I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my book and website so much. To answer your questions. I don’t have any plans to write a Canadian Rockies guidebook. The only way to easily do that would be to move to the Rockies for a few summers, and while that sounds amazing, it’s not financially viable for me. I didn’t include the GDT in my list because its too long – most backpacking visiting my site are looking for trips ranging from overnights up to about a week in length. While the GDT is an amazing accomplishment, it’s just too long for most people. I have included some of the most popular BC sections of the GDT on y list, like the Rockwall Trail. And finally, I only included summits where there was an obvious trail to the peak from a backcountry campground. Scrambling and route finding outside the realm of expertise for most of my audience. In general, the hikes I recommend stick to class 3 terrain – class 4 is too much for most of my audience.

Prior to this, I had ZERO backpacking experience, I was obese, extremely out of shape, and am in my 40’s. I used your guides to plan out the logistics of this trip… all that was left for me to do was to keep up and complete this grueling itinerary. I was extremely determined and stubborn. Failure was not an option. Eventually, after beating up your body everyday and refusing to quit, your body just accepts its new reality and adapts. The transformation was so satisfying. I was too tired to think clearly most of the time. It was amazing!

To summarize your list: when I didn’t think it could get any better… it did! I can see why all these hikes are on the list, and I cannot give you a favorite, since they are all so beautiful and unique. Exceptional weather made a huge difference.

I have a few suggestions, requests, or criticisms.

1) Would you consider writing a similar review for Alberta? Best backpacking/hikes in Alberta? You did such a good job with BC. After traveling around BC, I was surprised how much incredible hiking was close to home in Alberta. Some of your hikes are literally next to the border (Yoho, Assiniboine, O’Hara for example). The world would be a better place if you made a list for Alberta!

2) The Great Divide Trail… it’s not on here?! Considering it’s a trail along the Alberta/BC border, I would consider this to be BC… have you hiked this trail and would you consider writing a review for it? It covers multiple areas in your list. In terms of legitimate backpacking, I don’t think it get much more genuine than the Great Divide Trail. It showcases the best the Rocky Mountains have to offer in BC and Alberta.

3) mountain summits… could you include these in your overview/guides on some of these areas/hikes? Similar to the “extending your trip” section in your book.

I can’t “pick favorites”… but mountain summits were by far the highlights of these incredible hikes. Not walking near or around the mountains… walking up to the top of the mountains. When I planed for this trip, I did not expect to do any summits. After completing some summits, I could not imagine doing anything else. Completing some of the hikes on this list without completing the surrounding summits no longer felt like a genuine accomplishment. This list of “best backpacking trips/hikes” could be just mountain summits.

For example: Mount Cook, Mount Weart, and the Armchair Traverse above Wedgemount Lake; Mount Overlord and Whirlwind Peak above Russet Lake; Mount Slalok and Tszil Mountain above Joffrey Lakes; Mount Yukness, Mount Schafer, and Little Odaray around Lake O’Hara; Sunburst Peak and Wonder Peak in the Assiniboine area; I completed 18 peaks in the Garibaldi area alone. There are many, many, more. None of them are technical in the sense they are not class five (legitimate climbing), and do not require glacier travel.

I may have planned my trips differently had I been aware of all these mountain summits. Not sure if you chose to exclude these because you consider them to be mountaineering or out of most people’s ability. They were by far the hardest part of my trip… but were by far the most rewarding part of my trip. Mountains get pretty real pretty fast, can be extremely terrifying and inhospitable places… but I was so surprised and amazed with how many of them I was able to walk up, one footstep at a time. In retrospect, this was the best experience I had. You could always make people aware of what’s around… they can decide for themselves if it’s within their ability or worth the risks involved… but the suggestion may just expose someone to the most incredible experience of their lives… that they otherwise wouldn’t have thought was possible.

Thank you Taryn… your guides/overviews planted an idea in my head that I worked hard to make a reality. You inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and challenge myself physically and mentally. I had no previous experience, was fat, out of shape, and hiking alone. I still have a ways to go, and many more places to walk, but what an amazing time! It’s possible to do so much in such a short period of time if you are determined enough to do it.

I hiked the Chilkoot Trail back in 2015 and it was great but I didn’t put it on this list. It is technically half in Alaska, half in BC, but most people think of it as the Yukon since it’s in a weird sliver of BC. Mt Edziza is also on my some day list.