An integral part of any successful hiking excursion is pre-trip research. With websites (like this one) making resource-hunting easier than ever before, less and less frequently do you see prospective hikers turning to the printed page for advice. Despite a large amount of advice around, websites will rarely have the space to dig as deep as a good book does. When it comes to comprehensive topics, a good hiking book will provide everything you need inside of it.

Banff National Park is one of the most beautiful parks on earth. A massive 6600+ square kilometres of area, Banff National Park is full of a variety of attractions that draw in massive crowds every year. With a charming town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, local museums, nature centres, and restaurants, there’s no shortage of things to do. For those tempted to explore the scenery up close, Banff National Park offers so many outdoor recreation opportunities it will make your head spin!

Backcountry camping can become an expensive habit pretty quickly. As a beginner hiker or even an experienced backcountry sportsperson, you start to look at what you are going to spend for the best gear and you start cutting corners. Believe me, this happens to everyone. Eventually as you get into the habit more and more, you can invest a bit each adventure to build up your roster of good equipment. In the meantime, you might be looking for essentials that enhance your backcountry experience.

Writing a trip itinerary is a critical component of any trip preparation, and not something people should neglect doing. A trip itinerary is designed to provide both your friend and the authorities adequate information about where you are, and how to find you in case something goes wrong. When embarking on a trail, someone else who is not with you should know where you are. An accurate trip itinerary can save your life if you are put in a bad situation.

As a newcomer to any sport, you might be enthusiastic to get out there and enjoy your first backpacking trip. It’s easy for a new hiker to get overwhelmed by the amount of information out there, and end up making typical mistakes in preparing and doing your first few multi-day journeys. Here are 10 mistakes that new backpackers make, and how to avoid them: 1. Overpacking One of the most common first-timer mistakes when it comes to backpacking is overpacking their bag.