Category: Uncategorized
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The Dangerous Art of Reflective Travel
Warning: Reflective travel may dismantle your preconceived notions of a place and lead you to wonder why you left home in the first place. Proceed with caution, and take a moment to double check whether or not your tickets are refundable. It All Started in the Calgary Airport To be fair, given the state of […]
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About Ashley in Denmark
In fall of 2022, I finally decided to return to the University of Washington and finish the undergraduate degree that I started in 2003. I enrolled in a distance learning major called Integrated Social Sciences, a field that almost seems custom-designed to my personal, professional, and academic interests. When I got an email during the […]
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Hiking Deer Ridge Trail Near Calgary
Deer Ridge Trail offers great bang for buck. This lightly trafficked trail that is accessible from the Sibbald Lake day use area and campground. It is a good half day hike, and takes less than an hour to get to the trailhead from Calgary. This trail can be made into a nice loop using part […]
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Hiking Jumpingpound Trail Near Calgary
Jumpingpound Loop is an easy, mostly flat hike that is under an hour away from Calgary. It is at a relatively low elevation. This means it is usually accessible in the early spring, and sometimes throughout the winter. This is a good hike to consider if you want to stay below the tree line. You […]
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Hermit Trail, The Grand Canyon, and Desert Jesus
Hermit Trail in The Grand Canyon Hermit Trail in The Grand Canyon is a good alternative to the more popular Bright Angel Trail, if you are prepared for a route that is a little more remote and technically more difficult. The Bright Angel Trail was fully booked when we went in mid-September. On Hermit Trail, […]
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Okinawa Cherry Blossoms at Yaedake Park
Japan is famous for its beautiful cherry blossom season, which usually peaks around April. But did you know that you can see cherry blossoms in Japan in January and February? Japan’s first cherry blossoms usually emerge in Japan’s more southern Okinawa island in mid to late January, peaking sometime in February. When we traveled to […]
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Hiking Fullerton Loop Near Calgary
Fullerton Loop Fullerton Loop is a half day hike hike just west of the town of Bragg Creek. The trails are easy to follow, and there are signs at all of the trail intersections to make sure you don’t get lost. This hike takes about 2 hours to complete. Distance: 6.9 km Elevation gain: 240 m / […]
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Early Season Hikes Near Calgary
These early season hikes near Calgary are my tried and true early season warm-ups, and are all between 5-10 kilometers. They are close to Calgary and easy enough to give your legs and lungs a chance to get back into shape before tackling bigger summer excursions. Ole Buck Loop, Sibbald Area Distance: approx. 5.4 kmElevation […]
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Elk Lakes Cabin: Leaning Into Winter
Elk Lakes Cabin is a great winter getaway for folks who like to put a little bit of work into getting to the destination. If there’s something Canada is known for, it might be winter. It also might be beer or it may, in fact, be duct tape. But, for the sake of this post, […]
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Arethusa Cirque: Fall Hiking the Golden Larches
Arethusa Cirque is the perfect way to experience the mountains in September. Along the western edge of Treaty 7 territory, on the traditional lands of the Niitsitapi, Ktunaxa, Iyahe Nakoda, and Tsuut’inna, there is a secret season between summer and fall called larch season. Driving west on Highway 1 between Banff and Lake Louise, it […]