Brewing up some outdoor adventure.

In the lead-up to the release of our latest Triple IPA, The Roark Revival (in collaboration with Roark), we wanted to release some of our brewers’ (Jamie) favourite spots to explore and adventure around British Columbia. When Jamie’s not brewing or labelling cans he’s spending his time exploring the nooks and crannies, the highs and the lows, the oceanfronts and backcountry lakes of this vast province. So, we asked him to put together a list of some of his favourite spots in this beautiful province to hopefully encourage all of us to get out and explore the beauty around us!

*Disclaimer - some of these activities require backcountry knowledge, physical fitness, equipment and are not for the faint of heart. Please attempt these at your own risk and make sure to do your own research beforehand to make sure the specific activity is within your limits. Know Your Limit, Play Within It!

Favourite Local Hike: The Lions

The Lions are iconic symbols of Vancouver and are the easiest peaks to identify when your look north towards the mountains, which imparts something special about tackling this trek. There are two main hiking routes for hiking the Lions. One is found at the top of Cypress Mountain and the other is half an hour from the city and starts in the town of Lions Bay. This has always been the route I’ve taken in the past because it’s way more awesome! My favourite time of year to tackle this trail is in the spring - no earlier than the first week of May. The snow covering half the elevation gain of the trail adds an element of challenge and fun. There’s also nothing better than a good glissade (butt-slide) on your way day!

The hike is a challenging one, to say the least. Clocking in at approx. 14.6km roundtrip with a 1450m elevation gain over a short distance makes for a very difficult trek. Add in the slippery, steep snow crossings and overhead cornices, you can expect to max out your resting heart rate. What’s a hike without a little danger of having a heart attack though, right!? Having said that, if you are physically, mentally, and equipment ready then you’ll have a great time checking this iconic mountain off your list.

At the very least I would suggest having crampons (we use Hillsound Equipment - they are awesome!), all your safety gear, lots of food and water to keep your energy high. BC AdventureSmart is an unreal reference if you need any help preparing for all kinds of adventures and exploring around BC. I also love to use AllTrails anytime I am looking to do any hike at all whether I have done it before or not. It’s important to understand what you’re getting yourself into and be aware of the conditions. I find it very helpful to check the latest comments as other hikers have left condition reports.

Favourite Alpine Lake: Landslide Lake

Off to Vancouver Island, we go! This wonderful lake is located in Strathcona Provincial Park. The lake is only accessible by a 10km trail (one way) up the valley. Steep in sections, but doable for most. It is worth every step if you can push yourself to make it through the extended climb. At the top you’ll find a teal blue lake that other lakes can only be super jealous of - lakes being jealous of each other is a thing. The lake is surrounded by the pinnacle-shaped mountain peaks of Mount Colonel Foster, which only add to how special this place really is. The water is FREEZING, but after a hot climb in the summertime, you’d be crazy not to dive in! You’ll find incredible alpine blueberries and wildflowers at the top surrounding the beautiful lake. It truly is a sight to see! My recommendation is to start early, beat the heat and the crowds as this hike can get busy during the beautiful weather.

Like so many other beautiful places in BC, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of hikers/users on this trail. There is no overnight camping permitted at the lake itself anymore, but there are two small groups of campsites located halfway and two-thirds of the way up the trail that allow tent camping. As always, please practice LEAVE NO TRACE.

Favourite Park: Cathedral Provincial Park

Have you ever even heard of it!? I hadn’t for the longest time, so discovering it was a heck of a treat! Cathedral Prov. Park may not look particularly unique compared to other parks in BC but it has many amazing mountain lakes, boasts loads of beautiful hiking trails, and there are numerous off-grid tenting campsites. What you may not realize is how tucked away and off the beaten path this park is- it is difficult to access this park which keeps the crowds down!

From AnotherBeerCo. you are looking to take on a 6-hour drive. Sure, it’s a long drive, but not that big of a deal right? However, that’s not the end of your journey. The only way to access this park is to hike the gruelling (and I mean gruelling) 8 to 12-hour hike to just get within its bounds, or you can hire the Cathedral Lake Lodge to shuttle you in using one of their off-road vehicles. This park has no suitable access road for your regular vehicle, which is why the lodge has been gifted singular access to its one-way in and out “road”.

