ArtsWells — which was recently named one of Canada’s top ten music festivals by CBC Radio 3 — runs July 30 to August 2nd, 2010. See www.artswells.com for more information.

Just try not to say awwww! This photograph of an adorable seal pup comes to us from reader Brenda Johima, a photographer and artist living in Vancouver Island’s Fanny Bay. She was exploring Tofino’s Long Beach recently when she happened upon the animal. Armed with a telephoto lens, Johima plopped down in the wet sand a good distance away, so as not to disturb the animal, and composed several shots.

“I LOVE wildlife, and as a photographer, it is always exciting to find something totally unexpected,” she says.

Have you had a close encounter with B.C. wildlife? Submit your experiences to www.shareyourbc.com for a chance to win a one-year subscription to British Columbia Magazine.

There are plenty of other, more traditionally summery things to do in Whistler as well, including golf, river rafting, biking, and ziplining. See www.whistlerblackcomb.com for more options.

Natural Resources Canada’s Sea-to-Sky GeoTour guidebook provides information on the origins of the awe-inspiring geological landmarks along the route, including glaciers, mountains, and volcanoes.

Download the free guide or listen to the audio version on an MP3, which includes interviews with scientists like Melanie Kelman, a co-author of the tour, and one of the experts quoted in our volcanoes story. For more information on the famed stretch of Highway 99, check out the photo essay in our Fall 2009 issue.

Of course, all experienced trekkers know it takes more than just boots to ensure an enjoyable day of hiking. Here’s a useful checklist, courtesy of The North Face, that can help you decide what to pack. We handed out copies of the checklist and other fun giveaways at our sessions on how to prepare for a day hike at Chapters in Vancouver and Victoria over the weekend–thanks again to all who attended!

Outdoor Adventure and Travel Show
Saturday April 24 and Sunday April 25, VANCOUVER
Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place, West Building

British Columbia Magazine will join 300 other exhibitors promoting outdoor adventure and recreational pursuits at the very popular annual Outdoor Adventure and Travel Show. Visit our booth (#209) and be the first to check out our new Survivor Bonus Offer. For only $20.00 you’ll receive a one-year subscription and your pick between a coveted, flashy red, limited-edition, British Columbia Magazine multi-tool and our stylish new sling bag. Plus we’ll throw in a checklist on how to correctly pack a backpack for all of your springtime adventures!

And for inspiration on where to venture in the province, pick up a complimentary copy of British Columbia Magazine.

Click on the image below and print your complimentary 2-for-1 admission coupon. Regular ticket price is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and youth 12-17, free for children under 11.

Chapters bookstores Read Local, Buy Local Earth Day events
Sunday April 25, 12:00 p.m., Chapters at 1212 Douglas Street, VICTORIA
Sunday April 25, 12:00 p.m., Chapters at 788 Robson Street, VANCOUVER
Sunday April 25, 3:00 p.m., Chapters at 2505 Granville Street, VANCOUVER

Get your family ready for their hiking adventures! British Columbia Magazine teams up with ActNow, The North Face (Vancouver), and Robinson’s Outdoor Store (Victoria) to teach children what they need to know about the sport. Topics covered during this free event will include how to stretch properly, how to prepare a healthy lunch, and how to pack a backpack. Audience members will receive a bonus surprise giveaway.

The Spring 2010 issue will be available for sale at the event. See our feature article on “Kootenays: 4 treks, 4 seasons” for great ideas on where to go for your next hiking adventure!

–Katie Knox

The Spring 2010 issue of British Columbia Magazine includes “150 years of light,” a short article about Victoria’s Fisgard Lighthouse and Race Rocks Lighthouse.

Dale Mumford of Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites of Canada has done extensive research on the history of these two beacons, and shares his profiles of the first and last keepers at Fisgard Lighthouse in this week’s web exclusive. Read the full article on our website.

So when we get letters from you, telling us that you’re enjoying the magazine, it makes our day! We share them around the office and then get back to work with renewed vigour. Your constructive criticism is just as valuable as your praise—we take all feedback seriously.

In each issue, we include a selection of letters we’ve received from Our Readers, but there is never enough space to run them all. That’s where our website becomes useful. To see a full array of recent letters to the editor, visit www.bcmag.ca/issue.

While you’re online, click to our Contact Us page and take a moment to let us know what YOU think of the magazine. Include the subject line “Mailbox” and we might include your comments in an upcoming edition of the magazine.

It’s not surprising then, that when it comes to photography, this sharpshooter prefers not to limit himself to any one type of subject matter. The downside to being a generalist? He needs a lot of gear—so much, in fact, that Gluns has devoted 2.5 rooms in his Nelson home to his photography! The contents of his camera bag on any given day depends on what he’ll be shooting, and where.

So just what does he pack in his camera bag for a day hike into the Kootenay wilds around his home? Click here to read our full web-exclusive article and find out!

Here’s what you can look forward to in our latest edition.

“Kootenays: 4 hikes, 4 seasons” provides the answers to your most pressing Kootenay-adventure questions:

* Where can I hike a grand river canyon during the roaring spring run-off?

* Which trail will take me into eye-popping wildflower meadows this summer?

* Which fall month is best to hike among the fiery yellow alpine larch?

* Where can I find a string of cozy warming huts for a backcountry snowshoe trek?

“Slocan coffeehouses” takes you on a short trip up the scenic Slocan Valley, not far from Nelson, with java stops at hip shops including “Pony Espresso” and “Sleep is for Sissies.”

“Desolation Sound” will show you—with gorgeous photography by Saltspring Island photographer Ron Watts—why sailors, boaters, and paddlers sing the praises of this West Coast provincial marine park.

“It’s not easy, being green” explores the environmental issues threatening frogs around the world and examines what B.C. biologists are doing to help amphibians right now.

You’ll also find our regular departments:

Destination: Hippie Kitsilano–Vancouver in the groovy 1960s.

Echoes: Children on the Chilkoot Trail.

Outdoor Advisor: How to protect yourself from lightning in the backcountry.

Due West: Everything from Emily Carr murals and eco-cutlery to a Stonehenge-like site proposed for Barriere, B.C.