Top 5 of 2016 with Maritime Outdoor Family!

Maritime Outdoor Family has had lots of fun outdoors in 2016 both here at home in the Maritimes and travelling beyond. Here are our top 5 outdoor moments!

1. Stanley Glacier, Kootenay National Park, British Columbia

Up 8.4km of talus slopes to our first family glacier hike! This one was our favourite of the year and the most challenging! It was a cold, rainy day and we were so proud of our 5-year-old kiddo's hiking! 

2. Cape Split, Nova Scotia

As posted here, we are so proud of our kiddo for her new longest hike of 13km!

3. Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park, Alberta

While Johnston Canyon is a major tourist attraction, it was well worth the visit. Also, many of the tourists don't venture beyond the Lower Falls to the Upper Falls, so the second half of the trek was less crowded. Over a course of 5.2km, we ventured across narrow catwalks down in the canyon, saw numerous waterfalls with beautiful shades of turquoise blue water, entered a cave and had a waterfall splash on us we were so close to it.  

4. Bluff Trail, Pot Lake Loop, Nova Scotia

This is a hike I have done many times (and even wrote about it here before), but I had not yet brought the kiddo out to this boulderous, barren haven. While this loop is not an easy hike, my 5-year-old loved all of its 9km! She even brought her journal to make notes of all the wildlife she saw and decidedly pronounced herself the leader of the hike! 

5. Backcountry Camping at Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia
We've camped at Keji lots in the past (see here and here), but this was was a highlight for us because we went with friends who also have a 5-year-old. We don't often get to enjoy wilderness camping with friends with we kiddos. The two had a great time and upon discovering a beetle chrysalis made this fantastic sign to mark the beetle's territory. During the calm October weekend, we hiked the lovely 5km Hemlocks and Hardwoods Trail, spotted a couple of playful red-headed woodpeckers, and even saw over a dozen red-spotted newts when fetching our water from the lake. 

We are so grateful to have had so many amazing wilderness experiences this year on each of the coasts of this vast and beautiful country. We are looking forward to more outdoor explorations in 2017! 

Happy adventuring!

Planning Summer Adventures

It is somehow already mid-June. I had the best of intentions to plan out summer trips well in advance this year and guess what? Life.

So take it from a pro (at not booking things in time that is) that you should always book your backcountry campsites well in advance!If you're thinking a national park on Canada Day weekend sounds fun, be sure shooting (but don't shoot in a national park without permit) that a billion other Canadians are thinking the same.

So here we are. The backcountry sites at our nearest and dearest national park, Kejimkujik, is booked up for nearly every weekend this summer.

Sooo, now what? Be sure to know that when one adventure doesn't work out, another is just around the corner!

This summer we're looking at some walk-in camping at Porter's Lake, some backcountry camping at Kenomee Canyon, potentially some island camping in the Halifax harbour (aka McNab's), some epic day trips including Admiral Lake Loop, and a very exciting large trip (more on that to come!).

I rejoice every day that I can make time in my life for the outdoors and have a body that is healthy enough to take me deep into the wilderness!

So, what are your plans for connecting with the wild this summer?

The Trip That Marries Provincial and National Parks: Kejimkujik Seaside & Thomas Raddall (Port Joli, NS)

On June 5th, we finally kicked off our camping season! First on our list this year was Thomas Raddall Provincial Park and Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunct.

Thomas Raddall is a beautiful, clean park located in Port Joli on the south shore of Nova Scotia. It is big but has excellent wilderness and privacy! Some of its walk-in sites mirror the backcountry while still having the convenience of car camping. 

First campfire of the camping season! Oh yeah!

Thomas Raddall is known as a "nature lovers' haven". After being there, I would agree. Even the walk to the comfort station for flushing toilets was an opportunity to take in the wilderness of the meadowy area while walking down a boardwalk. We even saw two bunnies grazing and hanging out in the campsite beside ours, which was a huge hit for our 4-year-old. 

From playing "Sleeping Bunnies" to actually photographing the bunnies!

I would love to tell you more about the trails and show you more of the sights, but we happened to visit during 24 hours of absolute pouring rain! On Sunday morning, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and dried our gear before hitting the road for Keji Seaside! 

NOTE: Ticks are very prevalent in this area. Be sure to check your whole body twice daily. Tuck your pants into your socks if possible. Know how to properly remove a tick. 

Keji Seaside, also located in Port Joli, is an adjunct to one of NS's three national parks: Kejimkujik. Its trails lead you to Saint Catherine's River Beach, a gorgeous white sand beach on the ocean. Its view has been seen by many Nova Scotians who don't even know it as this picturesque seaside is the face of the NS health card. 

The park has two trails: Harbour Rocks trail and Port Joli Head trail. We hiked the Harbour Rocks trail along the beach. The hike is very easy, though once you are down on the beach, strollers would not work, so babywearing is a must for wee wee ones. Toddlers can certainly toddle on this trail, though be cautious of helping kiddos with their footing on the big beachrock. There is lots of wildlife, so bring binoculars! If you are a birder, you will be thrilled (or at least the birder with us expressed as much!). We saw seals, a porcupine, toads, and many shorebirds. 

After about 2 km on the wide gravel path, the trail zigs and zags from this to beach.

In case you forget your binoculars, they've got you covered. 

The view is gorgeous and the hiking is stellar, but don't take my word, get out there and see if for yourself! 

Recommended First Time Backcountry Camping at Kejimkujik National Park (Maitland Bridge, NS)

My wee one (3) and her friend (5) hiking like champions!

This post goes out to a lovely fellow, AW, who has been reading my posts and anxiously awaiting more. Thank you for reading!

