According to a recent article in the UK Daily Mail, the top ten most popular New Year's Resolutions for 2012 are:
1. Losing weight
2.Getting fit
3. Eating healthier
4. Saving money and spending less
5. Getting a new job
6. Spending more time with people who matter
7. Trying new things
8. Getting out of a rut
9. Going on vacation/visiting a new country
10. Reading more

I feel like I tend not to set New Year's resolutions. Or at least, that is, I think I don't... Maybe I do and I just don't call them that. I think I have a general idea about 2012 on the whole, as a unit of time and I think about all of the things I'd like to do over the coming year, but I like to keep things somewhat spontaneous. I also feel like by not setting defined terms that are too specific, I will have nothing to be disappointed about if things don't work out.

When I look at this top ten list, these are things most people would like to accomplish, and I wouldn't exclude myself. However, I think a lot of these coincide with other things I would like to generally improve upon or find more enjoyment in, anyways, which I suppose makes them some of my own resolutions on my own terms.

I am trying to get into better shape, but that coincides with a lot of the things I want to enjoy in Waterton. I have the great fortune of living in some people's vacation dreamland, an untouched natural wonder, full of adventure. I don't know how anyone could not take advantage of all of the great things the park has to offer. This winter, I'm going to ski and snowshoe to my heart's content and enjoy burning calories, outdoors with mountains, lakes, wildlife around me and my camera in hand. I've also been doing yoga in my down time, which has many great benefits. Some of the benefits I've enjoyed most are the stamina and flexibility I have to go skiing, from getting a good stretch and practiced breathing beforehand. This summer, I plan to hike as much as possible and take as many photos as I can too, which goes with getting fit but is a past-time I really enjoy, regardless.

I also feel like by doing all of these awesome physical activities, I'm going to save a bit of money too and spend more quality time with the people I care about (more resolutions on their list.) Rather than spending money to drive somewhere out of the park on my day off, or just go to the bar every night (which of course, I'll still do.. just not as often) I want to try to explore within the park more and do things I haven't done yet (see #7: trying new things.) One of my favourite activities this past summer, in addition to hiking, was hanging out on the beach at the Dardinelles. We would bring our fishing rods, cold drinks and snacks to sit on the edge of the water and cast a line out. We would wear our swim suits, and if we were feeling brave, might jump into the glacial water for a quick swim. A few times, my boyfriend and I brought our paint sets and easels, and painted on the beach. Other favourite and relatively money-smart summer past-times were: roasting hot dogs over the campfire with friends, going swimming/hot-tubbing at the rec centre and taking turns having dinner-and-movie nights at friends' homes.

I suppose I'd like to read more too (#10.) With Waterton being so quiet in winter, it's the perfect time to curl up with a book and I just ordered 3 new books from Indigo, with a gift card my aunt, cousins and uncle gave me for Christmas. I also love to cook and I do want to eat healthier, but I want to make things that also taste delicious and don't compromise my enjoyment for food. As for the rest of the list, my job is awesome (#5)- -I'm at work right now, blogging and it's in my job description! I don't feel like I'm in a rut(#8)- -I feel pretty happy with the direction of my life right now. Going on vacation (#9)? sounds good, an escape from the snow eventually could be pretty nice or even going downhill skiing one of these weekends might be fun. Geoff and I have been talking about going to Castle Mountain, Fernie or Banff for some fun. It's good to have a change of scenery every now and then.
These are my non-resolution resolutions for 2012 and I wish you all of the best for whatever resolutions you may or may not have. One suggestion for your 2012 goals: make a trip to Waterton!

This week, I returned back to the park after 2 weeks of vacation in Ontario to visit family and friends over the Christmas holidays. One of my goals in 2012 is to be more active and get into better shape. The Waterton-Glacier Relay is in June and I would really like to be fit enough to run this year. Not to mention, turkey dinner, too many holiday goodies and many variations on leftover turkey over the break has left me wanting to shed a few new pounds added. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing seem like a perfect way to change up my regular exercise routine I'm trying to get back into.

