“We may live surrounded by her beauty, but do we ever pause to appreciate what others travel great distances to see? I, for one, did not. It seemed life was just too busy.” Lyle Litzenberger

After retiring from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Lyle Litzenberger established his own landscaping business which afforded him the freedom to enjoy the great outdoors once again. The view of Burke Mountain was always there, luring him toward his dream of hiking and exploring this great wonder.

Lyle’s love for nature evolved early on while growing up on the family farm and, later, on camping trips with his family. Although he had lived in close proximity to Pinecone Burke Provincial Park since 1977, it was not until 2008 that he hiked Burke Mountain for the very first time. Such an incredible adventure this turned out to be, Lyle had to return to Burke Mountain, to hike her again and the Widgeon too.

The idea of a guidebook began to take shape when Lyle realized that many others just like him did not even know how to access this scenic backyard wilderness. To hike Burke Mountain and the Widgeon is, truly, the only way to appreciate their magnificence and beauty.

Lyle considered himself a novice in hiking and the backcountry experience until 2008 when his hiking boots took him on every trail he could find on Burke Mountain and the Widgeon. The learning curve was steep, but with time he became more comfortable and familiar with the many trails. After much exploration and, consequently, falling in love with these natural wonders, he volunteered with the Burke Mountain Naturalists to help clear and flag many of the trails that had become overgrown and were no longer marked. Today, members of the Burke Mountain Naturalists maintain these trails for all to enjoy.