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Camping in BC?

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Mr.Nikon
Posts: 41 - Karma: 10

Hey

So me and one of my bud want to travel across Canada to do some photography/back country camping in bc.... We could always camp in national parks but since we are broke ass students, I think it would be better to just set up our tent everynight in a random and chill pace for the photography.... We are mainly looking to shoot wild life... (Bears, wolves, cougar?. etc.)... So where do you think we should camp? Any specific area would be good for our needs?

Mar 5 2010 6:22PM
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dbstar
Posts: 2038 - Karma: 20
there are so many places to do this, most spots will be in national/provincial parks, and most have backcountry camping options, which is cheap. For lots of wildlife and amazing scenery you might want to look into banff/yoho/kootney, glacier national park... ect, plus i would recommend looking into the rockwall highline trail.
Mar 5 2010 6:43PM
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skeedle
Posts: 6156 - Karma: 628
take the back roads. there are SO many foresty routes and stuff, you can literally go from north to south and east to west on them alone. there are so many cool spots and if you have no specfic destination you might as well just drive them.

when i was about 14 we did a road trip from vancouver to  prince george only on the back roads. it was so much fun.
Mar 5 2010 7:02PM
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Mr.Nikon
Posts: 41 - Karma: 10
yeah.. I think the back roads would be sick... but I don't want to travel from Qc to Bc to end up in the bush with nothing to shoot lol..... But if you got precise idea of where I should go.. it would be sick!... And also, any of you got an idea of where I could rent photo gear in vancouver? .. I've looked on google but couldnt find the exact lens I'm looking for(200-400 f4 Nikon).. So if you are able to name some gear rental shop..+K!
Mar 5 2010 7:09PM
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Deezy
Posts: 4580 - Karma: 1,004
just get out there. dont pack to much eh. have fun and get some kiler shots.


Mar 5 2010 9:53PM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
Just hit up some national parks, it will be tough to mis the wildlife. And if you can get out to the REAL west coast, like west coast of vancouver island. If you're looking to shoot wildlife or anything, thats the place to be. Keep in mind its the winter right now and a lot of wild life has migrated, hibernated or otherwise disappeared. But there's some amazing photo opportunities on the island, its a crazy area.
Mar 6 2010 12:24AM
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paige.
Posts: 1930 - Karma: 907
There is no need to actually camp in national/provincial parks in BC. Wildlife don't know where the boundary lines are. Buy a couple of the BC backroad map books, they're quite reliable and accurate. you're allowed to drive on all of the decommissioned logging roads, they're pretty rough but can get you anywhere.

Click for larger image
Areas to consider that are all within a day from Vancouver: garibaldi park is sick but pretty crowded, try heading up a bit further north there's tons of areas to camp around pemberton, bralorne, d'arcy etc. you might not see them but there are tons of bears around here, grouse, pika, marmots, some ferret like creatures, i've seen lynx and a wolverine, there are some mountain goats (I haven't gotten to see them yet). Also look into where you're camp ahead of time because you want to avoid grizzly bear mating areas during that season.
try to get into the stein valley. maybe look at lytton/lillooet area. these are dryer so you get a pretty different looking landscape for not driving much further.
Also for sure check out the island. areas around strathcona park have lots of similar wildlife to the pemberton area. there are tons of deer everywhere and quite a few bear. along the coast you'll probably see a couple of seals (although they might not be shootable) and if you are lucky with where you go you might get to see whales. Eagles and raven are also pretty common.
Mar 6 2010 1:06AM
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freezed
Posts: 12973 - Karma: 500
Beau Photo is the place to go for equipment rentals in Vancouver.
Mar 6 2010 1:07AM
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Mr.Nikon
Posts: 41 - Karma: 10
Thx for all the replies guys... One more thing,,,since we are heading there this summer (first 2 weeks of july).. Any of you got an idea of what species of wildlife we can expect to encounter.. I mean we are going to spend all day in the woods, and my main goal of the trip would be to shoot grizzlys, but for the rest of the wildlife? And also, when I'll be in Vancouver, I,d like to shoot some nightlife and I heard there are some of the Hoodest street of Canada in Vancouver, I'd just like to know if someone could give me the name of some of those hood streets :P
Mar 6 2010 1:49AM
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Jwalk
Posts: 4647 - Karma: 134
try around the nelson kootneay lake area super nice in there
Mar 6 2010 2:21AM
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paige.
Posts: 1930 - Karma: 907
Early July is grizzly bear mating season... i know the Tolkein Group (near Pemberton) is an area you are warned to stay out of during july because of this. I guess if you're looking for them rather than avoiding them that would be a place to go.

As for "hood" streets there's the Downtown Eastside (East hastings area). But the druggies there really don't appreciate people walking around there with cameras. Basically they feel as if it is a breach of privacy and don't like feeling like zoo animals. If you're in a car they'll probably just swear at you. I wouldn't shoot there on foot.
Mar 6 2010 2:41AM
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freezed
Posts: 12973 - Karma: 500
I shoot there on foot all the time. Check out http://www.mattyjeronimo.com the pages labeled "city" and "city II". Most of those are in the downtown eastside of Vancouver. People don't mind, in fact, many of those people asked to be photographed.

