Pure Outside

Nanaimo has a lot to offer in terms of running. There are so many different places to go and run all within a short drive or walk from each other. You can head down to the seawall for a nice job along the water or head up near Mount Benson for a great trail run [...]

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 [...]

Mount Benson is an icon of Nanaimo. Everywhere you go in town, you can see it’s rolling green ridges. The small mountain is a beautiful sight from Nanaimo but the view back down from the top is even better. There are many different ways to get to the top depending on your fitness level, mode [...]

Photo: Lorne Collicutt They’ve posted the results of the 2010 Westwood Gutbuster. Both the long and the short course were newly designed for this year and it was a hell of a run. I missed beating my last time by 2 minutes. I’ll call them equal because it was a longer course this year! You [...]

I love going for hikes. I love just wandering around in the bush aimlessly taking in the sights, smells, and sounds. Sometimes when I go for a hike though, I really feel like I need to get somewhere, to see something, to attain a goal. Trails with multiple goals along the way are perfect. You [...]

When I first looked for adventures in the Nanaimo Lakes area, I was only after some easy hikes I could peruse during the summer months. After discovering there is an wealth of fantastic places to climb, hike, mountain bike and kayak in the area, I’ve jumped headfirst into finding all the best spots. One of [...]

I went on a short jaunt up Mount Benson today from Nanaimo and, as usual, there was an amazing view from the top. One thing struck me though. Most people that live on the island don’t ever get out to see the amazing scenery that we’ve got so much of here. And a few shots [...]

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 [...]

Have you ever heard a story that gives you chills? Takes your breath away? Gets you amped up to ride the biggest mountains you can find? “The Edge of Never follows the story of a young man, Kye Petersen, who travels to Chamonix, France, to ski the route that killed his famous, big-mountain skiing father, [...]

My goal is to make this an awesome and exhaustive list of the rad outdoor shops in Nanaimo and on Vancouver Island. If you notice any that are missing, comment or email and I’ll add them to the list right away! And away we go…. Valhalla Pure Outfitters (Outdoors) Everything you need for heading into [...]