A shortened version of the trail over 4 days and 3 nights.

This backcountry trek is not for the first time hiker. The trail is in a remote area, and there are many opportunities to get hurt. Do your homework and make sure you are prepared. …

North Coast Trail is an adventure for the hard core.

A much easier itinerary — in our opinion — is starting at Cape Scott Trail parking lot (getting there by personal vehicle or Shuttle Van) -> hiking as far into the North Coast Trail as you wish -> then backtracking to the parking lot.

IF you insist on doing the full bushwhack, watch this video.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Located just southeast of Kelowna, this flat, wide gravel path crosses 18 historic wooden trestle bridges and 2 cliffside rock tunnels over a 12-kilometer span.

I’m cycling the Trans Canada Trail to Calgary for the second time. But this was my 3rd time riding Myra Canyon. In fact, I did it both ways this time. Twice the fun.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

BEST is the climate. You can hike year round.

This is not true in most of the rest of the Great White North. Winters are harsh.

Gemma and JR posted a terrific summary of what to do when on Vancouver Island.

My favourite weeks are September to early October. The crowds are gone. But the weather still (usually) quite warm.

Read more:

Best Time to Visit Vancouver Island: A Seasonal Breakdown

Interesting. But more expensive.

Read the Gear Junkie review.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Tyler Campbell was on that adventure, as well. Here are a few of his excellent photos.

Follow him on Instagram.

In 2025, visiting friends in Kelowna, British Columbia, I saw the Knox Mountain via Apex Trail listed #1 for the city on AllTrails.

It was my first hike in the city of Kelowna.

Back again in 2026 for a reunion, we did plenty of day hiking.

Early morning I climbed Mount Knox Summit, enjoying the vista.

I made a SHORTS video.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Of course we did a number of walks on the lovely Okanagan Lake waterfront.

We got a close-up view of an Osprey nest.

Most often, however, were a number of day hikes through Knox Mountain Park.

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

The landlocked mountain kingdom of Lesotho is an enclave completely surrounded by South Africa.

Population just over two million, about 40% of the population lives below the international poverty line of US $1.25 a day. It’s one of the poorest nations on Earth.

The easiest way to hike Lesotho is by guided day tour ($50) out of Amphitheater Backpackers in the northern Drakensberg.

Our first stop was at Mafika-Lisiu school, the only one for many miles. Amphitheater Backpackers built a classroom.

One of the teachers joined us as an assistant guide. Local information, first hand.

This teacher has been waiting nearly 2yrs for a visa that would allow him to visit South Africa as a tourist.

Lesotho once had the opportunity to join South Africa, but the leaders — considered very corrupt — declined.

Many families here are self-sufficient, not much using currency. Maize is the primary crop. 75% of the population is rural.

No electricity. No formal shops. The school does have a football field.

From the school we hiked up to see some of the famous cave paintings.

Sadly, many had been defaced.

Again we saw plentiful bird life, but no wildlife. This was the wildest creature en route.

From the caves our group had the option to extend the hike up on to a ridge.

Hans loved the tranquility of the valley.

There are “roads” in Lesotho, but most are awful.

Hans signed on for the tour because he wanted to see a traditional African healer.

She’s entirely self-taught. Her healing ability is a “gift” first revealed in dreams.

Here is her home.

I’m a skeptic of natural medicine. But most people in Lesotho do not have the money nor transportation to make the long trip to a clinic or hospital. She is all they’ve got.

Her bedside manner is excellent. Warm and charismatic.

One tidbit we learned is that the traditional round houses with thatched roofs are slowly being phased out. Thatch is expensive in 2014. And must be replaced regularly.

Children here do not have much. The healer married at age-20 and had had 8 children.

Kids seem to roam about unattended by parents. They are raised (and disciplined) by the village.

AIDS infects about ⅓ of the population. But we heard nothing of that on the tour.

Theft of animals is the most worrisome “crime” in Lesotho. Though the kids are ignored, valuable stock animals are watched closely.

