Paddling, Hiking and Personal Reflection During the Great Canadian Hike

“Nine kilometres into a walk on the Stanley Park Seawall, I happened upon a booth by accident, and I ended up signing up for the Great Canadian Hike!”  

Meet Vancouver-based Fate Mayanloo, a paddling, walking and hiking enthusiast. After meeting Trans Canada Trail staff at an info kiosk, not only did Fate sign up for the Great Canadian Hike, but she got four of her friends to register as well! Over the 30-day challenge, Fate hiked, walked and paddled, logging a total of 271 kilometres and raising funds for Trans Canada Trail.  “I usually paddle two to three days a week in the summer, and a bit less frequently in the winter. When I saw the leaderboard, it gave me a bit of a competitive instinct to perform!” Fate says. She was such an avid paddler, in fact, that she ended up winning a prize pack for most kilometres logged paddling.  

Paddling close to 50 kilometres per week 

Though Fate is already an avid paddler and hiker, the Great Canadian Hike definitely motivated her to go out more often, and for longer periods of time, than she would have.  

“I was going out kayaking so frequently that the kayak club that I was renting from got curious! They were like, ‘You know, you’re the only person going out in the downpour right now. Do you mind if we ask why?’” Once she explained the Great Canadian Hike, the kayak club generously allowed her to extend her rental time as way to cheer her on. 

Thanks to the generosity of the kayak club – and a whole lot of motivation – Fate was able to log up to 50 kilometres per week during the Great Canadian Hike. Being out on the water also resulted in her exploring more and finding some new favourite spots to paddle. 

A deep appreciation for nature 

Fate cites two favourite moments from the Great Canadian Hike. The first was a hiking trip to E.C. Manning Park in the Cascade Mountains. “Around Mount Frosty, there are larch trees that turn golden for basically one weekend a year. I’ve always wanted to do it, so I called up two of my friends and invited them on a last-minute trip,” she says. The group got up at 4 a.m. and drove out to the park. And it was worth it! At every turn of a switchback, the views were breathtaking. 

Fate’s second favourite moment started out as a typical West Coast rainy day – but she was determined to log some kilometres paddling. “It took me two hours to get out to the kayak location, so I just had to go, rain or shine,” Fate says. “I was anticipating being uncomfortable for six hours, and I paddled a bit through the wind and rain, and then out of nowhere, it just cleared. It was beautiful and calm, and nobody else was out. It was just me and the birds and the waves. I saw a heron, two eagles and a seal. It just felt like paradise.” 

Trails as ‘a place of healing and restoration’ 

“Trails are a source of escape for me,” says Fate. In the past couple of years, due to ongoing health issues, she has been drawn to trails and nature more than ever before. “I’ve found quiet in the woods and on the water, so for me it’s almost a place of healing and restoration. I’m out there, I don’t have to listen to cars or other city noise.” She sees trails and nature – both land- and water-based – as a way to stay in the present; to focus on what is around you and the task at hand. Fate notes the easy proximity to trails and nature in and around the city of Vancouver as a major factor in her wellbeing. 

A great motivator – and a great way to support trail stewardship 

In the end, Fate was quite pleased to come out on top – and to have pushed herself to spend more time outside and in nature than she normally would have. The Great Canadian Hike was a really great motivator for her, especially at the time of year – a lot of people really go hard in the summer and then slow down in the fall, so it was nice to have shoulder-season motivation! 

Fate also volunteers as a trail steward for marine trails in the Lower Mainland, caretaking and preserving the trails, and is grateful to organizations like Trans Canada Trail that support trail maintenance and enhancement.  

 “I know the activity level required to do invasive species management, for example,” Fate says. I think a lot of people assume that there’s a dedicated task force. But a lot of that work is volunteer. People have to advocate for resources. So from the stewardship perspective, I’m glad that there’s something like [the Great Canadian Hike] that’s making people aware of how all these benefits come from nature, but because we use them, we need to actively maintain trails and advocate for them. I’m glad for the attention and awareness that campaigns like this bring to trail stewardship.” 

As for what comes next? Fate says she encourages kayak clubs to take part in the Great Canadian Hike – and sends out a huge thank you to her friends at Deep Cove Kayak for their support in last year’s challenge.  

Great Canadian Hike is supported by  Manulife.  

Prizes were generously provided by Columbia Sportswear, Garmin and Tom’s of Maine. 

Donations are still open for the Great Canadian Hike until October 13, 2026. Donate today!

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Photo credits: Fate Mayanloo