Skip the fancy hotels and plan an overlanding adventure that you will never forget.
OVERLANDING is self-reliant travel to remote destinations where the journey is the main goal.
With some research we decided that we would rent overlanding vehicles from Hastings Overland in Vancouver and head to the backcountry of Squamish. (Update: Hastings Overland is no longer available, but there are a few other suppliers in the area)
The Jeeps were brand new JEEP Rubicons and completely kitted out with everything you need to make the camping experience great. From Jet Boil burners to plates and utensils, from sleeping bags to pillows, from a hatchet to jerry cans, from SPOT to internal GPS systems, there was nothing left to buy except food, drinks and firewood.
The owners at Hastings Overland helped us determine what our route should be, but we also bought the Backroad Mapbooks – Vancouver, Coast and Mountains BC edition – and we researched logging roads and Rec campsites. Not only are Rec Sites free, they are all first come, first serve, so always have a back-up plan.
We are not going to reveal which locations we picked, as part of the experience is exploring and finding your own fun spot. BUT, what we will say is this – the views from our window were spectacular and we had the choice of the best spots.
It turns out, the tent is really easy to put up . Simply unzip, pull the ladder out and down which pops up the tent, and then place the metal braces to keep window covers open. Simple as that!
As first time campers the little things were not so little and felt like such huge accomplishments when we figured them out. We are not gourmet chefs at home, so cooking in the backcountry was definitely a challenge!
BE PREPARED: If you are in grizzly country make sure you have a bear spray and know how to use it. We also carried a Leatherman Multi-tool so that we were ready for anything.
LEAVE NO TRACE: Leave the area better than you found it. There will always be those people that don’t care and leave their beer cans and their garbage around. Pick it up and haul it out with you. The Jeeps come with a bin on the roof for hauling out garbage.
If you are new to backcountry camping learn best practices on how to poop in the woods and how to build a campfire that won’t set the whole forest ablaze.
The one thing to remember is that you are not on a schedule. Relax, take your time and enjoy the experience. It may not always be perfect, but it is the way the best memories are made.