Resources and Links
These web sites will give you information about the parks, their history, activities, weather, trail reports and more:
Glacier National Park
Mount Revelstoke National Park
Accommodation, Food, Tourist Attractions and Visitor Information for the City of Revelstoke:
www.seerevelstoke.com
Here are some tips that will help make your time with Outside Insights more enjoyable:
Equipment
Hiking is a relatively simple mode of travel. However, there is some important
equipment to have with you that will make your hike much more enjoyable.
Let's start from the bottom up...
Boots
A good pair of leather or goretex, lace up boots with a vibram sole is a good
place to start. Runners are not recommended as they don't give ankle support
and they don't have as good a tread if the trails are wet. Though we prefer ankle top leather or goretex, a pair of "light
hikers" should be sufficient. What is most important is that your boots are
broken in and well fitting, so you don't get blisters on your hike!
Wool socks are better than cotton. You should wear the same type of socks that you
used to fit the boots when you bought them.
Pants or Shorts?
It can get cold in the mountains any day of the year. For this reason, you should
always have a pair of pants (wind pants, tights) to put on over shorts, just in
case. Pants with zips that turn into shorts are great. Try to get a pair with
side zips, so you don't have to take your boots off when you de-layer.
Upper Body
Wool, silk or synthetic fabric will wick the moisture away and keep you warmer and
drier. Avoid cotton as it will get wet and cool you off when you want to stay
warm! A synthetic T-shirt, a zip-turtleneck, a fleece jacket, and a wind shirt
are all recommended items to bring. Bring extra layers as you can always leave
them behind before you start your hike.
Rain Gear
It can rain or snow any day of the year! It's best to be prepared and have both
rain jacket and pants.
Toque or Wool hat
Like your Mom said, if you're cold put on a toque! This is a small but very handy
item to have if the temperature drops or the wind starts to blow.
Gloves or Mittens
As with the above item, gloves or mitts can be very handy in a summer snowstorm!
Ball Cap
Helps keep the sun off your face.
Sunglasses
Very important with the intense solar radiation that occurs in the mountains.
Sunscreen
Very important to protect your skin and lips; the mountains have clear air and intense sun!
Water Bottles
1-2 litres is good for a half day hike and 2-3 litres is good for a full day hike.
Lunch and Snacks
The adage: "eat small amounts often" is a good way to fuel your day. You will be
expending lots of energy and you want to replenish the food stores with small
energy-rich snacks through the day.
Day Pack
Well, you have to carry all the above items in something! A well fitted pack will
ride comfortably on your back through the day.
Ski Poles
We highly recommend one or two poles for hiking. They take about 40% of the stress off your knees and can help with balance. That means more time looking up and enjoying the scenery!
