Trip Report - Mt. Lawrence Grassi

This will be one of the last hiking/ scrambling related sets of photos from me for the year, as we've hit shoulder season. The fall weather at ground level quickly turns to wintery conditions up top, inducing 'We're going to die' panicked moments from Anita which are obviously not fun for her, and even less fun for me having to calm her mid mountain. So unless we get another unexpected bout of warm weather, my scrambling season will stop at 16 peaks, with 14,001m or 46,669ft of total elevation gained.

We headed out to Canmore yesterday and took a quick jaunt up Mt. Lawrence Grassi, and had the entire mountain to ourselves. Not another soul in sight the entire way up and down. It was cold, but the views of snow covered peaks at the top were incredible and made it all worthwhile.


Winter has arrived?

Trip Report - Barrier Lake Lookout

I wanted to take a moment to comment on the terrorist attack in Edmonton last night, but really don't have anything to say other than: Be vigilant, friends. We are so blessed to live in such a beautiful country, yet a select few manage to make it such a scary and ugly place. Let not those who would incite hatred and fear change the way we conduct ourselves, and interact with each other. With respect, with dignity, with love.

Yesterday morning, the weather forecast called for drizzle/ showers in the mountains by noon. And Anita was groggily waking up like a tranquilized sloth, so we debated staying in bed. But the 'Seize the day' part of me thought the fall colours may be gone by next weekend, so I dragged her out to Barrier Lake for a short hike up to the viewpoint and fire lookout. Turned out to be the right decision, as it only drizzled on us for a few minutes, and we got to see all the golds and reds of autumn in the mountains, on an otherwise perfect day.


Beautiful golden coloured foliage


This was an interesting large depression in the landscape, dipping down dozens of meters, but with incredible fall coloured trees erupting from it.














Not my favourite beer. I dumped some out so I wouldn't have to drink it all, and even a mountain ground squirrel that ventured up for a taste didn't like it.