Mountain Life: Coast Mountains “Freewheelin‘” issue out today!
Feet First
There seems to be a tendency amongst us outdoorsy mountain folk to push for—and celebrate—the next big thing. The first this, the faster that. The higher peak, the deeper zone. The bigger, badder, better.
And that’s not the end of the world. That thirst to be first fills magazines and inspires dreams and sells energy drinks and feels pretty damn incredible when you pull it off.
But this summer, maybe it’s worth taking a break from all the achievement-driven, metric-tracked, personal-bests we’ve tangled into so many of our forays into the mountains. Maybe it’s time to just coast a little? To lean into dumb fun and wild ideas with no real plan or discernable finish line? Maybe we try doing things the wrong way, just to see what happens? Just to find out?
It may not all work out, this rocking of the boat, but what kind of summer will you have if you step outside of your own expectations (and are those expectations purely your own in the first place)? What fun awaits when we stop thinking about the photo op at the summit once we arrive, and instead just focus on going?
This summer, why not disengage the engine of the mind from the curiosity of the spirit? Go pop a wheelie. Go shoot the duck [see photo, above]. Go crank out a lap or two without the app turned on. Go for rip, a paddle or a spontaneous road trip. Create dumb fun with good people. Take a long wander or a short jaunt, but no matter what, lean into the inertia that builds from enjoying things simply because you’re here and you can… Freewheelin’. –Feet Banks, Editor
The Summer 2025 issue of Mountain Life: Coast Mountains might have rollerskating on the cover (and the editor’s message page) but that doesn’t mean it’s not chock full of pure mountain adventure and all your fave summer sports (except pickleball).
Find it wherever you usually find Mountain Life, or go find it somewhere new! Here are some highlights.
Squamish Grand Slam
Ride every mountain bike trail in Squamish in a single season? Why not? But it’s not as simple as it sounds. Words & photography :: Ben Haggar
Black Wolf Down
Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve is one of the least-visited and least-known-about national parks in Canada. But, tucked in a side valley lies 60km of stunning Class III/IV whitewater along the Black Wolf Creek drainage. Why not packraft it? Words:: Cameron Fenton
Gut Feelings
There’s a theory that ideas are contagious. And in 2013 Squamish Canyon Walk founder Robin Sherry felt inspired enough to start building a 1.4-kilometre forest boardwalk along the edge of the Mamquam river, without removing a single mature tree from the route. That idea comes to life this summer. Words :: Feet Banks
Rules of Bike Club
Pemberton ladies ride hard but more importantly, they ride together and for each other. A brief history of the Pemby Bike Club. Words :: Johanna Molloy
Yukon Ho!
A late summer (bug-free) six-day, 68 km trek into the south Yukon’s Coast Mountains with one of Canada’s only outdoor rec companies to achieve B-Corp status for sustainability and community-focused business. The North leads the way. Words & photos :: Feet Banks
Tales from the Trail
Trail runners, particularly ultra runners, always come home with weird anecdotes. We collected some of the few that don’t involve bodily functions. Words :: Alyssa Noel
Mountains In My Mind
When ski bums retire they move to the beach? Sure, but it better have mountains too. A look at one Whistler local’s adventures in blazing a new mountain life on the Baja. Photography :: Jimmy Martinello
Blowin’ Up The Spots
The industry and extraction roads of northeastern BC also provide incredible alpine access for biking, hiking, and uh…dinosaurs. Plus, no one ever goes there. Words & photography by Abby Cooper
Plus: Jon Turk talks re-wilding, Artist Eileen Kiyonaga, Whistler westside roots, Sonnie Trotter on the Chief, a plethora of summer backpacks, and more!
Check the full issue here and pick up a print copy at all the usual rad spots.
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