEC products as iconic as Rad Pants. They seemed destined to become part of MEC folklore or relegated to a lucky thrift-store find... until now.

The legend of MEC Rad Pants

When you’re shopping for outdoor gear, most of us look at cool features you can see – taped seams, cleverly placed pockets, reflective materials. But what about the stuff you *don’t* see? The vats of swirling dyes or the person mixing chemicals to make your gear waterproof?

That’s where Bluesign comes in.

Bluesign is kind of like a team of science detectives with a serious interest in safety. They’re experts that investigate the chemistry that goes into manufacturing fabrics, from the molecular level (seriously) all the way to the stuff flowing out of the pipes at a fabric mill.

It’s nerdy, it’s complicated, and we love it. If you’re the type of person who cares about how your clothes and gear are made, we think you’ll dig it too.



## Wait – why are there chemicals in outdoor gear?
If you’re looking to only wear products that aren’t made with chemicals, you’ll likely be naked. Fact is, even the most natural fabrics require chemistry. Dyes, water repellents, stain release agents – it’s all chemistry. Most of us don’t think about it since we don’t see it.

What’s extra surprising that only a tiny portion of chemistry used to make a material – about 10% – ends up in the final material. The majority is used in processes along the way, like anti-foaming agents to help make sure dyes aren’t patchy. It can end up harming the environment (emissions, waste materials or waste water) or hurting people who are working with it (carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, harsh reproductive toxins) if it’s not managed responsibly.

## How does Bluesign help?
When you choose products made with bluesign® approved fabrics, you can feel confident that they were made in the safest possible way for the planet, workers and you. MEC Label has been working with Bluesign since 2005, and we were the first Canadian retailer to become a bluesign® system partner.



## Okay, but what does Bluesign *actually* do?
Bluesign helps stop problems before they start. They work with brands (like MEC Label), fabric mills and chemical suppliers in the supply chain. The goal is to create and use the safest and most sustainable materials possible.

Good chemistry means that:

- Toxins aren’t released into air, water or on land
- People aren’t harmed by chemicals they’re handling
- There’s a lower environmental impact, since less water, energy and actual chemicals need to be used

You want to know the products you buy are free from toxic substances, and bluesign approved materials are indeed safe. But many people are surprised to learn that some of Bluesign’s biggest impacts aren’t about consumers – they’re about workers and the environment. The potential exposure to really bad stuff is so much greater to people who handle the fabrics and where they live than anything the average Canadian consumer would ever experience.

Properly managed chemistry in the supply chain protects places and people everywhere.

## Why is it so hard to keep bad stuff out?
Short answer: supply chains are complicated:



This diagram is what keeps social and environmental responsibility teams up at night. When you’re a brand trying to make a t-shirt or backpack, it’s often impossible to understand all the players involved in making your finished product.

MEC works with Bluesign to help us make more responsible choices when we’re sourcing fabrics. If a factory we want to work with isn’t part of the bluesign system, we make the introduction so Bluesign can jump into science investigation mode. They dig into what chemistry is used, how chemical mixtures are formulated, and how it’s all being handled.

The reality is that most brands don’t know what’s in their supply chain. MEC has a goal of using 100% bluesign approved materials, and 88% of the materials we use for apparel and sleeping bags are already bluesign approved. We’re also working at understanding more of the players in our own supply chain. We currently know tier one factories and subcontractors (e.g., creating finished products), and tier two material partners (e.g., turning raw materials into fabric), and [share our supplier list publicly](/en/explore/factories).



## Who are these science experts?
The people at Bluesign are a technical bunch. Many are chemical engineers or have PhDs in chemistry to deeply know chemicals and be able to audit chemical facilities. One group even specializes in something called homologation, which is a fancy way of saying chemical assessments and ratings. Bluesign Technologies AG is based in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and has team members all over the world.

## What can MEC members do about all this?
Good news: your choices have an impact. We recognize that no individual, organization or brand is perfect (including MEC – we’re on a sustainability journey where the end goal is always evolving), but individual actions are a great place to start. Some ideas from our sustainability team:

- **Buy less**: Purchase fewer things, go secondhand, rent, borrow, and use what you have more.
- **Look for quality**: When you do buy new, look for well-made stuff that’s built to last.
- **Be curious**: Who made your gear? If a brand is claiming something, who’s verifying those claims, and what numbers back it up?
- **Think brands over items**: Look for brands that have a solid track record in sustainability (like being involved with Bluesign, Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Fair Trade and more) instead of a shiny new “green” product that was created without other aspects in mind.



## Related articles
- [How-to articles and videos for gear repair](/en/explore/product-care-and-maintenance)
- [Tracking our footprint at MEC](/en/explore/tracking-our-footprint)
- [Fair Trade Certified at MEC](/en/explore/fair-trade)



Bluesign is nerdy, it’s complicated, and we love it. If you’re the type of person who cares about how your clothes and gear are made, we think you’ll dig Bluesign too.

What the heck is Bluesign?

Hiking has been a game changer in the way I live my life. Somehow, just putting one foot in front of another for hours has taught me so much: how to be present, how to think more clearly, how to connect deeper with the people around me. By making time to get on the trail, I’ve noticed exponential changes too, like sleeping better, feeling my body get stronger, and seeing anxiety and stress levels decrease.

I’m not the only one who feels this way. We reached out to people across the MEC family to see how hiking has helped them become the people they are today. Check out their stories and snapshots to see how time on the trail has helped them grow, learn and uncover things about themselves they wouldn’t have realized – and how it could change you, too.

