Things go wrong sometimes.

Failure is defined as a lack of success or inability to meet expectations, but maybe it should be called a learning opportunity or trial and error instead. You can learn from it and do better next time. If you give it 100% and do your best, feel good about it and move on. Easier said than done, no?

Sometimes you have to fail, I guess, to become some better version of yourself or a more confident hiker. Failure is nothing but a necessary component, and you’ve got to go through some of that to know where you’re going to succeed. So allow yourself the fun of failure every day. Said no one ever!

The Decision

You can learn a lot from a failed hike. Knowing when to call it quits is a skill. It is not an easy choice, especially if you drive four hours committed and excited, but it is necessary. Whether nature is not on your side, the weather turns unexpectedly, or you are not as prepared as you think you were, it is essential to know your limits and stick with them.

Know Before You Go

• Never assume the weather when hiking. Layer up!
• Plan, research, prepare, repeat. If it looks sketchy it probably is.
• What may seem like a fun adventure to you may not be for someone else. Know your limits and stick to them. Leave your arrogance at home. It’s stupid.
• Timing really is everything. Hiking in the dark is very different than hiking in the daylight. Avoid hiking on a deadline.
• Tell someone where you are going.

Mount Baldy Fail – Kananaskis

This trail has everything, exposure, scramble, climbing. It is described as complex by AllTrails but maybe pretty easy but maybe nothing technical, so it isn’t apparent. It starts with a quick incline through the forested area. Past the forest, you have a choice to head straight up the rock or to head to the right, which goes around the rock and on a scree trail, and eventually, these two trails meet back up, which I will never know since I didn’t summit and didn’t get to enjoy the 360 views from Baldy and South Baldy.

It’s supposed to be a heavily trafficked trail, but we didn’t encounter a soul. Except for this one psycho yelling that we were going the wrong way, counterclockwise. The moment he said that I freaked out, panicked and quit! It was steep from the get-go but manageable. My legs hurt slightly, but my face hurt more from the wind. Downclimb was a bit sketchy for trail finding.

What Went Wrong?

I panicked, and I called it quits. I know my limits, but I don’t always trust my gut. Also, unless I am in imminent danger, like death or asking for help, please do not give me a piece of unwanted advice.

Lesson Learned

I wanted to be challenged and joined the Wild Canadian Hikers group. The women were very seasoned, ahem wild, and I couldn’t keep up with their pace. I view this as a learning opportunity now though I didn’t see it at that moment. Overall I should be disappointed, but the company made it great. I am coming for you, Mount Baldy! Mel and Violet are coming with me. They just don’t know it yet.

The Whistlers Summit Fail – Jasper

I decided on The Whistlers Peak because it looked challenging and fun to scramble at the boulders. The trail was beautiful and ran through the mixed forest: Spruce? Pine? Fir? I don’t know, but it smelled like Christmas. 

It’s a steady grind with 1300 meters in elevation to gain. So at a heart-pounding rate of 192, the trail pushed up the mountain. I thought I was in shape, but that first kilometre made me rethink that. It did level out for a bit, but at about 5 km, the bear tracks appeared, and I got scared. The snow was getting waist-deep, and I could either follow the black bear and die or go home and cry. So I quit. And I cried.

I hate making these decisions, not easy but the right ones, and I wouldn’t say I like bears either. After deciding to turn around, I took a tram up from the parking lot and hippity-hoppity-hopped towards the summit in the snow, sans bears. The final kilometre to the summit was a cakewalk compared to the rest of the trail.

Overall the mountains were pretty moody that day, adding to my already shitty experience. I could not see Mount Robson, the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies at 3954m from 100 km away, but the sea of peaks filled my soul.

What Went Wrong?

I panicked again! The trail was not broken; well, the bear broke it. Once out of the forest, it also became evident that this would be way more difficult than I had imagined, especially through waist-deep snow. Given all that, I opted out to turn around and make the summit by tram instead, like a tourist.

Lesson Learned

Forests in heavy snow should not be underestimated. It is challenging to navigate. Know your limits and stick to them. Be bear aware. Do not follow bears, especially when they are the ones breaking the trail.

Grizzly Peak Fail – Kananaskis

It was supposed to be a delightful hike. It’s a very short, out and back trail but technical and exposed. The trail climbs up. That is all to it. Up! There are some minor cliff bands, and it does rise steeply. Some minor hands-on scrambling exists, but not everyone loves it. And I think I forget that. Once you get past that, you find yourself in the most stunning meadow. The terrain was all loose rock and dirt, making it for a slippery descent.

We had to take many breaks, and the girls seemed exhausted. It was just too windy, typical for Kananaskis as this area gets super chilly. They didn’t seem to have enough to make that final push to the summit. So we sat in the meadow and hung out with the goats. We ate our lunch, did our shots and watched others making their way up the summit. It was tough and felt like a failure with a capital F. Still does.

What Went Wrong?

We did the sunrise hike the day before, and attempting a second peak felt exhausting at the first-kilometre mark. Our legs felt all sorts of rust. So we called it a day.

Lessons Learned

Scrambling is not for everyone, even if it is minor. Not everyone loves exposure, either. It is also crucial to find a buddy who matches your hiking abilities. It’s no fun having to slow your pace continuously or struggle to keep up. It is equally essential finding someone who gets it, gets you and creates memories one trail at a time.

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To be continued. I am sure.

Stay Safe!