Expert Advice from a Canadian Adventurer: Bad Trips are the Best

July 11, 2026

Two climbers in red jackets lie on a red‑and‑yellow paraglider spread across a snowy, icy landscape.

Photo by Frank Wolf

Years ago, when I was attempting to paddle west to east across Canada, a series of what would be considered ‘bad’ incidents derailed that journey. It began when my canoeing partner and I contracted Giardia a couple of days into the trip. A late start after a 16-hour drive found use in the dark and thirsty, deciding, we’ll purify our water starting tomorrow. Oops. Beset with gut-wrenching parasites, yet somehow unperturbed due to youthful ignorance, we paddled and dragged our canoe upstream on th...

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Frank Wolf

Frank Wolf is a Canadian filmmaker, adventurer, writer and environmentalist. He is known for documenting wilderness expeditions around the world, with a focus on the Canadian North. His award-winning films include 'The Hand of Franklin', 'Kitturiaq', 'On the Line', 'Mammalian', and 'Borealis', all of which broadcast on CBC in Canada. He was named one of 'Canada's Top Ten Adventurers' by Explore Magazine and was named 'One of Canada's Top 100 Explorers' by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. He's written dozens of articles for various publications over the years, including several features for Explore Magazine.