Mount Robson Provincial Park

Alberta didn't appear to be a likely move for us, but we are embracing it. We were in Alberta for a few short weeks before heading off to the Rockies. We had a couple backcountry camping trips planned. We took our sweet time getting to Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia, with stops at MEC, Cabela's and the trustworthy Sandman Hotel. 

Beautiful Mount Robson

This was my first trip to Mount Robson Provincial Park. It is incredible how quickly the flat prairies turn into impressive mountainous terrain. We had to pick up our backcountry camping passes in Jasper before heading to BC. I managed to doze off between Jasper and Mt Robson, and waking up to the towering Mount Robson was a jaw dropping sight. Our campground, Robson Meadows, was opposite the highway of the information center - prime location. 

Day 1: We spent one night in the full-service campground, reading and preparing for the hike. This was my first multi-day trip so I was a bit nervous. We tackled the approach to Mount Robson, called Berg Lake Trail. It is 23km one way, with an elevation gain of about 800 meters. It doesn't sound like crazy elevation, but a lot of the gain occurred over 8 kilometers. 

Are we there yet? So close to a plateau.

Berg Lake at Marmot Campsite

Day 2: After a little complaining and a lot of sweating, we (I) made it up the steep climb. The entire hike was gorgeous, but I was very happy to see the glacier off in the distance. Our destination: Marmot campsite. Originally, we attempted to secure a spot at the popular Berg Lake campsite, but it was full, and we were directed to Marmot. This little hiccup turned out to be an incredible spot. There were fewer tent sites and the view was spectacular. We met the other hikers at the tent site and shared hiking, kayaking and traveling stories. It was an early night for most of us. The rumble of the ice/snow cracking and falling into the lake was booming. 

Day 3:  We woke up, made breakfast, filled our water bottles and set off to Snowbird Pass Route. We didn't complete the entire loop. We made it to Robson Glacier and it was amazing. 

Rather than completing Snowbird Trail, we blazed our on trial and headed toward the base of the glacier, with caution, of course. I felt so small and somewhat insignificant standing next to the glacier. The sheer size and rapid receding of the glacier made me realize the magnitude of its depletion. We made it back to our site after a few hours of exploring and admiring the wonderful scenery. The evening was spent hanging around the 'cooking' area and chatting with our fellow hikers. It was another early night to bed. 

Day 4: Our packs were a bit lighter after eating most of our food. I was thankful for that. We packed up camp around 10:00am and made our way back to the parking lot, which was about 20km away. As difficult as it was gaining elevation, descending is challenging in its own way. 

We couldn't have asked for better weather. It was hot, sunny and the summit of Mount Robson was visible each day. The last few kilometers were occupied by a lot of people as it is a very popular trail. My feet were full of blisters, but I was happy to reach the parking lot. We ripped those packs off, changed into sandals and made our way toward Jasper. We decided to continue on to Hinton to find a hotel and something delicious to eat. Thank goodness for Boston Pizza and Shoppers Drug Mart (blister repair). 

WE MADE IT! 

Welcome to Alberta!

It seems appropriate to finally write about our move, now that we are settling into our Albertan lifestyle. It felt like a quick transition from work, to packing, to moving, to unpacking, to vacationing and back to working.

Let's start off with finding out we were being posted to Wainwright! Initially we were told that Alex was staying in Gagetown for another year - yippie! While he was in the field, he received news that this wasn't the case and our next destination was Wainwright. We immediately made appointments with Brookfield and sorted out the details, all while Alex was in the field. We met up several times a week on the Base to sign papers and sort out details. A few weeks later we were on our house hunting trip in hopes of finding a half decent place. The stars were aligned that day; the first place we saw was a keeper. To amuse our rental agent and to abide by our agreement with their agency, we looked at a few places anyways. The rental opportunities are scarce in this small town so we were sure to snatch up the first place we saw. Although it is far too big for just two of us, we are managing to fill the place with new toys.

Packing our gear

I had a couple weeks of work-free time before packing things up for Wainwright. I was able to visit with friends and family, which is exactly what I needed. After nine days of driving, Alex and I arrived in Wainwright. Unfortunately, our items were split up into two loads and we were living with only the essentials - bedroom, kitchen, love seat - for a week or so. Just before we headed off for the Rockies (to come in another post), the rest of our belongings showed up. I was thrilled to have them here before we left for vacation.

I started working as a Fitness and Sports Instructor with PSP here on the Base. I initially applied for a position that I was NOT qualified for with hops that it would turn into something better, and it did! I am being trained as the reconditioning specialist, so I am constantly learning new information and stepping outside of my comfort zone. In addition to working with military members, I also teach two different fitness classes at the Communiplex (community recreation facility) 2-3 times per week. I do enjoy what I do but I have to admit that over 40 hours a week of fitness and sports instruction and I am beat.

I am told that winters are long here and that I should keep busy. As if work doesn't keep me busy enough, I am hoping to join a mixed curling league this winter. I am not a curler, but I think it'll be a good time. The community has tons of youth activities but lacks adult engagement. Most people around here have kids so we've opted to try hunting... yes, that's right, HUNTING! We'll see how that one turns out.

Thumbs up for adult activities!