Keats Island Backpacking Trip

July 4, 2026June 25, 2026 / Maria / Leave a comment

Now that it’s July, we’re firmly into backpacking season, which is by far my favourite time of the year! Usually I spend most of the Spring kayaking, but I wasn’t able to do that much this year because Seth hasn’t been available on the weekends, so instead, I spent most of June exploring some new low elevation backpacking trails that I’d never done before. Keats Island was particularly special because I went there with my Girl Guide unit!

Keats Island is a small island in Howe Sound, located between Bowen Island and the Sunshine Coast. In order to get there, you have to take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, followed by a water taxi to Keats Island. Plumper Cove Marine Park is located on the north side of Keats Island, with a large campground, that we thought sounded like a promising trip for beginner, teenage backpackers. I think the campground is most popularly used by boaters in the summer, but we opted to follow the 2.5km trail from Keats Landing instead.

After a thrilling ride on the ferry and the water taxi, we arrived at the north end of the island. The water taxi leaves from a dock right next to the Langdale ferry, but they only take cash payment or coupons, which can be purchased in Horseshoe Bay. The coupons are discounted, but they can only be purchased in a pack of 10 (convenient for a group like us, but maybe not if you’re traveling solo). It was a beautiful day at the very end of May when we went on our trip.

It’s a short hike, but it’s not flat. Once you get dropped at the dock, you start by hiking uphill along the road, followed by more uphill through the forest. There are a lot of small offshoot trails that I’ve heard can be confusing if you try and follow google maps, but it is very well signed, so follow the signs or a proper trail app like Gaia. The girls were in good spirits, but they did have fairly heavy packs and were happy when we reached the halfway point, because after that the trail was all downhill. There’s not really any views along the trail, but it is at least in the shade.

Overall it took us 1 hour, as a group of 8 people, to reach the campsite. The park is gorgeous and much larger than I was expecting. There’s a large dock where boats can tie up and some people paddle ashore. There’s a large sloping green field heading down towards the beach and a central water pump. There was only one other group of campers when we arrived, so we had premium choice for our campsites and selected the two sites closest to the main beach. I was surprised at how large the campground was, there were 20 campsites and lots of room for overflow, though there is a ranger located on site, so I’m not sure if overflow camping is allowed. A few more people showed up by boat later in the day, but the campground was still less than half full.

I was keen to do a little day hike as there are lots of short trails from the campground, including a trail to a lookout, but the girl guides were not interested in hiking further and we ended up spending the rest of the afternoon enjoying the beach. It was relatively quiet in the afternoon and the girls had fun looking for beach glass at low tide.

If you’re hiking in, rather than boating, there are a few extra things you should consider. There was a bear on the island when we visited and there is no bear cache. I assume most of the marine users store their food on their boats, but we had to do a bear hang. We brought a full pulley system with us to practice, which we put to good use! In addition, there’s no running water source, only the pump. Groundwater is not as good quality as stream water and it had a boil water order in effect, so we ended up filtering and boiling it. It was a good decision because there was quite a lot of grit in the water and filtering alone won’t remove viruses, so we boiled it too, which did require a lot of fuel.

We didn’t do a lot at the campsite, but the weather was so nice and the views so beautiful that no one minded! The girls had a lot of fun hanging out at the beach and since it was early in the season, we were able to have a campfire in the evening. You also need cash to pay the ranger for the campsite, which doesn’t have any reservations, it’s all first-come-first-serve, pay on site. We also got the firewood from the ranger, which is sold for $10 a bundle.

The final highlight of the evening was that once it got dark, we went out on the dock to drag a stick through the water and we were able to see bioluminescence! It wasn’t the strongest bioluminescence I’ve ever seen, but still a very cool experience and it should be a lot stronger later in the summer. We did see a coyote hanging around at dusk, so be cautious if you have a dog with you.

The following day we packed up all our gear to head back to the water taxi. BC Ferries does post a schedule for the water taxi, however, it only runs by request. So make sure you call them in the morning and tell them you want a pick-up, because otherwise they may not come. We returned to Langdale and had some time to kill, so we enjoyed our lunch on the beach before taking the ferry back to Horseshoe Bay. It’s an easy trip and it made for a very enjoyable weekend. I’m keen to go back and camp with my kayak one day!

