I’m making this short, and asking you to do a few simple things.

If you’re Canadian: 

Write your Local MP – (Here’s a template if you suck at writing politicians)

Sign this Petition

Protest Bill C-11

Join this Facebook Group & Share the crap out of it

If you’re not a Maple Syrup Sucker:

Please just help spread the word. Tweet, share on Facebook, Stumble, you name it. Any Canadian you educate is another that could help turn the tides in our favour. #StopBillC11

Help Stop Bill C-11 from Ruining The Internet is a post from: I Backpack Canada

1. NFB Films for iPhone & iPad (National Film Board of Canada)

The National Film Board of Canada (or the Office Nationale du Filme du Canada if you’re French) is an Academy Award winning public film producer and distributor funded by the Canadian Government. They’ve produced over 13,000 productions in their long history, and have won over 5,000 awards. Being a Canadian organization, they have both French & English divisions, which means a LOT of multi-lingual content to consume.

NFB Films is available for iPhone and iPad, and has built in support for Airplay. The app has over 1000 movies available, including documentaries, animations, and full length feature films. If you know you’re going to be out of wifi range, you can even save the movies to your device for up to 48 hours for offline viewing.

Highlights include How to Build an Igloo, The Award Winning animation “Cat Came Back”, and William Shatner Sings O Canada.

2. Air Canada for iPhone

Hate keeping track of tickets but love flying? Air Canada for iPhone can give you a leg up over other travelers. This app gives you the ability to Check-In to your flight through you phone. If you’re still an old fashioned checker-inner no harm. There’s still plenty that you can get out of this app. From Finding & Tracking Flights, booking flights, upgrading to executive class, interactive shopping, to even selecting your seat on the flight.

If you fly Air Canada often, or have family who does, this is a great tool to keep in your pocket and help stay up to date on all relevant travel information.

3. Explore Canada Like A Local for iPhone

Need inspiration on where to go, what do to, and when to see it on your next travels through Canada. The explore Canada app is the perfect companion for exactly that. Browse by location, theme, user-submitted travel lists, or use their live map, which allows you to find what’s near you. The Explore Canada App integrates with Foursquare very nicely. This allows you to check in to hotels, hostels, tourist destinations, and scenic views extremely easily.

I’ve used this with great success in the past when visiting a new city. Big thanks to the Canadian Tourism Commission for building this app. It’s been a great inspiration for finding new things to see and do.

4. World Nomads French Language for iPhone

While this app is no replacement for taking actual french lessons, there’s enough in here to help you out in a pinch, should you be hanging out in the French parts of Canada. The World Nomads French Language App provides some basic phrases for everything from Food, Transportation, Introductions, and Safety. My personal favourite phrase World Nomads decided to include is “Ces drogues ne sont pas a moi!” – which translates to “Those drugs aren’t mine!”

5. CBC Radio App for iPhone

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has been a part of Canadian culture since 1936. The CBC Radio App is the perfect addition for any traveling audiophile or news fanatic. This app grabs live feeds from CBC Radio 1, CBC Radio 2, and CBC Radio 3. You can browse by musical genre, or by city. The app also allows you to listen on demand to Arts, News, and Regional programming. While all this streaming content is great, my favourite feature of this app is that it lets you find out the CBC Frequency for any city across Canada. One of my biggest beefs with CBC is finding their station in cities I’ve never been to. It jumps all over the place, so having an app tell me exactly where to turn my dial is awesome!

6. CBC Hockey iPhone App

If you’re a hockey fan that wants to be kept in the loop this app could be your new best friend. The CBC Hockey Night in Canada app lets you track upcoming games, scores, hockey news, schedules, and even watch video. You can even find out player stats throughout their career. This app is perfect for the regular hockey watcher or the die-hard GP measuring hockey fan.

7. TimmyMe iPhone App

Tim Hortons is a Canadian addiction. If you are amongst those affected by it’s meth-like qualities, this app should help you get your next caffein fix quick. TimmyMe grabs your current GPS locations and lets you know where the closest Tim Hortons is to you. This app works in both Canada and the United States. There’s a few other features, but in all honesty they’re pretty boring, like Nurtitional Info and your Tim Card Balance Check. This app really has one purpose in my mind – Find coffee near me, now!

Bonus! Whaddaya App – A Newfoundland Translator App / Soundboard

Hands down my new favourite app. While its not technically free, at $0.99 it’s just about. Simple, quick, and funny! Whaddaya App allows us mainlanders the opportunity to understand what the heck it is those Newfoundlanders are saying. For those who are unaware, Newfoundlanders tend to have a thick and unique accent. A must have app if you plan on setting foot on the rocky shores of Newfoundland & Labrador.

My favourite phrase I’ve picked up from this app is “Stay where ya’at ’til I comes where ya to!”, which roughly translates to “Stay There, I’ll be there shortly”.

Have you come across any awesome free Canadian iPhone Apps? Share in the comments below!

7 Must-Have FREE Canadian iPhone and iPad Apps is a post from: I Backpack Canada

I was recently contacted by the kind folks at TripFilms. After talking, they were kind enough to offer a new travel video widget specifically dedicated to Canadian travel videos. For those who don’t know who or what TripFilms is, they’re essentially the YouTube of travel videos. Travelers from all over the world create, submit, and share their short travel videos that inspire you to feed that travel bug you can’t shake.

