The Happy Camper: Interviewing Hap Wilson and Frank Wolf, Top Canadian Adventurers
I’ve been keeping busy while in “isolation” interviewing more awesome outdoorsy people for my Happy Camper Whisky Fireside online chats (thank goodness for Zoom).
Here’s a double bill for you to enjoy. Two incredible legendary Canadian adventurers: Hap Wilson and Frank Wolf.
Hap Wilson
Hap is an award-winning artist, author and photographer. He worked several years in the Temagami District as a Park Ranger, later as an outfitter and was co-founder of the environment group Earthroots. Author of 14 books, his writing has appeared in Canadian Geographic, Cottage Life, Explore, Canoe & Kayak, International Wildlife and Outdoor Canada.
Canada’s Heritage Rivers won the Natural Resources Council of America Award for best environmental book of 1994. Wilson also received the Bill Mason Award for lifetime achievement in river conservation. Wilson has paddled more than 60,000 kilometres throughout Canada and taught wilderness skills for Outward Bound, is an International Fellow of the Explorer’s Club and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
On the lighter side, Wilson taught actor Pierce Brosnan how to throw an axe and paddle a canoe for the Attenborough movie Grey Owl.
The clips used throughout the interview were from the film WILD TEMAGAMI, featuring Hap and Andrea Wilson at Cabin Falls Ecolodge, Temagami. Directed, Produced and Filmed by Michael Oliphant and Hailey Sonntag.
Frank Wolf
Labelled one of Canada’s Top 10 Adventurers by Explore Magazine and Top 100 Explorers of our time by Canadian Geographic, Frank is a filmmaker, author and has completed some amazing wilderness trips—including being the first to canoe across Canada in one season. His book Lines on a Map, published by Rocky Mountain Books, was released in October 2018.
Some of his recent expeditions:
- (2019) The Lakeland Traverse: 20-day, 800-kilometre canoe expedition through Finland from Nurmes to Helsinki with Todd McGowan.
- (2019) Arctic Return: 18-day, 350-kilometre ski expedition from Naujaat to Pelly Bay, with David Reid and Richard Smith. Reid and Smith continued for another 200 kilometres to Rae Strait after Wolf had to abandon the journey due to injury.
- (2018) Across the Barrens: 35-day, 1,750-kilometre canoe expedition from Yellowknife to the Arctic Ocean via Great Slave Lake, Pike’s Portage and the Back River with Ryan Bougie
- (2018) Baffin Ski Traverse: 14-day, 230-kilometre ski expedition across Baffin Island via the Penny Ice Cap with Dave Garrow and John McClelland
- (2017) Maze of the North Expedition: 30-day, 1,350-kilometre canoe expedition from Pekans River bridge on Quebec Route 389 to Umiujaq, Quebec with Peirson Ross Mclean
- (2017) Angilaaq Mountain Expedition: 12-day, 160-kilometre ski expedition on Bylot Island to summit Angilaaq Mountain, its highest peak, as well as four other sub-peaks with Dave Garrow
Check his films out here and his website here.
P.S. Want to follow The Happy Camper’s adventures in print?
Subscribe to Explore magazine today!
Click here for subscription options.
