August Photo Blogging Challenge: ADVENTURE!

 My business is focused on talking people out to experience adventure.  In my spare time I love to go out on adventures.  So I knew selecting JUST five images for A 'Lil HooHaa's August photo blogging challenge would be very, very difficult.  But after much agonizing over choices and the temptation to issue my top ten photos, I have made my choices.  Here we go:

1.  Guided Hike to Burstall Pass

 Burstall Pass is one of my all time favourite Rocky Mountain hikes, so far.  On August 11th, I led my first guided hike to this stunning location, for my number one repeat client, Dorothy.  My only disappointment was that for various reasons, a group of five dwindled to be a group of two.  What a day we had!   I could have easily filled the August challenge theme with photos from this one hike.   Pictured here is Dorothy exploring the rocky pass, with Commonwealth Peak looming large in the background.

2.  Buller Pond

On the way home from Burstall Pass, we made a stop at the Buller Day Use Area as it is such a pretty spot, where I snapped this photo of Buller Pond, which I really like.

3.  Secret Access to a Nearby Waterfall

I have a love/hate relationship with the impact social media is having on the busy-ness of our local hiking trails.  On one hand, I have spent a considerable amount of my career encouraging people to be active, by nature and in nature.  But since the exploding popularity of certain Facebook pages and Instagram accounts which popularize previously beautiful and quiet places, all of a sudden these places are becoming over-run with people.  To a large extent, they are being spoilt with garbage left behind, bags of dog pooh and simply far too many people crowding into places not suitable for large crowds, especially in this keep-your-distance-please COVID era.  On the other hand, I myself have benefited from discovering special places by my consumption of social media.  For example, thanks to an Instagram post, I recently discovered there is a way to access the base of a wonderful local waterfall.   But I am keeping that a secret as I do not want this small viewing platform to become lined up with people wanting to get their selfies and Instagram posts..... something which could very easily happen.  What an adventure this discovery was for me.  I have past by this waterfall many, many times from a distance without realizing THIS is how close one could get.  I did have to discover the trail myself, but was inspired to do so after seeing a similar photo on Instagram and wondering if it was the waterfall I thought it was.  Indeed it was.

4. Solo Hike to Chephren Lake

The hike to Chephren Lake from Waterfowl Lakes in Banff National Park is listed as one not to waste your time doing in the guidebook I often refer to: “Don’t Waste Your Time in the Rockies.” But I wanted to do it anyway as we had done a spectacular snowshoe to this lake via a different route last winter and I wanted to see what it was like as a hike. As described in the guidebook, the trail was very rooty… a challenge to walk on. The trail was very quiet, although it is usually very busy. I only shared the lake with two other people and it was very pretty so I did not feel I wasted my time at all, especially as it resulted in one of my top five photos for August!

5.  Adventures With Farley

As I indicated last month, I would be having lots of adventures with Farley, our new NuCamp T@B trailer.  Indeed we have.  So far this season we have had 8 short 2-3 day camping trips.  The most recent one was to Waterfowl Lakes, 35 minutes north of Lake Louise off the Icefields Parkway.  Lower Waterfowl Lake is a lovely lake to go paddling on as it is often nice and calm, or not too wavy with glorious Mt. Chephren overlooking it.  We experienced a paddling paradise there on Friday, Aug 27th where I captured the following photo of my husband Colin kayaking past Mt. Chephren.

Adventure on, everyone.  Carpe Diem.