HIKES & HAMSTRINGS

Summit Day: Mount Habel

En route to Mount Habel. Elevation: 3087 metres

Wednesday July 1. Happy Canada Day! At 7:30 am, after a heaping breakfast of eggs, bacon and hash browns, we assembled our gear and descended from Peyto Hut. In the distance, Mount Habel rose to the sky- glaciated on either side, snow covered in parts, and rocky as expected. At an elevation of 3087 metres, this would be the peak that we would conquer. The only thing that stood between us and the summit was the ice… no big deal. The previous night, there was a huge thunderstorm of rain, hail, cracks of thunder and flashes of lightning. The rain melted some of the snow leaving the ice exposed and the remaining snow a land of slush.

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Crossing the Wapta Icefield to Peyto Hut

Monday June 29. The first night in a new, unfamiliar place can be rough. I can’t say I had the best sleep. Even though the foam mattress in Bow Hut was comfortable, it’s just never the same as the comfort of your own bed. I had the top bunk all to myself, but even with the window open all night, I was roasting in the sleeping bag. Like, full on sleeping in a pool of my own sweat type of roasting. It was gross. I awoke to find breakfast ready on the table- pancakes, bacon and coffee. Yamnuska Mountain Adventures certainly had not disappointed with the food thus far!

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Mountaineering and the Bow Hut

The Bow Hut at 2350 metres. This would be home for the first two nights, and the last night of the trip

And so the mountaineering adventure begins!

Sunday, June 28. It was an early start to the morning. I was up at 5:30 am for the requisite coffee and eggs breakfast before gearing up and driving to Canmore for 8:30 am. For what, you ask? Months ago I signed up for the 6 day Introduction to Mountaineering course through Yamnsuka Mountain Adventures. I have been hiking and scrambling for many years, but glacier travel was a bit beyond my scope. It was time to explore those skills, and the mountains accessible once you have those skills. After arriving at the Yamnuska office in Canmore, I met the tour guide James Blench along with the rest of the crew. To say he’s experienced is an understatement. Apparently he’s quite the legend: he’s been guiding since the 70’s and he’s one of the original Yamnuska guides. He’s led trips all over the Rockies and spent many years guiding in Peru. He’s also an international mountain guide, certified through the IFMGA. We were definitely going to be in good hands. Slowly, the six soon-to-be alpinists arrived, all of us wondering what the next six days would bring: a young 18-year old from Norway; an outdoorsy gentleman from BC; a couple from Cochrane; and a guy from Ontario. And then there was me… inexperienced, and ready to learn!

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East End of Rundle: In Photos

East End of Rundle. Or EEOR, as it’s commonly known. It’s a relatively easy scramble with the potential for sections with lots of exposure.

On this particular day, the weather was gorgeous and it seemed like everyone and their dogs wanted to hike either Ha Ling or EEOR. I have never seen the Goat Creek parking lot so busy! If you drove from Canmore to the Goat Creek parking lot, a quick walk back along the gravel road will take you to an electrical pole near the Bow Crow Forest sign. The trail starts there. The ascent is pretty straight-forward, and once you get to through the forest you can either head right and scramble up the steep rocks along the edge, or head straight up, through the gully to the ridge. This was my second ascent of EEOR and I’ve only ever scrambled up the right… which is super fun if you don’t mind a bit of exposure. Unfortunately, I never seem to get the descent right. Both times I’ve landed in a super steep gully, which apparently isn’t the more popular way. Oh well- better luck next time! All in all, it’s a 4 hour round trip scramble at a pretty quick pace for some pretty incredible views. Not too bad for a morning stroll…

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Packing for an All-inclusive Vacation

How do you pack for an all-inclusive vacation? — What do I REALLY need for a short one-week vacation to a tropical destination??

So what exactly should you pack for an all-inclusive vacation to Mexico, Cuba, or any of those one-week destinations that North Americans flock to during winter months?

This is the question I asked myself prior to my recent trip to Mexico. I usually forget what I pack for vacations and find myself spending far too long deciding whether or not those shoes that I never wear in my day-to-day life will finally come in handy on the beach, or if I should bring that icebreaker sweater to a 30 degree location “just in case”. Should I bring something nice for those nights out or fancy dinners, or keep it casual? I decided I would jot down everything I brought to Mexico along with a note whether or not I used it. Also, as I’m trying to minimize the stuff I bring while travelling, the rule was to pack everything in a carry-on only pack, with a small day pack for the plane or day excursions off the resort. To give you some ideas, here’s what I packed. Obviously it’s from a male-minimalist-who-can’t-seem-to-minimize-his-packing point of view…

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