Page 30 - Dreamscapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2025

TA L K
INTO THE WILDS WITH
Frank
Wolf
Canada’s Chronic Adventurer
BY BILL KING
30
DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2025
CANADA’S ANSWER TO THE GREAT OUTDOORSMAN
might just be Frank Wolf. That should come as no surprise. In
2020, the Royal Canadian Geographical Society pegged the
adventurer and environmentalist as one of Canada’s 90
Greatest Explorers.
Born in the shadows of Canada’s endless skies in North
Vancouver in 1970, Wolf’s adventures have since become leg-
endary. His nail-biting expeditions ripple like campfire sparks
into the night. The wilderness trekker is regarded as the first
to canoe across Canada in one relentless season. He’s braved
winter’s icy grip cycling 2,000 kilometres on the frozen Yukon
River from Dawson to Nome.
And now in his latest book, Two Springs, One Summer: A
Year Inside the Life of a Chronic Adventurer, the renegade
explorer recounts a year shaped by three epic journeys. The
book opens with a 280-kilometre ski trek across Baffin Island’s
stark, white expanse, where the wind howls like a restless
spirit. Then, the story shifts to the Northwest Territories and
Nunavut, where Wolf paddles 1,750 kilometres of untamed
waterways, tracing the ancient veins of the land under the
northern sky. Finally, he retraces the ill-fated 1854 journey of
explorer John Rae, battling the frozen Arctic landscape on a
harrowing 550-kilometre ski odyssey.
DS: Do you keep a journal religiously?
FW: Yes. No matter how tired I am, I write every evening—in
a tent or elsewhere—capturing the day’s moments and reflec-
tions. Two Springs, One Summer begins each chapter with a
haiku, distilling the day’s essence into a concise 5-7-5 struc-
ture. After the haiku, I dive into the day’s details.
DS: What makes each journey unique?
FW: Every journey has a distinct purpose. In 2013, I rowed
through the Northwest Passage to document Arctic climate
change, incorporating the perspectives of Inuit and Inu-
vialuit communities. Another trip followed the proposed
route of an oil pipeline from Alberta to the ecologically
fragile area of the B.C. coastline. For that journey, I biked,
hiked, pack-rafted and kayaked.
DS: How do you prepare for a trip and keep things simple?
FW: After years of experience, it’s second nature. My first
major trip was a 171-day canoe journey across Canada from the
Bay of Fundy to Vancouver. I was 24. The simplicity hooked
me. Now, I approach each trip like an extended weekend—
same tent, same boots, just more food. Planning involves
shipping supplies or carrying extra provisions.
DS: Do you explore destinations for culinary experiences?
FW: My wife and I love exploring the Gulf Islands, enjoying
breweries and coastal restaurants. Beyond Canada, Italy’s
Dolomites, Finale Ligure, and Lake Como are unforgettable.
We spent weeks savouring the region’s food, wine and beauty
with friends.
Frank Wolf’s life is a testament to the enduring spirit of
exploration. Whether navigating Arctic waters or sampling
Italian cuisine, his adventures remind us of the simplicity
found in embracing the unknown.
DS