"Too much rocks/ boulders" - McGillivray Canyon

Anita and I switched it up yesterday, and rather than try to summit a peak, we went to explore a gorgeous canyon instead. So I googled the route, and I kid you not, some genius wrote this review on a trail description: "Too much rocks/ boulders [sic]. I fell twice on the creek crossing the logs and rocks. Water was cold. 1 star." Now, I'm no expert... but this is like a yelp review where you ordered a soup and complain that it's too wet, and that you stabbed yourself in the face while trying to eat it with a fork. And that's why they should require you to pass a test before you're allowed online. Or outside. Or to dress yourself.

Anyways, dumbass internet users aside, the canyon was stunning (check out the photos), and owing to the fact that the parking area was well hidden, we only saw a couple others all day. Highly recommend, so long as you understand there are "much rocks/ boulders", and if you fall in the creek, you'll get wet.














Bit of an obstacle course. You try walking up a slippery log, with ice covering the walls for your handholds.























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Dear Stomach: I'm Sorry!

It appears that I need to pen a letter to my stomach anytime Kris and Nicole come down to visit. It's a short letter that basically reads, "Dear Stomach: I'm sorry!" Because, while we always go out and enjoy a day of sensory delights for our palates, the punishment to our stomachs afterwards is inexcusable. After our 8 hour food and drink odyssey yesterday, I went to bed and experienced what it must be like to try sleeping while 7 months pregnant, as I had incubated a rather active food baby in my tummy.

If you think I speak in hyperbole, here's what our itinerary between noon and 8pm looked like: 1) Brunch at Ten Foot Henry -> 2) Shakes and fries at Re:Grub -> 3) Beer Flights from the Cold Garden taproom -> 4) Hot Chocolates and 'pork wings' at PZA Parlour -> 5) Beer Flights from Banded Peak Brewing -> 6) All you can eat hot pot at Regency Palace. Aside from making our way from place to place, the only downtime we had in between was spent buying beer at Oak and Vine, and sodas and potato chips at Bite Groceteria.


Just the lead off photo to entice you.


Kris and Nicole at Ten Foot Henry - the very reason my palate feels enriched, but my stomach feels destroyed this morning.








Immediately upon finishing brunch, we walked here.


For some delicious milkshakes.




And some asiago truffle fries.


Next up: Cold Garden taproom.


Flights served with old sawed off skis.


Pool noodle decor. It's eclectic, to say the least.


The beautiful wooden bar, burned by electricity.


PZA Parlour's signature concoction for YYC Hot Chocolate Fest. Nutella infused, pop rock rimmed glass, marshmallow foam, and topped with an Italian donut.


The only appropriate thing to do with delicious pop rocks stuck on your glass.


Delightful Pork 'wings' at PZA.


The taproom at Banded Peak Brewing.


More beer flights. Fun side note: You can get 1 litre cans of the craft brews here!


And to cap off the glutton fest, we finished with some all you can eat hot pot at Regency Palace. I regret nothing.


While not food related, we went out for a stroll to walk off a calorie or two from the day's events. This was the 'Nibbles' installation for the Glow Downtown Winter Lights Festival.

Donald the Hutt

Happy Black Friday (aka "punch people randomly at Walmart while fighting over a $30 TV" day). Mind you, with an impending Trump presidency, random acts of punching and hate over silly things are likely to happen far more often, regardless of the day/ holiday. So with that in mind, check out these Trump and Hillary papercrafts I put together this morning. The Donald is sporting his signature floppy do, and a rather Jabba the Hutt-like double chin, which I'm sure will make him happy to no end (see article here: "Trump Wants Photo Editors to Drop the Unflattering Double Chin Pics").

You too can build your very own Trump/ Clinton paper crafts - print out the templates from here, grab your scissors and glue stick, and go to town.

Scrambles - Tent Ridge

Before we start talking about today's scramble up Tent Ridge, I feel like I have to yell this out: WHAT THE FAAAACK, AMERICA?!! I get it, the Orlando shooter was radicalized and had mass murder on his mind. But WHY IN THE HELL WAS HE ABLE TO LEGALLY PURCHASE AN ASSAULT RIFLE TO COMMIT THESE ACTS IN THE FIRST PLACE?! What reason is there for anyone who is not part of the military or law enforcement to own an ASSAULT RIFLE? And don't even start with the "Well he would have gotten one illegally anyways" argument. That's as stupid as saying "Kids will get access to cigarettes regardless, so why bother to set a legal age for purchase." If the best logic for not restricting access to ASSAULT FUCKING RIFLES that you can come up with is an apathetic "criminals will be criminals", YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.

Okay, end rant. We scrambled up Tent Ridge today in gale force winds. I don't have the words to describe the beautiful views along the entire 10km long horseshoe shaped ridge walk that loops, so you'll have to trust me on this. For fairly limited effort (and a few sections of fun hands on scrambling), you don't get much more bang for your buck than this.

With Spray Lakes in the background, Anita climbs up towards the first major ridge.










At the false summit, everyone huddled up to try and escape the unrelenting wind.


After dropping elevation from the false summit, we were forced to slowly regain a couple hundred meters towards the true summit.




The Fist on the left, and Mt. Smuts on the right.


A long walk along the undulating ridge to one more highpoint, before dropping back into the valley.


Anita surveys the straight drop off down one face of the ridge.