One local man was trying to chase down a young cow while we were there.

more photos

Full disclosure: I had been booked on a serious 8hr mountain climb for this day. But opted out, switching to the Lesotho cultural tour instead. After only one day in the summer sun, I was too sunburned to risk a tough climb.

A wonderful trip.

END of video he goes over logistics of how we can do it ourselves.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Surprisingly, he passed another prominent YouTuber on the trail ➙ Eva zu Beck.
She had more problems:

I Took My Dog on Scotland’s Most Dramatic Trail (75 Miles)

I’ll be day hiking and camping en route.

My ride is a Trek Checkpoint ARL 4. I’ve done thousands of KMs on it already.

Front Pannier 1 – Camping

• Hubba NX 1 Tent
• NeoAir XLite NXT Max Sleeping Pad
• NeoAir UberLite Sleeping Pad (pillow)
• Revelation Quilt
• FLEXTAILGEAR Portable Air Pump
• Inflatables glue & patch kits
• Camping Chair
• Red Nike quick dry t-shirt / pillow case
• Tent socks

Front Pannier 2 – Clothing

• New Balance 1260s 4E 9.5 w additional insoles
• Crocs Camp Shoes
• Janji Transit Tech Pant
• Lifaloft Insulator hooded Jacket with stuff sack
• Mountain Hardware Jacket & stuff sack
• Baleef Running shorts x 3
• City Shorts Janji
• Black summer Buff x 2
• Radar Pocket Cap
• Long Brim cap
• Wool blend t-shirts x 3
• Best Hike t-shirt
• Danish Endurance Socks x 3
• Cycling Shorts
• Cycling Vest
• Cycling Beanie Cap
• Cycling Helmet
• Frogg Toggs Rain Pants
• Frogg Toggs Rain Jacket
• Towel

Rear Pannier 1 – Electronics

I have 3 cameras. iPhone 17. Action Camera. And a Drone.

HIGH priority for me is ensuring I can keep ALL the batteries charged. Here’s how I could recharge with just one electrical plug. In a library, for example.

• Matein day pack
• Anker Wall Plug & Charging Station
• Neo 2 Drone & Case
• Action Camera
• Jaws GoPro Clamp Handlebar Mount
• Cloth Shopping Bag
• iPhone 17 Pro Max and cable (camera)
• Flexible Tripod
• iPhone 16 Pro and cable (phone) for Navigation
• QuadLock iPhone 16 Pro MAG, Screen Protector
• EarPods & cable
• Extra EarPod for sleep
• Apple Watch & cable
• INIU 20000mAh battery x 2
• AirTag in Hip Pack
• AirTag in Laptop Bag
• Air Tag in Bike
• Razor and cable
• M5 Macbook Air Laptop
• External Hard Drive for Time Machine
• Long Anker cables USB-C x 2
• Laptop Dongle
• Nitecore Headlamp & Cable
• Unit 1 Batteries for Bicycle Lights
• Electric Shaver & Cord
• Red Electronics Accessories Bag
• AllTrails Pro app
• Gaia GPS Pro app
• Trailforks Pro app

Rear Pannier 2 – Everything Else

• Duffle (for airline / bus /car gear transport)
• Waterproof Ditty stuff sack (green)
• Denture tablets
• Fingernail clippers
• Asperine
• Tums
• Vitamin Gummies
• Creatine Gummies
• First aid kit
• Sun screen
• Hand sanitizer x 3
• Prescriptions
• Toilet paper
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Bandaids
• Soap paper
• Vaseline
• Moisturizing Cream
• Garbage bags
• Fire Starter
• Orange Cord
• Mosquito Head Net
• Zip ties
• Orange Flagging Tape
• Bike Pump
• Duct Tape pencil
• Medical Gloves
• Bike Tube x 1
• Bike gear attachment cords x 2
• Tiny Handlebar Bike attachments

Top Bag – Food

• Ortlieb Rackpack 31 Top Bag
• Tent Poles
• Bear Vault
• Ursack
• FOOD
• Fuel
• Water Purification Tablets
• Pot scrubber
• PocketRocket Deluxe Stove
• Titan Kettle
• Mug
• Bowl
• Long Lighter x 2
• Wash Cloth