## Kayla Kay


I recently moved to Invermere, BC, and my spark for hiking ignited when I arrived in this amazing Kootenay valley. I was a single mom on a mission to make friends and explore as much of the mountains as I could, so I started a local group called Women Who Wander.

Being on the trail and surrounded by nature was the cornerstone of my healing process from a very hard divorce and adapting to life as a single mom in a new town. Hiking is now a cherished hobby, a fierce passion and connected me to my recent career change with [The Lady Alliance](https://theladyalliance.com/). Last summer, I coordinated over 15 hikes and had about 100 people join forces with me on the trail.

Hiking makes me feel grounded, balanced and present. It’s my happy place.

*MEC is proud to work with The Lady Alliance as one of our [community partners](/en/explore/partnerships), and supports their camps, retreats and outdoor course programs. See Kayla’s adventures [@kootenay_kayla](https://www.instagram.com/kootenay_kayla/).*

## Jasmyn Ellis


Being active is my number one thing for mental health. I have ADHD, and finding ways to move has done wonders for me. When I’m in the city, I stay super active with spin classes, but there’s something different about getting out into nature on a hike. You hold onto that smell, how the air feels on your face, the windburn. You hear the crunch under your feet. It’s quiet and still and you can hear yourself breathe. I don’t think we hear ourselves breathe enough in a city – I’m guilty of this too.

I always try to do so much in my mind all the time. It’s easy to get trapped in the hustle and bustle, and being outside is a way I find some calm and silence.

Hiking makes me feel liberated, light, powerful.

## Magdalena Garcia


When I was a girl, I used to go with my grandfather to the mountains. He’d take just a loaf of bread and a tomato for the whole day. Those experiences were significant in my life – I’ve become someone who loves walking and exploring. To continue the tradition, I now go trekking or walking with my two sons. A hike you do in a few hours can be an experience that lasts for days, months or even years in yourself.

I’ve learned that if someone is sad, tense or anxious, walking on a trail is a kind of therapy that brings out the best in us. It’s also a nice way to visit new places. All that is why I decided I make trails a part of my life and part of my research.

Hiking makes me feel connected with myself.

*Magdalena is a participant of [Intercultural Outdoor Recreation](https://www.pleinairinterculturel.com/en/), one of MEC’s community partners. She studies the world of parks and trails with her research on conservation and visitor experiences.*

## Charlie Easton, MEC Ambassador


The best conversations I have with my wild three-year-old daughter are when she’s in the backpack and we’re exploring a trail in the middle of nowhere. Hiking makes me closer to the people I’m with by sharing an adventure, and having time for more meaningful conversations.

It also gets me closer to my subject matter in my paintings – if you paint from a photograph, you only get the visual aspect of a scene. If you hike to a location to paint, you have a complete picture of the sounds, the smells, the changeability, the quality of the light – and this undoubtedly makes the finished painting so much more authentic.

Hiking makes me feel more alive. My wife always says I’m like a Labrador puppy, bouncing from rock to rock, wagging my tail.

*See Charlie’s work [@charlieeaston](https://www.instagram.com/charlieeaston/)*

## Azzah Ahmad


Where do I even start? My journey into the outdoors started in my late thirties, and I can honestly say discovering the outdoors is when I truly discovered myself. It’s not about the highest peak or the hardest hike. It’s about being immersed in nature and seeing the value in the peacefulness of it all. Through hiking, you can learn to love your own strength and that you’ll persevere through anything.

Hiking makes me feel invigorated in the best way.

*See more of Azzah’s story in Facing Sunrise, and follow along [@lifeaziknowit_101](https://www.instagram.com/lifeaziknowit_101/)*



Facing Sunrise

Spending time in nature to slow down and disconnect has become a fundamental part of my life. I like being disconnected from my phone, screens, push notifications and just focus on the absolute basic needs of being a human: walking and eating. In the city, we can rush through our days with blinders on, not paying attention, lost in our own world. I feel cranky when I haven’t had some outdoor time, even if that just means a walk around my neighbourhood park in the city.

Nature has so many lessons to teach us. Each time I go for a hike, I’m reminded of how small I am compared to this earth.

Hiking makes me feel happier… in fact, it’s the thing that makes me feel happiest.

*Follow Taryn [@happiestoutdoors](https://www.instagram.com/happiestoutdoors/) for tips on hiking and Leave No Trace.*

## Declan White


One thing I’ve realized is that I have a stronger connection with the friends I go hiking with. It feels like we talk about things you don’t always talk about in the city, or you don’t think about because you’re in such a headspace thinking about other things. On a hike, you can just let go and open up more. Being able to spend a full day on the trail with someone strengthens our relationship – I get to know them deeper.

Hiking makes me feel adventurous. In the city, I’m more serious and focussed on getting things done – when I’m in nature, I’m more into cracking jokes and having a good time.

*Want to see what hiking can do for you? Check out our [day hiking guide to beginners](/en/explore/day-hiking-for-beginners), and learn how to get a jump start on the season with [Taryn’s tips for spring hiking](/en/article/hit-the-trails-early-with-these-spring-hiking-tips).*



## Related articles
- [How to choose hiking boots or shoes](/en/explore/how-to-choose-hiking-boots-or-shoes)
- [Why we hike](/en/article/why-we-hike)
- [How to choose and fit a backpack](/en/explore/choose-and-fit-a-backpack)



Stories about how time on the trail has helped people grow, learn and uncover things about themselves they wouldn’t have realized.

