Meet Matt

Heading Outside

When Matt Simmons moved to Prince Rupert from Victoria, he found himself in that familiar in-between space – new town, few connections, not quite inside anything yet.

So he did what certain people do when they don’t quite fit: he went outside.

He slung a pack over his shoulder, tucked a GPS beside a quiet sense of curiosity, and started walking. At first the advice was predictable: go hike Butze Rapids Trail. It’s the local classic. But Matt had the feeling there was more out there, hidden just beyond the well-worn paths.

“It’s an amazing, groomed trail. Perfect for families,” he says of Butze. “But I knew there had to be more. I just didn’t know where to start.”

So he started anyway.

Tracking Local Trails

One trail turned into another. Then another. Over time the map filled in – muskeg bogs, tall trees, ridges, waterfalls and lakes, viewpoints, quiet routes that didn’t make it onto the usual lists. By the end of it, he had charted 36 hikes, the backbone of what would become his guidebook, Outsiders Guide to Prince Rupert.

Ask him for favourites and there’s no hesitation: Mount Blaine and Ptarmigan Mountain.

Which tells you something about the guy.

They’re not the easiest hikes. But they’re the kind that give something back if you’re willing to push through.

Matt says there’s something definitively different about hiking the North Coast from other parts of BC that he’s lived and played in. Part of that is the rugged beauty but its equal parts peace and solitude. Restorative.

“It’s the variety of the landscapes that gets you,” he says. “You grab your gear, step out the door, and fifteen minutes later you’re in the bush. The morning light comes in sideways through the trees and the rain drifts through, then the sun punches back out and the whole forest starts to steam. You find yourself standing in that pocket, that moment in time, and it’s so worth it.”

A Growing List

As trails grow over, new ones open up .. mostly by the voluntary hands of the grassroots Kaien Trails group. Try the Rushbrook Trail. And, stay tuned for the expanded Cloudberry Trail network, coming soon to a woods near you.

Learn More

The guidebook can be found at Eddie’s News, and to get involved with the Kaien Island Trail Enhancement and Recreation Society email them at: Kaientrails@gmail.com