Multicultural Trail Network

10/08/2026

Last Saturday, we headed out to the Porcupine Hills near Lundbreck for our second event in the Give Back Outdoors series - and what a way to end it!

We spent a beautiful fall day at Maycroft Provincial Recreation Area, learning about beavers, freshwater conservation, and how something as simple as a beaver dam can play a big role in an ecosystem.

Here are a few things we learned along the way:

🦫 Beaver dams help support native trout by creating and maintaining healthy freshwater habitat.

🌱 Wetland areas can help build climate resiliency by slowing water, storing moisture, and supporting healthy ecosystems.

🌲 The Porcupine Hills got their name from their landscape - the hills are covered in trees that can look like the quills of a porcupine from a distance!

Our participants told us they enjoyed:
✨ Learning about beavers and freshwater conservation
✨ Getting hands-on with conservation work
✨ Meeting new people and working together
✨ Spending a beautiful fall day outside
✨ Learning more about how they can help protect local ecosystems

A huge thank you to Freshwater Conservation Canada who helped make this experience possible - and to everyone who joined us for both our Give Back Outdoors events.

We hope you all left with new knowledge, new connections, and a stronger sense of how we can all give back to the places we love. 🌿

10/06/2026

What does it take to lead an overnight outdoor adventure? 🏕️

It's about more than knowing how to hike. It's about planning ahead, making decisions, understanding risk, building confidence, and creating meaningful experiences for the people you're leading.

During our OCC Overnight Leadership Course on the September 26-27 weekend with instructor Lucinda, participants had the opportunity to develop their outdoor leadership skills, learn alongside one another, and reflect on the role the outdoors can play in personal growth.

Here's what some of our participants shared:

💬 “After taking the course I feel far more confident in my knowledge of the outdoors.”

💬 “I feel that this course has set me up to become a better planner and leader in the future.”

And they're already thinking about how to put those skills to use - from leading overnight backpacking trips with diverse students to volunteering at community outdoor events and sharing their knowledge with others.

One reminder that really stuck with a participant? The outdoors is a powerful space for self-reflection and learning. 🌲

We're excited to see how participants carry these skills forward and help create more opportunities for others to experience the outdoors.

A big thank-you to Lucinda for sharing her knowledge and guiding the group through this learning experience, and to the David Elton Outdoor Fund and the Elton Family for helping make this training more accessible. 🫶🏽

10/03/2026

09/25/2026

The outdoors should be accessible - and people deserve the opportunity to learn how to navigate it safely. 🌲

Outdoor education can teach us how to plan, recognize hazards, make informed decisions and build confidence in challenging environments. But courses and training can also come with costs that create barriers to participation.

That's why funding that makes outdoor education more accessible matters.

The David Elton Outdoor Fund was created after the loss of 17-year-old David Elton, a Calgary student who loved the outdoors and outdoor leadership. Rather than turning away from outdoor education, David's parents, Ann and John, chose to create a legacy focused on helping young people and youth leaders develop safety as a primary leadership skill.

This weekend, that legacy will help our participants get outside and learn.

Thanks to generous support and funding from Outdoor Council of Canada and the David Elton Outdoor Fund, our participants will be taking part in their overnight course with the Outdoor Council of Canada (OCC) - an opportunity to build skills, confidence and knowledge that can support safer outdoor experiences for years to come.

We're incredibly grateful to everyone who helps make accessible outdoor education possible. 🏔🫶🏽

09/17/2026

Cooler mornings, changing leaves, cozy layering - and the start of a whole new season of getting outside. 🍂

Fall hiking, camping, biking, backpacking - we're ready. 🙌🏼

09/10/2026

We’re taking Give Back Outdoors to the prairie foothills this October for a hands-on day of freshwater habitat restoration with Freshwater Conservation Canada.

We’ll be building Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs), learning about freshwater ecosystems, and getting a behind-the-scenes look at conservation work.

