HIKES & HAMSTRINGS

Ski-in and Ski-out at Sunshine Mountain Lodge

For some reason this year, I just don’t have the gusto to venture out into the cold. It’s not that I have the blues, or feel affected by the winter season and dark days as I have in the past. In fact, I’m attacking the year with trip planning, fitness endeavors, online courses, and work-related statistical modeling. But for reasons unknown to me, skiing and snowshoeing have been non-existent. It might have something to do with my muscle/back spasm that put me out of commission in November, but at this point, I think I’m using that as an excuse. Or maybe my Caribbean blood is itching for warm weather. Another excuse? Shrug shrug.

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2016: The Year of Action

Each year, I declare a theme for myself to help focus my decisions. I was walking through Homesense the other day looking for wine glasses and came across a great canvas. SHOULD, WOULD and COULD were all written down, but all were crossed out. The remaining word was DID. I knew then that 2016 is the year of action for me.

I heart travel. I flew 43,018 km in 2015, more than the circumference of the Earth. I plan to surpass that metric.

Each year, I declare a theme for myself to help focus my decisions. I was walking through Homesense the other day looking for wine glasses and came across a great canvas. I snapped a photo of it because the message was succinct and expressed what I had been struggling to put into words. SHOULD, WOULD and COULD were all written down, but all were crossed out. The remaining word was DID.

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2015 Retrospective

I love this time of year. The air is filled with nervous energy as people make lofty goals with great intentions. All the buzz has me, well, buzzing! But first, let’s look back on the year. Here’s my 2015 Retrospective.

Cirque Peak. One of the most beautiful hikes I did in 2015.

I love this time of year. The air is filled with nervous energy as people make lofty goals with great intentions. All the buzz has me, well, buzzing! Before I make a declaration for the new year, I like to reflect a bit on the previous. A personal retrospective, if you will. I never really feel like I accomplish much, though admittedly, I’m always hard on myself. In fact, as I sit in Second Cup trying to craft this post, I find myself feeling like I dabbled a lot in 2015 with no real progress in any one thing. A retrospective helps to celebrate achievements, identify opportunities, and prepare to take on the new year by storm… and to remind myself that it’s okay that not everything I pursued has lead to a definitive goal. It’s that whole idea of mindfulness and being present… or whatever that thing I’m not good at doing is all about.

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Pocaterra Ridge: In Photos

Descending from the first peak. Only 3 to go!

Although the days are getting shorter and colder, the mountains remain open and available for adventure. When my friend Adriane decided to put together a group to hike Pocaterra Ridge in the Highwood Pass area, I immediately said yes. I don’t do a ton of winter hiking, so this was a chance to complete another scramble and hike in my favourite playground before the snow hits. I had visited the area a few weeks prior to see the larches, and Pocaterra Ridge certainly makes a wonderful larch hike around the third week of September. Regardless, the scenery of Highwood Pass can’t be beat any time of year.

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Helen Lake and Cirque Peak

Helen Lake to Cirque Peak. The views are worth all the effort!

Ah the end of the summer is nigh.

There’s been more rain and snow throughout August and September than I would have liked. It’s not that I dislike rain and snow- I actually enjoy both of them from time to time. But I haven’t conquered as many peaks this summer partly because of the weather. So when Saturday’s forecast looked amazing, and with the gradual colour changes that are happening in the Canadian Rockies at this time, I knew I had to do a special hike.

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