Hiking Zupok Peak

February 14, 2026January 13, 2026 / Maria / 4 Comments

Zupok Peak is a little bit off the regular beaten path, located on Highway 5 in the Coquihalla Summit Rec Area. It’s often paired with other peaks, like Ottomite Peak, Llama Peak, and Alpaca Peak. Ottomite Peak is a great option for snowshoeing and snow camping in the winter because it’s fairly short and stays in simple terrain, but I wouldn’t recommend any of the other peaks in snowy conditions because they go into challenging avalanche terrain, so stick to summer and fall when visiting those.

Me and Brandon have a tradition of going on a big hike every Thanksgiving weekend, and we picked Zupok Peak for our 2025 Thanksgiving hike. It was still early October, so we thought we might need microspikes for a small amount of snow, but were surprised to discover that the peak had gotten a dump of snow the night before we hiked the trail. So despite gorgeous sunny conditions on the day we visited, there was quite a lot of fresh powder on the trail.

The trail starts at the Zopkios Rest Area in the Coquihalla Summit Rec Area. You can park at the end of the lot and walk over to the west side of the washroom to access the trailhead. It’s a fairly well established trail, but it’s not very popular. Needle Peak and Flatiron, which are located on the other side of the highway, draw most of the crowds in this area, with Zoa Peak being the next most popular trail after those.

It’s a nice walk through the forest as you head towards Ottomite Peak. There is one river crossing and the bridge is in pretty rough shape, so take your time. There was snow along the entire trail, but it wasn’t very deep at lower elevations. Our biggest problem was that it was extremely cold. Usually I don’t need to layer up too much while hiking, even in winter, but on this particular day it was very chilly!

After ~3km of hiking along relatively flat trail, you will reach a junction to Ottomite Mountain. If you go in the winter or during snowy conditions, I recommend just visiting Ottomite and skipping the other peaks due to potential avalanche hazards. There’s a nice view from Ottomite and the trail is wide and still very easy to follow. Since it was the first snowfall of the season, we continued on towards Zupok Peak.

From here, the trail became harder to follow in the snow. There was one group that had started ahead of us, so they were breaking the trail. Once you start the ascent to Zupok, there’s markers on the trees that you can follow, but if the other group hadn’t broken the trail to the base of Zupok, it would have involved a lot more route finding for us. Instead, we were able to just validate the track using GPS to make sure we were on the right track.

After the junction to Ottomite, it’s ~2km to the summit of Zupok. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but this part of the trail gets really steep and it’s a big slog to climb up to the summit. You climb ~500m of elevation in 2kms, so be prepared for a steep grade! Most of the trail is through the trees, but there is one nice viewpoint halfway up. Near the summit you pop out of the trees for an incredible view of the area. In the summer, I think the trail would be a lot easier to follow, but it was a bit of a struggle in the last 300 metres to the top. The snow was much deeper on the summit (knee deep) and it was very windy, so we were pretty cold.

When we started the day, we planned to continue to Llama and Alpaca Peak, which looked fun since you get to walk along the ridge after Zupok, but that plan was quickly abandoned when we got to the summit. We only had microspikes and it was evident that we would need snowshoes along the ridge. Plus, it was just too windy and cold, so we quickly amended the plan to eat lunch at the summit and then turn around.

If you visit on a nicer day, I’d definitely check out the other peaks, but be prepared for the hike to still be fairly strenuous. You have to climb down Zupok Peak, only to immediately climb up Llama Peak (and then repeat again for Alpaca Peak), so you do still expend a lot of energy on each ascent. Plus, you’re in the alpine the entire time, so on a hot day, be cognizant of the exposure and sun protection.

We stopped for a quick lunch and Simmer got herself in a bit of a pickle. She wanted to put on her snowpants, but she didn’t want to take off her boots because her feet were so cold. She accidentally put them on backwards and then got stuck in them trying to reverse them with her large boots on! So we had a good laugh at her before snapping a few photos and heading back down the mountain.

