The Canadian Rockies (Celestine, Second Geraldine and Laughing Falls)

I climbed. I jumped. I swam. I tip-toed with balance. I huff and puffed. I lost my way and found it again. I felt my heart thumping wildly, then with only a few hours left of pitch darkness, plummeted into exhaustion. I slipped in and out of the wilderness seemingly unnoticed in gorgeous Jasper and Yoho National Parks. It is raw and natural, and it is perfect. Go! Go and get in deep, if not to far away world-famed national parks than to the nearest most desolate place of nature you can find. It renews. It gives you back more than you expected if you’re open.

With only about a month of planning, we couldn’t reserve one continuous hike with connected camping spots- they were mostly booked. So we jumped around the Canadian Rocky expanse, only intending to stay two nights maximum at any one site. Celestine Lake had some elevation but was overall an easy hike with a beautiful lakeside view. We found out last minute the Maligne Pass North sites didn’t allow dogs and ended up in Snaring Overflow Camping. I know overflow doesn’t sound sexy, but it was gorgeous and full of character- water-side view again for the win!

Geraldine…oh Second Geraldine Lake! The info guide gave us directions void of key details- there is more than ONE waterfall, more than ONE rockslide, more than ONE boulder field. We took a one and half hour detour based on faulty directions through downed trees, boulders, streams, thick brushes and sneaky moss-covered holes. Gave up and followed the rest of the crowd laughing it off and knowing the long Canadian Summer day still gifted us with enough sunlight hours to make it to the top.

Max (our nine-year-old “puppy lion”) almost fully gave up on us after the third or so boulder field. After the fifth? boulder field, we still had a slippery shale-filled ascend about a mile long that gives stair climbers a whole new meaning! The sores on his little hind paws were proof he’d given it his all. And yet, the new day brought renewed strength. We took a quick dip in the frigid cold glacier-fed pond on the way out- my second Canada polar plunge, the hubby’s tenth!

We ended the trip with one night at Laughing Falls in Yoho. The pine tree Christmas-scented trails make the hiking that much jollier. I wish I could bottle it up! The campsite itself is nestled on three sides by raging rivers- glacier fed, clean and frigid. It was pure, straight from the source soothing sounds of sleep. The perfect ending to our six-day hiking expedition.

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