Radar

SPANNING THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE near the border between Alberta and British Columbia, the municipality of Crowsnest Pass is rich in history, natural beauty and wildlife. “[When I was] growing up, my parents never had a whole lot of money, but I had one of the best childhoods because of what’s right here in my backyard,” says Brent Koinberg, founder of Crowsnest Adventures. Koinberg spent his childhood exploring the area’s forests, lakes and rivers and is now sharing his love of this land and its Indigenous traditions with visitors from across Canada. Crowsnest Adventures offers a range of activities, from day hikes to the ghost town of Lille to multi-day backpacking trips led by Koinberg and his team of experienced guides. He also shares his passion for the outdoors with the next generation by donating his time to non-profit initiatives, such as local community group CNP 40’s Amazing Teen Race, an annual multi-event outdoor scavenger hunt and youth fundraiser, and the Livingstone Range School Division’s International Student Program, whose students he takes on a free annual hike to Lille. As a member of Indigenous Tourism Alberta, Koinberg also provides opportunities to learn about the history and culture of the area’s diverse Indigenous population. “My grandma was Plains Cree and I’m trying to bring back the Indigenous stories and history that were passed down to me,” he says. Through experiences led by Indigenous storytellers and excursions to his Crowsnest Adventures’ new backcountry tipi camp, Koinberg hopes to connect visitors with the knowledge and traditions of the Blackfoot, Tsuut’ina, Iyaxe Nakoda and Métis who have, for millennia, called the Crowsnest Pass home.