Go north, life is peaceful there. Go north, in the open air.

I know it's not even Christmas yet, but it is time to start thinking about next summer's adventures. What are you going to do? Well if you're like a lot of Canadians going north on a canoe or raft trip is on life's list. A recent article in Canoe Roots Magazine says knocking off one of Canada's fabled wilderness rivers is a top priority for many. North of 60 is where a lot of these rivers are, but don't overlook northern B.C. The area is huge, wild and full of water. Operators say it is one of the few places where there are still rivers where you will be alone for weeks. Watch for a new guidebook to northern B.C. rivers in early 2010 from Laurel Archer. If you prefer guided, which is a good idea for anyone who doesn't have several expedition style trips under their belt, then consider these companies and the trips they lead:

Nahanni River Adventures/Canadian River Adventures: Guiding the Tatshenshini, Babine, Taku, Stakine, Gataga rivers of B.C.
Stikine River Song: all service cafe and boat rental on the Stikine River.
Skeena Valley Expeditions: Day and expediton trips on the Skeena, Babine and Tatshenshini rivers.
ROAM: Among other BC river trips, they guide the Tatshenshini.

Give sustainability

It's two weeks until Christmas, which means it's almost time to start panicking about what to get people. Instead of hunting for a bunch of gifts that my relatives might not even use I've decided to give gifts that give back this year.

One of the easiest ways is to donate to a charity in someone else's name or buy a gift with a pay it forward mentality. For instance the World Wildlife Fund has a large range of animals up for "adoption." These are great gifts for kids. Buy the caribou and you'll get a high-quality cuddly toy, a personalized adoption certificate and a report detailing the work that your symbolic adoption will support. In B.C. the mountain caribou is in serious trouble and a donation to the WWF will help the species survive. A leopard frog is another good choice to help support B.C.'s environment. Once commonly found in British Columbia, the Northern leopard frog is now limited to the extreme southeastern portion of the province and has been designated as endangered in the region - loss of habitat is the most significant cause of the decline. The WWF has lots of other gift options where proceeds go to conservation work.

Another option is to give to specific causes. The WTA and its members are working for and donating to a number of causes that support wildlife and wildspaces including Save Our Wild Salmon and Adopt-a-Fry.org. Cash donations are a great way to further their work. You can also ask your favourite resorts and lodges about causes that are close to their heart. Or if you want to make it as easy as possible donate to the WTA's own Wilderness Stewardship Fund. Donations can be made in any amount. The money in the fund is used to help organizations and companies complete worthwhile sustainability and stewardship work throughout the year.

Kumsheen River Rafting wins best business to work for award

Happy staff makes a good company. So making BC Business Magazine's Best Company to Work For: Under 100 Employees is very telling for Kumsheen River Rafting. In the brief article about the company in the December issue of the magazine is a anonymous quote collected as part of the survey: “Most organized company I’ve worked for. All employees here are amazing people. We’re all family. After-work activities are endless."

 The 55-person, Lytton based company is the only tourism related company that made the magazine's annual Best Company awards, which result from nominations and surveys. It's a family run operation, started 1973 by Bernie Fandrich. His son Braden now runs it, continuing the tradition of offering day and overnight trips down the big, rough waters of the Thompson and Fraser rivers from their comfy base in B.C.'s arid southeastern interior.

I chatted with Braden a year or so ago about the family operation for a stewardship story. It's a great company that works to protect the rivers, land and air that they operate around and obviously treats their staff equally well.

Congrats Kumsheen