There isn't a lot of snow in the townsite right now, but out on all of the trails, there is a generous heaping of snow to keep winter adventurers content. A few days ago I hit the Cameron Lake ski trail with Geoff and our friends Brandon and Jane. We picked up some cross-country skis for rent over at the Waterton Lakes Lodge, loaded up the cars and drove up the winding and hilly road to the trailhead, a little more than an hour before dusk. (It's best to get there early: skiing has been very popular this winter, especially with families on holiday break over the last few weeks. There is a limited amount of the various ski and pole sizes available.)
Yesterday, Geoff and I rented snowshoes and ski poles at the Waterton Lakes Lodge and drove up Cameron Lake Road to the Dipper Trail where we snowshoed over towards the Little Prairie picnic area (which is where the Cameron Lake Trail begins.) We arrived about an hour before dusk, just before 4 pm and snowshoed until just after 5 pm when it got dark. I thought just for interest's sake I would compare the two experiences, if you're someone who doesn't have the time to do both activities and are trying to chose between them.

Both activities are great cardiovascular workouts. I calculated that in an hour of cross-country skiing I burned between 700-800 calories. An hour of snowshoeing estimates that about 520 calories are burned. (HealthStatus.com has a calorie-burn calculator that tells you how many calories you burned in an activity based on your weight and activity duration.)

I find that the trail you pick also dictates how strenuous your activity is. Beginners: on Cameron Lake Trail, to ski you can glide along fairly smooth, with very little hills and bends in the road. On Dipper Trail, which novices Geoff and Brandon skied, they found it much more difficult as there are a lot of dips, bends and hills, a narrow bridge to cross over a ravine and trees surrounding you. While they both enjoy a challenge and would do it again, it is certainly a difficult trail to ski, especially to climb and descend hills: you can expect a lot more wipeouts. I'm sure you would also find the same thing to ski on an undesignated trail such as Crandell, since Dipper is one of the trails that Parks actually maintains in winter.

With snowshoes, it does take longer to get where you are going: strapping snowshoes onto the bottom of your boots adds a little bit of extra weight. Geoff and Brandon skied Dipper in under an hour, round trip. On snowshoes, it took Geoff and I an hour to make it about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way and turn back. Part of the reason we turned back was that it was getting dark, otherwise we would have finished, but we still had over an hour long trek. The nice thing is that hills are easy and I felt way more confident than I would have on skis, since the spikes on the bottom give you amazing traction. If you're looking to do a winter hike, snowshoes can give you the stability you need to climb through snow and areas of less traction. It is much harder to fall and land on your butt on snowshoes.

Skiing I found I warmed up much faster, generating a lot of body heat, so I took my gloves off and opened my jacket (I really wanted to take it off but had no place to put it!) We also brought a bottle of water with us that we worked up a little bit of a thirst for. Snowshoeing, I found I bundled up a bit more, since the pace was slower. I had wished I brought a scarf or something to cover my neck and my face, since my lips started to feel tingly.

I wouldn't recommend going out on an adventure too close to dusk either- -make sure you have adequate time to go out, enjoy yourself and be able to actually SEE what you're doing. When we skied to Cameron Lake, it was getting dark on the way back and hard to see tracks made in the snow. As you are making a sliding motion, it is much easier to fall! With snowshoes, you might not venture as far since it's a slower process, but if you were caught in the dark, you at least have the stability of your snowshoes to walk without bailing out as easily.

Both activities were great workouts that I thoroughly enjoyed. I would much rather be outside than in a gym any day! The nature and scenery make things so spectacular that you forget you're even exercising. Plus, when you're in a gym, you don't usually bring a camera or binoculars, since there isn't really anything amazing to look at, unless the guy/girl on the treadmill next to you is good looking- -but that would just be creepy and very wrong! In the woods, on the trails, out in nature, having a camera and watching for wildlife is perfectly acceptable and welcomed. Speaking of which, watch for the giant ram on Cameron Lake Road climbing the cliff face. He is there just about every day and also like to surprise motorists by jumping out in front of vehicles.
See you on the trails!
Marie

 Today is the last day that you can ride on a horse drawn wagon throughout the park. From 11 am to 3pm, every hour, the wagon departs from the main building of the Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort. This is a truly unique way to explore Waterton, particularly in the winter. The picturesque scenery is quite something under a coat of snow and the park overall is very serene.