We didn’t spend much time on the summit and we hiked back down to the base of Zupok pretty quickly. It was like a different world down there. There was no wind and the sun was out, so we were able to take a proper break to warm up. Brandon decided to build a snowman to stand guard at the mountain base. Otherwise, it was a pretty quick hike back to the car and we continued back to Hope for a proper meal.

I thought the view from the top of Zupok was beautiful, but this is a pretty challenging hike. I don’t think I’d be in a rush to re-do it because the hike up is such a slog, but I would love to explore the ridgeline on a less snowy day. I have heard that Fall is a good time because the shrubs along the top change colour and it’s not too hot along the exposed ridge, but obviously we were a bit too late in the season on this occasion, so early September might be the sweet spot!

The Ultimate Guide to Snowshoeing near Vancouver

February 7, 2026February 6, 2026 / Maria / Leave a comment

Hiking in Vancouver is definitely becoming less and less of a fair-weather activity. People want to be outside all year round, not just in the summer, and snowshoeing is a great way to do that! While going into the backcountry has inherent risks in every season, they are definitely increased in the winter. It’s colder outside, you have less daylight, trails can be harder to follow, and depending where you’re going, there’s the added risk of an avalanche. I’ve written an entire post on avalanche safety and my biggest recommendation is that, if you don’t have avalanche safety training, don’t go into avalanche terrain.

Even if you plan to stick to easy trails, without taking a course, it can be hard to know if you’re putting yourself in avalanche terrain or not, which is why I recommend for everyone to take an AST1 course. Did you know that popular winter trails like Pump Peak, Elfin Lakes, Hollyburn Mountain, St. Mark’s Summit, and Joffre Lakes all go through challenging avalanche terrain at some part of the trail? Just because a trail is popular, it doesn’t mean there is no risk.

The safest option is to take a course, but if that’s not in your budget right now, I’ve compiled a list of trails that are in simple terrain, so the risk is greatly reduced, though never removed! Always check the avalanche forecast and only go out if the avalanche rating is low or moderate.

Lower Mainland

Bowen Island Lookout – Located in Cypress Provincial Park, this is a great option for beginners. The trail is 4km round trip, with 125m of elevation gain and follows a staked trail. It leaves from the resort, you just need to pick up a free backcountry pass from the BC Parks Black Mountain Lodge (not available online, only self-registration on site). The trail hikes through the woods to a beautiful viewpoint overlooking Bowen Island.

Dam Mountain and Thunderbird Ridge – Located on Grouse Mountain, take the gondola to the top and follow a 5km there and back trail up to the top of Dam Mountain. With over 300m of elevation gain, this is a more challenging trail, but it’s easy to add a walk along Thunderbird Ridge for another 1.5km once you make it to the top of Dam Mountain. Both trails boast incredible views of the city.

Dog Mountain and Dinkey Peak – Located in Mount Seymour Provincial Park, this trail is popular in all seasons. It’s a 5km there and back trail, with 150m of elevation gain to the Dog Mountain Lookout. The trail is in the forest, except for the city viewpoint at the end. Add another 1km if you want to add Dinkey Peak, which has fantastic views of the backcountry. In the winter, you will need a free day pass to visit the park, which can be obtained from BC Parks 2 days in advance of your visit. The walk from the parking lot to the trailhead adds an extra 1km each way.

Brockton Point – Located in Mount Seymour Provincial Park, this is a more challenging hike than Dog Mountain. The overall length is 5km there and back, but there is 250m of elevation gain, making it a steeper hike. The views from the top of Brockton Peak are incredible as you’ll be able to see both the city and the backcountry. The same day pass rules apply as for Dog Mountain.

The view of Cypress Mountain ski resort from Black Mountain in the winter along the snowshoe trail near Vancouver, BC.

Black Mountain – Located in Cypress Provincial Park, this is a 5km there and back hike that covers 300m of elevation gain, making it one of the steeper hikes on this list. Trail access is from the resort and the trail hikes through the forest along the edge of a ski run. The same rules apply as for Bowen Island Lookout, you must obtain a free backcountry pass from Black Mountain Lodge.

