Our Perilous Hike

We love making friends. We especially love making friends with people who rock.
Meet Jeff!

Jeff is really into hiking so he offered to take us on a hike. We were stoked! On our way out to the Canmore area, we realized the hike he wanted to take us on was one we had completed earlier that year (see our Canmore post). 

I recalled a hike I took the young women on 2 years ago near the area called "Grotto Canyon". I told the guys about this hike and we thought it was a good idea, so with the help of our handy dandy GPS, we located the trail head with little effort:

So, just so everyone knows...I am supremely directionally dysfunctional. I couldn't recall the exact route this trail takes, therefore, we ended up turning at a wrong location up a dry creek bed. After a few minutes of this, I knew we were on the wrong path because the area was very rocky and I knew my 12 year old girls would not have been able to handle it. After some discussion, "we decided" *cough* the boys* to venture onward anyways to see what we could find.

 Jeff: "We're trail blazing!" Melissa: *Rolls eyes*

I was telling them that there's an amazing waterfall at the end of the  real trail and at this point the guys still thought we might be on the real trail...so they said it probably just dried up...riiiiight. 
THIS is the real waterfall:

(2009)

 Part of the treacherous trail

This was definitely the toughest trail I've ever hiked. It was pretty crazy. A lot of it was shale and my feet kept slipping out from under me. 

 Stopping for nourishment - Reese's Pieces!

We finally made it to the top somehow and WOW what a view!

 We couldn't believe we made it up here alive! (Or maybe the boys believed we could do it...I sure didn't!)

 Mountain Warrior Woman! 

 We couldn't have made it without Jeff. He was so optimistic the whole time. 

 Experiences like this remind us that through diligence, we can conquer anything! 

 Now - to make our way back down again! :|

 Luckily we went a different way down.

 Some spots were a little tricky, but not too bad.

 My gumby shirt gave me the power to continue! He's the man. 

 I was so relieved that I didn't fall down the mountain! 

 Jordan found this steel and showed off his Hulk strength. Riiight.

Jeff, being the awesome dude that he is, took us to Boogie's Burgers. (Sorry, I know the photo's not the greatest)

 What a great reward for finishing such a grueling hike!

 I like how you can tell Jordan JUST ate a fry here. haha

So much for burning all those calories on the hike!  Oh well.


Our advice for hiking:
1. DON'T stray off the trail (but if you do, either a. make the best of it or b. turn around as soon as possible. Or you can always opt for c. cry like a baby, which I was tempted to do)
2. DO bring various goodies full of sugar. Sugar helps under all circumstances. 
3. DO make-out when nobody's looking
4. DO go to the bathroom before you leave, even if the provided outhouse stinks.
5. DON'T climb up to areas you can't get down from.

6. DO take pictures 
7. DO explore all the awesome trails Alberta has to offer. We are SO lucky. Go get out there! Seriously. Stop reading this and plan a hike. :)