We stand on Coyote Plateau, high above the Rocky Mountain Trench. Our group of 12 teens from across the Columbia Basin survey the same sweeping landscape that has captivated people for countless generations.
There’s very little water in this section of the Top of the World Provincial Park. Springs and creeks siphon into the swiss-cheese limestone beneath our feet, making the plateau’s few water-accessible campsites particularly valuable.
There’s perhaps nowhere better to learn about prehistory, wildlife, natural processes, and the magic and inspiration of local Ktunaxa history than the southern Rockies. There’s evidence of historic Ktunaxa travellers everywhere we look, their footsteps echoing from millenia past along our same travel route. We find piles of flaked chert (hard, fine-grained sedimentary rock) from tool-making, old meat caches, tent rings, and evidence of ancient hunting techniques. In what feels like a rare gift, we also find two intact arrowheads and one broken one. We take photos then leave them as they were found.
These kinds of unexpected discoveries are what makes Go Wild! so special.
Go Wild! is a five-day backpacking trip hosted by Wildsight that takes teens into the Kootenay backcountry to explore mountain ranges, develop camping and hiking skills, and learn firsthand about our wild backyards.
This year’s route through the Rocky Mountains offered an extraordinary amount of discoveries, including hundreds of fossils; rugose, tube, and colonial corals, fossilized clams, snails, and even ammonites.
Mountain Goats were a common sight on the ramparts above and near camp. And the mid-elevation flowers filling in the scar from the 2023 Top of the World wildfire were some of the best colour shows any of us had ever seen, offering a powerful look into the restorative potential of wildfire.
Fellow trip leader Leah Evans and I learn something new on every Go Wild! adventure, and every participant brings their own unique strength and perspective to the group.
One of our highlights this summer was watching the team come together. Teens aged 14 to 18 from across the Columbia Basin worked together, supported one another and made the most of our time in the mountains.
For returning participant Amelia Stewart, Go Wild! offers something difficult to find in daily life: a step away from a technology-driven world and a chance to be immersed in nature.
“I really like being disconnected from modern technology. Even if you’re actively trying to stay off it, it can be really hard,” Amelia shares. “Being out and reconnecting with nature, and also getting to hang out with a bunch of really awesome people, is fun.”
Getting to the trailhead was an adventure in itself this year as wildfire closures forced the group to delay and take a long detour to the trailhead. But Amelia says the challenges were worth it for the experience.
“There were mountains everywhere, and just so many fossils! Dave and Leah knew so much about everything, and being able to learn so much was amazing,” she says.
As a returning participant, Amelia found that knowing what to expect made the trip a little easier the second time around. But she encourages anyone who loves being in the mountains, wants a break from everyday life and is eager to learn more about the backcountry to give Go Wild! a try.
“It was an awesome program,” Amelia concludes.
Go Wild! Offers an unique experience for youth to connect with nature, other like-minded youth from across the Basin, and with themselves as they discover how powerful the wilderness can be.
After approximately 20 years of Go Wild!, this program continues to be a highlight of Leah’s and my summers, just as we see it being a highlight for many of our participants. We try to keep costs down, and we are always looking for supporters of wilderness and youth leadership to help fund this trip. To support opportunities like this for other students, donate here.
