Between Storms & Structure? I don’t have a very clear picture of the snowpack right now, mostly because I haven’t been out as much as I’d like. From what I can gather, we had some decent early-season snowfall through late October and early November before it dried up for a while. A warm spell in […]
Words & Photos by Lynn Martel Five years ago, my book, Stories of Ice: Adventure Commerce and Creativity on Canada’s Glaciers, was published. Having a book released in the middle of a global pandemic is not something I would wish for any author. Still, since publishing timelines are set many months, even years ahead, the […]
La Niña or ENSO Neutral? Last year’s weather forecast of a strong La Niña flow never really materialized. The winter of 2024/25 started with a bang, dried up mid-season, and recovered somewhat towards the end. By season’s end, we were left with a near-average snowfall throughout much of BC’s Interior. And, of course, there will […]
Why Choose a BLBCA Lodge this Winter Discovering the outdoors from a lodge deep in the wilderness isn’t just about the destination — it’s about the whole journey. From earning your turns on skis or a snowboard to returning to a rustic retreat surrounded by alpine stillness, a backcountry lodge stay offers something deeper and […]
A Stand for Solidarity Amidst Economic Challenges In today’s interconnected global economy, our consumer choices carry profound weight. With U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threats of hefty tariffs, Canadians face a renewed call to shop local, prioritizing homegrown businesses and products. Choosing to shop local not only bolsters our national economy but also showcases our […]
Update – Where has La Niña Gone? What it means for Skiing in BC now. The start of 2025 has been drier than usual in parts of British Columbia, with some areas experiencing early-season drought conditions. While lower elevations lack fresh snowfall, dedicated skiers and riders can still find quality turns in the backcountry, for a […]
Pioneering Life of Mary Schäffer Warren Wildflowers, a film about Mary Schäffer Warren’s pioneering life, made its big screen debut last fall at the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival. In the film, a group of women led by outdoor writer Meghan J. Ward retraces Schäffer’s legendary 1908 expedition to Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park. Co-produced by […]
Good for BC Riders The weather gurus predicted we had a 71% chance that we would experience a La Nina weather system this season. This shift can alter weather patterns, creating a northwest flow that funnels cold, moisture-laden air from the Pacific Ocean into BC, perhaps lots of snow for us to enjoy. For a […]
The story of one of the most important inventions in ski touring history I attached Alpine Trekkers to my downhill skis the first time I went ski touring and clicked in with my clunky Alpine boots. It was 1997, and I was probably lifting more than 10 pounds of gear with each stride. I […]
The United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. Let’s face it: it’s a hopeful declaration. Between about 100,000 and 11,000 years ago, most of North America was frozen beneath ice three kilometres thick in places. Known as the Wisconsin glaciation, it was the last major ice age to grip the northern […]
The Blanket EpicBy Marty Schaffer | Blanket Glacier Chalet Blanket Glacier Chalet is known for its snow. With an average spring snowpack of 5 meters, backcountry skiers have been enjoying the terrain for over 30 years. Growing up at the lodge, I know every square inch of the area like the back of my hand….every tree, […]
The Changing Landscape in Backcountry Lodges Since the emergence and ultimate retreat of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a great deal of focus on workplace mental health and well-being for employees across all industries within the province. COVID-19 has had a permanent effect on how the hospitality and tourism industry trains and cares for its […]
Reconnecting with Nature Listening to a CBC What on Earth episode with Laura Lynch on Feb 4th, 2024 (42:45 mins), I was reminded of discussions in the classroom when I taught an Environmental issues class at Thompson Rivers University. The student conversations about climate change and feelings of hopelessness or helplessness were similar to the […]
Belongs in the backcountry Fresh snow is a gift in many ways. As a skier, the one I like the best is how it wipes the slate clean. With a snap of Jack Frost’s fingers, the slopes can go from tracked up to pristine. The one downside: I think these resets change our perception of […]
What is an old-growth forest? BC is home to some of the world’s last remaining old-growth temperate rainforests which contain some of the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth. Trees here can grow up to 300 feet tall and 20 feet wide and live to be upwards of 2,000 years old! The world’s largest […]
How do we reframe the conversation of sustainability? In 1996, my Master’s Thesis at the University of Calgary explored the concept of sustainability. It included terms in the glossary such as biodiversity crisis, ecological sustainability, ecosystem management, landscape and resource approaches and Western value systems. I look back on this work and ask myself, have […]
A changing landscape: High elevation fieldwork at Talus Lodge The summer of 2023 is unfolding as predicted with dire drought conditions worsening across most of British Columbia. The early, rapid snowmelt combined with a hot, dry May set the stage for what’s already declared the worst wildfire year on record in B.C. and across Canada. […]
BLBCA member lodges are transitioning early With warm weather upon us, many lodges are already open. Don’t miss your chance to grab a spot and get your headstart on a thrilling BC summer. As the days get warmer and the snow melts away, members of the Backcountry Lodges of British Columbia Association (BLBCA) are preparing […]
As the technical editor for Ski Canada Magazine, it’s my job to know about the new gear for next winter before it arrives in stores. I test the latest jackets and boots, skis, and goggles. Basically, I call skiing work. Yeah, it’s a tough job. While my purview includes a lot of lapping groomers, backcountry […]
Pat Morrow – the amazing story of climbing legend Conrad Kain Photographer/mountaineer, Pat Morrow, author of Beyond Everest, Quest for the Seven Summits, has been “preaching the word of Kain” since he became the president of the Conrad Kain Society 15 years ago. The society was created to keep the legacy of Austrian mountain guide […]
