Chris Baxter

My first camping trips were with my family. Growing up in Montreal, we’d overload the family station wagon with all the essentials (and many non-essentials), hook-up a well-used tent trailer, and travel to Lone Pine Campsites in Vermont (which still exists!). After a few years we shifted to tent camping. The tent was a canvas beast that practically filled the back of our vehicle.

Chris Canvas Tent
My last camping trip with my parents when I was 11. That tent was HUGE!

 

In 1979, my parents discovered Scouting and enrolled me in the Beaver program (for 5 to 7 year-olds). I’ve been a member with Scouts Canada ever since.  As I moved up to Cubs, and eventually Scouts, our family camping trips were replaced by trips with other boys (Scouts only became co-ed in 1993) and I found myself completely engaged in learning as much as I could about camping and the outdoors. I got my first real backpack when I was 10, my first tent (from Outbound) when I was 16, and my trusty canoe (which I still use to this day) when I was 18.  I’ve spent my entire adult life volunteering as a leader in Scouting, and have mentored hundreds of youth (including my own two kids) and adults as they’ve gained confidence and proficiency in outdoor skills.

While I enjoy all kinds of outdoor adventures, I am particularly passionate about canoe tripping and backpacking.  There is just something special about using your own legs and arms to propel yourself away from civilization. I spent a summer doing back-to-back 10-day canoe trips as a guide in Canada’s Algonquin Park and continue to find joy on the water and on the trail

Chris Canoe
Paddling in Small Inlet Provincial Marine Park in BC’s Pacific Ocean

 

I have a doctorate in Environmental Science, Wilderness Camping Skills certification from Paddle Canada, and Remote First Aid certification from the Red Cross. I also hold instructor certification from Paddle Canada and the Recreational Canoeing Association of BC and am certified to teach camping skills, solo flat water canoeing, and tandem flat water canoeing.

I acquired Wilderness Redefined in 2024 as a passion project. I love the outdoors and get a ton of satisfaction in teaching new skills to campers of all ages. There is nothing like seeing someone light their first campfire or sharing in the moment when they contemplate the vastness of the universe when seeing a night sky free of light pollution for the first time.

I look forward to sharing my passion with you and hope that our informational content and gear reviews will help to redefine your wilderness experience. Please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn

Happy Camping!