You’ll see the new TripFilms Canadian Travel video section in the right hand sidebar. There’s multiple tabs to browse Canadian travel videos by Activities, Food, and Hotels, so you should be able to find something that sparks your interest very easily.

Big thanks goes out to the guys & gals at TripFilms for partnering up with my blog like this. Giant over-dramatic high five headed your way!

Introducing The TripFilms Canadian Travel Video Section is a post from: I Backpack Canada

This past Thanksgiving was hands down one of the most memorable I’ve ever had. I convinced my old man to take some time off work and join me up north for some fall horseback riding in the boreal forest. The goal was to catch sight of the 400+ free range plains bison that roam Prince Albert National Park. Little did we know how close we’d end up getting.

These brick-walls of beasts have had a tough go, yet despite their near extinction, they seem to be thriving in Prince Albert National Park since their re-introduction in 1969. They’ve come a long way since the first 50 were brought back. That’s partly due to the preservation efforts of Gord Vaadeland, Founder and Executive Director of the Sturgeon River Plains Bison Stewards. That’s only one of his gigs, he’s also the ED of CPAWS-SK and Watershed Awareness Coordinator for Provincial Council of Agriculture Development and Diversification. Say that 3 times fast… (Can’t be done!)

I got in contact with Gord while I was still in Halifax and asked if he’d be keen on showing me around his parts. He gladly obliged, and within weeks we had a unique tour of the area setup, which included Horseback Riding the western part of Prince Albert National Park in search of the bison, and sleeping in a traditionally built tipi at Ness Creek.

A short 6 hour drive from Regina got us near Big River Saskatchewan. We pulled into Sturgeon River Ranch and were finally introduced to Gord. I soon learned that his skills extended beyond being an outfitter, a cowboy, and a bison steward. Turns out he’s also a bluegrass musician, and a bit of a TV Celebrity (What’s up Mantracker!?). We all hit it off and it wasn’t long before we had the horses in the trailer and ready to roll.

Welcome to Prince Albert National Park

We pulled up to the edge of Prince Albert National Park and saddled up. It’d been a couple years since I’d ridden horse, but I managed to shake the cobwebs after the first mile or so. Gord led us through trails that wove through birch and spruce, our horses powered through the thick. Watching Gord lead us slowpokes, I couldn’t help but think “Shoulda found a cowboy hat!”. That thought was interupted as I was forced to dodge a low hanging branch. I chuckled to myself, “Keep cool Corbin, pay attention…”

Our horses began to slow down, and suddenly became a bit nervous. You could feel the tension in the air. These horses knew something was up a ways. We all stopped in our tracks. A gentle breeze blew through the trees, the sound of rubbing leather mixed with the loud breathe of the horses made that moment feel like it lasted a lifetime. Gord whispered “They’re up there. You hear that?”. Large crunching snaps echo’d back our way.

We slowly pressed on, nobody said a word. We didn’t know if we’d get a second chance to spot the bison up ahead. As we continued through the trail, the bush got thicker. Gord lead us in the direction of the breaking trees. We slowed down again, and Gord explained “We usually recommend people keep a safe distance from the bison. If you can cover them with your thumb, you’re close enough. But since you’re with me, we’ll be using our elbows and putting that thumb a little closer to your face, which means we’ll be getting a bit closer. Hope that’s okay!” I nodded my head with a huge smile “Of course!”.

Spotting the Wild Plains Bison

The sound of snapping trees got louder, but the bush was so thick you could hardly tell how close you were. Gord offered to hang onto our horses to see if we can get a clear photo. I climbed off Applejack (a trustworthy steed if I may say so) and nervously moved toward the sound of wild bison. My old man was right behind. Creeping towards the bison soon became a game of “Oh yea? I dare you to keep going!” I’d take one step, my Dad would take two. Soon we were lookin in the eyes of at least eight free ranging plains bison (there may have been dozens more behind them). We couldn’t have been more than 30 feet away from the small herd.

A final tree snap stopped me dead in my tracks. I looked at my old man and made eye contact, implying “If they move, I’m so out!” Several grunts and loud thumps on the ground forced me to take a step back. Then two. I looked up and blue skies and birch trees surrounded us, making a fast escape nearly impossible. Their noises progressively got louder, and I decided I had enough of playing chicken with thousand pound bisons. Another grunt & crack, and I was out! “Only gotta be faster than the guy behind you” I remember hearing. We laughed as we got back to our horses, blown away with what we’d just done. Needless to say my Dad gave me a hard time for backing out before him.

I was completely speechless as I tried to thank Gord. “Awesome. Wow!”. He laughed and said “I didn’t realize how close you guys were!”. He laughed as he handed us back our reins. Had that been anyone else I’m sure he would have Clint Eastwood stared us so bad for getting that close. But Gord seemed to trust us. Nothing like having a cowboy on your side!

