This is the second year now that a group of friends, as organized by my bestie Jess, went to Canmore for a snowshoeing expedition.
Two missing! They went snow boarding instead of breakfast =P
Last year there was 6 of us that hiked up a mountain. This year, however, we were a group of twelve. More the merrier! We drove up to the trail on the most precarious road I have ever been on. Literally mountain side, narrow road, cliff into a dammed lake. It took about an hour to drive the slippery curves, out of Canmore to start our hike to Rummel Lake.
There were some pretty breathtaking views on the mountain top-ish. I have to say though, I'm so out of shape. Nothing motivates you to stop eating cake and go to the gym like when all your friends are hiking away from you at warp 2. (To be fair though, it wasn't as bad as last year!)
When we got to the top we had lunch: Safeway Lumberjacks and hot chocolate. Jess and Jon, master campers, had a portable/foldable camp stove. Best idea ever because it was freaking cold. Who would have thought the top of a mountain would be very cold. (JK!) Next time I'm bringing better gloves.
Snow Bank = Snow Couches
The hike down didn't take nearly as much time as going up. (2 1/2 hours going up; 1 1/2 coming down. The BF wished we had crazy carpets.) We all made it back down in one, frozen, piece. Then back home for dinner and homemade pie.
Cheers!
-Andrea
The Half-Assed Hobbyist