Outdoor Gear

Wed 14 Jan 2015 Tom Wilson Outdoor Gear / Trekking Poles Comments Off on Preparing for the Season – Part 1 – Equipment / / /

Preparing for the Season – Part 1 – Equipment

A new year has begun, 2015, and it is time to start preparing for the upcoming hiking season.  The first order of business is to do an inventory of your equipment, review the condition of the equipment and see what needs to be replace before the season starts. Here is a checklist to help you...Read more

Sun 24 Mar 2013 Tom Wilson Backpacker Magazine / Hiking Tips / MEC / Outdoor Gear Comments Off on Gear Guides & Trip Planning / / / /

Gear Guides & Trip Planning

As March days come to an end, I look forward to April – the dream month. The time when the 2013 gear guides of Backpacker, Explore and Outside Magazines come out and Mountain Equipment catalogue.  It gets you in the right frame of mind to start thinking about potential outdoor adventures,...Read more

Mon 09 Apr 2012 Tom Wilson Cabot Trail / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Middlehead Hiking Trail / Outdoor Gear / Photography Comments Off on Hiking Middle Head on Easter Sunday / / / /

Hiking Middle Head on Easter Sunday

It was a cool and breezy day when I got of the car and headed to the trailhead of Middle Head, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Ingonish Beach.  It wasn’t long on the trail when I switched apparell – put on a toque and winter gloves.  It felt like winter hiking today rather than...Read more

Sun 01 Apr 2012 Tom Wilson Cabot Trail / Cape Breton Island / Dressing in Layers / Fleece Jackets / gaiters / Outdoor Gear / Photography / Red ISland Hiking Trail / Trekking Poles Comments Off on Spring Hiking – Red Island Trail / / / / / /

Spring Hiking – Red Island Trail

Like most hikers at this time of the year, it is hard to say no when the warm weather hits and its a beautiful day out there.  Off we went to the Red Island trail, Indian Brook, on Cabot Trail.  There was alot of discussion – will there be snow on the trail, can we […]Read more

Wed 14 Mar 2012 Tom Wilson Hiking / Hiking Boots / Outdoor Gear / Photography Comments Off on Cape Chignecto Coastal Hiking Trail / / /

Cape Chignecto Coastal Hiking Trail

A trail system that has caught my eye for the past few years has been the  Cape Chignecto Provincial Park – a wilderness hiking park.  The park officially opened in 1998 with eight trails for hikers to enjoy including the Cape Chignecto Coastal Trail.  This provincial park is managed by...Read more

Sat 03 Sep 2011 Tom Wilson 2011 Hike the Highlands Festival / Baselayers / CBHNP / Dressing in Layers / Fleece Jackets / gaiters / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking Boots / Hiking Tips / Mid-Layer / Nordic Walking Poles / Outdoor Gear / Packs / Raingear / Trekking / Trekking Poles Comments Off on Checklist for Hiking / / / / / / / /

Checklist for Hiking

With the 2011 Hike the Highlands festival starting in less than a week, it is important to have your checklist ready for hiking so you pack your daypack  and enjoy the day hiking, 1) Weather reports – always check the weather reports before you start out hiking for the day. You can then pack...Read more

Tue 31 May 2011 Tom Wilson Acadien Hiking Trail / Baselayers / Cape Breton Highlands 3 Peaks Challenge / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / cross-country skiing / Franey Hiking Trail / Hiking Boots / Outdoor Gear / Roberts Mountain / Trekking Poles Comments Off on Hiking Challenges for Cape Breton Highlands in 2011 / / /

Hiking Challenges for Cape Breton Highlands in 2011

The year 2011 can be declared the year of hiking challenges in the Cape Breton Highlands.  Here are just a few below : 1) The Cape Breton Highlands National Park celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2011 has issued a 75 km hiking challenge from May to October.  You cannot hike on the same...Read more

Tue 31 May 2011 Tom Wilson Baselayers / Cape Breton Highlands 3 Peaks Challenge / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / Clyburn Valley hiking Trail / Dressing in Layers / gaiters / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking Boots / Hiking Tips / Nature & Landscape Photography / Outdoor Gear / Packs / Uncategorized Comments Off on Tips for the Start of Hiking Season / / / /

Tips for the Start of Hiking Season

Generally, the Victoria Day weekend is the start of the hiking season in the Cape Breton Highlands area for many hikers. You can expect wet conditions, some windfalls, cold temps, winds and much more. Here are some tips to get ready for the season: 1) develop a checklist for your hiking equipment,...Read more

Tue 26 Apr 2011 Tom Wilson Baselayers / Dressing in Layers / Fleece Jackets / gaiters / Hiking Tips / Mid-Layer / Outdoor Gear / Photography / spring hiking / Trekking Poles Comments Off on Some Tips for Spring Hiking / / /

Some Tips for Spring Hiking

Getting an early start to hiking season is what most hikers want but it forces us to hike in wet spring like conditions and in snow sometimes. Here are some tips to start the season off early: 1)  Crossing streams – With melting snow and milder conditions, streams are higher this time of the...Read more