This season’s issue of The Gazette features an article I wrote on my solo trek up the 12,529 foot Cerro Chirripo, the highest peak in Costa Rica and second highest in Central America.

The article, Jungle, desert, and elusive spider monkeys, provides a personal account of this exciting hike and the obstacles I faced along the way, including a misleading guidebook description, a painfully heavy pack, and a lack of hot food. Interestingly enough, I felt totally at home.

Get your hands on the current issue and come and see what I learned about Costa Rica upon arriving at Crestones Base Lodge at 11,063 feet. You might be surprised, too.

Every year, the Banff Mountain Festival puts a spark in an otherwise dreary fall season here in The Rockies. Bringing together mountaineers, adventurers, filmmakers, authors and speakers, the Book and Film Festivals offer an amazing week of armchair excitement.

I decided to interview Festival Director, Shannon O’Donoghue, to get the inside scoop on the Festivals, as part of an article featured on the Travel Alberta: Holiday Ideas website.You can find the article here.

© Meghan J. Ward, 2009.

I welcomed winter up in the Moraine Lake region today with a snowy hike up to Eiffel Lake. While the views were completely obscured by snow, it was great to be outside in the fresh air and getting one of the final hikes in before the snow settles and the skis come out.

The 5.6 km trail (one-way) takes you from the shores of Moraine Lake and up a set of fairly steep switchbacks. Once you hit the junction for Eiffel Lake and Larch Valley, the trail flattens out from there until the lake. It is pleasant, and most likely, quite scenic if visibility was good. To the left, you would see both base to peak of the Ten Peaks, a dramatic sight no matter how many times I have seen them before. Eiffel Lake is nestled at the base of these, right underneath Deltaform, I think.

Anyways, it was a gloomy fall day but a nice way to welcome the colder temperatures. Some home-made cookies made for a nice treat along the way, too.

*I forgot my memory card today, so the photo was taken around the same time of year last year. The photo of part of the Ten Peaks is taken from the Larch Valley/Sentinel Pass Trail and not Eiffel. I believe you would have an even broader perspective of them from Eiffel.

© Meghan J. Ward, 2009.

At the Finish Line

A month ago I had the chance for a spot in a road race that is usually sold out the day registration open. Melissa’s Road Race is a popular Banff road race and has been awarded as one of the best road races in Alberta. Sponsored by the famous Melissa’s Restaurant (a place my parents used to take us to at a very young age), the race is an exciting gathering of locals and runners from all over the province.

So I had my chance to run. I always wanted to sign up for Melissa’s Road Race with the intention of having a goal to work towards. I also wanted to overcome a major fear of mine that I’d developed from bad experiences running track in elementary school: racing of any kind… especially among a large group of people.

Anyways, I had only a month to ‘train’ and I had to just trust that the hiking and climbing I had been doing all summer would help me out. Still, I hadn’t been for a run since May and sprained my ankle in August, so I was feeling a bit skeptical. All I managed to do before the race was run a 9.25 km route and a 4 km route.

Showing up on the race day, I felt a little bit silly… that is until I saw the kind of ‘racers’ that were there. Being a popular road race celebrating its 30th year, there must have been years that some of these people ran, but as time wore on, it turns out they were now settling to walk the whole way. This gave me a bit of a boost of confidence despite the super-runners that were stretching in unimaginable ways beside me.

My iPod pumping tunes in my ears, I was surprised by how fast I was going, but some unseen force was definitely driving me onwards (even up the hill on Tunnel Mountain). I crossed the finish line with a time of 58 minutes and a  pace of 5:48 per kilometre. Is that good? I don’t know.

All I know is that I had a blast and overcome one of my major fears. Amazing.

© Meghan J. Ward, 2009.

Mother’s Day Buttress

A summery September continues…and this Saturday brought the chance to do a route I’ve been eager to get on for the whole season. Mother’s Day Buttress on Cascade Mountain is a fun route that is close to the Town of Banff with easy access (but a more committed descent). It is by no means a classic rockclimb like some of the other routes I have been able to do this summer, such as Tower of Babel and Grassi Ridge on Wiwaxy, but it offers great practicing and views of the Bow Valley.

This route is 335 metres, approximately 8 pitches, the hardest pitch being a 5.7. For the most part, it is a sustained 5.5, ledgy climb, with a few short exposed sections. The 5.7 pitch is easily avoided if two lower class pitches are taken instead. Trees are located conveniently on a series of ledge systems, offering excellent belay stations should you not find the bolts that are already in place.