North of Vancouver

Brandywine Falls or Alexander Falls – These are beginner trails that often don’t need snowshoes (just microspikes, or sometimes just boots). Brandywine Falls is located off the Sea to Sky Highway on the way to Whistler. It’s a 1km there and back trail to see the waterfall, but if the gate to the parking lot is closed or there are no parking signs along the highway, you won’t be able to visit. Alexander Falls is a good alternative, which is located in the Callaghan Valley, off Callaghan Valley Road. The trail is 500m there and back.

A female snowshoer backpacks on the snowy trail to Elfin Lakes with the snow covered forest in the background in Garibaldi Provincial Park in BC.

Red Heather – Located in Garibaldi Provincial Park, this is one of the more challenging hikes to access. Red Heather has the same trailhead as Elfin Lakes and is located at the end of Garibaldi Park Road outside of Squamish. In the winter, you must have chains to travel the last 2km along the road, so be prepared to hike an additional 2km each way without them. The trail follows an old forestry road for 5km to the Red Heather Hut, with 400m of elevation gain. It’s a steady uphill, but it’s not challenging. This is one of the longer trails on the list, a total of 10km from the main parking lot.

Edwards Hut – Located in Tetrahedron Provincial Park on the Sunshine Coast, this is the hardest trail to access. Winter tires are a must along the forestry roads and chains may also be required pending the conditions. It may be necessary to park at the lower lot, which adds 1km to the trail in each direction. It’s 5km to the Edwards Hut, but under 100m of elevation gain. You can customize this trip, ending at Edwards Lake, or to do a loop trail around Batchelor Cabin. The total trail length is 10km from the upper lot. I have only done this one in the Fall.

Coquihalla Summit Rec Area

Falls Lake – This is a great beginner trail located just off the highway at the turnoff for Falls Lake Road. Falls Lake Road is not plowed in the winter, so you can park in the pull out and it’s a flat 4km there and back trail along the road to Falls Lake.

Zoa Subpeak – Located at the same turnoff to Falls Lake Road, this is an 8km there and back trail that covers 550m of elevation gain. The first 1 km of walking along the road is flat, but be prepared for a steep climb up Pipeline Road, followed by another steep hike through the forest. This trail isn’t staked, so be on the lookout for summer markers and be prepared with GPS. Don’t hike beyond the subpeak as the trail to the true peak passes through avalanche terrain. The best view is from the subpeak!

Ottomite Peak – Located at the Zopkios Rest Stop, this is an 8km there and back trail with 300m of elevation gain. This is an easier and less busy alternative to Zoa Peak. However, this trail is not staked, so make sure you are prepared with GPS navigation. Do not continue on the trail to Iago Peak as this will take you into challenging avalanche terrain.

E.C. Manning Park

Shadow Lake – Located at the Strawberry Flats parking lot, this is a 4km there and back trail across flat terrain that is popular among beginners. It’s shown on the park snowshoe map and I’m pretty sure it’s a staked trail. Hike through the forest to the edge of Shadow Lake and take advantage of the strawberry flats warming hut on the way back. Some people continue on to the 3 Falls Trail, but I don’t recommend this as it passes through complex avalanche terrain.

Lightning Lakes – Located at the Lightning Lakes parking lot, follow the trail around the first lake and/or the second lake. If the conditions are appropriate, you can even snowshoe across the lake itself, but make sure to return to the trail before the second lake as the river between the two lakes doesn’t normally freeze. You can customize the trail length to do one or both lakes and the trail is completely flat.

Similkameen River – Located at the Windy Joe parking lot, this is a there and back trail that hikes through the forest along the river. You can customize the length, hiking as far as you want and then turning around. There is a bridge 2.5km in that you can cross, but the trail on the other side of the river is cross-country ski only in the winter, so just return the way you came without crossing the bridge.

Poland Lake – Located at the base of the ski resort, this is a more strenuous trail and not recommended for beginners. Park at the base of the resort and follow signs for uphill travel along the long green ski run for 2km. Once you reach the top, you’ll see a sign for backcountry access and you can follow the trail for another 4km to Poland Lake. If staying overnight, you have to park at Strawberry Flats and hike from there. As a day trip, it’s 12km with over 500m of elevation gain.