I have been busy attending the ISMB conference virtually, but I wanted to make a few post mortem notes on my trip to Alberta for the Canadians. First, it is a great privilege to be able to wander across the country for recreation, and the associated externalities should not be ignored.
Banff National Park, Bow Valley Provincial Park, and the Rockies near Canmore more generally are one of the most beautiful places I have visited. The mountains are sublime, the vistas magnificent, and there are so many opportunities for joy in the outdoors. This is my third visit to the region, and each has left me in awe of the majesty of western Canada, particularly as it so dramatically contrasts with southern Ontario. I strongly encourage anyone passing through the region to make time for a scramble or hike, as the experience is distinctive. Because of the composition of the Rockies, the mountains seem more susceptible to erosion, and scrambling over massive piles of loose rock or scree is common. The Sierras and Alps are more solid, which I surmise is due to sturdier igneous composition like granite compared to limestone and metamorphic rock in the Rockies. I only hiked and scrambled this trip, for while I have some practice climbing indoors, my outdoor experience is very limited, and I lack the experience and competence to safely rappel - especially solo. I did not bring my climbing shoes or harness, for if I were in a circumstance where I needed them on this trip, I would already be in trouble.
For my hikes, I researched the routes and carefully chose my objectives before setting out, often on
alltrails.com or summitpost. I downloaded what maps were available into my phone before setting out, and I always gave thought to reversing my route if weather or trip necessity warranted it. I have read too many stories - like that of the
Hinterstoisser traverse on the Eiger where intrepid climbing parties found themselves unable to turn back. I carried an 18L backpack with 4L of water, food, extra clothes, compass, and headlamp; I never ended up needing more than three liters. Hiking poles would have been useful, though I was unable to bring mine in carry-on luggage.
The orienteering was more straightforward, where I joined an excellent group of people in common logistics. I find that initiative is usually the limiting factor for these group efforts, but being in a group is more pleasant and logistically simplifying. Will Enger and I joined forces early, and we discovered back in May that rental car prices were unusually high in Calgary during the trip window - in excess of $200 CAD per day. As a result, we made the unorthodox choice to rent a U-Haul cargo van. The total price for the U-haul with gas came to about $715 for the week, and I slept in the back of the van in my sleeping bag every night but two. Particularly when circumstances invite camping and there isn't much distance to drive, a U-haul is a very reasonable choice. Will and I could easily have both slept in the back, and complete invulnerability to weather and not needing to pack up a tent each day simplified transitions. The gas mileage on the van was about 14 L/100 km or 16.8 mpg, i.e. about twice the gas consumption of a typical rental car or thrice that of a vehicle like my Prius. Sadly, the U-haul van only had two seatbelts, which does limit its usefulness.
While I enjoyed the trip tremendously, my orienteering fitness has declined considerably. My lack of running in the past few years is tremendously apparent in the results, and I was discouraged to be so slow. It is increasingly less likely that I will be able to match my previous time trial results, but I hope to be competitive again with my contemporaries soon. Despite my sluggishness, I still had a great time orienteering, hiking, seeing friends, and revisiting a beautiful region.