Today brought intense, gusty winds, making the sections involving friction climbing a bit more adventurous. If the wind gusted between moves it threatened to blow you off the wall…literally. Otherwise, I spent a few minutes at a time clinging for dear life to the rockface, back to the wind, waiting for it to subside. Radios were a great tool today as communication between leader and belayer was nearly impossible.

That may be the last multi-pitch before ice climbing season starts…and that mat not be a bad thing! I’m pretty excited to get the ice tools out again.

Forgot my camera today, so photo from Summit Post by Dow Williams.

© Meghan J. Ward, 2009.

The last two weekends of hiking have brought me to some very special and diverse places.

Two weeks ago, I hiked into a remote area of Banff National Park with two friends of mine, and had the use of an old warden’s cabin in the backcountry. The 30 km hike took us up the Mosquito Creek Trail, over Quartize Col, up Clearwater Pass, around Devon Lakes and down into the next valley. It was a fairly epic journey, and a bit of a struggle to get there, with 90 km/h winds, rain and hail blowing us off the trail. Once at the cabin, though, we settled right in and enjoyed the journey into the past of this log cabin. The nights were cold, and the wood fire was warm and inviting. The second day there, I stayed back and did some reading, writing, and brainstorming for new article ideas. I didn’t mind the peace, quiet and remoteness of the area I was visiting. It was a strange feeling to be so far into the backcountry of this national park. I felt so far away and yet totally at home at the log cabin. I chopped some wood to replace the kindling we had used, stoked the fire, drank tea, took photos and otherwise just enjoyed the quiet. The hike out the following day, I was feeling much more energetic and we had beautiful sunshine the whole way.

Enjoying the Peace and Quiet

Last weekend, my outdoor adventures took me to Lake O’Hara with some friends, where we made good use of the

campground and enjoyed the premiere hiking in Yoho National Park. Day 1 brought us up to Lake McArthur, whose stunning blue colour I had never seen before because it was frozen over the last two times I was there. The adventures continued when I stumbled across an Italian couple who looked fairly distressed. Turns out this woman had injured her ankle. After trying to get her down the trail, not even making it 1 km down in an hour, we sent someone for help and eventually settled on having a helicopter rescue because we were still about 3 km from the road.

Lake McArthur

It was a great display of the human community – here we were, unable to speak Italian, helping a pair of Italians who didn’t speak English. We both spoke French, however, which made the whole day much easier. The whole ordeal took about 7 hours, and ended with a rescuer being dropped by a helicopter, who stabilized her leg before they air-lifted her. It was pretty cool, I must say, and I am proud of our parks system that provides this kind of service.

Day 2 didn’t involve any rescues, and brought us to Grandview, an open plateau on Mount Odaray. This short hike is by far one of the most scenic half day hikes I think you can do in the Rockies. In such a small hike, you can see both The Goodsirs on one side and Mount Hector on the other, all at once. The view from the plateau shows you both Lake McArthur and Lake O’Hara in the same panorama. Simply stunning.

On Day 3  we did the whole 14 kilometre Alpine Circuit around O’Hara, starting up the Wiwaxy Gap trail, around the Huber Ledges to Lake Oesa, across Yukness Ledges to the Opabin Plateau and finishing off with the All Souls trail, which leads back down to Schaffer Lake. By far, this is the most impressive day hike in the Canadian Rockies, out of all the places I have been. It is one ‘wow’ moment after another, with lakes of every shade of blue, high elevation hiking, great views, and a fabulous trail system, thanks to Mr. Lawrence Grassi and the Lake O’Hara Trails Club.

Lake Oesa

This area has been well-preserved, and I have confidence that through the hard work of those who have protected it, it will remain a pristine area for years to come.

© Meghan J. Ward, 2009.

Back in the summer I interviewed the head chef at one of Banff’s best restaurants, The Bison Restaurant and Lounge, to find out more about their in house charcuterie program. It is a neat part of their quest for sustainable practices in the food industry. You can read a bit more about their unique approach to this ancient tradition in the current issue of City Spice in Reviving a Tasty Tradition.

Photo by Paul Zizka.

The latest article is up and running on the Travel Alberta Website! The article will also be featured in Fresh Tracks, a publication of Travel Alberta, in their August 2009 edition. Find out more about the history of mountain guiding in the Canadian Rockies, the Conrad Kain Centennial and where you can hire a guide today by reading the article here.

Excerpt: Climbing equipment is more sophisticated and modern guidebooks describe routes in enough detail to assist with route-finding on an ascent. As a result, more peaks are accessible to experienced amateur climbers. However, books and equipment don’t always help with decision-making – and they can’t kick steps up a snow slope for an aspiring climber. Almost any climbing party will benefit from the knowledge and skill of a certified mountain guide.

