Author: Rain Scott

  • VIDEO: Golden Hinde, The Highest Peak on Vancouver Island

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    We made it to the highest peak on Vancouver Island, the Golden Hinde! You gain over 5,000 m in elevation over the 60 km you hike to get there. You are constantly going up or down.

  • Mt. Shuksan via Fisher Chimneys

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    I learned to climb on Mt. Shuksan years ago. This course gave me a taste into a hyper-masculine culture where I did not belong. It was powerful to return to this same route on this mountain as a leader under my own terms.

  • VIDEO: Victoria Peak via the South Face

    We planned three days to climb Victoria Peak. At less than 20km of hiking and only 1200m of elevation gain, this is definitely a comfortable day trip for us. But driving that far north on the island takes forever. (Or six hours to be precise.) So this was going to take three days. And since…

  • VIDEO: Arrowsmith via The Bumps and The Nose

    This was the most enjoyable way I’ve ever gotten up Mt. Arrowsmith. And probably the most enjoyable scramble that I’ve done on Vancouver Island.

  • VIDEO: Red Pillar

    Red Pillar was not really on my to-do list. It’s in the middle of nowhere. It’s not an Island Qualifier. And the most reasonable access points are usually behind locked gates. But a little bit of rain inspired the logging company to open the gates for the Canada Day long weekend. So I found myself…

  • Travelling solo in the Azores, Portugal’s best-kept secret

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    At the end of my solo trip around the world, I spent a week in the Azores. I had never heard of this place. But tickets home from Europe were extremely expensive — unless I added a stopover in the Azores. So off I went. And I had the most amazing time! I floated in…

  • VIDEO: Kings Peak North Spur

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    This Alpine Club of Canada adventure started out like all the rest — great people in a beautiful place. But it turns out our trip leaders had a bit of a surprise in store for us!

  • Snowshoe adventures on the Kludahk Trail near Victoria, BC

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    Most people know about the shoeshowing at Mt. Washington. It’s beautiful. There is a nice lodge with hot chocolate. They plow the road so you can safely drive up there in all kinds of weather. I decided to set out to explore the other place it snows near Victoria. The San Juan Ridge. Home to…

  • My concussion story

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    I had resigned myself to a staycation this Christmas break. I really wanted to go somewhere. But I was tired. And broke from 5 months of travelling. So I got this idea that I’d at least spend every single day of my break outside. On Christmas Eve, I had to work. But before the sunset,…

  • My experience starting a queer outdoors group

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    Last year, I was feeling good about my mountaineering accomplishments. And with my work getting more women out climbing and on trips with the Alpine Club of Canada. But as someone who doesn’t even feel like a woman half the time, I was sorely missing queer community. I am not the kind of person who…

  • COMPLETE GUIDE: Camino de Santiago

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    How much does it cost? Do you have to book places to stay? And other questions answered.

  • Mourning on the Camino

    What right did I have to even be upset? I didn’t know them.