Kejimkujik seriously is an amazing place to take your kids! If you have not been there yet, make it top on your list for NS! I wrote about Keji before here. This time I want to write about an even easier Keji hike that may be a bit better of a challenge for folks' first time backcountry trek with kids: Site 3. 

Site 3 is only 3.2km from the Big Dam parking lot. (See hiking distances here). It is a very easy hike. The first half is wide with crushed gravel. It runs along the Hemlocks & Hardwoods trail (map), a popular day-use spot. You could use a jogging stroller here if you were only going to Site 1. 

My 3-year-old on the smooth path near Hemlocks & Hardwoods trail.

Beyond Site 1, it becomes slightly more hilly and less smooth. A jogging stroller would still be possible, but less enjoyable to maneuver. There is the occasional boot-sinking sludge puddle if you hit the trail within a day or two of a decent rain, but for the most part, it is pine needly earth and a few protruding roots--nothing too intimidating for an adventurous preschooler!  

Second half (not necessarily literal half, but thereabout) of the trail to Site 3.

But the best part is that the hike is so short--while still leaving you feeling deeply removed from the noise of the daily grind--that even beginners could endure carrying the weight for such a short trek. Or if you really had to, someone could stay with the kiddo(s) to get camp set up while someone else could make a second run to the Big Dam parking lot for gear. (Okay you adventurous hikers who may be reading who do not have offspring: children can be volatile! Or at least unpredictable, making two trips a reality!) 

So seriously, if the thing keeping you from trying backcountry with your wee one(s) is anxiety about things going terribly wrong and being too far from "civilization" to solve any dilemmas, Site 3 at Keji would be a great starting place for you! 

The sites are almost always well-marked. Site 3 is down a small path to the left of the main trail. 

When you get to the site, you will be greeted with the wonderful comforts of backcountry at Keji: lake access at your site, privacy (in this case, the next sites are over a kilometer away), a picnic table!, dry firewood and a fire pit, a pit privy for your site, 2 tent pads, and a proper bear hang! Need I say more? It is luxurious!

Big Dam Lake at Site 3. Gorgeous view of the sunset here too!

My favourite part of Site 3 (and the kiddos' too!) was this gorgeous rock-hugging tree! 

Tent pad.

Keji has great bear hang systems, but this one was frayed, and I got a splinter from it, so do be careful! 

There is my recommendation for a first time backcountry hike with your kiddos in Nova Scotia! Now get outdoors and enjoy some nature time with your wee ones! 

Backcountry Hiking Camping at Kejimkujik National Park with a 2-year-old

Day 1

The whole drive we had beautiful weather, and the moment we arrived in Maitland Bridge, it began to rain. We didn't care; we were PUMPED! We checked in, had a picnic lunch, geared up, and off we went hiking to our site. We were to hike 5km on Channel Lake trail to our site. We noticed where several trails split that ours looked immediately beautiful but also a bit more rugged than we expected to see right away. Two-year-old H was excited by the natural beauty surrounding us and ready to go! So much moss, colourful fungi, and stunningly tall trees! The rain was present but light enough to still snap photos at first!

Channel Lake trail

Our stroller hiking plan made me uneasy pretty early on as the trail was narrower than expected and we were trying not to interfere with the infringing plant and fungal life. As a result, we seemed to be stroller-portaging much more than we had hoped. But I talked myself out of worry by telling myself I was over-anxious as it was our first time backpacking with H. Well, a few kilometres later and we decided one thing was clear: Channel Lake trail is NOT for strollers! We parked the stroller and carried on with plan to return for the stroller in the AM. At this point, we were soaked to our undies. (It was pouring beyond photos!) A boardwalk, a few bogs, some flooded trail, and a fallen tree so enormous that the only way around it was to army crawl under its enormous piercing branches later and... we decided that it might be best to take up that offer by the park attendant for a campsite with a shorter hike! With a sad feeling of quitting, we hiked out as fast as possible to keep up with daylight (30ish lbs on our backs and taking turns with 30 lbs of baby in our arms). In the end, we wrung out our clothes in the visitors' centre and proceeded with a small change of plans: shorter/easier hike in on Big Dam Lake Trail. We settled in a cozy, dry tent and felt grateful for shelter and each others' spirits! All in, we had hiked approximately 10 km on Day 1.

Day 2

What a fantastic morning! After a loud night of rain that was rhythmically hypnotizing, we were up and ready for warm beverages and oats in our bellies! We had not planned on much hiking on Day 2, but we had to return to Channel Lake Trail for a bit to retrieve yesterday's abandoned mission: the stroller. Garbage bag-lined boots and off we went! It was a fabulous day! H loved hiking, the acorns, seeing our food hoisted in the air, and fetching water. Potty training in the backcountry was a little bit on the unsuccessful side, but hey! She was in her glory to spend all day outside spying on woodpeckers and toads!

Fetching water for breakfast

An exciting moment for a 2-year-old: Food hoisting time!

Big Dam Lake trail

She was thrilled to nap on her sleeping pad!

Enormous trees!

My favourite little fungi!

Once she was asleep, Mama and Papa built a fire, observed some really bright stars and meteors, and listened to the coyotes howl.

Sunset on Big Dam Lake

Day 3

Not the last day already! We had such an awesome time even with our change of plans. We ate well, snuggled lots, sang a tonne, and giggled like crazy! After packing up and hiking out on a much easier trail, we returned to civilization and checked out Mill Falls and Merrymakedge Beach! Beautiful weather and gorgeous scenery! Til next time Keji! You rock!