As many of you know, I typically pop up north across the border every year or so to soak in the turquoise lakes, the beyond-fun rock climbing, and the smell of Tim Hortons in the morning. Oh, Canada- what a gem.
Every trip has “that thing that happened” … right? The flat tire, the wrong turn, the lost sunglasses… well, this for this trip it happened four hours after we left home: Phin did not bring a passport, despite my persistent reminders the past month. Thankfully, the border guard was a kind soul and let us in! *while we got in easily, getting back into the states was much more difficult!
Our first stop was the Cranbrook Community Forest for some fun mountain biking! We pedaled uphill for a bit, in the tree filled hills, and made it to the top. While the town of Cranbrook was less than exciting, the high desert nature that surrounds it is gorgeous! Wildflowers tapped my thighs as we rode downhill, the warm breeze on my face. Wonderful, just wonderful!
Then we headed towards our next stop: Kimberley, BC. A quaint town in the mountains. A merger between hipster foodie, old western, & ski bum (AKA my dream vibe of a town)! When we arrived, there was a free community concert on their Main Street (funny enough named Spokane street) which we wandered through, on our walk to an outstanding little restaurant called Pedal & Tap.
We had an absolutely delightful meal- Check out their menu here! and wandered back to our boutique hotel, The Larix. It was an absolute haven, with local handmade soaps in the bathroom, lox for breakfast, a sauna, and an owner who was fully invested in ensuring your comfort! 10/10 would recommend & best of all- the hotel (breakfast included) only cost us $50 thanks to my Chase travel benefits. If you don’t already have a Chase account, You NEED one if you like traveling, even in the slightest (click this for my Refer-A-Friend link)!
Our next adventure was climbing in “the Tora-Bora”! We had a blast & sent a few routes before the sun baked us out.
We continued north into Kootenay National Park, then through Banff, and east into Canmore. We were remote working for the week, so we rented an Airbnb-(linked here) to act as our “base camp”. From there, we had an absolute blast exploring big mountains, climbing above bright blue lakes, and biking through thick trees. We worked from 6am or so until lunchtime for the entire week & spend our afternoons/evenings on adventures! Saturday was reserved for a huge rock climb- to wrap up the trip.
Enjoy the photos & click the links (underlined) for more details.
Mt.Edith circuit (I wimped out of the summit…too steep/loose for my liking!!!)
Peyto Lake hike- fun fact we had to run up to catch our shuttle to the next spot! I’m so guilty of over- committing us when we are in adventure- ridden locations like Banff! Poor Phin gets extra cardio in all the time due to my strict schedule of activities. 😉
The 14 pitch sport route was one for the books! Easy climbing, but well protected, super fun, and awesome views! If you aren’t familiar with the terms I’m using for climbing, Here is a fantastic explanation, to get you on the same page!
We can’t wait to go back to Canada!
Cheers, Liv
Life of a Gal Named Liv 
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