Hike With Patrick

Welcome

This website hosts hiking trips, safety guides, backpacking resources, gear information, and PNOA-related content.

Whether you are preparing for your first day hike or planning a multi-day backpacking trip, I hope these resources are helpful.

PNOA Member Safety Code

Safety is our highest priority on the trail. All group members must review, understand, and abide by our core expedition criteria before registering for upcoming trips.

This master code includes critical principles regarding personal preparation, mandatory gear checks, trail commands, and group safety communication.

Note: The external PNOA Code of Conduct document serves as an abridged, condensed summary (the streamlined/abridged version) of these comprehensive requirements.

Open Member Safety Code (Bilingual)

⚠️ Critical Winter Safety Review

Lessons from Gin Peak: The Crucial Importance of an Ice Axe

During a winter snowshoe ascent up Gin Peak via Hanging Lake, our group was forced off-route by a massive boulder obstacle, navigating a steep, hard-packed lateral traverse.

"I didn’t know then. Now I do." At that moment, I lacked the situational mountaineering experience to recognize that the grade required specialized tools. We scrambled across on microspikes, but we absolutely should have deployed ice axes for self-arrest security.

I want to share this near-miss realization to make sure everyone in our community understands that when winter slopes turn steep and icy, snowshoes and microspikes are not enough.

Read Full Safety Review & Video

Trail Lost & Found

Found Item: Samsung Galaxy Smartphone
Location: On the trail to Panorama Ridge. Found placed on the top of a wooden sign post where the northern route (Helm Creek Trail / Cheakamus Lake Trailhead) and the southern route (Rubble Creek parking lot) meet and intersect, right near the BC Parks trail direction sign.

For full details, timeline, and trail details from the day the phone was recovered, you can read the group's trail report here:

Read June 14 Hike Report

View Phone Image

PNOA Expedition: Berg Lake Trail

Dates: July 30 – August 6, 2026

Leading an 8-person PNOA team on a multi-day backpacking expedition along the world-renowned Berg Lake Trail in Mount Robson Provincial Park.

This iconic route showcases British Columbia's dramatic alpine wilderness, featuring towering glaciers, cascading waterfalls, and stunning views of Mount Robson.

PNOA Expedition: Mount Assiniboine (August 16–19)

Leading a 15–20 person PNOA backpacking group into Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park for 4 days and 3 nights. Departure from Vancouver on August 15th.

After exiting Mount Assiniboine, the group plans to explore nearby hot springs and hiking trails in Glacier National Park and Revelstoke National Park.

Mount Assiniboine is one of the most iconic alpine backpacking destinations in the Canadian Rockies, known for turquoise lakes, alpine meadows, glaciers, and the famous Matterhorn-like peak.

Mount Assiniboine Park Map (PDF)

Assiniboine Lodge Guidebooks & Maps

View Full Trip Details & Itinerary

PNOA Expedition: Crater Lake, Redwoods & Mt. Rainier (Sept 8–16)

Leading a flexible 9-day multi-day road trip adventure across the beautiful Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Spaces are strictly limited to 20 participants.

This trip combines spectacular geological features, deep ancient old-growth forests, rugged coastal walks, and alpine trails on the lower slopes of massive volcanic peaks. Regions include Crater Lake National Park, Redwoods National and State Parks, and Mount Rainier National Park.

View Expedition Details & Itinerary

Safety & Field Tools

First Aid & Field Certifications

Canadian Red Cross Manual
Official Comprehensive Guide for First Aid & CPR reference textbook.

Open Comprehensive First Aid Guide (PDF)

Gear Compliance & Safety Ledger
View the group's real-time safety checklist logs, gear item violations, outstanding balances, and trail requirement enforcement updates.

Open Safety Awareness Ledger

Hospitals & Emergency Info
Essential local medical and emergency hospital locations relevant to hiking regions.

Open Hospital Directory

Walkie-Talkie Setup Guide
Set Channel + Privacy Code for Motorola T600 H2O & T470 radios.

Open Radio Setup Guide

Emergency Radio Scanning Guide
How to use your radio's scan function to signal or reach nearby hikers on unknown channels when you are injured or trapped on a trail.

Open Radio Scanning Guide

First Aid Kit Inventory
View the full live interactive components, layout categories, application notes, and supply metrics for field medical responses.

Open First Aid Inventory

Christopher Xiao's First Aid Kit Checklist
View Christopher's recommended checklist for essential backcountry medical items.

Open Christopher's First Aid Kit Checklist (PDF)

Christopher Xiao's Ten Essentials Checklist
Review Christopher's checklist for the mandatory ten essentials required on backcountry trips.

Open Christopher's Ten Essentials Checklist (PDF)

Christopher Xiao's Outdoor Safety Essentials
View Christopher's presentation on core outdoor safety, risk management, and field fundamentals.

Open Outdoor Safety Essentials PPT (PDF)

Justincase Emergency First Aid Card
Quick-reference medical protocols, safety workflows, and emergency checklist instructions.

Open Emergency First Aid Card

Gear & Preparation Checklist
Recommended gear and preparation checklist for single-day hikes, backpacking routes, and multi-day outdoor trips.

Open Hiking Checklist

Before Hiking With Patrick
Important information about gear expectations, navigation preparation, hiking style, and what to expect before joining hikes led by Patrick.

Open Before Hiking With Patrick

Questions & Inquiries
Have questions about logistics, upcoming trips, safety protocols, or spaces on the roster? Get in touch.

Contact Patrick

Featured Gear: Petzl Glacier Ice Axe

Model: Petzl Glacier (Light Blue)
Origin: Manufactured in France (February 2025)
Acquisition: Purchased May 27, 2026, from Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) in North Vancouver.

An essential tool for glacier travel, steep snow traverses, and winter mountaineering conditions. You can check out how this specific ice axe is carried and fits on a gear loadout in this trail review:

View Ice Axe Gear Presentation

Official manufacturer safety documentation and usage specifications can be viewed below:

Open Petzl Technical Notice (PDF)

Gear Guides

• Ultralight 2-Person Backpacking Tent | Horizon Lite 2 Setup Guide
• Windquester Horizon Lite 2 Tent Instruction Manual
• Windquester Horizon X Inflatable Sleeping Pad Specs
• Windquester Elevate X Foam Sleeping Pad Specs

Original technical reference links and user instruction resources for backpacking configurations, pole orientations, and field gear layout troubleshooting.

Guides

• Hiking Blog
• PNOA Registration Guide
• Garmin inReach Guide

PNOA Resources

• PNOA Trips
• PNOA and Me
• PNOA Meeting Points
• Carpooling Fee Sharing
• PNOA Code of Conduct (the streamlined/abridged version)

External Resources

• 101 Peaks to Bag in SWBC
• Berg Lake Trail Video (Post-2021 Flood)

Mountain Weather Resources

• Avalanche Canada Mountain Weather Forecast (Western Canada)
• Mountain Forecast