Pure Outside

Nanaimo has so much to offer the outdoor-minded. Every direction you turn, another trail leads off into the bush or the beach looks perfect for a kayak launch. Westwood Lake and Mount Benson are two prime candidates for those wanting to see the wilderness around Nanaimo without travelling too far. Travel just a little further [...]

In July I had the chance to get up the modest peak of Gemini Mountain at 1516m. I’ve seen it many times from the neighbouring  Green Mountain but only now planned to hike it. If you haven’t been to Green or Gemini yet, you should plan a trip out there as soon as you can. [...]

Nanaimo is a fantastic place to be on Vancouver Island for hiking. Being central it’s easy to get anywhere on the island within in a reasonable about of time. Just outside the cities boundaries are loads of trails waiting to be found. Below is a list of just some of the best trails and mountains [...]

Not wanting to let our last epic sunny adventure up Green be our last for this winter, some friends and I decided it was time to actually hit the slopes with our snowboards. This time would be much different though, and much more difficult. All trucked up and ready to go, the drive in was [...]

Ahh, the elusive Mount De Cosmos. A couple weeks ago fellow adventurer Ryan and I headed out to the Nanaimo Lakes area to attempt to stuff the peak that is Mount De Cosmos in our growing bag of summits. I was very apprehensive about this trip for a few reasons. First we’d be heading out [...]

After almost 2 years trying to get to the top of Green Mountain near Nanaimo, I’ve done it. I’ve spent even longer dreaming of getting to the top, surveying the vistas, and chasing the marmots. But this elusive peak was always just outside my grasp. At first I didn’t know where it was. After doing [...]

** Update: Future IslandAdventurer.ca posts will be here and all old posts will be directed to PureOutside.com. After almost 2 years trying to get to the top of Green Mountain near Nanaimo, I’ve done it. I’ve spent even longer dreaming of getting to the top, surveying the vistas, and chasing the marmots. But this elusive [...]

“But I don’t even know where Green Mountain is?!?” That’s exactly what I said when I first heard about it. I thought I knew the area around Nanaimo fairly well. Mount Benson is right there. Blackjack ridge is right behind it. There’s a bit of a hill that some call Rutherford ridge, or rutherford flats, [...]