Banff National Park

Did I mention how crazy yesterday was? Well, it was crazy!

Too much going on, just too much. Driving so far managing students on my own, meeting my new co-instructor Steve in Canmore, food shopping and planning meals for the next eight days in the backcountry, introductions and camped out literally beside the trans-Canada listening to the belligerent belches and groans of passing tractor trailers. I was so stressed out by the end of the day I was starting to catch a cold and crawled into my sleeping bag very early....

Everything was better as soon as we got back into the backcountry where life is natural and makes sense! This is the first day of many we will spend hiking the backcountry of Banff National Park - the crown jewel of the Canadian Rockies and a world heritage site. I had not expected the hordes of tourists, expensive development, RV parks and other accoutrements on our arrival here, but just a couple miles out in the backcountry all of that fades away, like a world away to stillness and wildness.

There are ravens and grizzly bears here. Indian paintbrush, mountain avens. and wild mushrooms along the trails. And cold snow fed streams and high rocky passes to cross. This is a beautiful soulful world and I can't wait to re-explore and re-imagine. Though words cannot express I will try to paint a picture of our journey. Stay tuned....