Hi Team!

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful holiday season and escaping some of the crazy weather circulating around the globe right now!

Here is early access to the wrap up video which I’ll probably release on New Year’s Eve. Perhaps a day earlier I’m not sure yet… Also keep an eye out for the 2026 launch video which I’ll talk a bit about below.

I’m currently on the East Coast of Canada in the province of New Brunswick spending Christmas and New Year’s with my parents. Evelyn and Olivia were in Toronto with their other grandparents but have already left for other adventures. Olivia is back in Vancouver and Evelyn is actually in the Yukon! She’ll be there through New Year’s with some friends and plans to do some dog sledding. I can’t wait to see the pictures!

I’m sharing that because I’m in the middle of putting together that 2026 launch video I mentioned above. As it will be a look “back” at 10 years on YouTube, going through older videos has me reflecting a bit on how much my daughters have become adventurers of their own. Another example it’s a trip they took together to Greece, where Evelyn then stayed behind and went to Turkey on her own, toured around, and ended up taking a hot air balloon tour! Not sure how I feel about that last but but it’s wonderful to see their love of travel and adventure carry on as they become young adults.

When that is done I’ll be working on the Frequently Asked Questions video that I had anticipated releasing in late November. As you’ll learn in this 2025 wrap video, putting stuff together is a lot of work! I’ll also be in a hurry in January to select the first few backpacking trips for the 10 epic hikes. I’ve been compiling a list from suggestions from viewers and will throw them your way to see what you think.  I’m also not sure if I should pick all 10 right now and make a plan, or pick five or six and then be flexible with the others from the suggestions.

What do you think?

Either way, I should be in a position to start backpacking in mid to late February somewhere warmer than Canada, so I’ll be focussing on perhaps the US Southwest given that I will be back in Vancouver in early February to see Olivia sing in another opera.

If not for that need to be west again, I would probably head down the US eastern seaboard from New Brunswick, and maybe do a chunk of the Florida Trail or other warmer climate year-round backpacking options. One of the trips that has been on my bucket list for almost 10 years is the Georgia Loop, referred to as the “hardest hike in Georgia”. It incorporates part of the AT and the Benton MacKaye Trail.  Benton MacKaye was the designer of the AT and some portions of his namesake trek were designed to be alternates to the AT. The BMT itself is 300 miles!  Other options in the general vicinity would also include another bucket list hike, the Art Loeb Trail…

I suppose driving back east in mid February is an option, but the fuel costs would probably be a more than I would prefer to spend. Still pondering that!

As I mention in this video, I am extraordinarily appreciative for all of the support I receive every year from viewers and especially from you here on Patreon. I’m looking forward to leaning on you for some help in choosing what 2026 is going to be! Look for that list of options soon.

Happy New Year!

Stuart