When it's cold outside, the snow is deep and the wind is blowing, you can always get a run in at the gym to get your exercise.Take it from Marley, she loves the treadmill:

Sometimes I imagine living in Waterton during these months must be what it's like to be inside of a snowglobe. Looking out my window now, there is knee-deep snow, a hazy cloud hanging over the sky and Bear's Hump is covered in white. A literal winter wonderland!

On Tuesday before driving in Pincher Creek, the scenery was quite similar (maybe a little bit less snow). Amazingly, once we arrived in town, there was not a single snowflake to be found on the ground, the sun was out shining! That's only a half hour jaunt from the park! Our winter weather seems to be totally self-contained, which many people might see as a drag, but I think is pretty cool. I can't wait to get out cross-country skiing again this year.

Cameron Lake has been closed off at the end of the Akamina Parkway road, to reopen the man-made ski trail that comes out annually. My boyfriend and a friend rented snowshoes yesterday and went up the trail towards Wall Lake, as far as the snow would safely allow. They were smart, let people know where they were going, when to expect them back and checked the avalanche warning system before they left (a must if you're doing backcountry or going down some of the seasonally un-maintainted trails.) They said although chilly, it was beautiful and the snow was a perfect powder. I'm just itching for my next day off to get out there with a pair of skis strapped on, camera in tow.
The other really cool thing about Waterton in the winter is the sense of community. There are only about 80 residents kicking around, so you get to know your neighbours a bit better. Movie and dinner nights with friends have been something to look forward to. A bunch of us also have a new tradition we like to call Poker and Pancake night (just as it sounds: we make pancakes and bacon, then we play poker.) I think as a vacation destination, you really have a quite unique situation. As someone who grew up in a city, it's really quite relaxing to escape the busy-ness of everyday life, be surrounded by breathtaking scenery and have true peace and quiet- although, this is everyday life for me now and it's great!

Speaking of the weather, the Pincher Creek Parade of Lights is happening tonight, beginning 6:30 pm, starting on Hewetson Ave, near Ranchland Mall, proceeding down Main St to the Subway- -cross your fingers it's not too nippy out. Waterton Park Inns and Resorts will have a horse-drawn carriage in the parade, pulling some of their staff. Watch for them (if you wave them on, I know they have candy.)

If you're looking for a hassle-free Thanksgiving, where you can spend the least amount of time possible hunched over the stove in the kitchen, and more time catching up with your loved ones over a delicious meal....here's a solution:

Vimy's Lounge and Grill is going to be hosting a traditional Thanksgiving dinner feast, with turkey and all of the fixings. It will be held on October 10th, for $24.99 per person at Vimy's, which is in the Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort's main building.

Make a reservation now by calling 403.859.2150 ext. 2006.

Congratulations to everyone who finished the Triple Crown this year, and the even more elusive Fantastic Four of Waterton-Glacier: the Peace Park Challenge (2 more hikers have since finished the challenge since this photo was snapped...the Triple Crown has also had a few more conquerors, as well.)

Pearls is now closed for the season, but don't let that stop you from hiking, if that's something you still want to do. Most of the hikes in Waterton are rated as in excellent condition, with slippery and muddy sections and snow at higher elevations,  on Parks Canada's trail condition report, as of today, Friday, October 7th. There is a small window of time left to hike before the season is over, always check their conditions first here: http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/tcond/cond_e.asp?oPark=100429 I know a fellow hiker who recently climbed Blakiston mountain unprepared and was met with a blizzard at the top and unexpected overnight stay that put him in the way of a lot of potential danger. Yes, the mountain peaks are all coated with a bit of snow, IN OCTOBER, but that is quite typical of Waterton.

