More than any other season, the pull to go outside seems to tug the strongest in the summer. Maybe it’s the undeniable bliss that comes when you combine warm sunshine with a cool breeze? Perhaps it’s the sound of mom shouting “turn that thing off and go play outside!” that still echoes in our minds, surfacing from our subconscious whenever the mercury goes above 20? Or maybe it’s just the return to the air of those dearly missed birdsongs, those whiffs of forgotten scents drifting from the valley and all those colours that seem brighter than ever after months spent painting with a mostly white palette?
It’s probably a bit of all of the above and so much more, which makes the big question every year not so much “why should we go outside?” but rather “what should we do once we’re past the front step?”. And sometimes it’s that second question that presents the biggest roadblock to stepping away from the A/C, whether for ourselves or for the kids we’re trying to encourage out the door.
To help with this predicament, we’ve put together a bunch of upcoming Wildsight events and programs that might just help you or someone you know get outside, get connected with nature and learn all about our wild backyard. Whether it’s learning to forage on one of the many excellent Wild Nature Tours or sending the 14-18 year old in your life off on a life-changing Go Wild! backpacking adventure; whether it’s the season long activities at Golden’s Get Wild Summer day camp or our annual hike to Jumbo Pass, we’ve got a little something for everyone.
Invermere’s Wild Nature Tours is teaming up with Nathalie Forrest from Invermere Yoga for this unique contemplative approach to building presence and connection with yourself and nature. [MORE INFO…]Led by naturalist Lee-Anne Walker, this Fernie Wild Nature Tours hike gives you a chance to discover the ancient geological history of the Elk Valley and visit one of the best preserved ammonite fossils. [MORE INFO…]Interested in local environmental issues? Enjoy spending time in the outdoors? Come volunteer with the Invasive Plant Program along the scenic Kicking Horse River in Golden, BC for the 10th annual Community Weed Pull Event! [MORE INFO…]The natural world supports our human creativity. Join Shuswap elder Elder Verna Stevens on this Invermere Wild Nature Tour, where you will make a ponderosa pine needle basket to take home. [MORE INFO…]Wildsight Kimberley Cranbrook and Kimberley’s Selkirk Secondary School are proud to host a Go Wild! wilderness trip for a seventh season! This year, students from the Selkirk Secondary outdoors class will join instructor Jenn Meens and guide Kevin Blades on a 4-day backpacking trip through the Waterton Lakes National and Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Parks. [MORE INFO…]Discover the wetlands, grasslands and forest that make the Columbia Valley an amazing place for birds! Join local naturalist and avid birder Cam Gillies for a birding excursion to experience some of this local wonder. [MORE INFO…]This summer marks the third annual GET WILD! summer environmental education camp in Golden. Children will learn about local ecosystems through play and exploration. Games, hikes, gardening, crafts and day trips are the main activities lead by local Wildsight Golden educators. The camp runs weekly and provides after-camp-care to children 7 to 12 years old. This program is for those parents who want their children to be outside and come home stoked, dirty and happy! [MORE INFO…]Go Wild! challenges local youth (14-18 years old) on six-day wilderness backpacking trips into our own wild backyard, right here in the Kootenays. On the first trip of the season, we’ll travel back in time to follow in the 1905 footsteps of pioneer conservationist William Hornaday on a traverse of some of the wildest remaining wilderness in the Southern Rockies. [MORE INFO…]Get ready for an action-packed, fun-filled program at the Fernie Community EcoGarden. We weave together days outdoors filled with science, messy art, games, adventure and a whole lot of fun. [MORE INFO…]Local naturalist Kalista Pruden will lead participants of this Invermere Wild Nature Tours event on a hunt for edible and medicinal wild plants, and talk about how birds and wildlife depend on them too. [MORE INFO…]Identifying wildflowers is about seeing patterns. Learn flower families and their common characteristics from naturalist Lee-Anne Walker on this Fernie Wild Nature Tours event. [MORE INFO…]Take a hike in the park with naturalist Lee-Anne Walker and use your senses to forage in the forest for food, medicinal plants and inspiration for technology on this special Fernie Wild Nature Tours event . [MORE INFO…]On the second trip Go Wild! youth backpacking trip of the season, we’ll celebrate the restoration of the historic Earl Gray Pass Trail between Invermere and Kootenay Lake. This traverse of the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy includes dramatic views of glaciers, ancient forests, and five cable cars across Hammill Creek. [MORE INFO…]
We hope you can join us on our annual hike through the alpine larches and wildflowers of Jumbo Pass this summer. More information to come once dates and details are confirmed, but in the meantime, have a look at last year’s special trip, where a number of Ktunaxa joined us for the hike into this special place.
As you can see, there is no shortage of activities and inspiration for whenever that question of “what should we do once we’re past the front step?” rears its unhelpful head. And the best part about the things listed above is that they are not just a temporary distraction for one day. They unlock a whole new world of intrigue and appreciation for all the amazingness that we’re all so lucky to have sitting right outside our front doors.
So don’t ignore whatever it is that’s trying to pull you from the couch this summer. Instead, follow that metaphorical rope to wherever it leads. Because it’s probably a pretty awesome place that you’ll want to come back to again and again.
