a former gymnast with a neverending case of wanderlust
If you’ve ever hiked to Crypt Lake, you’ll understand why it’s on my All-Time Favorite Hikes list. If you haven’t, you should definitely add it to your to-do list. It’s also high on the list of the most challenging hikes I've ever done. It’s incredibly difficult but also incredibly – well – incredible. It’s the entire reason my… Continue reading Crypt Lake – Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta
After two weeks exploring Montana and Yellowstone with me, it was time for Pat to head back to Connecticut. Fortunately, I had a bit more vacation time and was able to stick around Montana for an extra week and squeeze in a little more adventuring. And so my mom and I loaded up the car and… Continue reading Over the Divide – Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta
July 1st marks the 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada. To celebrate, among other things, admission to all Canadian National Parks is free for 2017. And to celebrate here on Handstands Around the World, I’ve put together a list of my favorite Parks Canada sites. This is also conveniently my 100th post! I'm always… Continue reading Happy 150th Anniversary to Canada!
Our next day in Jasper National Park was supposed to be the day we hiked Mount Edith Cavell. This was a hike we were all especially excited for. Instead, it was the day I woke up sick at 5am and my friends ended up driving me to the hospital. I was suffering from some pretty serious… Continue reading Sometimes, things don’t go as planned – Jasper National Park, Alberta (part III)
After a night at Honeymoon Lake Campground – in which our camping gear mostly dried out – it was time to continue our journey northward. We hopped back on the Icefields Parkway, poised to spend a day exploring the central section of Jasper National Park. Our first stop, just a short distance up the road,… Continue reading Exploring the Icefields Parkway – Jasper National Park, Alberta (part II)
The Canadian Rockies never fail to amaze, and Jasper National Park is no exception. Together with Banff and other surrounding national and provincial parks, Jasper is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. I'm so glad this whole area is protected, because it's utterly beautiful! Jasper is the largest of the Canadian… Continue reading Receding Glaciers – Jasper National Park, Alberta (part I)
For the remainder of our time in Banff, we continued north on the main road, eventually leading us up to Jasper National Park, which will feature in my next post. Last week, I left off at Moraine Lake. In the same general area of the park is the other iconic Banff lake – Lake Louise. This… Continue reading Shades of Blue – Banff National Park, Alberta (part III)
The Valley of the Ten Peaks is, as you probably guessed, a valley lined by ten peaks. They form part of the continental divide as well as the border between Alberta and British Columbia. But most pertinent to this post, they form the backdrop for the iconic Moraine Lake. You’ve probably seen Moraine Lake before.… Continue reading Valley of the Ten Peaks – Banff National Park, Alberta (part II)
After departing Waterton Lakes, we stopped for the afternoon in Calgary to catch up on the real world. The final installment of the Harry Potter movies had just been released and a little vacation wasn't going to get in our way of seeing it. We'd purchased tickets in advance for a theatre at a mall… Continue reading Rocky Mountain High – Banff National Park, Alberta (part I)
We had only one full day in Waterton, and our plan was to take the boat across Upper Waterton Lake to the Crypt Lake trailhead and attempt to survive the strenuous hike to Crypt Lake. The hike is 5.5 miles (8.9 km) in each direction with 2,300 feet (700 m) of elevation gain, and involves… Continue reading An old man and a waterfall – Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta (part II)
Handstands Around the World 