Celebrating BIKEPACKING.com Awards: A Step Toward Responsible Recreation

I’m thrilled to share that the routes I established as part of the West Kootenay Route Network earned awards in BIKEPACKING.com’s 2024 Bikepacking Awards:

🥉 Bronze in Best New Route (9+ days)
🥉 Bronze in Best New Route (Weekend)
🥈 Silver in Collective Choice Route of the Year

Each route reflects countless hours of planning, exploration, and collaboration. But the routes also embody something bigger: a commitment to responsible recreation.

As a planner and bikepacker, I see route creation as a form of planning—supporting a collective vision for a better future. These routes are designed not just for adventure but to deepen our connection to the land and encourage thoughtful engagement with the spaces we travel through.

Why Responsible Recreation Matters

Recreation isn’t just about having fun outdoors; it’s about doing so in ways that honour the land, its history, and its caretakers. Planning for recreation is critical to ease the pressure of popular trails, preserve the environment, and support co-existence between animals and wildlife. It also promotes more thoughtful forms of recreation that inspire folks to learn about and respect the cultural significance of the lands they explore.

The Power of Planning

Planning is about imagining how people, communities, and the environment coexist. For me, route creation is planning in motion. It provides a chance to guide meaningful experiences while supporting landscape stewardship.

Thank you to everyone who has supported these routes and to BIKEPACKING.com for recognizing them. I hope these journeys inspire others to think more deeply about their connection to the land and the importance of recreating responsibly.

Explore the award-winning routes here:
🏞 West Kootenay Bikepacking Loop
📜 2024 BIKEPACKING.com Awards