Long Meadow – Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan

We pushed forward, following a few rough trails. Gord warmly told us about the history of the bison and shared some of the incredible preservation work being done with bison. This man is clearly passionate about his work. Who else but a Saskatchewan Patriot would come out on Thanksgiving Day to show a couple outta-towners around. As the conversation died down, the scenery opened up. A natural clearing called “Long Meadow” greeted us.

It was a breathe of fresh air to see the flatlands again and to set my eyes on the big blue sky. As we entered the meadow a White-tail deer skipped back into the cover of the trees. We followed Gord and picked up our pace. Just a few prairie boys wandering the land by horse. We stopped a mile or two up the meadow as Gord pointed out some moose antlers. A mile up and he stops to point out another sign of wildlife. The remains of a bison.

Bison Remains

He explained what makes Prince Albert National Park so different from all the rest with one word. “Predation.” There’s a couple wolf packs in the area that hunt the weak, injured, and the old. It’s a common sight in the park. It’s pretty wild to think that something could actually take a bison out.

We stopped for lunch in the middle of Long Meadow and Gord continued to share stories. The mans got a bunch, but you’ll have to book him yourself to hear them all. The horses fueled up on wild grass while we gorged on sandwiches and some of the best home made cookies I’ve ever had. Then it was back in the saddle.

Another herd of Bison

A few miles up we had our second encounter with another small herd of bison. Once again they were hidden in the trees. If my camera had a fist, it would have been shaking it vigorously at them. I wanted to see them in the wide open, but I suppose it wasn’t meant to be! More the reason to come back again!

It was coming on the 5th hour of riding, and the sun was just beginning to set. We had one last leg of trails to hit before calling it a day. We found our way onto a rough dirt road. Gord explained that a lot of these roads were actually started by the Bison. When people started showing up in the area, they picked up where the bison left off and turned the rough trails into drive-able roads.

Stoney Plain Meadow – Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan

Our fearless leader wandered into rougher terrain. Steep hills and fast slopes was the name of the game. Rocks, trees, and the odd patch of mud reminded our horses not to stumble. The horses pulled through with ease, and we soon found ourselves on top of a hill, overlooking Stoney Plain Meadow. Gord pointed out where his family’s land was and we enjoyed the start of sunset. Good company, great ride, and one helluva view. The definition of a great way to end the day!

Back at Sturgeon River Ranch

We loaded up the horses and dropped them off at Sturgeon River Ranch. I bid farewell to my new four legged friend Applejack and thanked Gord for sharing his wealth of expertise. He gave us directions to Ness Creek and said he’d meet up with us shortly. We drove 20 minutes on gravel roads and eventually found the right road.

Ness Creek Awaits

As we pulled into the Ness Creek grounds, you could see that it was a place for artists, free thinkers, and eco-friendly community leaders. The craftsmanship in everything from the signs, to the cabins, to the pieces of outdoor art located throughout the grounds make you stop and think “I wish I did more stuff like this!”

We turned the bend and saw our accommodations for the night. Standing in the middle of a field was a traditionally built dakota tipi. The wooden poles pierced the orange sky, a light breeze blew the doorway gently. I stopped in my tracks to stand and take it all in before snapping a photo. Wild bison, a full day of riding in the boreal forest, and now a night under the stars. I thought to myself “I have this moment to be thankful for.”

Big thanks goes out to Gord & the Gang at Ness Creek for showing me around their little slice of heaven. If you want to see more wildlife photos be sure to check out the Bison Stewards Facebook Page. Same goes with the Sturgeon River Ranch Facebook page! Stay tuned for an upcoming post on Ness Creek, in the mean time, check out Gord Vaadeland’s appearance in Mantracker.

Horseback Riding in Prince Albert National Park with Sturgeon River Ranch [Photo Essay] is a post from: I Backpack Canada

So allow the tire pumping to begin!

Sunday Canadian Travel Video: What is Canada to the United States of America? is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Driving through the Saskatchewan prairies can at times feel like you’re completely alone in the world. You begin to notice things. Things you might have overlooked, things you might take for granted. You notice your head swivelling slowly, scanning the horizon and looking for something, but you’re not sure what. When your eyes spot it, you pull over. Jutting out of the miles of flatlands is a wooden skyscraper.

The Saskatchewan Grain Elevators

While they may not break any world records for building height, and they sure aren’t the most sophisticated pieces of architecture. They’re different. And they’re disappearing one at a time. The Grain Elevators of Saskatchewan are an endangered species. What was once a common sight across Saskatchewan has now become an opportunity to see an era fade into the history books. Something people may someday see in pictures but never get the opportunity to see with their own eyes.

Chasing Prairie Skyscrapers

During my recent travels throughout Saskatchewan I made an effort to find as  many of these dying creatures as I could. The Grain Elevators of Saskatchewan offer a unique look at an important time in human civilization. These wooden castles helped feed the world. Before elevators, grain was hauled in bags and towed by horse and carriage. The idea of modern farming we see today didn’t begin until the late 1800′s with the invention of the Grain Elevator.

