I’ve been to a lot of off the beaten track, and rugged locations on my travels, and experienced some pretty crazy adventures–but my trip to the Kootenay Rockies in British Columbia had to be the most intense one yet.

Each day consisted of, not one, but two adrenaline pumping adventures–most of which I was trying for my first time. Each one pushed me further past my limit than I’ve probably ever been before, and left me wide-eyes in disbelief after each one was complete.

Most people head to nearby Banff when visiting the region, but the Kootenays are more raw & natural, less commercialized, surrounded by a more remote wilderness, and has much fewer crowds to deal with.

From soaring over mountain valleys and scaling rock cliffs, to conquering rapids on a board and backcountry hiking; here is my list of the top 8 amazing adventures to take in the Kootenays:

8. Hike to the Burgess Shale Fossil Beds
7. ATV Paradise Ridge
6. SUP down the Kicking Horse River
5. Sky Dive over the Rockies
4. Conquer the Via Ferrata at Kicking Horse Mountain
3. Go Heli-Hiking in Revelstoke
2. Canoe Around Emerald Lake
1. Paraglide over Golden

Learn more about these adventures