To check out the online Glory Board for each challenge, please visit: Fantastic Four & Triple Crown

Getting married? Looking for the perfect, scenic location to host your magical day? Waterton has many great places to hold a ceremony. Mountains, waterfalls, natural beauty abounds in our National Park- making a great backdrop to all of your photos. We also have everything you need to host your post-ceremony bash.

Waterton Park Inns and Resorts is hosting a booth at Bridal Extravaganza, tomorrow, September 25th, in Lethbridge's Yates Memorial Centre, from noon- 5 pm. Admission is FREE but brides must call Gwen to register in advance at 403.345.4796. Come by to say hello or ask us your questions about having your wedding in Waterton. We'll be having a raffle: the lucky winner receives a one night's stay in a deluxe room at the Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort.

Visit http://bridalextravaganza.ca for more details about the show.

An entertaining blog about attempting to finish Akamina Ridge as part of the Triple Crown.
http://bettylivin.com/tag/triple-crown-of-waterton/

This past week, on my day off, I had the pleasure of going canoeing on Cameron Lake for the first time with my partner in crime, Geoff. We were a bit disappointed to find out that the fishing there is done for the season, as we had both brought our rods and tackle box with us. We still had a great time, although there was some bickering about the importance of the direction we were steering the boat versus the amount of manpower we were putting into our strokes.

As we were paddling around, we were both thinking in amazement that we were sitting in a canoe on top of this lake, since it was around the long weekend of May that the entire thing had been frozen solid when we had cross-country skied out here. Mount Custer still has a bit of snow on it, but not anything like what we had seen before. I wish I had brought my camera to take photos, but after tipping a canoe on the Bow River in Banff a few years ago, and having a much beloved camera ruined, I tend to be a bit more cautious, and left it behind. The attendant who helped us get into our boat had warned us not to get too close to any of the snow drifts, since there were tiny avalanches falling into the lake off of Custer.

We did not quite paddle that far, but went out to a small inlet close by, following a strange noise we heard. There were a lot of people walking the trail around the lake and we thought one of the tourists was making a goofy moose call. It was pretty loud and we were laughing about it, but as we got closer Geoff pointed at two dark coloured dots moving and splashing in the water, while a kayak and a canoe with other people paddled in close to watch. Real moose we thought, wow! what luck?! We had been looking at photos of moose swimming in the lake, posted on the wall where we had signed out our canoes and were saying how amazing would it be to see our first moose. As we paddled furiously to get closer, we stopped in sudden shock. They were not moose at all! It was two adolescent grizzly bears swimming around in the water. We kept some distance, after disputing whether or not to get closer. "Bears can swim, and look how shallow this water is...it wouldn't take long for them to chase after us" was my argument. "But those people are closer than we are. We don't have to be faster than the bears, we only have to be faster than those people!" was Geoff's argument. We compromised and went a little bit closer, but let the other people fill the gap between us the the bears. It was like watching young kids play. This was another point I kicked myself for not having the camera. One bear would climb up onto the rocky edge above the water and jump in, with a big splash, almost in a cannonball. Then his friend would follow. This was repeated over and over, one after the other, like a fun little game. After a few minutes, we think they realized they had an audience, and they ran up the rocks, scurrying into the woods. We saw them shimmying up the treeline until eventually they disappeared and all you could see was trees bending and shaking back and forth.

After getting over the awe of what we had seen, we realized our time was almost up and the canoe was just about due back. We went around the opposite edge of the lake, as we had been told that to go straight through the middle it would be very windy and overpower us. It looked like to go that way would be much faster, but the wind, although it would push you some, was also making the water quite a bit choppier. Playing it safe, we pushed past that and followed around the shoreline.

Geoff in May on Cameron Lake, with Mount Custer at the end of the lake.
Marie, striking at pose at Cameron Lake. All of this snow is gone now- hard to believe that this was at the end of May in Waterton. I have friends back home that jokingly ask us if we moved to the Arctic, when they look at pictures like this in their shorts and summer wear.