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We hiked for many years in eastern Canada. The terrain was quite level without any mountains. Well, let me put it this way. What we thought were mountains were simply little bumps after seeing and hiking in the Rockies and Cascade mountains out in western Canada. Elevation is really the difference between the two. It was not unusual to head off for a six mile evening walk through the hills in flat country. This type of hiking hardly raised a sweat as my wife and I took in the beauty of the woods and enjoyed the wildlife we encountered. The hikes were wonderful and certainly helped to put us to sleep quickly when night arrived. That was the type of hiking we did before we moved to the west coast. The first view of the Rockies was from the air as we flew across Canada. They were unbelievable. Covered in the purest white snow, they looked fantastic. We settled into our new home in Vancouver and soon we decided to head to the hills for a hike. What an eye opener that was. We hardly got underway when we began to climb. Everything was up. We were panting for breath in minutes. It seemed the trail was following an old mountain goat track it was that high. After the first mile we were ready to turn back, but that would be what a quitter would do, so we kept on trucking and hit the top of the trail. That evening we were asleep before our heads hit the pillows. So much for our introduction to mountain hiking. The most noticeable item of clothing we decided to change was our footwear. Whereas on flatland, simple walking shoes would suffice, nothing but a good hiking boot would do for the mountains where the rocks and tree roots could lead to sprained or broken ankles. On these trails it was dry one moment and you may be walking through water the next. Roots were the greatest problem. They trapped the mud and were very slippery. Only a good thick welt would do. The second item we had to face was clothing. As you gain elevation the temperature drops six degrees for every one thousand feet in altitude. The temperature may be pleasant at the start but when you take a rest at the two thousand foot level it will be twelve degrees lower. This is why it is so important to dress in layers. Sometimes we would set off wearing two layers but we would carry extra shirts and sweaters for the higher elevations. Hiking in the mountains you may also run into temperature inversions. These occur quite often. A cool layer of air will become trapped at the lower elevation and as you climb you may run into a warmer layer higher up. Enjoy your hike but be prepared. Joe and Irma MacMillan have spent many years backpacking, skiing, and simply enjoying life in the mountains of British Columbia. Their website Whistler Outdoors is full of tips on snowboarding, camping, kayaking, rafting, camp cooking and fishing. They met on a blind date in 1957 and are still married. Take a look at their story here About us
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