Wood Mountain Elevator

The Elevators are in my blood

My Grandpa was one of the thousands of labourers who helped construct the Grain Elevators in Saskatchewan throughout the mid 1900′s. He died at a fairly young age due to lung complications caused by breathing in mass amounts of grain dust throughout his life. This was a danger that was unknown back in those times. While I never really got to know him, I do know that some of the elevators built with his hands still stand today. Others he worked on have met their fate on the ground which they proudly stood over for decades.

The Grain Elevators Are Vanishing

In the 1930′s there was said to be over 3,300 grain elevators in Saskatchewan. That number has plummeted to roughly 450 in recent years. It’s my hopes that more will be done to protect and preserve these unique pieces of Saskatchewan history. Unfortunately they’re being demolished at an alarming rate due to concerns for safety and cost of maintenance. Some call them Tinder Boxes, others call them an Eye Sore; however, there is growing support to save them. Many communities are coming together to protect them.

Protecting the Prairie Elevators

It’s an uphill battle, but the local Saskatchewan community is coming together to try their best to protect the grain elevators. The Western Development Museum in North Battleford currently has a working 1920′s elevator on display. Several small communities have also converted their elevators into museums and restaurantes. Rural communities with a strong enough voice continue to partner with the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation to save their local elevator. This problem of the disappearing elevators isn’t unique to Saskatchewan. Alberta & Manitoba face the exact same problems.

Morse Elevators

The Prairie Skyline is Changing

Time is running short for the prairie skyline. Most of the wooden-cribbed grain elevators are showing wear and tear. The province of Saskatchewan is changing fast. Rural areas are growing smaller and smaller while the 5 urban city centres of Saskatchewan continue to grow each year. In response to this exodus, ghost town’s continue to be born.

I fully understand that there is no way for all of the elevators to be saved. Times will always be changing, and newer elevators are needed in order to meet the demand of a growing population. However, these elevators are a piece of the past, and a past that in my eyes is worth preserving. There is really no time like the present to see and photograph what’s left of the Prairie Skyscrapers. Chasing them can become an addiction and can easily be the basis to one of the greatest Saskatchewan road trips you’ll ever take.

For more about the problems facing the Grain Elevators check out the National Film Board’s documentary “Death of A Skyline“. I managed to find it online on Vimeo, and while it’s a little dated, you do learn a lot more about the locals plight. Be sure to check out some of the demolition videos, its oddly depressing to see them fall.

Chasing Prairie Skyscrapers across the flatlands of Saskatchewan [Photo Essay] is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Country Roads, Take Me Home

On my recent trip back to my home province of Saskatchewan I decided it was time I get photographic proof of my explantations. My solo mission through Saskatchewan was to be a rediscovery of my home province. I made sure to take in parts of Saskatchewan I hadn’t seen in years, and some I’d never seen at all.

Drive South on HWY 6

Driving south from Regina will gradually take you through a sequence of topographies. Now you might be laughing at the use of the word “topographies” while describing Saskatchewan. “Isn’t it pretty flat there?” is the typical response from someone who’s never seen much of the prairies. Sure, we’ve got a few hundred thousand square kilometers of flatlands, but there’s more to it than that.

Rolling Prairie Hills

After roughly 2 hours of driving south, you’ll come across the rolling prairie hills. They’re still farmed like the flatlands, and still feel like “Saskatchewan”, but these hills have an uncanny ability of stealing your attention. As you continue driving, these rolling hills turn into something totally different. The fields of wheat, canola, and barley begin to disappear as you arrive in one of my favourite regions of Saskatchewan. The Big Muddy Badlands! Even saying it aloud makes you feel like a cowboy.

The Big Muddy Badlands

The Big Muddy Badlands are located along the Big Muddy Creek and extend all the way to Montana. They’re located inside the Big Muddy Valley. This unique valley is 55 kilometres [34 mile] long, 3.2 kilometres [2mile] wide & 160 metres [520 feet] deep. It’s one of the driest and most rugged regions of Saskatchewan.

What Goes on in the Big Muddy?

Bandits! Well, there used to be bandits. Back in the late 1800′s and early 1900′s the Big Muddy Badlands formed the northern tip of the Bandit Trail. This trail was used by world renown horse bandits Sundance Kid, Dutch Henry, Pigeon Toed Kid, Coyote Pete, and my personal favourite, Sam Kelly (more on him in a later post).

Nowadays the Big Muddy is known for its Horseback riding, cattle ranching, farming, and some of Saskatchewans most exciting highway drives. The rocky cliffs and carved out valleys are so foreign after hours of flatland, that its hard to believe you’re actually still in Saskatchewan.

It’s easy to get distracted in the Big Muddy. I had to remind myself that I was here for a reason. I was trying to find Castle Butte, a 70 meter relic from the ice age; similar to Uluru (In Australia), only on a smaller scale. I had stumbled upon it years ago online and decided I had to check it out.

Finding Castle Butte

One would assume that it’d be easy to spot, but it’s actually surprisingly tricky to find. Highways in this part of Saskatchewan can be tough to navigate, signs tend to be few and far between. While some may find this to be a minor inconvenience, I quite enjoy getting lost and finding my way back onto the correct path. It typically leads to a few self deprecating laughs.

