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Winter Elbow Loop Successful Attempt.

We had some trouble deciding where to go on our father and son fatbikepacking trip. We’ve had some warm weather and some of our favourite trails are an icy mess. We debated trying a few new routes, but some of them were likely to be 90% what Scott refers to as, “hiking with an awkward…

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Kids and Cold: a Few Tips on Winter Outdoors

People often ask me how I get my kids to go out camping in the winter with me. The truth is, when they were young I acted like it was normal (and it is), so by the time they noticed that no one else was with us at the backcountry campground, they were hooked. Now…

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New Years 2017 fatbikepacking campout

[click pictures to enlarge] There are 3 nights of the year that connoisseurs refer to as “amateur night” at the bar, Saint Patrick’s day, Halloween, and New Year’s Eve. Even though we don’t go to the bar very often, we avoid those nights at all costs. This year I talked Tania into joining me and…

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Bikepacking Packing (mostly also applies to backpacking)

Put everything you want to bring in a pile. Then put half of it back. It’s the clichĂ© of bike touring and backpacking alike, but it has an element of truth to it. I like to start by deciding what the coldest temperature I could possibly encounter and decide what I need for that temperature.…

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Assiniboine Pass hike/ski March 2016

We love cross-country skiing, we love camping, and we had a 4-day long weekend for easter. The obvious solution to this non-dilemma was to go ski camping. After our awesome trip to Lake O’Hara for a long weekend in February, it was a strong contender for a return visit. On top of that, a group…

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Family Skipacking to Lake O’Hara

First, if you haven’t been to Lake O’Hara, put it on your list. It is one of the prettiest mountain lakes I have ever seen, and that was in the winter when lakes aren’t usually as impressive. We wanted a family friendly ski camping weekend. Lake O’Hara was high on our list of places that…

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Bryant Creek Skipacking with Fiona 2016

Guest Blogger (sort of) 8-year-old Fiona wanted to write up this trip. The timestamped photos are ones she took, and they are accidentally set 12 hours ahead from the camera set up AM, not PM. We went to Banff National Park BR9 campground on Bryant Creek from the Mount Shark trailhead in Spray Lakes Provincial…

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Minnewanka Winter Bikepacking 2016

“Hey dad, you know how I sometimes complain that it’s freezing when the kitchen is 18ÂșC at home?” Tadhg and I were just finishing up our day’s ride on Lake Minnewanka from the LM 11 campground to just past the end of the lake at the first of the Ghost lakes. It was -15ÂșC, not…

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Minnewanka fatbikepacking microadventure.

“More food please.” We had been in the car for an hour and a half. He had eaten 2 pears, 2 oranges, an apple, a sandwich and a granola bar. We were popping in to get our camp permit anyway so I picked up a pair of masala dosas to go and we headed out…

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Winter Fatbikepacking With a 9 Year Old.

I have a passion for winter bike riding.  I love sleeping outdoors in the cold.  This year, my son finally reached a height where he can ride an extra small sized Salsa Mukluk comfortably.  It therefore made sense that we should go out together on a winter fatbikepacking weekend. We started out from the car…

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