Time can be
such a funny thing. In many ways, it feels like my hike across the Rockies
can't come fast enough. In other ways, I have been afraid that I won't have
enough time to prepare. There are less than three months to go now, and April
has been a time of near-constant preparation.
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| Expert skier; Don Wales in a classic pose |
The first
news this spring was good news. Somebody that I have known for quite a few
years decided that he would be able to join me on my trek. Don Wales is the
current president of the Red Deer River Naturalists and is a very experienced
hiker, skier and kayaker. In recent years he has been mounting kayaking
expeditions to various parts of the Arctic. So far he has completed trips to
Labrador, Baffin Island, Greenland and Iceland. I can't help being slightly
intimidated by the breadth of his experience. Neither one of us have ever set
out on a journey like the one we will be attempting this summer, so it will be
the "undiscovered country" for us both. Having two of us to share the
load and duties will mean that my list of "items to bring" may be shortened, but
some additional planning will be necessary.
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| Don on one of his many kayaking adventures |
A fellow
can't just walk across the mountains these days. Backcountry passes and
reserved campsites are mandatory and must be booked within a maximum of 90 days in
advance. I have had to keep one eye on the calendar this month. The bookings in
Alberta's Kananaskis Country can be made on two different websites - one for
front country and one for back country camping. The National Park back country
sites must be booked by phone. As of yesterday everything is booked - including
Kootenay Park Lodge (which I reserved in January). That means that the dreaded
bureaucratic part of my preparations is over.
One of the
great things about living in the country where I reside is that there are a lot
of wild, hilly places where I can walk. The knob and kettle parkland of Central
Alberta (east of Red Deer) is reminiscent of the foothills west of Calgary. Woods
of balsam poplar and aspen remind me of some of the early season hikes that my
wife and I would do to warm up for the season's mountain adventures. Death
Valley in the Sheep River region and the Bull Creek Hills in the Highwood were
two of our favorites in days gone by.
Now it is just a five minute drive to
what I have come to call my "Three Lakes Trail" in the woods and
hills that are visible to the south of my house. I have resolved to walk these
trails at least five days a week. Part of the inspiration for my new regimen
was taken from a video made by Tegan Powell; the daughter of an old friend. "One
Month in Nature" is a challenge to get out in nature for an hour
every day for a month. I have found it is good for my mental as well as physical
well being and it has been an interesting way to "walk into spring".
From the near silence of winter to the increasingly busy landscape and
soundscape of spring, I have noticed the subtle changes in nature every day. I can't help but appreciate the
sights and sounds of geese, swans and red tailed hawks overhead, the ruffed grouse drumming in the trees and
the wood and boreal chorus frogs croaking away in the many ponds - all building
toward the crescendo of spring.
The walking seems to be working. There are good days
and bad days, but my legs are definitely developing some muscle and are
noticeably tighter. The plans are to throw in some more difficult climbs now to
build up my calves. The hill from the bottom of the Red Deer River valley at
Dry Island Buffalo Jump will do nicely. Right now I just need to keep moving, but that
won't ultimately be enough. Nothing can compare to actually hiking the
mountains.
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| Reaching the summit of Three Lakes Trail Hummock Lake in the background |