How hiking has changed my life

*Heads up: this post is****not****a substitute for actual avalanche skills training; please be safe out there. Sign up for an avalanche safety course in your area via [Avalanche Canada](https://www.avalanche.ca/training/courses) or [Avalanche Quebec](https://avalanchequebec.ca/). MEC has been a proud [partner](/en/explore/partnerships) of Avalanche Canada for more than 25 years.*

I’ve been skiing my entire life, from competing in moguls at a young age to representing Canada twice at the Olympics in slopestyle. Now I’m ready for a new challenge: becoming a backcountry-focused skier.

I know that I need to learn new skills and gain more knowledge about the backcountry – not just for my own benefit, but also to keep my ski partners safe. When the opportunity to join a four-day Avalanche Canada AST 2 (avalanche skills training) course at Whitecap Alpine came up, I jumped on board. I came away from the course learning everything that I’d hoped for and more.

Wondering what happens in an AST 2 course? This photo essay gives you an inside look:



First up: a classroom session – an AST 2 class involves at least 9.5 hours of classroom instruction. We got into snowpack layering, avalanche problems, avalanche types, avalanche terrain, pre-trip planning, reducing risk and rescue skills. After the first four hours in front of a projector, I remember thinking, “How am I ever going to remember all of this?”



On our first day in the field, we grouped together in a flat snowfield to do a refresher on a companion rescue skills. As we headed up the run, we went over our route plan, which included discussing ATES (avalanche terrain exposure scale), key decision points, safe route options, terrain cautions and travel techniques. I became more comfortable identifying, practicing and giving input on these things as the course went on.



Filling out my [decision-making in avalanche terrain field book](/en/product/5024-830/avaluator-english-v2.0?colour=NO_COLOUR) was one of the ways we started each morning. Going through the parts of the field book helped us learn to use the avalanche forecast to carry out the necessary research for the day. I found it a great tool to ensure I didn’t miss out on any critical information from the forecast. It only took about 10–15 minutes and helped me make better decisions in the field.



Our instructor Peter showed us how to build a snow profile and take a better look at the current snowpack. We were able to locate the persistent weak layer and test the snow’s reactivity and propagation propensity, which can help you predict the avalanche probability in that area. We found that not every CT/ECT (compression test/extended column test) had the same results, and learned it was important to do a few tests in your pit and other locations as the snow varies place to place.



The multi-burial search exercise was key. Working through this group exercise really helped me understand how stressful a search situation can become, and how important it is to work efficiently as a team.



Along with the big picture, we got up close and [analyzed snow crystals](/en/products/snow/avalanche-safety-gear/snow-analysis/c/2087) in more detail.



We did manage to get some skiing in, along with lots of conversations about safe route finding. At one point, we split into two groups and all took turns leading our crew up through the terrain above the cabin, and then found a safe line to ski back down.

I was definitely nervous on the leading portion, but our instructor was patient and answered any questions I had. One thing I’ve found is that the backcountry can be a place where people get intimidated by asking questions or addressing concerns – but this shouldn’t be the case. Instead, it should be a place where people can speak up, especially if they feel uncomfortable with a situation.



About 40cm of snow fell during our course, so the avalanche danger was “high” in the alpine, tree line and below tree line. My group set off two remote avalanches, one while ski touring up a slope (size 1) and the other while skiing along a ridgeline (size 2.5, shown in the photo above). This really put into perspective how unpredictable avalanches can be and how you can set them off from a considerable distance (i.e. a remote trigger). We were safe from the avalanches, as we’d selected terrain that was appropriate for the dangerous conditions, but it was a reminder of how important it is to have the knowledge to make those good choices.

It was one thing to sit in the classroom and discuss avalanche risk and danger, but to see the power of masses of moving snow in person was a real eye-opener and definitely made me take a step back to think about every decision twice.



And all that classroom info I was worried about forgetting? Once we got into the field, we constantly revisited the topics we learned in class and saw how they related to real life circumstances. The good news: after four days of applying all this new knowledge in the mountain environment, everything I learned in the classroom seemed to stick.

With backcountry skiing and riding becoming more popular, I highly recommend that anyone looking to further their backcountry knowledge and skills should take courses through Avalanche Canada or other accredited organizations. The learning for me doesn’t stop here – now it’s time to put these skills to use and find someone I feel confident and comfortable with to mentor me.

*If you’ve taken an Avalanche Canada AST 1, have a decent amount of experience in the backcountry, and want to spend more days in the wild, then an Avalanche Canada AST 2 is the next step.**[Find an AST 2 course](https://www.avalanche.ca/training/courses)** on the Avalanche Canada site.*



## Related articles
- [Backcountry ski touring checklist](/en/explore/ski-touring-checklist)
- [About avalanche safety gear and training](/en/explore/avalanche-safety-gear-and-training)
- [My first time backcountry skiing](/en/article/my-first-time-backcountry-skiing)



Wondering what happens in an AST 2 course? This photo essay with Olympian and MEC Ski Ambassador Yuki Tsubota gives you an inside look at advanced avalanche safety training.

Ready for the next step in avalanche safety training?

When it comes to outdoor activities, hiking tops the list for Canadians. But some hikers take things a bit farther (okay, *a lot* farther) with thru-hiking. What is thru-hiking? “A very long hike, travelled from end-to-end,” says two-time thru-hiker Mik Turje, “usually favoured by masochists, dirtbags, weirdos and those who never want a hike to finish.”

