Skye's Canadian Adventures

Looking out at the top of Whistler Peak "Mother Nature's Stair Master" Alright, so I did the Grouse Grind. For those who don't know, it is a 2.9 kilometre climb up Grouse Mountain, for an elevation gain of 853 metres. It has a total of 2830 "stairs" (and for those wondering the CN Tower is 1776 stairs). Rumor has it the view is worth it, but less so on a smokey day like we had. Now, this was quite the workout, and quite frankly reminded me of how I feel about running. You feel great after, but I personally spend the whole time thinking about how much I hate it. So, I went into "Sunday Stroll" mode, and tried to enjoy it the best I could, letting my friends go ahead of me. Needless to say, this is probably something I will only do once; I didn't enjoy it, but I don't regret doing it either. That being said, if I was ever back that way with someone who really really reeeeeaaaaallly wanted to do it, and didn't want to go it alone, I...

      Bridge Prep   As soon as the suspension bridge in Whistler went up, I knew  I had  to go. Now, to get ready for this, we hit up a couple of smaller suspension bridges. We went to Lynn Canyon, which has a small bridge, some trails, and a few areas to swim. This would have been great if we were wanting to swim, but we were just killing time until the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park hit its evening hour prices. Don't get me wrong, Lynn Canyon was pretty, it just wasn't what we were looking for at the time. Capilano Suspension Bridge was larger than the one at Lynn Canyon. The park also offered a lot of different activities, including a treetop walk, boardwalks, and a cliff walk. They also had some educational signage, and programs. As cool as it was, I feel I wouldn't need to go again. I got my fix.  Stanley Park Stanley Park is massive, and as we were on foot, we only got to see a fraction of it. The first thing we did was head over t...

So Many Grapes (and Other Fruit Too)  Looking out towards the water at Quails' Gate Despite going to school, and living in the Niagara Region--Ontario's wine country-- I was not ready for what the Okanagan Region had to offer. The endless wineries, vineyards, and orchards throughout this region did not just stay in the rural areas. Instead, there were several which were in, or right beside residential neighbourhoods! Now, after a long drive, we decided that the first thing we wanted to do was visit one (or two) of these wineries. We headed over to Mission Hills to check it out. This Winery was very modern and elegant. We decided not to do our tasting here after exploring for a bit, and headed over to Quails' Gate. Quails' Gate was more rustic, but more up our alley. After exploring a bit, we headed inside for a tasting. I tried two whites, a rose, a red, and my first icewine. All were delicious!  Down Under Little Joey Believe it or...

Lakes of the Bluest Blue Peyto Lake How could we say we went to Banff National Park without seeing the stunning blue lakes? Needless to say, we made stops at Peyto Lake, Morraine Lake, and Lake Louise. All stunning, and all slightly different. They are the perfect spot to capture a "greenscreen-esque" photo, where the background looks perfectly fake. If you go early you will beat some if the crowd. But with a little patience, and a keen eye, you will be able to find a perfect spot for a photo. Whether it is a break in the crowd, or finding a spot a little further away. At Lake Louise, we hiked up the Agnes Lake trail, to Agnes Lake and the Tea House. This was a very pretty, but fairly tough hike, but there's a few spots where you can see Lake Louise from above, and a waterfall at the top! You also have the chance to grab tea or a small bite at the tea house if you want. It was too busy for me to wait in line, but they had several options for tea! Lake Louise...

Mystic Mountains  Near the Miette Hot Springs After picking a friend up from the airport in Edmonton, we headed to Jasper National Park. This first day was smokey, and the second was rainy/foggy, making it hard to see more than an outline. For instance, we stopped by Athabasca Falls on the second night, but did not see that the was a mountain in view behind the falls, but after stopping again on the way out the next morning, we had full mountain view! It was incredible, I'm sure we missed a lot of the beauty, but we had fun all the same. The first night we relaxed at the hot springs, as we had an early start planned. This was perfect after a long day of driving. The next morning, we went down to do a short hike around Maligne Canyon. This was pretty cool to see. We decided mimosa's were in order, so after walking the town, we hit up a place for brunch on the rooftop patio. Of course, they were calling for rain, so we went to see if we could set our tent up ea...