Once you arrive at the lodge it is a short two to three kilometre hike to your tent-only campsites. You’ll find yourself in a massive bowl surrounded by amazing peaks and ridges. This is where the fun begins. If you want to talk about a hikers paradise then you’ve found it at Cathedral. This park has over 80 kilometres of trails to discover, ranging in difficulties and distances. In particular my favourite day was traversing the Cathedral Rim Trail and scrambling Grimface Mountain. At it’s lowest point this park is higher than the peak of Whistle so you can imagine that the views from the ridge and mountain top, which are much higher, are absolutely breathtaking.

All in all, what makes this park incredible are a number of things, but it’s remoteness truly does put the icing on top of the cake and makes it my favourite park in British Columbia. As alway, do your research beforehand, make sure this excursion is for you and above all practice LEAVE NO TRACE!

Favourite Canoe Route: Azure and Clearwater Lake

Last summer I had the opportunity to explore Wells Gray Provincial Park and the highlight was certainly the 60 kilometre, 3 day canoe trip from the furthest tip of Azure Lake back down across Clearwater Lake. We took a boat shuttle from one end of Clearwater Lake, up the adjoining river into Azure lake and all the way to its easternmost tip. We were dropped off on floating picnic tables as the water level of the lake was over 3 meters higher than normal. We were told that massive snowfall attributed to these record high water levels this particular year.

As we paddled our way back over the two lakes we viewed massive waterfalls falling straight into the lake - one of which was called Rooster Tail Falls. It was particularly unique as the water fell, hit a large section of rock midway down causing the water to shoot outwards- recreating the perfect arch of a rooster tail. The lakes are strictly water access camping only, which attributes to their purity and peacefulness. You truly feel away from it all when the nearest flushable toilet is a 60km paddle away.

These two lakes are massive! They have the ability to stir up fierce wind very quickly, which is exactly what happened to us. This made for a long, slow and mentally exhausting day of battling two to three foot waves that kept pushing us dangerously close to shore. If you’re interested in a little more thrill seeking you can navigate down the connecting river between Azure and Clearwater lake. Normally, there is a short portage you can take to avoid the river, but in our case it was flooded so we had to paddle it. The river was swollen and gushing with fast moving water so you could say I was a little intimidated!

I am no expert when it comes to canoeing, but I was lucky enough to be a part of a group of experienced paddlers. Again, this is not something for someone without any experience. In my opinion, water based activities, especially including whitewater, are more volatile and dangerous than any hike or scramble I’ve done. Make sure to use the resources at your finger tips! Paddle Canada has all the information on safety gear and courses for you to have a safe backcountry water experience.

Favourite Lakeside Camping: Kentucky Alleyne Provincial Park + Bluey Lake Recreational Site

Lets finish this off by taking it down a notch eh? There’s nothing like a good old fashion overnight camping experience when all you’ve gotta do is pull up and unplug.

Forget flying to the Caribbean for those crystal clear blue waters, we’ve got them here in BC. Only difference is the temperature of the water! These sites are hands down my favourite lakeside camping spot. The blue green hues of the water make you feel like you should be sipping on piña coladas somewhere down south. This small chain of lakes is perfect for some casual fishing, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, and relaxing. Aside from the breathtaking waters you’ll find yourself falling asleep at night to the sweet sweet sounds of frogs, loons and owls.

This is a perfect spot to take your family or a small group of friends. The facilities are all well kept, the park operators are friendly, and just like in the Bahamas, you don’t have a care in the world while you hang out in those picturesque waters. Keep in mind that this is a very family oriented campground, so as always we need to be respectful of each other by keeping the noise down, cleaning up after ourselves and following park operated regulations.

Thanks for reading! Again, KNOW YOUR LIMITS, PLAY WITHIN THEM + PRACTICE LEAVE NO TRACE! Lets keep these places beautiful and protected for future generations to enjoy. It is also important to recognize and respect the indigenous roots of this land that we are so lucky to call home.
~ Jamie