Awa'awapuhi Trail

Hike Name: Awa'awapuhi Trail

Activity: Hiking

Distance: ~10 km (RT)

Altitude: 1,219 m

Elevation Gain: ~650 m

Area: Kauai (HI, USA)

Crew: Steph

Time to End: ~2 hrs

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

Trailhead: Awa'awapuhi Trailhead


Additional Info:
We skipped hiking the ridge in between this one and Kalepa Ridge to change up our views a bit. This was probably my favourite hike on the trip! It is a little longer, a bit more elevation gain, and the view at the end is absolutely spectacular. Straight out of Jurassic Park!!

Photos to come.

Maha'ulepu Trail

Hike Name: Maha'ulepu Trail

Activity: Hiking

Distance: ~6 km (RT)

Altitude: 0 m

Elevation Gain: ~100 m

Area: Kauai (HI, USA)

Crew: Steph

Time to End: ~1.5 hrs

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

Trailhead: Shipwreak Beach


Additional Info:
After a very rainy day,  Steph and I decided to take advantage of the break in the rain/light sprinkling that was going on, and do a hike. The trailhead was only a 3 minute drive from our air bnb & the hike itself wasn't very long so we decided to go for it. We saw a seal on the beach at the beginning which was neat, and the views along the hike were very cool! A crazy view straight out into the ocean into nothingness, sea cliffs, tide pools, etc. I definitely recommend this one, as it was also a change of pace/scenery for us (as we'd only hiked in Koke'e up to this point).

Photos to come.

Canyon Trail

Hike Name: Canyon Trail

Activity: Hiking

Distance: ~10 km (RT)

Altitude: 1,000 m

Elevation Gain: 368 m

Area: Kauai (HI, USA)

Crew: Steph

Time to End: ~2 hrs

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

Trailhead: Halemanu-Koke'e Trailhead


Additional Info:
After hiking Kapela Ridge, we decided since the weather was so gorgeous and we had already done the drive up to Koke'e, we had to do another hike! We did the Canyon Trail up Waimea canyon, to Waipo'o falls. So Jurassic Park.

 Me and the canyon

Nice waterfall

Kalepa Ridge

Hike Name: Kalepa Ridge

Activity: Hiking

Distance: ~5 km (RT)

Altitude: 1,219 m

Elevation Gain: 176 m

Area: Kauai (HI, USA)

Crew: Steph

Time to End: ~1 hrs

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

Trailhead: Kalalau Lookout, Koke'e State Park


Additional Info:
Steph and I were recommended to do Kapela Ridge as one of our first hikes. The weather was beautiful and hot, the clouds were rolling in and out, dramatically changing the scenery as we hiked. After we finished Kalepa Ridge, we did the Canyon Trail in the Waimea Canyon. We did get some BEAUTIFUL ocean views, even though I don't have them pictured here.

 Always snappin' pics

 A candid Steph, framed nicely!!

Beautiful.

Morro Peak

Hike Name: Morro Peak

Activity: Hiking/Scrambling

Distance: ~5 km RT

Altitude: 1,676 m

Elevation Gain: 628 m

Area: Jasper National Park

Crew: Ben, Garrett, Leah B

Time to Summit: ~2 hrs

Lisa's Mom Rating: Yes

Trailhead: Overlander Trail Trailhead

Additional Info:

We were up in Jasper for the Dark Sky Festival with Garrett and Leah. We decided to do a little hike - and it was unbelievably hot and sunny for a late October outing!

 Taco x Westy Setup

 On the way up

Tres Companions

Westy on the way home at the Columbia Icefield

Grizzly Ultra (Relay)

We were thinking of running the Grizzly Ultra solo, but with the 66+cm that fell in Canmore the previous week (over two days...!!), we were nervous about the trail conditions and decided to do a 2-person relay. The route was altered due to the snowfall and was split up as follows:

New Leg 1 = Old Leg 1 - Grey Wolf - 13km - Elevation 144m (Claire)
New Leg 2 = Old Leg 1 - Grey Wolf - 13km - Elevation 144m (Lisa)
New Leg 3 = Old Leg 2 - Cougar - 12km - Elevation 264m (Claire)
New Leg 4 = Old Leg 5 - Coyote -5km - Elevation 153m (Lisa)
New Leg 5 = Old Leg 5 - Coyote -5km - Elevation 153m (Lisa)

With the stadium moving farther away this year (to avoid mud/snow in the field), the race was still 50km long (~500m added to each leg to run to the parking lot). We came in first in the all-woman 2-person relay!! (Claire carrying the team of course! The 7/123 is our overall standing - accounting for all-men and co-ed teams as well) I had an incredible time running the alternating legs, it was so much fun. I can't wait to do it again, or tackle a full ultra on my own.... maybe. And I will train next time! (I keep saying this...)

I have to write this down to remind myself to fuel better for next time, but I had some killer calf cramps running the final leg. MORE ELECTROLYTES! MORE WATER! They matter!!

Grey Wolf (Legs 1 & 2):

Cougar (Leg 3):

Coyote (Legs 4 & 5):

Egypt Lake Shelter (Overnight)

Name: Egypt Lake Shelter

Activity: Backcountry Camping/Backpacking

Total Distance: ~30 km

# Nights: 2

Date: September 29 - October 1, 2018

Area: Banff National Park

Crew: Ben
Trailhead: Sunshine Parking Area/Gondola Base

Route: 
Day 1 - Sunshine to Egypt Lake Shelter (12 km, ~700m)
Day 2 - Pharaoh Peak (~6 km, ~800m)
Day 3 - Egypt Lake Shelter to Sunshine (12 km, ~400m)


Ben and I really wanted to get out to the mountains for an over-nighter since we didn't get as many in this year as we like to. As the weekend drew nearer, the weather forecast became worse, and as we watched the vacancy rise in Egypt Lake Shelter, we decided to book it. We decided to maybe do a day-hike on day 2 but if the weather was too poor, we were happy with hanging out at the shelter and reading. Luckily, the weather held out long enough for us to summit Pharaoh Peak, and it started to snow just as we returned! The hike out was snowy and low-vis but we had an awesome time... ski season is just around the corner!

I came here with Julia and Jeevan in 2015.

 At Healy Pass (day 1)

Looking over towards Egypt/Scarab Lake. Pharaoh Peak on the right.