The Backroad Mapbook Series idea came into existence on a cold, wet day when Wesley and Russell Mussio were out exploring. They had several books and a few maps to try to find their way through the maze of logging roads around Harrison Lake in southern British Columbia. The brothers were getting very frustrated trying to find their way. All of their sources showed only the main road system despite the fact there are literally hundreds of roads in the area. When you combine the fact that most of the maps were outdated, it soon became a driving disaster.

Wesley asked Russell, "Why doesn't someone make one guide that shows all the roads?" From this statement, the two ambitious brothers started brainstorming. Eventually the Backroad and Outdoor Recreation Mapbook (now simply called the Backroad Mapbook) idea was born. Russell thought it was such a good idea he did his thesis to complete his university degree on the potential of creating a company to write, publish, distribute and market the mapbook series. Through this thesis, the idea was thoroughly researched and a business plan was created. The numbers looked too good to be true (according to Russell's University of British Columbia professor).

With the financial backing of Wesley and Penny and the brother's father, they printed the first book (Volume I: Southwestern BC) in late 1993. The first book was very well received by consumers and retailers and they sold 3,000 copies in a few short months in 1994. Despite the good sales, the book lacked a professional quality and was rather hard to read (due to tables instead of writing). Rather than simply reprinting the book, the brothers decided to listen to the customers and improve the product.

Russell worked day and night for several months to finalize the second book (Volume II: Vancouver Island) for the summer of 1994. With a few of the improvements customers suggested, the sales of this book went through the roof. In 1995, Wesley and Russell revamped the original book and created the third volume for the Kamloops/Okanagan area of British Columbia.

During this time they became frustrated with printers who could not meet deadlines and often increased the price on subsequent prints. As a result they bought their own printing press and accessories and set up shop in Wesley and Penny's garage in Surrey, BC. The in-shop printing (which moved from Surrey to Abbotsford to Burnaby) served them for over a decade. However the growth in the number of titles and improvements in the direct to plate printing industry made it imperative that they contract out the printing.

1998 was another breakthrough year when the Southwestern Alberta Backroad Mapbook finally made it to the shelves in the late summer. This was Mussio Ventures first publication outside of British Columbia. In 1999 the Backroad Mapbook Series became a truly national product with the release of two Backroad Mapbooks for Southern Ontario. These two books are also unique because the brothers welcomed a new writer and researcher into the series. Jason Marleau proved to be much more than a writer and has been instrumental in expanding the series throughout Eastern Canada.

Today, Mussio Ventures Ltd. has become one of the top three map producers and one of the biggest publishers in Canada. We are in the business of producing, publishing, distributing and marketing Outdoor Recreation guidebooks and maps. Selling over 250,000 copies sold in 2007 and 2008, our Backroad Mapbook series is easily the best selling Outdoor Recreation guidebook series in Canada. We also sell almost 50,000 copies of our various Fishing Mapbooks, Outdoor Recreation Maps, Topographic Maps, digital maps and various other products annually.