Conquering Mountains and Barriers On March 8, Christina Lustenberger and her frequent expedition partner Andrew McNab, climbed and skied a technical 45-degree couloir on the southwest face of Mount Niflheim in the Monashee Mountains. Lustenberger is an ex-World Cup alpine racer from Invermere-turned-ski guide and bad ass big mountain skier. For the past several years […]
New Conservancy Protects Rare Ecosystem Walking among the giant cedar, hemlock, and head-high Devil’s club of the Incomappleux River valley south of Glacier National Park, it’s easy to forget that the Pacific Ocean is 500km westward. The Incomappleux belongs to a unique forest spanning a moist wet belt that’s nourished year round by deep winter […]
Benefits of Joining the BLBCA We have revamped our membership program, thanks for your interest. For you, and generations of adventurers to follow, we need you with us. Supporting the BLBCA is the perfect way for you to help us move the needle on a number of long-standing challenges. Your Support Helps Us: Additional Affiliate […]
BC Species at Risk Next month representatives from nearly 200 countries will gather in Montreal for COP15, the United Nations biodiversity conference. The hope is to reach an agreement that will reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and achieve full recovery by 2050. Nevertheless, maintaining biodiversity and the ecosystem services our planet needs is more important […]
KORE – Kootenay’s Entrepreneurs Imagine if we could make more gear here; outdoor gear that is. That’s the premise of KORE (Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise Initiative) Launched in early 2021, this Kimberley-based non-profit is aimed at supporting the growth of the Kootenays – and BC – as a hub of outdoor gear design and boutique […]
Mount Assiniboine Park reaches 100 Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park is a place of soaring glacier clad peaks, alpine meadows, powder snow, turquoise lakes and remote wilderness. For generations the area was the center of trade routes. Earlier this month the Assiniboine Lodge crew, along with Chic Scott & BC Parks celebrated its 100th year anniversary. […]
Mountain Goats – Alpine Experts Mountain goats are masters of the vertical world. These shaggy, white-coated animals are skilled climbers who can balance on a spot no bigger than a Loonie. An adult mountain goat can weigh between 80 and 100 kilograms, as much as a black bear. Their gymnastic ability to scale a mountainside […]
Association of Problem Solvers The people who own and run BC’s backcountry lodges are, by necessity, tinkerers. Far from town, operating at the whims of Mother Nature, and with infinite variables at play, they get good at coming up with creative solutions. But even after nearly 20 years of helping with the problem solving at […]
News flash: Getting outside is good for our health and ultimately good for the planet. British Columbia doctors can now prescribe a national park pass to patients facing physical or mental health issues. The program is being spearhead by PaRx, a nature prescription program led by Vancouver family physician Dr. Melissa Lem. Through a partnership […]
A group of three skiers are attempting to traverse the entire distance of the Monashee Mountains on skis. Over 500km; up to 42 days. Douglas Noblet, Stephen Senecal and Isobel Phoebus set out from Grand Forks, BC and aim to end their journey over a month later near Valemount, BC. The epic adventure includes planned […]
Inside the Secret, Solitary Lives of Wolverines.
If I could choose a spirit animal, it would be the wolverine. This solitary animal moves through deep snow and the mountains with breathtaking ease. Though it avoids conflict, the wolverine can be fierce when backed into a corner.
Thoughts From a Concerned Backcountry Enthusiast Are we exhausted, have we had enough?Without exception the last two years have been tough.Is it over?Probably not. There is no new normal, not like we thought.Climate change scientists are telling us loud and clear,Just as they have for years.Are we listening?Probably not. In the Western world – we […]
Who’s the Winner of The Ultimate Backcountry Experience Our winner has an opportunity to escape and revel at a BLBCA lodge of their choice! They have won the ultimate week-long backcountry experience for themselves and a friend at their choice of a BLBCA member lodge, valued up to $5,000.
It’s been a year of weather to remember – or forget – in BC. As I was writing this, another atmospheric river was tracking toward the south coast. At the same time thousands of homeowners, businesspeople, and farmers in Abbotsford, Princeton, Merritt, and other affected communities had barely had a chance to ponder recovering from […]
We’re celebrating the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival with Our Biggest Contest Yet! The Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival is underway and we’re thrilled to be a part of it again this year. These nine days are filled with awe-inspiring and evocative films and stories of adventure and exploration from around the world. […]
Introducing You to The Owner and Operator of BLBCA Member Lodge, Valhalla Mountain Touring BLBCA member lodge owners come from many walks of life and we wanted to share their unique stories to connect backcountry enthusiasts with these stewards and caretakers of lodges throughout British Columbia. With that, allow us to introduce you to Jasmin […]
Celebrating The Province’s Naturally Flowing Waterways on September 26th For more than four decades, British Columbians have celebrated BC Rivers Day on the fourth Sunday in September, making it the largest river appreciation event throughout Canada. The day serves to both celebrate and build awareness of our natural waterways through independently hosted events from local […]
Recreating Safely in Natural Bear Habitats British Columbia’s backcountry offers several incredible attributes, from stunning landscapes and unspoiled alpine views to solitude and integration with nature. Another awe-inspiring offering provided by the backcountry is the extensive wildlife that you may encounter along the way; perhaps viewing wildlife – safely and responsibly – is even the […]
Recreating Responsibly in the Backcountry During Fire Season On July 20th, 2021, the B.C. Government declared a provincial state of emergency in response to the ongoing wildfire situation. The declaration, made by Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Mike Farnworth, came into effect on July 21st, 2021, upon the recommendation from the BC Wildfire […]
The Benefits of Being Near, In, or On Water There’s something about a body of water that pulls us in. We are drawn to lakes, rivers, and oceans – especially in these warm, sunny months, eager for a paddle or SUP atop glassy waters or to plunge in and cool off after a rewarding hike. […]