To find out more what it’s like to take on this type of challenge, we talked to Mik along with Bonnie Thornbury. Mik and Bonnie, who each identify as non-binary, recently tackled significant trails, and also brought awareness to the importance of representation of diversity in the outdoors. MEC is committed to supporting diverse lived experiences in the outdoor community and wanted to enable their journeys through our [expedition grant program](/en/explore/outdoor-impact).

Read on for their advice on thru-hiking prep, food and meal advice, tips for gender non-conforming folks on the trail and more.



## What hike did you tackle?
**Left**: Bonnie Thornbury (pronouns: they/them). A six-month, 5000-km solo walk of The Great Trail (formerly known as the Trans-Canada Trail) from west to east from Vancouver, BC to the Kawarthas in Ontario. In spring 2020, they’ll start the second leg of their journey from the Kawarthas to St. John’s, Newfoundland.

**Right**: Mik Turje (pronouns: they/them). Solo 1200-km hike of the Great Divide Trail, considered one of the world’s most challenging thru-hikes. Started from the US border at Waterton Lakes Provincial Park, finished at Kakwa Lake in northern BC.

## How do you get ready for such a big hike?
**Mik**: In many ways you can’t really train for it. What makes these hikes so hard isn’t the climbing or the speed, but the fact that you’re hiking 12 hours per day, day after day, month after month. It’s just not possible to do that kind of training while holding down a job and a life. I spent time working on my weaknesses, like core strength, eccentric movement, hunchy computer back and mobility. But the trail is going to kick your butt for the first three weeks no matter what you do. Be prepared for that – don’t feel like a failure if you’re hurting.

Preparation-wise, the GDT is logistics-heavy. Because it’s a strung-together collection of trails or cross-country routes going through provincial and national parks, you need to book your campsites months in advance. There’s an incredible amount of pre-planning to get your itinerary sorted, preparing your resupply boxes, booking accommodation, and sorting out gear. Every bit of work I put in paid off when I was on the trail.



**Bonnie**: To train, I walked to work – 6K each way – for a couple of months, slowly adding more weight to my load. In terms of skills, I’d spent five years hiking the Pacific Coast mountains slowly picking up backpacking tips and tricks. Experience is the best teacher! I also read up on thru-hiking in books, autobiographies, blogs. The Great Trail was just completed in 2017, so there isn’t a lot of information on it. I reached out to a small handful of people who’ve walked across the country to get an idea of what different sections of the trail would be like.

And although I started meditating long before I dreamed of taking on a thru-hike, I found my meditation practice immensely helpful to keep perspective on the challenges, work through body pain, and make time for deep gratitude each day.

## Top gear recommendations: go!
**Mik**: The [Western Mountaineering Versalite Sleeping Bag](/en/product/5002-382/Versalite--12C-Down-Sleeping-Bag) wasn’t cheap, but it was worth every penny! When I saw how small it could pack and how light it was, I didn’t believe it was real. In day after day of rain on the trail, everyone’s bags lost a bit of loft. That’s normal. But I never worried about being cold in this bag. Also: [Injini toe socks](/en/brand/injinji/products/footwear/socks/c/1203). My feet were wet everyday but two over a couple months, and I didn’t get a single blister.

**Bonnie**: My [Garmin inReach Mini](/en/product/5060-919/inReach-Mini) and [bear spray](/en/products/camping-and-hiking/health-and-safety/bear-safety/c/1207). I took a lot of comfort in the SOS button on my inReach, and I liked that my mom and sister could watch my progress online. Likewise for the bear spray… all the critters I encountered scampered, with the exception of one grazing grizzly that didn’t seem to care about my presence, but having bear spray on my hip belt gave me a sense of safety.



## Food is key to thru-hikes. What are your eating tips?
**Mik**: My favourite trail meal is an invention I call “Ramen Noodle Surprise”:

- Take super high-quality udon-style ramen noodles (Neoguri spicy seafood is my fave)
- Add dried shiitake mushrooms and other veg (I like to dehydrate my own shredded carrots and greens)
- Add coconut milk powder (that’s the “surprise”)
- Top it off with packet tuna

The umami flavour of ramen is great because it is always palatable, even when exhaustion starts to impact your appetite, and the coconut milk powder is a lightweight and delicious way of adding more oil to your meal.

**Bonnie**: After a few weeks on the road, I had crazy muscle cramps keeping me up at night. I discovered that I had to eat constantly to avoid waking up with hunger pains and I learned a bit about nutrition too. Electrolyte drink mixes became a staple, as did dates and (in town) bananas to keep my magnesium up.



## Why do you think people set out on thru-hikes?
**Bonnie**: I think hiking in general is becoming more popular because these incredible landscapes are more accessible. There are better roads to trailheads, more trails being built, and knowledge about trails is more accessible than ever. We’re even starting to see trails built with wheelchair accessibility in mind, ensuring everyone has access to the outdoors. My motivation grew from taking on longer and more challenging trails – a thru-hike was a natural progression. City life and work life can be so busy; even though we’re more connected than ever, I often feel disconnected from myself and the world around me. Time in nature is an antidote to that feeling.

**Mik**: One of the biggest gifts of the thru-hike is the gratitude I feel. A half-decent burger in a trail town moves you nearly to tears; hot running water seems impossibly pleasurable. Gratitude is a cheap joy that no one can take away from you. Also, doing something big and epic and scary shows us what we are capable of, that we are bigger and stronger than we knew. I believe that this kind of growth is such an important part of what it is to be human.