7 am – beach time. 9 am – batido (or smoothie) time. 9:30 am – yoga en plain air. 11 am onwards – anything you like.

A day at Casa Zen, in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, is what you want to make of it. But, the beachside setting, the food, and the remoteness is sure to provide a relaxing and rejuvenating environment after you’ve ditched your surfboard at the end of a long day on the waves. Not a surfer? At Casa Zen you can enjoy an open-air massage, read in a hammock on the upper patio, have a light thai-inspired meal or simply lie on the beach under the shade of swaying palms.

The small, coastal village of Santa Teresa sits in a more remote area of the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific Ocean. This village is growing slowly, but a lack of paved roads has deterred tourists despite its incredible potential as an ocean-side oasis. In June of 2009, I had the chance to visit this area of Costa Rica, and did not find the journey to be as arduous as described. But, as there are fewer people who travel to this destination, what results is a quieter community and a beach that is nearly deserted at times.

Casa Zen was recommended by my guidebook, so I chose to spend 4 nights there at the end of my trip. The owner of Casa Zen, Kelly Lange, opened the guesthouse in December of 2004. Originally from Kansas City, Lange used to visit her father, who was living in Costa Rica, and at one time visited – and fell in love with – Santa Teresa. She encouraged him to invest in some property in this small beach-side village, and the rest is history. Casa Zen features seven private rooms or apartments and two dorm rooms, The Rancho, which is an octagonal-shaped communal sitting and eating area, a Thai restaurant serving breakfast lunch and dinner, a small outdoor spa area, and an upper patio where hammocks hang beckoning a nap or reading session and are otherwise removed for morning yoga classes (catered to any level of experience).

Lange’s philosophy for Casa Zen is “fair pricing” in order to encourage wellness and holistic healing for everyone. “Enough is enough,” she said to me, reflecting on how it is only necessary to charge so much to her guests. A wandering backpacker can pay just $12 for a dorm bed, while private rooms start at just $24, for instance. The shared bathrooms are clean and accessible, and an outdoor camper’s kitchen allows travellers on a budget to cook meals for themselves.

Casa Zen is not just for the backpacker, however. Young couples, families, or any traveller with a smaller budget can enjoy the services at Casa Zen, without needing to skimp out on quality. The environment at Casa Zen is very clean, secure, and at the hands of a team who clearly care about their establishment. Two internet stations allow you to stay connected with family at home, or to make plans for your next destination. The food is exceptional and well-priced, with menu options including fresh fruit smoothies, egg dishes, sandwiches, fresh guacamole and crisps, Vietnamese Bun, green curry, and sweet banana crepes to finish.

At night, when the sun has set, paper lanterns of various colours provide splashes of colour and light throughout Casa Zen, rendering a very funky and inviting atmosphere in which to sit and converse with other travellers.

What’s in the future for Casa Zen? Lange has a dream of creating packaged yoga retreats and workshops, which would include healthy meals and a holistic approach to self-discovery and healing. Future plans also include extending the yoga studio to make it larger.

When I asked Lange what the most meaningful feedback on Casa Zen was for her, she mentioned without hesitation her “guestbook,” and the fact that some of her guests returned year after year and have since become friends. Perusing her guestbook before I signed my name, I was inspired by the entries of other travellers, who said that their stay at Casa Zen helped them to find themselves again.

No doubt Casa Zen can help you find yourself again, or give you the space to think and rejuvenate. And the best part is you can pamper yourself at Casa Zen, and treat yourself like royalty without spending the royal fees.

For more information, please see www.zencostarica.com

FAST FACTS

Getting There: From San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, either rent a car and drive, taking the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera along the way, or take a private shuttle through Montezuma Expeditions.

Accommodations: Dorm $12, Private Rooms $24+

Massage: ½ Hour $30, 1 Hour $55, 1.5 Hours $80

Yoga: $7 per class, or $25 for 5 classes

Food Items: $1.50 – $10

Langauges Spoken: English and Spanish

Internet: Available (two stations)

All photos by Meghan J. Ward.

Map from: http://www.paradisecellular.com/images/mal-pais-santa-teresa-map.jpg.

© Meghan J. Ward, 2009.

CAJ 2009

Yesterday I opened my PO Box and found two of my latest publications had been released to the public.

In the Canadian Alpine Journal -  a book review of Expedition to the Edge: Stories of Worldwide Adventure, by Lynn Martel and published by Rocky Mountain Books (2008).

In The Gazette (Magazine of The Alpine Club of Canada) – an overview of Conrad Kain celebrations, commemorating the centennial since his arrival in Canada in 1909.

I am currently working on articles for Travel Alberta publications (Fresh Tracks and City Spice), due for submission in the upcoming month.