Handlebar Bar

• Ortlieb Ultimate Six Free 5L Handlebar Bag
• Cameras
• Snacks
• Bike Lock
• Sunglasses
• Magnetic Knife & Fork
• Combat Wipes
• Sametop Clamp Tripod
• Magnetic Lights & Clip-on Attachment

Repair Kit Under Saddle

• Repair Tool
• Army Knife
• Tire Levers x 2
• Oil
• Plastic Glove

Hip Pack – Valuables

• 2 Credit Cards & Bank Card
• Cash
• Driver’s licence
• Wallet
• Travel insurance
• Health insurance card 
• Metal Spoon

Clothing for Cycling

Varying day-by-day, most of the time I’ll be wearing this kit.

Hydration is CRITICAL.

I really enjoyed a couple of weeks alongside thru hikers in a hot, dry desert section of the PCT.

Click PLAY or watch my highlights on YouTube. (6min)

Hot, dry — but not flat. I ended up on the summits of Mt. San Jacinto (10,834 ft) and Mt. Baden-Powell (9,399 ft). Then had to descend.

Palm Springs to Agua Dulce is about 245 PCT miles. My section was mostly rocky, sun-baked canyons and scrub.

Many complain about the relentless wind. Personally, I like wind as it cools you off.

I skipped some of those miles taking 3 rides along the way. Of course I added miles hiking in from the Palm Springs Tramway. And ALL hikers add miles when they hike into and out of resupply stops.

I flew into Palm Springs. Bought camping gas and stopped at a grocery. Then took the bus to the bottom of famed Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

Turns out there’s no public transit for the last 3 miles. Oops. Happily, a guy on a motorcycle noticed my dilemma, offering a lift to the base. My first Trail Angel.

Within an hour, I had my only real injury. Standing up, I forgot I was wearing a heavy pack, and fell backwards over a rock. Getting scratched up. … Dumb mistake.

I enjoyed the short side trip to San Jacinto Peak. It’s over 10,000 feet higher than Palm Springs.

I camped nearby. And was surprisingly chilly in the sleeping bag.

Rather than post a day-by-day account, here are major themes of my 2 weeks on trail.

Priorities

• Staying Hydrated
• Foot Care
• Avoiding Heat Emergencies

Wild Camping

About 5:30pm I’d start looking for a campsite. Ideally near a water source.

IF there is a Bear Locker, use it. At the excellent Little Jimmy Campground we advised everyone to lock up food and backpacks.

About 2am a bear arrived to check if lockers were closed. Checked every tent. Started dragging a backpack out of a vestibule as it had some food in it. The hiker (now known as Bear Bait) shouted and had a tug-of-war with the beast, eventually winning the battle for his pack.

If there is no Bear Locker, hang your backpack away from insects & rodents.

I had my food in an Ursack, and tied it away on a tree.

I do love having a picnic table.

As it turned out, I only put my fly on the tent 2 nights of 17. Why didn’t somebody tell me it never rains in southern California?

Foot Care

As I’d suffered blisters on the PCT once in the past, this time I brought 2 pairs of hiking shoes, both about 1.5 sizes larger than what I wear in the city. And both were WIDE sized.

I changed shoes regularly. Changed socks often. Washed and cooled my feet every chance I got. And it worked.

Near the end of my desert hiking, I bought a pair of Injinji toesocks. I think they might have helped, too.

Pack Weight

Only hiking a couple of weeks, my pack was heavier than most. Starting with 10 meals, carrying 3-4 litres of water, it might have been close to 40 pounds.

After a week or so, it was near 32 pounds.

The lighter, the better. I did find my pack too heavy.

On the other hand, I love my pack itself ➙ the Hyperlite Unbound 55 Backpack.

Here’s my full gear list. You can decide what I should have left behind.

Risk of Heat Emergency

Personally, I love the southern California weather. Sunny and dry. Day after day of blue skies.