Turning onto Highway 34, south of Bengough, I finally see a sign indicating I’m on the right track. I drive through a texas gate, and begin to wonder if I’m trespassing on someones property. I ignore that thought and continue on. Signs don’t lie, do they?

Thar she be!

As the gravel road curves, I spot it. Looming over the dry pasture land is Castle Butte. I snap a few pictures from afar and continue on. As I drive up the winding road a welcome sign greets me. I park my car at the base of the ancient monument and look up.

Welcome to Castle Butte

Gazing up at this massive prairie goliath I laugh in excitement. I start by doing a full lap around the perimeter of Castle Butte, deciding whats the best route to begin the climb. As I complete the full 360 degree circle I realize that the first walkway up was the best. Before setting out to climb, I decide to check out some of the small caverns that have been erroded into the sandstone & clay.

A Small Saskatchewan Cave

I climb into the darkness, using the flash of my camera to see how far this Saskatchewan cave goes. It appears to narrow out at about 12 feet at which point it stops. The cave juts in and out at all angles, making for an awkward crawl. I bump my head twice and rub the location of impact. I’m clearly not cut out for spelunking.

Ryan Was Here

I feel my way out and spot several carved names inside the cave. Looks like “Ryan” beat me here. I exit the tiny cave and breathe a sigh of relief for not being crushed to death by Castle Butte. The sun is still shining and this giant piece of rock is calling my name.

Commencing the Climb

I began climbing, carefully stepping between crevices, hoping with each step that I don’t lose my grip and roll to the bottom. The first half of the climb is mostly just a steep walk. As I get about halfway up it picks up in difficulty. While it’s by all means not the toughest climb, there are a several spots that require all four limbs and a decent balance.

Pause & Picture

I paused to catch my breathe and snap a couple photos as I approached the top of Castle Butte. Looking back down below provided an incredible view of the Big Muddy Badlands. I smiled and pushed on. ”Only 15 feet or so before I’m able to comfortably stand and relax.” I thought to myself.

King of the Castle

I reached the top of Castle Butte and pulled myself up. As I regained my posture I commenced the first among many 360s. The vista that was before me was a mix of prairie flatlands, harsh rocky cliffs and badlands. The blue sky above shined down on what had to be one of the warmest fall days in Saskatchewan history.

I snapped a few photos and found a spot to place my backpack. Just as I was about to relax my phone began kicking off in my pocket. I laughed to myself “Looks like I’m back in cell phone reception“. I opened a newly received email from my Grandma. “Hows the trip going?” she asks. I decided to take advantage of the reception and send her a few photos and explain exactly where I am, knowing she’ll get a kick out of it. Bernice is awesome that way!

I must have spent nearly an hour on the top of Castle Butte. During that hour I didn’t see a single human soul. Not even one car drove by. The closest thing to company was a small herd of black angus cattle a couple miles away who would occasionally hollar out “hello” to me. Sitting on the top of Castle Butte I said a quick thank you to the last ice age for being so awesome and carving this giant monster out of the prairies. This relic of a landmark is hands down one of the coolest places I’ve ever been to in Saskatchewan.

Note: Castle Butte isn’t pinned on Google Maps yet  so I managed to use my phones GPS to grab the coordinates and mapped them below. This might be the only modern map to Castle Butte so use it wisely. If you get lost there are a few service stations in the area that might be able to offer directions. The town of Coronach is the tourism hub for this region so they should be helpful as well.

Exploring The Big Muddy Badlands & Castle Butte [Photo Essay] is a post from: I Backpack Canada

So this weeks video was shared to me on Facebook by the awesome folks at Tourism Saskatchewan. In this video Robert Reid (US Travel Editor for Lonely Planet) travels to my hometown (Regina Saskatchewan) and finds out what it takes to be a Mountie. Robert, if you ever read this, high 5′s for this video and the awesome moustache. It gave me a solid guffaw.

Be sure to watch & read more about Robert Reids adventures on his personal blog Reid On Travel.

Sunday Canadian Travel Video – Full Mountie – Lonely Planet in Saskatchewan is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Delta Hotels can be found all across Canada, so whether you’re hanging out on the West Coast beaches, touring through the Rockies, partying in the prairies, or pretending to be Drake in downtown Toronto, you shouldn’t have a problem tracking one down.

When it comes to entering contests, I can’t be bothered with long cumbersome surveys and such. So in an effort to keep it quick and simple, here’s how to win:

Guess my favourite Canadian animal!

Step 1: Take a guess & Leave your entry in the comments below
Step 2: Tweet Out: ”Guess @ibackpackcanada’s favourite Canadian animal & win one night at any @DeltaHotelsLTD or Resort! #Contest! http://goo.gl/5WRZI”

• If you’re not on twitter, head over to my Facebook Page and leave a comment on my wall

Rules

• Must be a legal Canadian citizen (sorry internationals, next time!)
• Must be age of legal majority in your Canadian province
• Contest closes November 11, 2011 at 11:59am ADT (Atlantic Daylight Time).
• Entries that have guessed correctly will be in the finals. A winner will then be chosen at random.

Are you a contest junkie?

Let the guessing begin! 

