It’s now the start of October and a fluffy blanket of snow has tucked the mountain peaks to bed for the looming long and cold winter. The summer crowds are long gone and daily highs are now hovering around 10 degrees.
It’s the perfect time to sit back with a cuppa tea and reflect on what was one busy, adventurous and fulfilling couple of months. Join me in a recollection of events.
When I arrived back in Jasper in late July I wrote down a list of ten trips I wanted to do before summer was out, and blow me down I did them all!
With all my trips, and other trips going on in the meantime, there was always more to plan, organise or just jump aboard and go.
Given I was simultaneously working full time at the hostel there was no time to rest on a day off. My housemate and I pushed each other to do more and more, and on the rare occasion we found ourselves inside on a nice day we certainly heard about it from the other! It was great motivation and I can look back proud at everything I got done.
My Summer To Do List (in order of completion)
- Beat Donny’s time of 1:39 up Whistlers Mountain. Check Aug 1 with 1:35.
- Get to Edith Cavell Meadows. Check Aug 2.
- Berg Lake camping trip. Check Aug 6,7,8.
- Go whitewater rafting. Check Aug 19.
- Climb Mt Temple. Check Aug 25,26.
- Hike the Skyline trail in one day 44km. Check Sep 3.
- Climb Mt Hardisty. Check Sep 9.
- Climb Pyramid Mountain. Check Sep 10,
- Tonquin Valley camping trip. Check Sep 16,17,18.
- Maligne Lake canoe/camp trip. Check Sep 30, Oct 1.
More trips not on my “list”:
- Grouse Grind, Vancouver. Check July 25.
- Bald Hills trail. Check Aug 13.
- Maligne Canyon. Check Aug 15.
- Sulphur Skyline trail. Check Aug 21.
- Sunrise kayak on Pyramid Lake. Check Aug 24.
- Plain of Six Glaciers trail. Check Aug 25.
- Palisades Lookout. Check Aug 30.
- Slept on top of a mountain. Check Aug 31.
- Climbed Mt Tekarra. Check Sep 3.
- Photographed a wedding. Check Sep 28.
- Horseback riding Check Oct 6
To try and pick my favourite trips is hard as every one is so different and they are all great but nonetheless I devised a system that works. Are you ready for it?
To pick my top four I simply asked myself, “if I could only take home the memories from four trips, and all the rest would be forgotten, which ones would I choose?”
And that brought me to my top four…in no particular order.
Berg Lake, Mt Robson Provincial Park
An awesome three days and an exhausting 80km of backpacking with Ben around the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, Mt Robson.
Mt Temple, Banff National Park
A quick two day run down to Lake Louise with Donny, Arne, and Jakub to summit the giant Mt Temple.
The Skyline Trail, Jasper National Park
One monster of a day hike with Grayden, Laura, and Joel. 50km along the premier Skyline trail including two mountain summits along the way.
Maligne Lake canoe trip, Jasper National Park
The most recent big adventure, a two day canoe and camping trip with Jackie and Joel to the far end of the breathtaking Maligne Lake.
Thanks so much to everyone who shared this memorable summer with me – the corner stones of a great trip are great people.
ADVENTUROUS TRIPS 
Makes me wanna go to Canada very soon!!!! And now back to Australia?
Such great memories. Hope we can hike somewhere like that when I get there baby boy
Beautiful photos Danny Boy. Can’t wait to see more photos. Love Nanny Dwyer
Keep up the good work -Paul Dwyer
I like the way you felt it was necessary to rank the best experiences. This is an awesome read. I guess the summer was worth hanging around for.
Love your writing and photography and all your adventures. You certainly make us all proud of you Dan, who would of thought you were such a mountain man !! You could write for a travel magazine or something like that. Look forward to seeing you soon and hope you and your Mum have a really lovely and exciting holiday together xxxx