Of course I kept covered up as much as possible. A sun hoodie is essential.

I did use a hiking umbrella for the first time. IF it was very hot. I found it easier to carry and adjust for wind often, rather than tie it on to my pack. They are popular in the desert section with PCT hikers.

One very experienced desert hiker known as Iceaxe suffered from a long day in the sun. Two day hikers helped get him to town where he took a zero to recover. We camped for free behind a pub.

At one of the rare hoses, PCT girls gone wild soaked themselves. Smart.

Water

Much discussion regards water sources in the desert. And how many litres to carry. Often I started with 3-4 litres. The heaviest thing in my pack.

Most hikers filtered almost everything. For me boiling is best. If the water looked great — directly from a high mountain spring — I did not treat. If worried, I threw in a purification tablet & flavouring. Usually Mio.

I probably should have had an electrolyte replacement like Tailwind.

Trail Magic

Wonderful on the PCT is when you arrive near a roadway and find that some volunteer has left water and/or treats for hikers.

My best Trail Magic was hiking in to find Marco all set up in a parking lot.

Many hikers stayed for hours enjoying his cold drinks, fresh fruit, hot dogs, and burritos. He’d driven 3 hours from home to provide help in a tough spot on the trail. In fact, I’m now planning to join Marco on an adventure next summer.

Thru Hikers

The highlight for me was meeting and chatting with people crazy enough to want to hike continually for months. Here are 2 legends known as Canadian Bacon. They’d finish the entire PCT in 2026, their last section over a number of years.

The guy I met most likely to finish the entire PCT in one year was Roman from Switzerland. He hadn’t acquired a trail name, as yet. Here he is after one month, looking like he just got off the plane. With a budget of $10,000 and no injuries, so far, Roman’s cruising to Canada.

Cheating

From Palm Springs to Agua Dulce, 3 times I skipped miles, taking motor vehicles. Only the purists — like Roman — do every single mile. It’s often logistically smart to bypass difficult sections.

For example, I shared a Lyft from Whitewater to Big Bear to avoid a huge, hot climb.

OUT of Big Bear, however, it’s a huge hot climb of thousands of feet to the top of Mount Baden-Powell.

Food & Resupply

Like most others, I indulged in high calorie food every chance I got.

All these hikers gorging at McDonalds swear they never enter the place in their real lives.

On the trail, I carried a stove and made up meals that had been flash frozen by my niece Stacey. Delicious.

Forest Fire

Happily, my 2 weeks were unaffected by fires in 2026. We saw smoke behind us one day. And hiked sections that had been burnt in recent decades.

Road Walking

One mandatory detour had us road walking. Surprisingly, I found it a refreshing change.

Navigation

Almost everyone uses the expensive FarOut PCT app. It works offline and has some up-to-date comments on waypoints that are super valuable.

On the other hand, the interface is ugly and not detailed enough. I often switched to the free Maps.me app offline. Every hiker gets lost, sooner or later.

There is signage. But it’s not always clear which way to go when you reach an intersection.

Ticks and Snakes

I found one tick on my leg. Removed it before a bite. And saw one tick on a leaf.

It’s an issue, for sure, in southern California. I carried tweezers specifically for tick removal, if necessary.

Check this post ➙ PCT First Aid.

I saw 3 snakes over two weeks. No Rattlers. The only one of the 3 that stood still for a photo was this friendly Gopher Snake.

It’s quite common to find Rattle Snakes close to the trail.

Mosquitoes and Biting Flies

Surprisingly, I suffered many campsites with annoying insects. This despite the weather being hot and dry.

Keep your tent closed or you may have to hunt down mosquitoes before going to sleep.

Getting off the PCT

I finished my 2 weeks at Farmer John’s excellent Serenity’s Oasis in Agua Dulce.

A professional chef grilled New York steak on the barbecues provided.

Most hikers needing to leave the trail on my section try to find a bus heading west to Los Angeles.

I convinced friends to drive 5 hours and pick me up. Calling it a desert rescue.

Great fun. I certainly will try to hike more sections of the PCT in future.