PM me if you want to discuss photography in Vancouver at more length so as to not take over your thread.
Mar 6 2010 2:47AM
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taaayyla
Posts: 173 - Karma: 14
the southern chilcotin is beautiful and has tons of wildlife ... about 2 hours past whistler ... went to a lodge called Tyax just past Goldbridge BC there and it was unbelieveable saw lots of bears ... no grizzlies tho.
anywhere in the cariboo central bc area is nice with lots of wildlife as welll .... Green Lake Provincial Park is in southern cariboo is has got tons of moose and deer running around everywhere
the interior/okanagon bc is super nice tooo... the lakes there are amazing i like it better there than hawaii ... and there are a ton of cougars but uhhh i dunno if you really want to photograph them ...
also Vancouver Island .. particularly Tofino.... is absolutely incredible naturewise....

Mar 6 2010 2:59AM
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skeedle
Posts: 6156 - Karma: 628
dude
be SO careful in grizzly country. but that means you pretty much have to stay north of like, pemberton on the 99 or north of cache creek.
but seriously, grizzly's are gnar bar and are sketchy and unpredictable, so be super duper careful. and in mating season too...


Mar 6 2010 3:00AM
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paige.
Posts: 1930 - Karma: 907
Good to know. I remember when I was doing some stuff at Atira I was talking to some of the women there and they told me that people generally didn't like it.
Mar 6 2010 3:02AM
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hue.
Posts: 1518 - Karma: 220
go to buffalo bills if you want cougars
Mar 6 2010 3:09AM
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freezed
Posts: 12973 - Karma: 500
yeah, well it has a lot to do with how you do it. I walk around the area fairly often and talk to people, and I use old film cameras (which are a lot less intimidating)...you have to figure out for yourself what's appropriate and what's not. if someone doesn't want their picture taken, I don't take it.
Mar 6 2010 3:10AM
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squibble
Posts: 4569 - Karma: 104
i really want to go camping this summer with a couple friends, but i've heard that you can't light a fire unless its in a fire pit and if you do light a fire in a non-designated area you can get fined pretty badly. my question is if i don't want to go to a campground with a bunch of tourists but still want to have a little fire going where can i go thats within a days drive of vancouver?

I've gone camping before on a couple islands but they were private property so we could do whatever we wanted.
Apr 9 2010 12:36AM
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paige.
Posts: 1930 - Karma: 907
What is allowed and isn't allowed really varies depending on where you are. There are plenty of places where fires without a ring are allowed (much of crown land below the alpine level) and plenty of places where you could have an illegal fire and never get caught. That said these regulations have been brought in for a reason. I am pretty sure fires are never allowed in Garibaldi park (of course anywhere around whistler = touristy anyways). Manning Park campgrounds allow fires in rings but these campgrounds get BUSY.

IMO your better bet if you want an actual campground would be something around the Pemberton/Lillooet area because the further you drive the less people there will be. There are some really nice campsites that have logging roads for access and as a result won't be too touristy. Pretty well any designated car accessible campground will have fire pits. I've only stayed at Kingdom Lake Campground because I generally stick to backpacking. It is a beautiful spot, and was great until a pack of Bralorne locals showed up complete with massive trucks and speakers. Look at Gun Lake Campground, I've never been there but it's pretty small and is owned by BC Hydro (they are generally pretty well maintained). Birkenhead lake has a campground, I think it's a fair bit larger. If you want to go the find a random spot at the end of a logging road route this is also a good place to start... you can pretty much drive anywhere. I'm sorry I can't help too much because most of my time is spent in the alpine where fires are never allowed.

Also, for large parts of the summer in recent years there has been a blanket ban on backcountry fires and at times on any sort of campfire anywhere because of the wildfires. They've actually had to close off access entirely to some of these areas. You need to check for these right before you go and do not mess any bans. Use this link to check for current bans http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp

Here is some stuff copied from the BC Parks webpage, that has the guidelines for fires without a pit if you decide that's the way you want to go:
Where campfires are permitted, and approved fire-rings or pits are not available, follow these guidelines when building your campfire:
  • Prepare your campfire by removing all leaves, twigs and other flammable material from an area extending at least 30 centimetres around the fire.
  • Be sure to scrape or dig down to mineral soil.
  • Build your campfires at least three metres from any log, stump, snag, standing tree or wooden structure
  • The size of the campfire must not exceed one metre in height and one metre in diameter; the best cooking fires are small and hot.
  • Equip yourself with a shovel or a pail of water containing at least 8 litres and keep near the fire at all times.
  • Attend your campfire at all times and be certain it is extinguished before leaving it. Sift the ashes with your fingers to be sure.
  • *I added this myself* Do not take any live wood to build the fire. There is plenty of deadfall. Lots of people are very against backcountry fires in general, I see no harm as long as there is no damage to the surroundings
Apr 9 2010 3:50AM
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shortdawg
Posts: 1359 - Karma: 19
Black Tusk has potential for lots of really dope spots. And theres camping spots up there
Apr 9 2010 3:51AM
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squibble
Posts: 4569 - Karma: 104
thanks^^
Apr 9 2010 1:36PM
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