Update: Congrats goes out to Seattle Dredge, she is the lucky winner of one night at any Delta Hotel or Resort. For those of you who are dying to know, my favourite Canadian animal is the Polar Bear. Several people guessed correctly, those that guessed right were chosen at random using Random.org. Big thanks goes out to everyone who entered, and to the kind folks at Delta Hotels for sponsoring this contest.

Contest for Canadians – Score one FREE night stay at any Delta hotel or Resort! is a post from: I Backpack Canada

I honestly lucked out with this whole Wolf Den Hostel encounter. Natalie Taylor (of Near Afar) and I had spoke about it but knew we were short on nights in Algonquin Park, so we weren’t able to book an evening there. Bummer! Fortunately, after an amazing 5 hour guided canoe tour with Jamie Honderich, care of Algonquin Outfitters, we had the chance to explore this unique & inviting Ontario marvel. It wasn’t planned by all means. As luck would have it our canoe guide, who’s also a teacher, just so happened to be the original owner. This man literally built the Wolf Den from the ground up! Timbre by timbre.

Jamie wanted us to meet the new owner Ben Teskey, unfortunately he was out running errands that particular day. We came across one of the staff members, who after hearing our little story was happy to let us tour the grounds snapping photos. Jamie was pulling double duty, not only had he shared his knowledge of the history and culture behind Canoe Lake & Algonquin Park, he was also telling us about how the Wolf Den came to be.

As with most savvy business owners, Jamie saw a niche that nobody else had filled. The closest hostel to Algonquin Park at the time was the HI Maynooth. It wasn’t long before work got started on building a bunkhouse where international & domestic travellers could meet and congregate, winter or summer, and experience as much of Algonquin park as possible.

Jamie took us through step by step what was built first, even going so far as to include where some of the wood came from. Turns out a lot of the wood came from his family farm, while some of the guard rails inside were just lucky finds during long hikes.

We wandered around each building. Stepping on freshly fallen leaves, the smell of autumn surrounded this place. I watched as Jamie touched each building. He happily explained details about the building process of each log cabin. It was easy to see that he’d put a lot of heart and soul into this project.

When I asked “Why did you sell it?“, he warmly replied “Running this place was a full time job, and ultimately family always comes first for me. It was time, and I still feel it was the right decision.”

As we entered the Bunkhouse, Jamie told stories of parties & musical gatherings that he used to throw on the upper level of the Wolf Den Bunkhouse. The walls of this bunkhouse oozed Ontario. Snowshoes & cross country skis hung from the walls, and an old wooden canoe was propped above the rafters. A pile of instruments were setup in the corner of the room. Cozy doesn’t begin to describe this room.

We climbed down the sturdy wooden stairs, through the large open kitchen, and found our shoes at the door. Jamie Honderich told us that if we ever make it back to Algonquin Park to be sure to stay a night at the Wolf Den. “You’ll have to meet Ben! Out of all the people that were interested in buying Wolf Den, he was the only one I could let myself sell to. He had a similar vision of what the Wolf Den is and what it can become; a safe, home away from home in one of nature’s most beautiful playgrounds.”

The Wolf Den Bunkhouse & Hostel is open year round for people of all age.

Jamie Honderich now operates his own B&B with his partner Pam, check them out at Morgan House, just outside of Algonquin Park. Huge thanks goes out to Jamie for being the friendliest and most knowledgable guide I’ve ever had!

Experience Algonquin Park At The Wolf Den Hostel & Bunkhouse [Photo Essay] is a post from: I Backpack Canada

I wrapped the plastic flexible tripod around one of the handrails that line the rooftop ledge, popped in my iphone4 and pointed it towards the skyline. While I was writing I could hear the whole unit shaking with every gust of wind. As you can see in the video, it captured a lot of that shake. But I feel like the music that I stuck on it fits the shakiness. So lets just say totally meant to do that…

Toronto Skyline Timelapse

Toronto is one of those cities that the more I visit, the more I love. If you would have asked me a few years ago what my thoughts of Toronto were, I probably would have said “Toronto!!! Not for me, you can have it!“. That may or may not have been because I’ve got a some serious small town hick running through these veins. Nowadays I think I could totally live there, or at least spend a significant amount of time there without hating myself. Very cool city, nice people, lots to do, and you can’t not come out of Toronto with at least a couple funny stories.

Sunday Canadian Travel Video – Toronto Skyline Timelapse is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Natalie Taylor (of Near Afar) and I were there gathering research for our trip up to Algonquin Park at this world famous Art Collection. For those unaware of the McMichael, it is a treasure trove full of rare and valuable Canadian Art, including pieces by Frank Carmichael, Lawren Harris, A. Y. Jackon, and Tom Thomson. Surrounded by all of these amazing pieces of Canadian Art I couldn’t help but think how much I wish I had a photo of this.

As I was taking in the museum experience, I saw this young lady snapping photos like crazy. I laughed thinking to myself “This chick is crazy! Security is going to jump her for sure!”. Our tour guide, Avril, warmly asked if she had permission to take photos.

