A birthday weekend hike in Banff National Park.

A snowy hike that put smiles on our faces and reminded us that winter, despite its typically early arrival and delayed departure, isn’t always so bad after all. We braved the icy highway and drove 90 minutes from home to a spot I had only ever ventured to in the summertime. The sun briefly shone on us as we walked, the only other signs of life being the cross-country skiiers who must have been & gone well before us, and relatively fresh cougar prints (travelling the opposite direction, thankfully). It was blissful and quiet, with only our voices and the ice cracking under our feet to break up the silence.

We made it halfway to our destination, stepping onto the ridge just in time to see the incoming blizzard which strongly encouraged us to turn back the way we came—and so we did, seeking shelter amongst the evergreens (for they have hundreds of years of experience weathering these storms) to eat our breakfast burritos as the snow fell around us and on us with great enthusiasm. We walked swiftly, slipping at times and sinking (into knee-deep snow) at others, trying to beat the storm to the car so as to save us from a treacherous drive home. We departed, happy and content, connected with nature, ourselves and each other.