Plus, you get:
🚌 Free transportation from Calgary
🥪 Lunch + snacks
🛠️ All the tools you need
🎁 $50 prepaid Visa gift card as a thank you!

📅 October 3
👥 Ages 18+
💰 FREE
⏳️ Registration deadline: Sept 27

No restoration experience needed. Just bring your willingness to learn and your best outdoor-work energy. 💪🏽

Come give back to the outdoors with us!

09/08/2026

For MTN's second Give Back Outdoors event, we're leaving the city behind and heading into the Southern Rockies.

We'll spend the day surrounded by open prairie, Rocky Mountain foothills and local wildlife - and getting our hands dirty with some hands-on habitat restoration.

There's a certain local species we're especially excited to help… 👀

October 3 - save the date!| 18+ | FREE | Transportation & lunch included

Any guesses?

08/18/2026

Ever wondered what actually goes into caring for a trail? 🌲🥾

We’re getting ready for Give Back Outdoors: Trail Care Day with Friends of Kananaskis Country & Trans Canada Trail on September 12, and we’re answering some of the questions you might have before joining us! 👀

From what trail stewardship means to what trail brushing actually involves, we’re breaking down the basics so you know what to expect - whether you’ve volunteered for conservation work before or this is your first time.

And yes, there’s plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors too! 🌿 We’ll be working on Ford Knoll Trail, getting some hands-on trail maintenance experience, and enjoying a hike together along the way.

Swipe through to learn more on how to give back to the trails that give us so much.

08/12/2026

A little smoke in the air, lots of coffee, great views, and an even better group. 🌲🥾

This past weekend, we welcomed a new group of soon-to-be OCC Hiking Field Leaders for two days of learning, practicing, and getting outside.

Led by Keri Bowzaylo, an OCC Certified instructor, participants spent the weekend building practical leadership skills both in the classroom and out on the trail. Day one's classroom came with some pretty great views of South Calgary, while day two took us out into busy South Glenmore Park to put those skills into practice.

For almost everyone, this was their first certification course - and one of the biggest highlights was simply getting to know one another, making new friends, learning together, and leaving with more confidence to lead hikes with friends, families or any groups.

As one participant highlighted the impact of accessible training:

“The subsidized cost is a huge benefit that lowers barriers and makes it easier for us to be leaders in our own communities and tell more people about it.”

And perhaps the best review of all? The instructor.

“The instructor made all the difference!! Loved learning from someone who is SO experienced and can share all their stories and lessons from years of work in the field!”

A big thank you to Keri for sharing her experience and knowledge, and to everyone who showed up ready to learn, connect, and lead. We can't wait to see where you take these skills next. 💪🏽

A special thank you to the David Elton Outdoor Fund for providing funding that helped make this learning opportunity more accessible, and to the Outdoor Council of Canada for their support in making this certification course possible. We're always grateful for the support in helping build a more diverse community of confident outdoor leaders. 🫶🏽

08/12/2026

You’ve mastered the basics - now take the next step. Build confidence leading overnight and backcountry experiences. 🏕️

The OCC Overnight Leadership Certification Course is happening September 26–27, 2026!

Spend two days learning and practicing the skills needed to plan and lead overnight adventures — from trip planning and risk management to group leadership, campcraft, and emergency preparedness.

⛺ Hands-on overnight field experience
🥾 Practical leadership training
🧭 Build confidence in backcountry settings
🎓 Earn your OCC Overnight Leadership Certification

Course value: $425 ➡️ Our Participant fee: just $60!

This course is made possible through the support of Outdoor Council of Canada and generous funding from the David Elton Outdoor Fund, helping make advanced outdoor leadership training more accessible while supporting the development of safer, more confident outdoor leaders.

Eligibility: 18+ | BIPOC, racialized & newcomers | Current OCC Field Leader Certification required

📅 September 26–27, 2026
💰 $60
🔗 Details + registration via the link in our bio

Limited spots available so register now! 🌲