Natalie & Corbin - Photo by Sabrina Savoy

Jupiter’s moons must have been lined up, or maybe we just got lucky. It turned out this young lady was taking photos for Ontario Tourism. When we told her we were doing some work with Ontario Tourism about the history and adventure in Algonquin Park she kindly agreed to snap a few photos of us. Turns out she needed some people in her shots to make the shot more lively anyways so it worked out great.

A Tom Thomson - Photo by Sabrina Savoy

I’m extremely grateful I was able to come out of the McMichael Art Collection with more than memories & a new intrigue into the Group of Seven. Big thanks goes out to Sabrina Savoy for being awesome and sharing these photos with us, and extra big thanks to Avril, our tour guide in the McMichael. Her knowledge of Canadian Art & the nature the inspired the Group of 7 movement was astounding.

Photo Du Jour – Tom Thomson Paintings at the McMichael Art Collection is a post from: I Backpack Canada

The Ragged Falls are located along the Oxtongue River, just west of Algonquin Park in the Oxtongue Provincial Park. The Oxtongue river cuts through Algonquin Park and can be accessed off of Highway 60.

I managed to make it up to The Ragged Falls just in time for the start of sunset and spent roughly an hour taking it all in.

Photo Du Jour: The Ragged Falls, Ontario is a post from: I Backpack Canada

This time lapse was taken from the Dorset Scenic Lookout Tower. It’s located on this incredible hill above the town, overlooking the Lake of Bays in the Muskoka and Haliburton area. While it’s not technically “Algonquin Park”, its pretty darn close. After climbing the rickety metal structure, I was a little out of breathe. I counted a total of 116 steps, although I may have messed up near the end as I began to realize I need to work out more.

I was carrying my new Gorrila Pod & my handy iPhone 4, so I set up shop for roughly 20 minutes and commenced time lapsing. This video was the result of it all. See below for photos as well.

Switch to 720p if you’re on a good connection please! 

 Special thanks to Avril from the McMichael Art Gallery for telling us to make the Dorset Tower a stop.

Sunday Canadian Travel Video – Dorset Tower Time Lapse in Ontario is a post from: I Backpack Canada

This photo was taken at Canoe Lake, one of the most important lakes in the Algonquin Park area due to its connection with Tom Thomson, a famous Canadian artist who was part of the Group of 7 movement. I got extremely lucky with this shot, the reflections seemed to be perfect, and the shades of autumn colours were just right. It has an almost abstract feel to it, but its hands down one of my favourite shots from that lake. Water isn’t normally that glass like and to catch it with those colours, I was pretty gosh darn psyched.

If you’ve ever wondered what fall camping in Ontario is like, check back soon. There’ll be plenty of Ontario posts coming up throughout the next couple weeks.

Photo Du Jour: Algonquin Park’s Autumn Reflections is a post from: I Backpack Canada

I’ll be arriving in Toronto first to meet up with my friend, and fellow travel writer, Natalie Taylor of Near Afar. Together, we’ll be exploring and writing about Ontario’s famous Algonquin Park. We’ll be doing a bit of camping, some canoeing, and several hours of driving through the countless lakes and trees. Be sure to follow along, We’ll have several live tweets and photos coming through the interwebs.

Follow @ibackpackcanada

Follow @nearafar

After exploring Ontario, I’ll be flying back to Saskatchewan. I’ve got some big plans on showcasing the diversity and sheer awesomeness of my home province.  I’ll be checking out some of the national parks in the area, along with several rural areas of Saskatchewan. I don’t want to show my entire hand on this one as I have several awesome ideas for posts, so you’ll just have to come back and see for yourself.

Once again, be sure to follow along on twitter, expect photos! Lots of ‘em!

Westbound to Ontario and Saskatchewan is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Tofino is a surf town at its very core, and its a great stop for backpackers. There’s a couple Hostels in town, and plenty to see and do. Tofino’s a great spot for first-time surfers. If you have a little more experience you’ll have to chat to the locals to find the fear-inducing locations. Be sure to book ahead in Tofino as accommodation in the summer is pretty limited. If things are full, don’t be afraid to check out Ucluelet, which is a great alternative to Tofino.

Video by Canadian Tourism

Sunday Canadian Travel Video – The Surf Lifestyle in Tofino BC is a post from: I Backpack Canada

In June I had the opportunity to participate in my first TBEX, (Travel Blog Exchange). TBEX ’11 was held in Vancouver British Columbia. Thousands of writers, bloggers, and PR folks met to discuss business at large and share a few cocktails. Near the finale of it all, many of the bloggers were invited to hang out on a yacht like a bunch of millionaires.

Millionaires we are most certainly not. But scoring photos like these, sometimes I wonder if I should be. (Ha!)

I’m still considering biting the bullet to attend TBEX 2012 in Colorado, but I’ll have to see where exactly in Canada I am around that time.

Will you be at TBEX 2012?

Photo Du Jour – Downtown Vancouver Skyline is a post from: I Backpack Canada

The kind folks from The Clever Travel Companion sent me over some of the latest travel duds for your unmentionables. What’s great about this particular design of underwear isn’t the fact that they’re comfy, or that they’re surprisingly sleek and sexy. It’s the pockets! Two front pockets, that are perfectly sized to fit your passport, credit cards, money, and any other important documents you might carry while you travel.

