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West Kootenay Hiking

West Kootenay Hiking is a backcountry bandana manufacturer and a trip planning resource for locals and visitors in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. Backcountry bandanas are inspired by nature, bringing floral and fauna from the mountains into perfect symmetrical designs. They are the perfect accessory for every adventure: tie back your hair, cool your neck, swat those bugs, strain your pasta, sling an arm, shield your face, mask your eyes, have a wash, all while looking good. Goodbye boring old paisley! And the printed guidebook and website offers detailed trailhead directions, topographic maps, elevation profiles, inspiring photos, and handy summaries of everything you need to plan your next adventure.

Give us a brief description of your manufacturing processes and philosophy

For the Backcountry Bandanas, I gather reference material while exploring and then work in my art studio to create textile patterns and detailed designs. They’re made of light-weight cotton using water-based inks. I have a Fair Trade certified partner in India that does the final screen printing and sewing. As for the West Kootenay Hiking guidebook, it is printed in Canada and available through local independent retailers. The website runs on a sustainable carbon-neutral hosting platform and is largely supported through a community membership.

How many employees and/or contractors do you work with?

One.

What brought you to the Kootenays and how long have you been here?

A suspicion in my mid-twenties that some people were getting away with living in the mountains full-time and enjoying their lives immensely led me west from Ontario. I wanted to be able to go hiking every weekend and enjoy big, inspirational landscapes. I’ve been here for 10 years now.

Tell us about the history and relative work experience of your founder(s).

I spent 10 years in the tech industry doing various jobs up and down the IT support chain. Eventually I wanted to build my own thing that was more meaningful than working on insurance software and that turned out to be West Kootenay Hiking. With a background in technical writing and business project management, I took the leap to being a full-time entrepreneur in 2023 and began splitting my time between West Kootenay Hiking and my art business (abbywilson.ca). I also volunteer as a trip leader with the Kootenay Mountaineering Club and enjoy the local outdoors culture in the Kootenays immensely.

Describe the mission, vision, goals, and aspirations of your company.

West Kootenay Hiking is all about inspiring locals and visitors to get into the outdoors. The website and guidebook offer detailed directions and descriptions while the Backcountry Bandanas help with whatever you need while you’re out there.

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Other Members

Apex Precision Fabrication Ltd.

Nelson, BC

Aplomb Cycles

Rossland, BC

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