The Strength in the Struggle

I keep staring at the word count at the bottom of this screen. 0 words, it reads. Why can’t I find the words to say when there are so many thoughts and emotions running through my head and heart? Maybe it’s a fear of being vulnerable and opening up about something that makes me feel weak; about opening myself up to any of you who read this. One thing I’ve picked up on through conversations with others recently however, is that what’s going on in my head doesn’t just happen to me. For this reason, I am choosing to open up and share it with you. 

Adventure, mountains, the outdoors. Chances are if you’re reading this blog, you’re someone who enjoys those things as well which is why you stumbled across this page. All of those things are something I chase. They are my passion. They light a fire in my soul like I’ve never experienced before. They make me feel alive. They connect me with the truest version of myself. I have managed to build quite an amazing life around them. 

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Life on the Road: The Beginning

I write this to you from a Laundromat in a suburb roughly 10 minutes outside the main strip of Las Vegas. Having spent the last 5 days in the desert, visiting Joshua Tree and Red Rocks, it was time to wash the bed sheets and clothes and get that beautiful red desert sand out of our belongings.

This is week three of a seven week road trip. To rewind a little and give you some background, a few months ago I asked to take a one year leave from my place of employment. It was pretty spur of the moment, but something I have dreamed about for a long time. I am not the greatest at making decisions. I am sensitive, emotional, and think way to hard and in depth about things. So the decision to take off and travel for a year wasn’t the easiest thing to do. But one day I snapped. Life caught up to me, and I realized there was never a good time to make such a decision. With an Australian boyfriend who’s visa was up in Canada, a job sucking the life out of me, and finally some savings under my belt, I decided it was time. It was time to follow my dream and experience more of this beautiful world. Read more

The Matterhorn of the Rockies

Standing at 3616m tall (11, 864 ft), Mount Assiniboine is one of the most recognizable peaks in the Canadian Rockies. Its nickname, the Matterhorn of the Rockies, comes from its massive pyramid and horn like shape.

The first time you see this peak, a common reaction is something along the lines of “Wow”, and than of course curiosity sinks in and you wonder what that mountain is. I remember this moment clearly. Over six years ago, I decided to move to Fairmont Hot Springs in BC for the summer to work. In order to get there from Calgary, you have to drive through Banff. I stopped in Banff for a few days on my way to visit someone I knew. She took me to Sunshine Village so I could spend a beautiful spring day snowboarding. As we got off the chairlift and started down the run, I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of Assiniboine. I had my “wow” moment, asked for a photo, and continued on. Read more

How to become a Canadian Rockies mountain girl.

Ladies: Perfect snow capped mountains, Mexican blanket, beautiful girl with long perfect hair gazing out over a perfectly blue alpine lake… we’ve all seen it. The mountain girl. It’s taking over your social media channels. You’ve gone to those places yourself, you’ve hopped out of your car and seen the beautiful sights, or maybe you’ve been that girl. However, something has left you wanting more now. You want to climb those mountains!

The outdoor adventure industry is BOOMING, and I mean growing like a wild fire. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you are part of it. Hiking, biking, scrambling, climbing, mountaineering, stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, you name it, the list goes on. I see people on social media doing crazy things a million times a day. If you’re like me, you see this inspiration, you see people pushing their limits and you start to dream. You want to learn these skills, do these adventures, test yourself mentally and physically. Maybe you’re wondering how, and this is where I want to help. Read more

Heartline (literally).

This past weekend for one of my days off work, my friend Yanick and I decided to climb Heartline. Heartline is a multi-pitch sport climb on a nearby mountain called Heart Mountain. Heartline is graded at 5.9 A0 and is 17 pitches. Needless to say, I was looking forward to an amazing, big day out climbing in the beautiful weather with good company!

The climb took us roughly 8.5 hours, including a beautiful 45 min summit, soak in the sun and eat a sandwich. For those looking to climb this route in the future, we did it in less than 17 pitches by linking a few and soloing a few as well. Overall, it was an incredible day out in the mountains! Read more