WRITING PROMPT RESPONSE

Trekking In Nature Is One of My Favorite Things To Do

I’m lucky to have had the opportunity to do it many times in my life.

Having grown up in a spectacular corner of the world, filled with pristine nature surrounding me for miles, means that I am a nature lover down to my core. Nothing soothes my soul better than wandering amongst the forests and taking in the natural beauty of our world.

Sahil Patel has asked us to write about ‘thrilling trekking experiences’ in the latest Reciprocal writing prompt. I’m happy to say that I have lots of experience in this regard, and am happy to share it.

Most recently, this past summer, my partner and I found ourselves located back in Canmore, Alberta, Canada — the town where I grew up, for a few months. Being located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains means that this town has seen its fair share of visitors.

Many tourists pass through trying to get their own taste of the stunning beauty that the area has to offer.

While the town itself is not the same as it used to be, the nature that surrounds it will never change much. Towering rocky mountains, crystal-clear alpine lakes, rivers, streams, waterfalls, and miles and miles of trees are just a part of the landscape.

Of course, the downtown core is always busy, and there are a few main trails around the town that are well-known to tourists. But there are also smaller trails and hidden corners where few others venture. On our off days, we made it our mission to find these spots so we could have some time to ourselves and simply hang out with nature.

Hands down, my favorite spots in Canmore are mostly down by the Bow River. Starting from high up in the center of the Rocky Mountains, this beautiful river runs strong and steady through the town. It carries crystal clear water from Bow Glacier and feeds numerous towns and cities as it meanders out of Canmore and into the foothills and prairies of Canada.

Close to downtown, there is a popular trail that circles around the Bow River (see photo above). Walkers and bikers can do a loop, crossing 2 bridges, that will return them back to the main core. However, there are many smaller trails that leave this main trail, and taking a wander down one of them is where you will truly find the magic.

Small tributaries of the main river wind and snake their way through the valley. These bodies of water hardly seem like they are moving, and an abundance of life exists within their midsts. Many days we would find a spot to just sit and relax as we watched the birds and insects buzz around us with a hive of activity.

We also managed to find some new places that I didn’t know existed before. What wonderful surprises!

Beyond Canmore, we also had the privilege to visit Sunshine Meadows in Banff National Park. Sunshine Village is a famous ski hill in the winter, but it is less known as an incredible hiking destination in the summer.

We wanted to do an extended excursion of some kind while we were back in the area, but with the overcrowding of tourists that flock to this region, we had to choose wisely. We wanted a place far off the beaten track with few people to contend with.

I’m happy to say that Sunshine Meadows fit the bill.

Sure, there were other people there, but not the marauding hoards that file into Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and other areas in Banff National Park. Through many moments in the day, it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves.

We also visited Grassi Lakes, likely my favorite spot in the Bow River Valley. While I still love to visit the lakes, it gets increasingly more difficult to truly enjoy them with the mass amounts of people who have now discovered this not-so-secret spot.

Of course, along the way, we spot many things of interest. From wildlife to stunning flowers, my camera catches most things around us.

Sadly, not all days are perfect in the mountains. This summer, Canada has seen a record number of wildfires that are burning mostly in areas to the west of the town. This means that there were many smoky days when one could hardly see the mountains. But somehow, being down by the river on these days made them more tolerable.

Maybe it was simply the way in which the water and trees cleaned the air around us.

While I’m not quite as adventurous as my younger self and opt for hiking adventures that are mostly short and manageable in one day, I will always seek out these perfect nature spots when I have the opportunity.

We took good advantage of our location in the Rocky Mountains this summer. I feel satisfied with all that we saw and experienced in the time that we spent there.

Thanks to Sahil Patel for this inspiring prompt, and thanks to the editing team at Reciprocal for hosting my story:)

Other incredible nature stories by Reciprocal writers:

Diane Neill Tincher takes us into the stunning wilderness of Japan.

Shubha Apte shows and tells us what nature can teach us.

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