Van Life in Wild Northern BC: Grizzlies, Spirit Bears, and Rainy Magic

We Saw a SPIRIT BEAR – Van Life in the Rainiest City in North America

Our van life adventure took an unforgettable turn this week as we journeyed to the rainiest city in North America, Prince Rupert, Canada. We expected misty mornings and lush rainforests—but nothing could’ve prepared us for what happened next.

What started as a search for a quiet campsite turned into a heart-racing moment when we stumbled across a grizzly bear. Needless to say, we kept moving and found a peaceful spot on the banks of a beautiful, remote river, where we called home for a few days—just us, the van, and the sounds of the wild.

But the true magic happened when we witnessed something we never imagined in our wildest dreams: a Spirit Bear. Rare, elusive, and sacred to Indigenous cultures, this white bear is a symbol of peace, strength, and balance. We are still processing how lucky we are to have seen one in the wild.

This video captures the awe, emotion, and raw beauty of life on the road in British Columbia. Don’t miss this one.

🚐 To support our journey and view early release videos, coordinates to our favorite camp locations, and recipes, check out our Patreon community here:   / adventureoutthere989  

👉 OUR FAVORITE CAMP GEAR (View our full store: https://app.rockporch.com/prflink/Adv...)

Camp Cooking:
Tembotusk Skottle Grill: https://amzn.to/4jZ5GHl
Electric Water Kettle: https://amzn.to/4dcqiJH
Wooden Coffee Bean Grinder: https://amzn.to/3EWayhh
Aeropress Coffee Maker: https://amzn.to/43nYZIV
Lodge 8 Quart Dutch Oven: https://amzn.to/3Z2rCZV
Lodge Adjustable Dutch Oven Tripod: https://amzn.to/3S1yTFj

Camping and Vanlife Gear:
Extra Long Tongs: https://amzn.to/3GQtf6w
Wooden Axe: https://amzn.to/4dgPmPI
Solar Camping String Lights: https://amzn.to/43n7Jiu
Trail Cam: https://amzn.to/436bU0Q
Firepit by Tembotusk: https://amzn.to/3RW7EMr
Ignik Refillable Propane Tank: https://backcountry.rockporch.com/prd...
Thermacell Mosquito Repeller: https://rei.rockporch.com/prdlink/1cV...
Waterproof Binoculars: https://rei.rockporch.com/prdlink/J3P...

Adventure Pup Gear:
Dog Lift Harness Sling for Hiking: https://backcountry.rockporch.com/prd...
Rechargeable Safety Necklace: https://rei.rockporch.com/prdlink/X8A...
Dog Water Bottle for Hiking: https://amzn.to/4kbNV7j
Dog Water Bowl for Traveling: https://amzn.to/43bg33F

Favorite Footwear:
XTRATUF Boots: https://app.rockporch.com/prdlink/J4Y...
Blundstone Chelsea Boots: https://backcountry.rockporch.com/prd...
Bedrock Sandals Mountain Clogs: https://rei.rockporch.com/prdlink/zVV...

Join Us and Become a Rockporch Creator: https://app.rockporch.com/Identity/Ac...

VIDEO CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction
01:33 Exploring Prince Rupert, BC
02:49 Finding a BIG Grizzly at Our Campsite
05:22 Camping on a Beautiful River in BC
07:31 Kraft Dinner!
08:29 Morning River Drone Shots
09:14 How to Make Coffee in an Aeropress
12:22 Van Chores and So Much Sand!
14:18 Peaceful Afternoon at Camp and Dutch Oven Dinner
20:43 Movie and Snack Night in the Van
22:44 Beautiful Morning at Camp and Moving On
25:28 We Saw a SPIRIT BEAR CUB and Its Family
28:35 Town Chores and Finding Camp for the Night
31:10 Reflections and Next Plans

MUSIC LICENSE:

🎵 Music licensed from Lickd. The biggest mainstream and stock music platform for content creators.

Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) (1999 Remaster) by The Hollies, https://lickd.lnk.to/KnNmSVID License ID: rG0jpxQPKza

It's My Life (1997 Remaster) by Talk Talk, https://lickd.lnk.to/Zgs7viID License ID: K9QqrwNmJO5

Try Lickd for FREE for 7 days: https://referrals.lickd.co/l/EMILYWHI...

🕶️ VIDEOS TO WATCH NEXT:

We quit the 9-5 to start van life in our forties:    • We quit the 9-5 to start van life in our f...  

Full tour of our cozy custom 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter Van:    • VAN TOUR: 4x4 144 Sprinter Van Conversion ...  

ABOUT US:

We’re Brian, Emily, and our adventure-loving dog, Wez. We traded in our 9-5 careers in our forties for the open road, living and exploring in our fully converted 4x4 Sprinter van. From breathtaking landscapes to hidden gems, we’re on a mission to discover the world’s beauty and share it with you.

Subscribe to follow our travels, watch us learn as we go, and see some of the things we experience. We're just getting started, but will also share any van life tips and tricks that we pick up along the way. Thank you for being part of our journey!

✔️AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER:

Some of the links above are affiliate links. If you choose to use them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we use ourselves and love. This helps keep us on the road and making content. We appreciate your support!

#vanlife #vanlifeadventure #vanlifevlog #vanlifecouple #camping #campervan #canada #canadalife