One Heli of a Trip!

I've been daydreaming for quite some time about going heli-hiking, which is odd I know, considering my irrational fear of flying in a helicopter! But for me, there has always been something bewitching about the idea of being choppered into the middle of nowhere, to wander with abandon, where very few (if any!) boots have trundled prior. So last week I finally went ahead and booked a trip with CMH into the Bugaboos - what a time!

Let me start by saying that the staff is absolutely fantastic! From the friendly booking agent, to the trivia-filled transportation host, to the beautiful lodge manager, to the knowledgeable competent guides, to the meticulous young bartender, to the magician of a pilot, and to everybody in between - a massive shout out to all of you. Along with every other lodge guest, I was treated like royalty - each staff member remembered all of our names, and for four glorious days I completely forgot what the real world was like! *SIGH*  I actually didn't even turn on my cell phone.

And the FOOD..... oh.... my.... GAWD.... Meals are a five-star event all the way - breakfast, lunch, tea-goodies (best gingersnap cookies on the planet by the way), and dinner.... Wow..... There is no danger of ever feeling even a pang of hunger. Wow.

So I have been into the Bugaboos before on rock climbing adventures, and when I sifted through my photo archive I was a bit shocked to see the date '2003' on my previous Bugs pics. It has been fifteen years since I was up close and personal with the likes of Bugaboo Spire and Snowpatch Spire - holy cow does time fly! At any rate, this trip was obviously a much more posh experience, with only the dreamy granite backdrop having any semblance of familiarity. The first day was fairly hazy, but as the weekend went by, the forest fire smoke cleared out and the photos began to lose their gritty, apocalyptic feel.



I met so many amazing people - that is always the best part about traveling solo - and I am stoked to have made some new friends with whom I'm sure I will remain connected to for life. Will I do this again? Hmmmm..... I'll have to give it a bit of time and let it fade from my mind somewhat, as I think it would be darn tough to have a better experience.... But never say never, right!!??

You should put this on your bucket list.

Cheers!

#CMH #heli-hiking #BugabooLodge #CanadianMountainHolidays #seeittobelieveit 



Playing Hookie

Every once in awhile a person's just gotta skip out of work for the day, and for me, today was one of those days. Although I couldn't bring myself to call in sick - LOL! I took a legitimate vacation day and headed west to enjoy the +28C temps in the gorgeous Spray Lakes area.

A bit smokey, looking down over Ribbon Lake

The lazy haze of forest fire smoke did not dampen the loveliness of the varied scenery along the valley up to South Buller Pass. Speaking of fires, there was one which burned in the vicinity back in 2011, and the resulting scorched trees and lush colorful undergrowth made for some picturesque views. The whole group stopped for a leisurely lunch in the sunshine at the top of South Buller Pass, and then a few of us dropped down the east side and continued off-trail around to North Buller Pass.

Looking west (left photo) and looking southeast (right photo)

from North Buller Pass

Taking a quick break
at the much smaller north pass

After descending the ridiculously steep slope from North Buller Pass into the north fork valley, we picked up the sparse (meaning undefined at times) path which heads back towards the south fork trail. Having Mount Buller in full view was a treat for most of the way, and there was a neat little waterfall as well. And, in a fluke of excellent timing, we met up with the other half of the group precisely at the trail junction, which meant we all got to walk back to the cars together.

The day was stellar! But I do need to share a couple of tech tips with you about these passes: The South trail and pass are hands down more scenic than the North - I would not bother making North Buller Pass my sole destination. And if you ever decide to do the loop, hike it counter-clockwise as we did. The east slope of the south pass and the west slope of the north pass would be horrible uphill grinds. Coming down required some finesse for sure on the seemingly near-vertical grades, but I'd rather carefully slip-slide my way down the boulders and scree than slog, slog, slog my way up. UGH. Take poles and you will be fine!

Tomorrow, I'm off on a trip of a lifetime - heli-hiking in the Bugaboos. I can hardly contain myself and can't believe my luck! I'll be out of cell and wi-fi range for five whole days, with nothing to do except soak up the sights in some of the most beautiful terrain in North America. *SIGH* Poor, poor me!
So until next week.....

Cheers!

Another Month Gone By....

Another month has gone by, and what have I been doing, you ask? Well, a little of this, a little of that.... I've had a decent balance between work and play actually, and the fun is set to continue!

My uber-cool inflatable NoSnow stand-up paddleboard was put to good use - thanks to my Sista, who shipped it to me! I spent some time with friends in beautiful BC, where I SUP'd in warm clear waters and hiked in the lovely lush rainforest to a remote lake.

Hidden gem! A bit of a muck-fest and bush-whack to get to it however.

I also did a third via ferrata route at Mount Norquay, called the Skyline. It is a bit longer than the Ridgewalker but not quite as gnarly as the Summiteer (which is still my favorite!). With all of the forest fire smoke blanketing the Bow Valley, the views were almost nil but it made for quite a surreal experience.

Not much of a vista due to all the smoke, but still a super duper day!

Up next: a K-country hiking day with my Canmore girls, followed by a Bugaboo Lodge heli-hiking trip, then a bike/hike long weekend at Shadow Lake Lodge, and an Alpine Club hut trip at Rogers Pass. And that is just September! I can't wait!

Did I mention that I'm determined NOT to carry over any vacation into next year!? LOL!

Cheers!