The highest hut in Canada

This summer Larry Dolecki, an internationally certified guide, built a hut on the Lyell Icefield of the Canadian Rockies. Sitting on a nunatak, an exposed chunk of rock amid the ice, it's a lonely spot within reach of some of the longest ski lines in British Columbia.

The new hut is an outlier to the main lodges of Icefall Lodge, a backcountry ski touring operation north of Golden, B.C. and a member of the Backcountry Lodges of BC. I visited Icefall last year and the skiing was unreal. (This is a picture from the main lodge.) There's tons of variety and the alpine terrain is limitless. The tenure covers 200 square kilometres; it would take a couple days to traverse the entire tenure.

It's a demanding day trip to access the hut from Icefall Lodge. The hut sits at 2860m (9400'), making it one of the highest huts in B.C. and as far as we know the highest privately owned hut. But once you're there the five, 11,000 foot peaks of the Lyell's can be skied in a day. Dolecki, the lodge owner, says there are over a dozen glacier runs right out the door and monster 7000 foot runs that descend from the summits of the Lyells into Lyell Creek are possible. Now that's a leg burner. I can't wait to give it a go.

What's your 350 action?

People in more than 150 countries are gearing up to send a message to the rest of the world this weekend: we need to do something about global warming. October 24th is a day of action for the movement. There's a website, 350.org, but it's getting inundated with entries and was a little off when I visited it recently. Still it's a good place to get inspired about what you can do. And in case you're wondering, the number 350 is the level of carbon, in parts per million, that scientists believe is safe for the Earth. We're at 387 right now. Go to 350.org/plan to find out more about the movement and the number 350.


Still looking for inspiration? Here are some other possible actions:

Take the day off from the car. Bike, walk, car pool or take public transit if you have to go out.

Buy local food. Visit a farmers market. You'll cut down on greenhouse gases and have better tasting food.

Turn off your computer. We're guilty too. Instead of letting your computer sleep, shut it down. How long does it really take to boot up?

Turn your heat down. Drop your thermostat, maybe just at night, and snuggle up to keep warm. Who knows where it might lead?

And why not make travel plans for next year, focusing on a vacation that's easier on the earth. For some tips check out this article from an archived issue of Be Wild in BC Magazine.

Early season XC skiing at Golden Alpine Holidays

The mountains of eastern B.C. are some of the first in North America to become skiable, and they're getting close right now. While we usually think of downhill skiers as fanatical in the early season - burning skis to beseech the snow gods to be kind - cross country skiers can be equally devout. Especially racers. And especially in an Olympic year.

There aren't many lodge's or resorts that work to get their terrain open for cross country skiers. The exception is Golden Alpine Holidays. During the winter the collection of four, comfortable, backcountry ski chalets are ground zero for some excellent ski touring. Visit the company's media page for some videos of ski film crews' footage from previous winters. But it also offers up its Sentry Mountain lodge for cross country skiers in the fall, as early as October 10. In years past the Canadian National cross country team has hit the 7.5 kilometers of classic and skate trails around the lodge for early season training (pictured, photo from GAH).

With the Olympics in Whistler and Vancouver in less than four months there's no doubt the team is eager to get up there again. Only the weather will determine when that will be, but as soon as the conditions are right GAH will be ready. And the offer isn't only open to the national team. Anyone can book the lodge for an early season XC fix. Five day trips, including the helicopter ride, and private XC trails are $800.

Discounted trips with WTA members

It's the definition of win-win. Book a trip with several WTA members and you get a discount and wild salmon get a helping hand. The salmon conservation organization Save Our Salmon (SOS) has teamed up with several stewardship minded WTA members to raise money for salmon conservation on the B.C. coast by offering discounted tours and trips.

Book, through SOS, a 3,4, or 7-day heliski trip for two with Last Frontier Heliskiing, a remote heli-ski operation in northern B.C., and you'll get a 20 percent discount. SOS receives a charitable donation of 60 percent of the cost of the trip.

Backcountry skiers can donate half the cost of a week of guided and catered skiing at Bear Mountaineering's Burnie Glacier Chalet, near Smithers, to SOS. Echo Valley Ranch and Spa also has a good deal and there are several other prizes and opportunities for people donating to the charity.

But if I had to chose one experience for my donation it would be Maple Leaf Adventures Tall Sails and Ales. Two spots are available on the October 22 to 27th sailing around the Gulf Islands off Vancouver Island, which would be nice all by itself. (Above is a photo of the Maple Leaf, a tall masted schooner, sailing in the Gulf Islands with Mount Baker in the distance, photo by Kevin J. Smith/Maple Leaf Adventures.) But this tour stops at many of the local micro breweries and brew pubs and a beer expert is on board for the trip (see picture below, photo by Kevin J. Smith/Maple Leaf Adventures). Now that's a worthwhile cause. The charity trip is discounted, $2000 compared to $2215, and $1000 of it goes to SOS.

Taking advantage of these opportunities saves you money, supports environmentally minded operators and helps fund the work SOS is doing to speak for wild salmon. For details on all these discounts and opportunities head to Save Our Salmon's Support Us page.

Stop the plastic = stop the hunt

Disposable plastic water bottles are not good for the environment. They require petroleum to produce, create greenhouse gases in transport and need to be recycled or landfilled after consumption. They're especially evil if you consider that the water is often no healthier than regular tap water. So we at Be Wild in BC are congratulating Knight Inlet Lodge for cutting individual plastic water bottles from its service. Of course the grizzly bear viewing lodge on the B.C. coast, east of Campbell River,  isn't leaving its clients dry.

"While no guest will ever go without water on one of tours we are encouraging guests to either bring a bottle with them or to purchase ($7.50 Cdn.) one of our metal Knight Inlet Lodge bottles," says Phil Bergman, the operations manager. One hundred percent of the funds raised by the sale of these bottles will go towards Stop the Hunt, Knight Inlet's campaign to end grizzly bear hunting in British Columbia. Every year the bear viewing operation buys the grizzly bear tag from the local hunting guide outfitter to ensure no bears in their bear viewing tenure are shot. To date it has cost the lodge, its staff and guests more than $100,000.

Knight Inlet has also recently launched a new blog. Here's what Phil says about it in the lodge's latest newsletter:

Knight Inlet Lodge is pleased to announce the launch of our blog site - www.knightinletlodge.com - it's intended to be a way for our guests, past and future, to keep up to date on the goings on at the lodge and with our company. We are encouraging guests to post comments and photos of their visit. We also encourage everyone to use it as a forum to communicate with each other regarding the ongoing struggle to “Stop the Hunt” of grizzly bears in British Columbia.