Known for its beautiful landscapes, abundant wildlife and laid-back atmosphere, Vancouver Island is just a short ferry ride away from the bustling Lower Mainland but often feels like an entirely different world. Though the city of Victoria in the south of the Island offers every modern convenience (and plenty of colonial charm), as you move north and west along the Island the cities get smaller and further apart, the trees get bigger and your opportunities for outdoor adventure grow exponentially. From surfing and whale-watching in Tofino to viewing some of the world’s largest trees in Strathcona Provincial Park, Vancouver Island’s natural treasures have to be seen to be believed. Get away from it all on a multi-day hike along the West Coast Trail, reel in the catch of a lifetime in Campbell River, the “Salmon Capital of the World,” or explore the many charming Gulf Islands – Vancouver Island is yours to discover. The 8th edition of our Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook features extensive updates and upgrades from our last publication. These include the addition of private land, fish species, higher resolution for wildlife management units, enhanced and updated resource roads, cartographic symbol updates, multi-use trail and fish stocking charts and four new maps at 1:150,000 base scale, as well as an inset map of the Sayward Canoe Route. As usual, we have also expanded and refined our written Adventure listings to get you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible for your adventure of choice. Russell Mussio was born in Trail, BC where he spent his childhood years playing sports and exploring the Great Outdoors. At a time when parents simply called their kids back for dinner, Russell and friends could be found fishing local streams, hiking and biking nearby trails and even chasing grouse and deer around the hills. His family, in particular his father Sergio and brother Wesley, were instrumental in introducing him to the trials and tribulations of outdoor adventure. From camping throughout the parks and recreation sites of BC to hunting and fishing in the Kootenays it seemed every vacation had an outdoor theme. From these early beginnings, Russell grew a strong appreciation of the outdoors. Russell attended the University of British Columbia where he explored a few different career options before settling in on a degree in Leisure and Sport Administration. Before graduating he took a year off to travel the world. From this experience Russell developed a passion for outdoor travel, which he was able to develop through his final year at university. Backed by a sponsor professor, he was able to explore two different outdoor recreation business concepts. The guidebook business that he and his brother stumbled across when exploring the wilderness around Vancouver seemed to be the most logical concept. That is where the idea for the Backroad Mapbook series was born. A The seed for Backroad Mapbooks was planted in 1993. Brothers Wesley and Russell Mussio were out exploring the maze of logging roads around Harrison Lake in southern BC on a cold, wet day. They had several books and a few maps to try to find their way, yet all of their sources showed no more than the area’s main road system. Even worse, most of the maps were outdated. The Trail, BC-born brothers quickly found themselves lost. Frustrated, Wesley asked Russell, “Why doesn’t someone make one guide that shows all the roads?” With that, a lightbulb went off, and the pair got down to work. By January of 1994, the Mussio brothers had published their first map book, and it quickly sold out. Rather than simply reprinting it, the entrepreneurial duo decided to take stock of customer feedback and make a number of improvements to the book. The constant improvements to the product carried on for the next two decades, helping to establish Backroad Mapbooks as the top-selling outdoor recreation guidebook series in Canada. Today, Backroad Mapbooks has expanded to chart all ten provinces and the Yukon Territory, with industry-leading GPS maps, a smartphone app, waterproof maps and more. From its humble beginnings in a tiny Vancouver apartment with maps strewn all over the walls, to one of the most sought-after outdoor products in the country, the Backroad Mapbooks series has come a long way.