## Any tips for gender non-binary people on the trail or backcountry?
**Mik**: I stayed in the closet as trans for my first thru-hike [on the Te Araroa]. I didn’t love the idea of being asked uncomfortable questions or facing hostility when stuck in the backcountry. Although staying in the closet helped me avoid these moments, it ended up being an incredibly lonely experience. There I was, having the most incredible time, but living a disingenuous double-life and never really allowing myself to be known by my trail friends.

So [on the Great Divide Trail], I wanted to be more authentic, even if that meant having uncomfortable conversations. It honestly worked out great. I finally got to experience real trail community, and although people did have *a lot* of questions and I had to do a lot of teaching, it felt like a worthwhile investment. Of course, my experience was mediated by my relative privilege as a white and masculine trans person, but my advice would be to suss out the people you meet on the trail, trust your gut if you don’t feel safe with someone – your gut is smart, it has kept you safe so far! – but also be brave and test your assumptions of people. People can be surprisingly good (if unfamiliar with our world) and being gender non-conforming doesn’t need to keep you from doing what you love and having the adventures that make you come alive.

Also, if you’re planning on going on testosterone, I don’t recommend starting at the same time as your thru-hike. I thought that it would give me an edge with my fitness (testosterone = muscles, right?), but it took a toll my body. When you first go on testosterone, your body starts to grow rapidly, and you need a lot more food during those first few months. I was easily eating (and having to carry!) double what others were, and I was still starving and exhausted. When I returned home, I found out that I’d become anemic. I’d suggest to either start your testosterone well before a thru-hike, or afterwards.



**Bonnie**: I struggled with gender on the trail – I feel like I’ve lived in a bubble of inclusivity the last five years in Vancouver. It took me a bit by surprise to remember that not everyone is familiar with non-binary pronouns, and some people are outright non-accepting. But I’d also been surprised to meet people in small towns who I would’ve judged to be non-accepting, and then heard their stories about their kids coming out, or someone transitioning at the coal mine and how the company supported them by educating their staff.

Around Nelson, BC, I started wearing a button that says “they/them.” At first, I was a bit uneasy that it would out me in ways that might be unsafe, but instead I found it just helped me identify safe people and increased my confidence to have conversations about gender. Ninety percent of people who commented on it were people who’d already been exposed to non-binary gender and are supportive. The other 10% were mostly curious and open. I definitely had a good number of people message me after we met to say they’re thinking about gender in new ways.

I don’t really have any solid tips – I think it’s still a strange world out there and it’s still uncharted territory in some places. Do what feels safe, be gentle on yourself when you’re not up for the conversation, and enjoy the pleasant surprise when you meet people who are open or aware that you may not have thought would be.

## Hardest day on the trail?
**Bonnie**: Walking in the Prairies in a heat wave. It was over 35 degrees, and I was in the middle of nowhere. I’d anticipated drought and was carrying 5L of water (and topping it up at every chance), but the heat wave and huge distances between towns caught up with me. I was in a water pinch and could feel my anxiety building. When I finally came to a house, relieved, I asked the home owner if I could fill up.



“Oh no, I can’t give you water, I just ran out,” they said. I laughed, barely holding in tears of relief, thinking they were giving me a hard time. “No joke,” they said, “we’re on bottled water here and I just ran out.” I was a bit incredulous and suggested I could draw from their tap and treat it. “Oh, you can’t drink the well water here – there’s gas in it…” I hastily thanked them and scurried off to the trees at the end of their driveway – the only shade for miles – and proceeded to have a meltdown. Stressful as it was, it was a beautiful moment to be cooled by my tears. Eventually I pulled it together and a few miles down the road I found another homeowner who filled up my 5L and more. So heavy, but worth the weight.

In retrospect, I wish I could have asked a few more questions. Gas in the water!? It’s shocking and eye-opening to realize that some people in our country don’t have access to clean drinking water.

**Mik**: Day two of the second section. My Achilles tendon had gotten completely toasted in the first section, and I was forced to hike an eight-day section, mostly on ATV roads, on an injury. The daily mileage and elevation gain/loss was high and it was constantly raining. I had to set up my tent on some unmemorable spot on the side of the road just as an evening thunderstorm began. The weather was too bad to cook dinner outside, so I ate a sad cold dinner of random shit in the tent before collapsing until the next morning. I had never been so tired in my entire life. At one point, I just sat on the side of the road and sobbed like a baby. I missed my partner, I didn’t know why I was doing this to myself, and I wondered if there would even be any positive payoff.



## Best day on the trail?
**Bonnie**: One that stands out was a day on the Columbia & Western Trail in BC. I knew from the map that I had a tunnel to walk through. The tunnels freaked me out – some are up to a kilometre long, and they were always dark, cold and wet. I was inclined to wait for someone else to come along (highly unlikely) or put off the tunnel for another day, but in the end I decided to just get it over with. My solar headlamp wasn’t super bright, so I lit a firestick and headed in. Coming out the other side, I was over the moon to find an old journeyman’s cabin overlooking a small village in the valley below. The weather cleared enough to build a fire and do some writing, and it was such an empowering feeling to have walked through fear (the tunnel) and be sitting high above the village. A thunderstorm rolled through that night, and I was so grateful to be warm and dry.



