Blog by Eliza Walker
Have you ever wanted to spend a day hiking in the back country but something has held you back? Maybe it was the fear of getting lost, the fear of bears, or maybe you just didn’t want to do any planning. Well this is exactly where a guide comes into the picture, and not just any guide, but ACMG certified hiking guide, Dana Harvey, the owner and lead guide of Hike Revelstoke. We spent a fantastic day hiking with Dana out to Eva Lake, a beautiful trail that starts atop Mount Revelstoke. Let me take you along on the ride and tell you exactly what we loved about our guided day hike with Dana.
The experience with Dana started several days before our scheduled hiking day when Dana emailed us and we started planning what hike we were going to do. She gathered information about the length of hike we wanted to do, the elevation gain, and the overall difficulty level that we were expecting. She suggested a hike out to Eva Lake atop Mount Revelstoke and after further research we decided that was the one! What I loved about our guided day hike with Dana was that right from the beginning she put me at ease! She had the map downloaded, she had her satellite device in case of emergency, and she had done the hike before so she knew exactly where we were going. Not needing to worry about navigating was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders!
Before we had even left the parking lot, Dana had us go over what we had in our hiking pack to make sure we had all the essentials. Having lived in British Columbia for a while now, I’m very aware of the threat of bears and had packed my bear spray in the side pocket of my hiking pack. Before beginning our hike we went over the basics of how to use bear spray, where we keep it for easy access, and how to avoid a bear encounter in the first place. Even if this is information you’ve learned before, it’s always good to refresh your memory and hear other people’s points of view! Despite the risk of encountering a bear, we knew that travelling in a group was a safe call and Dana’s knowledge and expertise definitely put us at ease.
As soon as we left the parking lot we were immersed in the stunning scenery of Mount Revelstoke. The sun was shining, the trail was quiet, and the wildflowers were out in full force! We were overwhelmed with the beauty of the wildflowers around every corner, in every meadow. Between bouts of conversation, Dana told us all about the flowers we were looking at, their name origin, and their growing patterns in the alpine. What normally would have just been a pretty flower now had a bit more meaning attached to it. Learning about our surroundings while being on a stunning hike in the BC alpine definitely made our experience hiking with Dana much more memorable!
On top of Dana being an awesome hiking guide, she was also just a lovely person to spend the day with! Having lived in Revelstoke for five years, she was full of tips for things to do in Revelstoke, whether it be other hikes, local restaurants, or places to camp. Important qualities for a hiking guide in my opinion are someone who is approachable, safety-conscious, and friendly and Dana definitely embodied all of these characteristics. We chatted away for the next 7.5km until we reached the stunning Eva Lake. Of course we had to take a break at the lake, take in the views, and indulge in our lunch provided by Dana from a local bakery called La Baguette. We felt accomplished, satiated, and happy to be out in the mountains!
Hike Revelstoke with Dana during your stay.
Dana is an ACMG certified guide who will allow you to explore Revy's natural beauty with the comfort of an expert!
