I've lived in Vancouver and in stone's throw of the western side of the Rockies (Calgary). I can totally see a Vancouverite burying their nose in a guide book rather than looking at the real world because the Pacific coast is amazing in comparison. The diversity of plant and animals in Vancouver is amazing. You don't even have to leave the city to see animals like coyotes and a much richer variety of birds than you'll see in the wilderness west of the Rockies. I think it's safe to say that you'll see more variety in the plants of a square meter of the lower mainland than you'll see in a square kilometre of most parts of Canada.

So feel free to admit that the hiker engrossed in the guidebook was you.