Protect Your Goods with Pockets

It’s natural to be protective of your identity. While some countries seem to be more prone to this type of theft than others, it can and does happen in Canada. Ensuring all of your documents and bank accounts are protected can be crucial when it means crossing borders, or heading home if you’re from away. It would be pretty difficult for any would-be thiefs to pick-pocket through your jeans. Even if they were crazy enough to try, I’m sure you’d be in full on defence mode if someone started getting grabby down there.

So you might be wondering, “Sure, they make sense, and probably work. But do you sacrifice comfort for security?”

Nope! The fabric feels great, and the fit ensures “everything” stays in place. I’m a big fan of the boxer-brief style, and the folks at The Clever Travel Companion did good work on the overall construction and quality of their mens underwear. The pocket zippers feel like they’re sturdy and could be definitely be trusted with hanging onto your documents. Despite what my photos show, the pockets allow the entire passport to be zipped up.

While it takes a bit of getting used to the feeling of having a couple pockets in your underwear, you stop noticing after a few minutes. Even with the pockets filled with credit cards & a passport, it’s by all means not uncomfortable. These undergarments would make a perfect gift for travellers, or a great buy for yourself if you’re heading somewhere sketchy.

The Clever Travel Companion offers underwear with pockets for both men & women in multiple sizes & colours. They currently sell for $29.90 USD on their website. Be sure to check them out on Twitter too! @CleverTravelCo

Product Review: Travel Underwear with Pick-Pocket Prevention is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Located in Southern British Columbia near Kelowna, the Okanagan Region is roughly two-thirds the size of Belgium. There are a bunch of award winning Vineyards in the area, hundreds of fruit orchards & some amazing lakes & rivers for swimming and fishing. The dry desert climate in this area makes it perfect for growing all types of fruit. The fact that this place actually has cactus growing wild completely blows my mind, which just adds to the exotic factor of this location.

Ever been to the Okanagan? How awesome is it!?

Photo Du Jour – Kalamalka Lake in the Okanagan Valley is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Which reminds me…that name for this series of posts doesn’t make a lick of sense. “Photo Du Jour” –  Haha. I’m definitely not sharing a photo every day, if anything it should be “Photo Du Semaine”. Ah well, doesn’t have the same ring to it; and if anyone says anything I’ll just say I suck at French.

Enjoy!

Photo Du Jour – Hometown Sunset, Regina SK is a post from: I Backpack Canada

As a kid I had this giant book of Cetaceans that I studied front to back. I was absolutely obsessed with whales & dolphins. To see something that could stay underwater for so long, and live entirely in water while still having such a complex social structure. Wow. Those things blew my 8 year old mind. Still do from the looks of things! Unfortunately, being from the prairies, it was quite a while before I actually saw any, the first being those two sad Dolphins in West Edmonton Mall, the second a wild pod in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand.

So I chose this video because I love whales & dolphins, the corny celtic music, and hilarious captions over videos. They pretty much make my day. My personal favourite caption is “Aerobatic Dolphins!” I’m not sure why that makes me laugh so much, maybe I’m sleep deprived. But wow, good stuff.

My biggest fear is that I’ve waited too late in the summer to see the icebergs in Newfoundland. Apparently the Iceberg season lies between May & the end of July. Which isn’t to say I can’t go again next summer; by all means I’ll have more time to do so. But I swear, if I don’t find myself in Newfoundland soon I will be obligated to donate a well aimed punch to my own gentlemen.

High 5′s out to FinWhales for the awesome website.

Sunday Canadian Travel Video – Whales and Icebergs in Newfoundland & Labrador is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Music by Of Porcelain

The Time lapse is of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and features several boats, the Halifax Harbour, and the iconic MacDonald Bridge. My personal favourite part is when you see a young couple pop into frame to take photos. If you stay til the end, you’ll see an eerie red glow emanating from behind the camera. That’s actually one of the lights along the boardwalk slowly charging up as it gets darker out. All in all, it was fun and I’ll definitely be doing it again.

Have you tried any of the time-lapse apps on your iphone? What’d you think?

Photo Du Jour – Time Lapse of a Halifax Sunset is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Sunday Canadian Travel Video: The Northern Lights in the Northwest Territories is a post from: I Backpack Canada

I’m a bit behind on writing due to work and dealing with poor weather, which tends to stunt my motivation to be creative. This incredibly soggy weather that Halifax has been living through drove me north to Prince Edward Island last weekend. The sun decided to show me some love, which meant I could finally take a photo without being soaked. While dodging washed up jellyfish on the shores of Brackley Beach, I managed to score an awesome sunset. Love that red sand!

Believe it or not this was done solely on my iphone. Wish I had my DSLR during this trip, but you gotta make due with what you got, and honestly, I’m not sure if I would have scored this winner had I brought it along. Be sure to follow me on instagram to see all the neat (and not so neat) photos I take with my phone.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Photo Du Jour, consider this a new weekly goal of mine to do from now on. If I slip up, don’t hesitate to call me out on Twitter.

Photo Du Jour – Brackley Beach, Prince Edward Island is a post from: I Backpack Canada