**Mik**: The last day. It was the end of the longest section of the GDT, and after struggling through mud under the weight of 10 days of food, my pack felt impossibly light. After two months of near-constant rain, it was bright and sunny, and I opted to take an alternate high route through a remote and deeply wild place. I was filled with gratitude that I’d stayed strong throughout all that rain and pain and hunger. I crossed rivers, snow patches, passes, tarns, and brushed shoulders with the biggest glacier on the whole trail that day. From Wapiti peak, mountains stretched south as far as I could see, and I knew I’d come all that way on my own two feet. And once again, I sobbed like a baby. When I looked north, I could see Kakwa Lake down in the valley, the official terminus of the GDT, and I knew it was over.

*Have dreams of doing a thru-hike? Check out [maps](/en/products/travel-gear/books-maps-and-dvds/maps/c/936?b=100-1549-1244) and [guidebooks](/en/products/travel-gear/books-maps-and-dvds/guidebooks/c/932?f=CFIdealForSimple%3ACamping+and+hiking) for inspiration.*



## Related articles
- [How to choose hiking boots or shoes](/en/explore/how-to-choose-hiking-boots-or-shoes)
- [Hiking checklists for popular trails](/en/explore/hiking-checklists)
- [How to pack a backpack](/en/explore/how-to-pack-a-backpack)



Dreaming up a big trek? Check out Mik and Bonnie’s stories. They recently tackled significant trails and also brought awareness to the importance of representation of diversity in the outdoors.

Thru-hiking advice from people who’ve been there

We’ve always wanted to know what it takes to compete in this sport, so we took a group of Canada’s strongest climbers through a rigorous Q&A session. Read on to get a taste of everything, from prepping for comps and the future of Canadian climbing to recovery tips and how to keep your climbing shoes from stinking.

Our crew of crushers included:

- Sean McColl: World Champion climber, future Olympian
- Tosh Sherkat: MEC Climbing Ambassador
- [Cat Carkner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa3MLSYW_Os): Youth Olympics athlete and MEC Ambassador
- [Lucas Uchida](https://gripped.com/profiles/lucas-uchida-has-incredible-year/): Canadian National Team Member and MEC Ambassador
- Allison Vest: Canadian National Team Member



### 

*All these athletes are part of* *[*Climbing Escalade Canada*](http://climbingcanada.ca/)*, *the not-for-profit group that promotes Canada’s competition climbing community and oversees comps. Through MEC All Out (our community program), MEC is the CEC’s* *[*founding partner*](/en/explore/partnerships)*, *and we’re excited to support the development of young climbers in our country.*



#### 1. Climbing at the Olympics combines three disciplines: speed climbing, bouldering and lead climbing. What do you think of this format?
I was heavily involved with the format of combined for Tokyo 2020. As the IOC only gave the **IFSC one set of medals**, the combined of all three disciplines made perfect sense. For the 2024 Games, speed has been proposed to be split apart. The goal of the IFSC was always to have at least three set of medals for our original three disciplines of speed, lead and boulder. – Sean McColl



#### 2. What’s your favourite discipline to compete in?
Bouldering. A big part of that is due to the atmosphere at the competitions. There’s an **electric energy** at a good bouldering comp that’s just so fun to climb in. It’s more fast-paced and less mentally taxing. – Cat Carkner

I have always been split between lead and bouldering. I like having to **adapt to different scenarios** and using my mind to problem solve and execute. I find the mental components of lead and bouldering really interesting. – Lucas Uchida



#### 3. What does a typical week of training look like?
It depends on what phase of training I’m in. For the most part, I train five to six days a week, for three to six hours per day. A day can have any combination of: warmup, hanging, campusing, bouldering skills, circuits, lead climbing, cardio, stretching, mobility, recovery exercises. On average, this means anywhere from **15 to 30 hours per week**. – Sean McColl

I won’t give you all my secrets, but a typical week involves a lot of work on the **components of climbing**, rather than just climbing. I usually spend two to three days focusing on the strength components and two to three days focusing on technical skills. – Tosh Sherkat

Training **varies depending on the season**. If it’s lead season, I spend a lot of time going round and round on circuit walls. If it’s bouldering season, I get as much variety in styles of climbing as I possibly can. – Allison Vest

A typical week involves five days being in the gym climbing. Among those five days are two days of strength training. There’s **a lot of climbing involved**. – Lucas Uchida



#### 4. How do you mentally prepare for a comp?
The same way I do before every competition: think of how much time I spent training to get there, and enjoying the process of being able to **represent my country**. – Sean McColl

I like to spend some time before imagining the sensations I might feel competing. Kind of a **mental rehearsal** of all the feelings I might have and how I would deal with them. – Lucas Uchida



#### 5. What’s it like to compete in front of a crowd?
It may sound weird to some people, but I love it. I have always loved it. Maybe it’s because I am a bit of a drama queen, but I have always fed on the **energy of a large crowd** and allowed it to build me up while I am competing. – Allison Vest

Fun, thrilling, and exciting. The **bigger the crowd** the better! – Sean McColl

I like it. I’m not totally sure why, but I know that when the clock is running down; I want to do the climb, and the crowd wants me to do the climb and it **just feels very wholesome**. – Tosh Sherkat



#### 6. How important is it to you to be a mentor to the next generation of Canadian climbers?
To be a mentor, especially to Canadians, is one of my ultimate goals. I know that eventually I will stop competing, but if knowledge can be passed on repeatedly, then the **program will continue to thrive**. – Sean McColl

