Explore Magazine – Spring 2026 – Explore Magazine

In 2025, I hiked the renewed trail. he moment I stepped onto the rocky path, it felt like seeing an old friend. In 2021, a flood tore through Mount Robson Provincial Park, destroying the trail to Berg Lake. Heat-dome melt, pounding rain and the surging Robson River erased more than two-thirds of the route. The valley went silent. Bridges vanished.

Campsites were crushed under limestone and shale. For more than three years, Berg Lake existed only in memory. When the route reopened last year, the rebirth came with new crossings, rebuilt campsites and a smarter, more resilient layout. The trail was ready to tell its story again. My partner Amy and I managed to snag two reservation dates—one mid-summer, one early fall.

Two seasons. Two visits. One renewed trail. We met our friend and hiking buddy, Tyler, to begin our three-day trek. Old- growth cedar and hemlock rose around us like pillars in a green cathedral. Moss wrapped the trunks in centuries-old shawls, and the air held the heavy coolness I remembered. The trunks felt older yet somehow refreshed. When we reached Kinney Lake after four kilometres, the water sat still and pale under soft light.

Its surface mirrored the sky and shoreline with a calm I felt in my chest. After years of living in the U.K.’s constant bustle, finding this kind of stillness was why I’d called the Rockies home for almost 10 years now. That night, as Amy and I lay in our tent, I thought about how the flood had hit this area with seemingly impossible force. More than 70 percent of the route was damaged, and dozens of hikers had to be evacuated by helicopter.

The rebuild came in phases over several years, each step bringing the trail a little closer to being whole again. Engineering moved the path away from vulnerable banks and added flexible bridges where the river might change its course. When it was finally ready to welcome adventurers again, the trail was different from what I had known. It felt wiser. Fragments of washed-out bridges and thoughtful stonework greeted us as we rose into strenuous switchbacks that assisted in our ascent.

The approach to Whitehorn Campground had a familiar soundtrack, even though its route was new.

Nestled in the Rocky Mountains of southeast British Columbia, Fernie is where rugged beauty meets a warm welcome. Uncrowded, yet packed with adventure, Fernie invites you to explore, connect, and embrace the thrill of the outdoors. A scenic 3-hour drive from Calgary, AB or a short flight from Vancouver, BC to the Canadian Rockies International Airport (YXC). ExperienceFernie.com | #ferniestoke | Hiking • Mountain Biking • Rafting, Kayaking, SUP • World-class Fly Fishing • Dining • Shopping • Spa Find Adventure in the Rockies CONTENTS SPRING 2026 230 NO. D E P A R T M E N T S F E A T U R E S 30 40 58 4 COMPASS A New Journey 6 LOWDOWN Explore NOW, RV through Northern BC and the Yukon, Your next spring read, 10 of the best islands in Canada, Ontario paddle routes for RV campers, Run to hike 20 JOURNAL Coming Home 22 PROFILES Paul Verchere 24 FIRESIDE RANT Not Taxing Enough 26 WILD SIDE Overcrowded and Commercialized 28 JOURNAL How to Be Canadian 62 FUN PAGE Respectful Wildlife 66 THE MOMENT Northern Lights in the Canadian Rockies ON THE COVER: Adventurer Amy Walker explores Bluff Head Cove in the iceberg capital of Canada: Twillingate, Newfoundland.

By Will Lambert RETURNING TO BERG LAKE Five years ago, the Berg Lake Trail disappeared. In 2025, I hiked the renewed trail. By Will Lambert LIFE LOST, LEGACY CREATED How a drowning tragedy helped save outdoor education in Canada. By Ryan Stuart T R A V E L BIG RIVER SOLITUDE A solo kayak trip down the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories. By Frank Wolf SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS (AND TRAILHEADS) IN TAIWAN Why isn’t one of the world’s most mountainous countries more well-known for outdoor adventures?

By Ai-Men Lau 3 ello! If we haven’t met yet, I’m delighted to make your acquaintance. I’m Alison, the new editor of explore™. For the past 10 years, I’ve been writing stories, editing articles and learning from president and publisher David Webb. Now, he’s focusing on enhancing the explore™ brand and all our media channels, while handing me the trail map of this prestigious print publication. My path to get here started long before my first article for explore™ in 2016. It started with my dad. Tall as a tree at a lumbering six-foot-seven, my dad was always someone I looked up to.

He worked as a forest guardian and rappelled from helicopters to fight wildfires after moving from Ontario to northern Alberta. My dad inspired my love of the outdoors.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: 691d932da125d6cb
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 34,090,155 bytes (32.511 MB)
• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• Pages: 69
• Language: English (en)

Reading & Word Statistics

• Estimated Reading Time: 114.17 minutes
• Total Words: 22,834
• Total Characters: 138,038
• Average Words per Page: 330.93
• Average Characters per Page: 2000.55

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