Up, Up, Up I finally got my first taste of the mountains! My cousin took me to Waterton Lakes National Park on our full day together. This was my cousins first time hiking in Waterton since the Kenow wildfires that spread through the park last summer. She took me on one of her favourite hikes up to Bertha Lake. This switchback trail took us up, past Bertha falls, to see Bertha Lake, which rests in between Bertha Peak, Mount Richards, and Mount Alderson. Although the  journey up was tough, the views were worth it! This has been one of the most rewarding hikes so far. It has great views of the lakes down below, as you ascend up. You also have a chance to see Bertha Falls before you get to the tougher switchbacks. Last year's fire left us without a lot of shade for much of the trail. This being said, it was a warm one. The air was also smokey from the wildfires happening in BC, I could only imagine what the view would have been like without the smoke! Of course, the way down was ...

Dino-days If you know me at all, you would know that I have a thing for dinosaurs, I think they are really rad. So these next few days were really exciting for me. I spent my first day in Alberta at Dinosaur Provincial Park. This in itself was really cool. As I did not know what time I was going to arrive, I did not book any of the tours, but there were a few I heard were great. I did, however hit the trails. The trails here are all fairly short, easy hikes, but they are quite picturesque--great for a family! It was a little later when I started hiking, so it had cooled off nicely, but, there is not a lot of shade. I would keep this in mind if you are ever planning to visit. My favourite hike here was the one through the coulee. The sun was starting to sink down, casting some beautiful lighting amongst the rock. Probably one of my favourite sunsets so far. World's Largest Dinosaur Now, where does a dino lover go next? If you guessed ...

Head on Over to the East Block After a night in Regina, where I explored the market,  and the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, I headed over to Grasslands National Park. For those who don't know, this park is separated into two blocks; East Block, and West Block. Now, when they leave you a message on the morning of your reservation ensuring you know you are going to East Block, that is your cue to double check that your GPS is taking you to the right part of the park. I know what you are thinking, it is one park, what's the big deal? You see, the West Block is a two hour drive from the East Block. How did I find this out? You guessed it, I went to the West Block. Needless to say, I saw a little more of Saskatchewan than I was expecting.  Upon arrival, it was pouring rain. Luckily for me, the rain stopped shortly after checking in, and I was able to set up my campsite without getting wet! The park itself was like nothing I have ever seen before, and the views were even more in...

Made it to (and passed) the centre of Canada Meet Me at the Forks My first day in Manitoba was spent in Winnipeg. It was perfect weather for someone like myself who loves the outdoors, but doesn't get along with the sun, and the heat that comes with it. I went to two tourist hotspots, the first being The Forks--where the Assiniboine River meets the Red River. I ventured the market for some food, and then walked along the park/trails. It was a fairly nice walk, and there was a lot to offer. I noticed they were doing boat tours, although I did not take any. Winnipeg Sign (Yes, I took a classic tourist photo with it) Bridge crossing the Red River to the French side of town  Assiniboine Park Although I did not make it here early enough to see the zoo, I explored the park anyway. It was absolutely gorgeous, and there was a lot to do and see! If you bring your kids, there is a play area for them, which includes a child-sized door! Not having any kids with me, I...

They Call it Superior for a Reason Looking out into the water from the Agawa Pictographs If there is one thing that made me grateful for taking the long route through Northern Ontario, it is the drive around Lake Superior. Absolutely stunning landscapes. I know I will be back! On my drive, I stopped in Lake Superior Provincial Park. I went on the small hike to the Agawa Pictographs. The hike was short, but gorgeous. The pictographs were also cool to see, glad it was a calm day! With the sun shining bright, I could not resist a dip in the lake, so off to Katherine's Cove I went! On this gorgeous day, the water was very refreshing! Unfortunately, I still had a long drive ahead of me, so I did not get to go on any other hikes/stops. Needless to say, Lake Superior Provincial Park is on my list of places to go back to! If you haven't been, I suggest you go too!  Agawa Pictographs Agawa Pictographs Katherine's Cove Sleeping Giant/Thunder Bay  The ...