Featuring vast stretches of undisturbed rainforest, towering mountains surrounded by pristine lakes, thousands of kilometers of coastline teeming with marine life and a variety of quaint, charming communities, Northern Vancouver Island offers endless opportunity for adventure. With just one major roadway reaching the northern extents of the Island, this is a place where nature rules and stress melts away. A secluded sandy beach or isolated campsite is never too far away, and often your chances of seeing a whale swimming offshore are better than spotting another human. From salmon fishing in Campbell River to hiking in Strathcona Park and Cape Scott or paddling the shores of Brooks Peninsula Park, there is no shortage of recreational opportunity on Northern Vancouver Island.

To make navigating this sparsely populated region easier the BRMB team have worked tirelessly to create the most comprehensive, detailed and easy to use map for Northern Vancouver Island you will find anywhere. This dual sided 34” x 46.25” map is printed on durable, waterproof paper to withstand any storm or gale. With industry-leading cartographic detail, state-of-the-art relief shading, colour coded Provincial Parks and more, there isn’t an easier to read map on the market. This map contains countless points of interest, hiking trails, campsites, beaches, paddling routes and more, so no matter what you are looking for, you can find it on our Northern Vancouver Island Waterproof Map. This map also features detailed descriptions of recreation sites and parks with information on camping, fees, activities, access and more. Covering the areas around Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Gold River, Campbell River, Courtenay/Comox and more, this is your ultimate guide to exploring one of the most breathtaking areas in the world.

Russell Mussio was born in Trail, BC where he spent his childhood years playing sports and exploring the Great Outdoors. At a time when parents simply called their kids back for dinner, Russell and friends could be found fishing local streams, hiking and biking nearby trails and even chasing grouse and deer around the hills.

His family, in particular his father Sergio and brother Wesley, were instrumental in introducing him to the trials and tribulations of outdoor adventure. From camping throughout the parks and recreation sites of BC to hunting and fishing in the Kootenays it seemed every vacation had an outdoor theme. From these early beginnings, Russell grew a strong appreciation of the outdoors.

Russell attended the University of British Columbia where he explored a few different career options before settling in on a degree in Leisure and Sport Administration. Before graduating he took a year off to travel the world. From this experience Russell developed a passion for outdoor travel, which he was able to develop through his final year at university. Backed by a sponsor professor, he was able to explore two different outdoor recreation business concepts. The guidebook business that he and his brother stumbled across when exploring the wilderness around Vancouver seemed to be the most logical concept. That is where the idea for the Backroad Mapbook series was born.

After graduation Russell, along with Wesley, went about self-publishing their first guidebook called the Backroad and Outdoor Recreation Mapbook: Southwestern BC for a tradeshow in January 1994. By March 1994, the first printing of the book was sold out. But rather than simply reprinting it, they listened to the feedback of the readers and retailers and improved it. This constant desire to create the best book in the most convenient and economical package possible has helped the brothers and their publishing company, Mussio Ventures Ltd., produce over 40 National Bestseller titles. Today, Mussio Ventures, through their signature series Backroad Mapbooks, is Canada's leading outdoor recreation publisher.

Russell now lives in Lake Country, BC with his wife and two children. In addition to helping run the publishing company and family commitments, he is involved with the local park department and outdoors club. Although he spends as much time as he can exploring the backroads of Canada, he always seems to return to the pen to write. He has been published in several different magazines, newspapers and websites across the country including regular contributions to Adventure West magazine, and several articles published in The Province newspaper out of Vancouver, BC.

Russell Mussio's profile page

The seed for Backroad Mapbooks was planted in 1993. Brothers Wesley and Russell Mussio were out exploring the maze of logging roads around Harrison Lake in southern BC on a cold, wet day. They had several books and a few maps to try to find their way, yet all of their sources showed no more than the area’s main road system. Even worse, most of the maps were outdated. The Trail, BC-born brothers quickly found themselves lost.

Frustrated, Wesley asked Russell, “Why doesn’t someone make one guide that shows all the roads?” With that, a lightbulb went off, and the pair got down to work. By January of 1994, the Mussio brothers had published their first map book, and it quickly sold out. Rather than simply reprinting it, the entrepreneurial duo decided to take stock of customer feedback and make a number of improvements to the book.

The constant improvements to the product carried on for the next two decades, helping to establish Backroad Mapbooks as the top-selling outdoor recreation guidebook series in Canada. Today, Backroad Mapbooks has expanded to chart all ten provinces and the Yukon Territory, with industry-leading GPS maps, a smartphone app, waterproof maps and more. From its humble beginnings in a tiny Vancouver apartment with maps strewn all over the walls, to one of the most sought-after outdoor products in the country, the Backroad Mapbooks series has come a long way.

In true pioneer spirit, Backroad Mapbooks will only continue to break new ground and seek out the ever-expanding horizon.

Backroad Mapbooks' profile page