To me, it is one of the most important things. Obviously as an athlete I want to succeed and reach my goals, but the **development of climbing in Canada** in general is also extremely important. I was lucky enough to have role models and mentors growing up and if I can make a difference to even just one kid, that would be super cool. Across the boards, our youth team is psyched, kind, and passionate. The future looks bright. – Allison Vest

I have worked as a coach for a competitive youth team for the last two years. I spend a lot of time with them and find it important to be a **part of the next generation**. – Lucas Uchida



#### 7. What’s your favourite part of the team Canada comp jerseys?
The white, the red, and **the pride I feel** while wearing it. – Sean McColl

The speckled “CANADA” side panels. **So slick**. – Allison Vest

This is the first time we have had a jersey made from scratch specifically for the team. For me it represents a **big step in the right direction**. – Lucas Uchida



#### 8. Who do you look to for inspiration?
I really admire climbers who have used their **influence to advocate for positive change**, like Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell. On a pure admiration basis, I’m a big fangirl for Janja Garnbret and Akiyo Noguchi. – Cat Carkner

**Sonnie Trotter**. He was my coach when I was 15, and he displays such an unbridled love for the sport and for his own stoke! The IFSC livestream is also a huge inspiration. I obsessively watch world cups, and try to replicate the movements in my own training. – Tosh Sherkat



#### 9. Top tips to recover after an intense comp or training sesh?
Active recovery, and then **rest**. Many kids don’t know how to properly rest anymore, it’s weird. – Sean McColl

**Epson salt baths** are the waaaaaaay. – Tosh Sherkat



#### 10. As a competitive climber you travel a lot. What’s your favourite place you’ve competed?
**Japan** was one of the coolest places I’ve gotten to visit. I like the culture, the food, and the Japanese are very respectful like Canadians. – Sean McColl

**Vail** is always fun because you are competing in the mountains and are surrounded by an outdoor sport culture. **Wujiang** is a favourite of mine because of how different China is from home and how the competition venue and accommodation are right next to each other. Creates a bit of a community even if it’s just for the event. – Allison Vest



#### 11. Best travel hack when you’re on the road?
Eye mask for sleeping. I am super light sensitive so when I am travelling (or when I am at home) I always make sure to **bring my eye mask**. I usually even pack an extra in case something happens to the first one. Crucial beta. – Allison Vest



#### 12. What’s the best way to clean climbing shoes?
I sprinkle some **baby powder** in them everyday. During comps I lay out a foot towel under the boulder so I can wipe off excess chalk from the mat. – Cat Carkner

I shove chalk up my nose. There’s **no cure** for my stinky-shoes. – Tosh Sherkat



#### 13. Last one: how do you stay motivated?
The **next competition**. – Sean McColl

Reflecting on my goals and on how far I’ve come keeps me motivated. As long as I’m **psyched for more**, I feel like I’m doing the right thing. – Allison Vest



## Want to know more about comp climbing in Canada?
Check out the [CEC](http://climbingcanada.ca/en/home/) – they’re doing a lot behind the scenes to amp up climbing as an organized sport.

“The CEC is working hard to grow climbing all over Canada,” says Joachim Stroink from the CEC Board. “We’re expanding our competition series by adding regionals. We’re also connecting more with gyms and coaches, investing in high-performance programs and working to build out long-term athlete and coach development guidelines.”

“Seeing climbing at Olympics will be huge,” he continues. “It builds awareness in the general population about climbing and makes it seem much more accessible. It’s great for attracting new athletes, building and even stronger base of next-generation climbers, and making everyone proud of our sport and the community we belong to.”

*Top photo: Allison Vest at the 2019 Worlds in Japan.*



## Related articles
- [Crag etiquette: the do’s and don’ts of climbing outside](/en/article/crag-etiquette-the-dos-and-donts-of-climbing-outside)
- [15 things I wish I knew before I started climbing](/en/article/15-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-i-started-climbing)
- [Rock climbing checklist](/en/explore/rock-climbing-checklist)





A group of Canada’s strongest climbers talk everything from training to how they keep their shoes from stinking.

What it’s like to be a pro comp climber in Canada

Hiking, peak bagging, trekking, backpacking, even walking – call it what you may – we generally undertake this activity with the same basic intent: to move from point A to B. To get somewhere.

Only later do we discover it’s really about the spaces in between.

Some hike to seek escape from a noisy world, or solace. Others see a challenge. How far can I go? How fast? What gear do I need? And what can I shed in search of an ultralight pack? For some, it’s a weekend undertaking with long, lung-busting missions into the backcountry. Thru-hikers spend months ambling across ranges, even countries. Some hike at night, under headlamp, serenaded by stars. The hardy venture out in mid-winter, frosty diamonds dancing underfoot. Sturdy boots become trusted companions for many, yet a few wander barefoot, sand and dirt between toes a reminder of simpler times.

But no matter what brings us to hiking, other unexpected gifts soon emerge.



Among the first and most obvious is improved health. I won’t bore you with statistics – there is plenty of compelling research – but let’s just say the effects derived from just a 20-minute daily stroll are undeniable and unambiguous. Every aspect of our being appears to benefit from this simple act, from cholesterol levels to cardiovascular disease, psoriasis to Parkinson’s.

