Spontaneous Adventure

I came up to Vancouver last week sometime.  Since then I have travelled some 2,000 kilometers east then west on a crazy adventure with some of my best friends.

The offer was Jasper for a couple nights, Calgary for one, and then back to BC in time to see my beloved Vancouver Canucks take Lord Stanley's Cup (game seven finals on Wednesday in Vancouver).  We ended up forgetting about Calgary on the first day, opting instead to stay in the outdoor adventure friendly Jasper, AB.

If you click on that picture you can zoom into it.  That's Jasper on the right ride of the photo.  That shot is taken looking north east toward Edmonton some 4 hours away.  We were reassured by our local guide, Ryker, that there was much more to see in Jasper than the urban centers of Calgary and Edmonton.  The drive was unreal, through valleys of true giants: Athabascan glaciers and massive mountains covered in aged pine and birch bursting with fragrant life!  We saw a bunch of wildlife on the drive alone.  Elk, mountain goat, and even a black bear on the way in.  I was reminded kindly by the sun that summertime is in fact on its way. It seemed in Jasper as though summertime was already here.

We had some stuff to do in Jasper, but mostly our days were spent outdoors.  Hiked to a nice view of Patricia and Pyramid Lake the first day.  Then Ryker gave us an amazing tour of the National Park (which he somehow facilitated for free).  Jumped off some big cliffs into a cold Horseshoe Lake, checked out some dope falls at the Edge of the World, and drank a pint of the finest stout I've ever tasted at Jasper brewpub with the boys ($4 a pint with Ryker's local discount).

The view from the Pyramid Lake - Jasper trail was unbelievable.  I completely and totally fell in love with the surrounding beauty.  Everywhere I looked there was something more I thought was impossible to miss.  A mountain range I hadn't seen, or a feature on a hillside, or another lake, another peak poking out of the horizon.  Undeniable beauty.

There will be more pics up soon of my Facebook.  Just uploaded a bunch from New Zealand too.

If you're feeling bored at all this summer just get out a map, draw a big circle around wherever you are and check the perimeter for potentially cool places you've never been.  Then find some friends and go for a few days.  Don't forget your freedom (if you got it).

Happy trails!

Sean