My own recent reacquaintance with the joys of hiking and walking was precipitated by a herniated disc. Amid all the jazzy modern treatments available to a spine patient – inversion tables, intramuscular needling, epidural injections, massage, acupuncture, physio, rehab, ice, heat – most doctors and surgeons agree that nothing is more effect at rebuilding function than simply getting up on your feet and moving forward.

“If you are only able to do one thing each day,” a physiologist with the Canadian Olympic team said to me, “then walk. Preferably at a stiff pace. With arms swinging from shoulders, not elbows.”

My first outings were small. I struggled to complete a single city block, often forced to lie on the sidewalk and rest. But little by little, strength returned. Soon I was out for an hour. Then two. Eventually the disc healed and form returned, but I never stopped the daily hikes, for I could sense some special magic at work.



Hiking just might be the perfect antidote to the modern plague of sitting, for it stretches us upwards, unfolding hip flexors and engaging gluteals while activating the vestibular system and reinforcing contralateral movement (opposite leg and arm moving in unison) which is the foundation of all performance.

Yet the benefits are not limited to the body alone.

Long hailed for its ability to boost cognitive performance, walking in nature is now recognized as a powerful intervention against depression, stress, and anxiety. Hemingway, Thoreau and Jefferson extolled the virtues, as did Plato, Aristotle, Dickens, Ruskin and Emerson. Carried to its limit, moving forward becomes a form of meditation, allowing us to tap into creativity, wisdom, even a forgotten capacity for wonderment.

> To hike through a landscape is to know it – certainly with more intimacy than any train, plane or automobile would allow. Distances become real again. And humbling.
>
Twenty years ago, my wife and I trekked across Iceland, travelling from northeast cape to southwest, a thirty-seven-day journey of one thousand kilometres. Along the way, we stumbled upon abandoned fishing villages, and the gravestones of children lost amid wind-whipped grass. We peered over sea cliffs, the noisy faces below dripping with fulmars, murres and kittiwakes. We traversed misty glaciers, warmed ourselves at volcanic steam vents, and followed ancient trade routes through lava fields, where thousands of hooves had worn prints into the stone.

There is simply no way I would know that small country similarly had I driven around the ring road, for any landscape glimpsed through the window of a car is distant, and inaccessible.



Perhaps most importantly, hiking and walking are unparalleled in their ability to raise the veil on the landscape of home. Even just travelling by foot through familiar neighbourhoods makes us become participants rather than spectators. We greet strangers, become aware of routines, notice subtle changes, and in this way, following the same route, day after day, instead of growing mundane, becomes steadily more engaging. As experiences and observations accumulate, like sediments in a lake, our understanding of the world outside our front door deepens.

In the forest behind my house, a well-worn path traverses a grove of mature lodgepole pine. It was here, ten years ago, that I disturbed a great horned owl, causing the majestic bird to take flight, gliding silently through the cathedral of trees with wings outstretched.

> I have passed by that same spot a hundred times since, and while I have never seen the owl again, I have never failed to think of it either.
>
Hiking and walking are truly democratic activities, requiring little more than a sturdy pair of shoes, open to almost everyone, rich and poor, young and old. (Admittedly, longer outings benefit from a backpack with the [hiking essentials](/en/explore/the-10-essentials-hiking-camping), like a jacket, water bottle and food.) But in this era of flashy, Insta-fueled exploits, the activity itself seems to have become the Rodney Dangerfield of outdoor pursuits – can’t get no respect.

As counterpoint, I’ll simply note that unlike running, biking, skiing or almost any other more vigorous activity, the slow and steady movement of walking on a trail can be absorbed in near-unlimited doses, for it builds a body up instead of breaking it down. Sure, overuse injuries may appear, but the stress placed on joints and muscles is of a different nature. Fundamentally, our bodies are designed to walk and walk and walk – forever.



But the greatest gift of hiking may not be no so much of what it is, as what it isn’t.

A phone bouncing in hand is desperately difficult to read, and messages are frustrating to type. So we are forced to acquaint (or reacquaint) ourselves with other wonders: silence, curiosity, the smell of earth on the trail, the iridescence of a dragonfly’s wing, talking freely with friends in the forest.

Of course all this has nothing to do with peak bagging or lowered cholesterol. Putting one foot in front of the other is fundamentally an expression of humanity; it’s what makes us who we are – and it’s what takes us to those spaces in between. I hope you’ll join us.

## Bruce’s hiking gear picks
Heading out to explore on trails? Here’s some of the gear Bruce trusts for hiking:



- [MEC 32 Backpack](/en/product/6016-499/tour-32-backpack): For anyone aiming to cover serious distance in a day.

- [MEC Hydrofoil Stretch Jacket](/en/product/6020-751/hydrofoil-stretch-jacket?colour=Fortune+Red): A classic waterproof-breathable layer.

- [Darn Tough Mid-Weight Hiker Boot Socks](/en/product/5040-881/Midweight-Hiker-Boot-Socks): Lots of cushioning, they dry fast, and work year-round.

- Vasque Breeze III GoreTex Boots: Great for day hiking, burly enough for fast and light backpacking.



## Related articles
- [How to choose hiking boots or shoes](/en/explore/how-to-choose-hiking-boots-or-shoes)
- [The 10 essentials for hiking](/en/explore/the-10-essentials-hiking-camping)
- [How to clean and waterproof hiking boots and shoes](/en/explore/how-to-clean-and-waterproof-hiking-boots)



A dose of inspiration from renowned adventurer Bruce Kirkby, who got back into hiking after recovering from a challenging injury – and discovered a lot more along the way.