Oh how I love a good challenge.
So when Amy mentioned something about a trail passport, I was online within minutes ordering an Eastern Rockies Trail Passport from RunUphill (SkiUphill) in Canmore.
Hell yes, I thought. I will run the 20 featured trails in the Eastern Rockies passport this summer. It’s a pretty cool concept, similar to the passport system in Grande Cache.
Run a trail. Get your passport stamped (and verified – get your Strava ready) by one of the folks at RunUphill. Easy work. Collect the 20 stamps then you receive some kind of prize from the store. What prize? I just want the stamps and self-satisfaction!
Needless to say, all my runs lately have been guided by what’s in the passport. I won’t share with you the specific 20 trails because I want you to pick up your own passport. I love this kind of stuff. So why not share with others? Get yours here. (Also if you are in Calgary, you are considered local and will receive free delivery!).
I like the idea of having a trail passport for a few reasons. Mainly because there are so many trails/mountains in this area that it can be crazy overwhelming. Every time I open up Strava, I am learning about a new trail. Sometimes I just want someone to tell me where to run. The passport does just that. It cuts through the chaos and sends you on your way to a classic alpine loop or the like.
Saturday I ran the Cory Pass/Edith loop (Hint) with Elsa and Anna. You may remember I did this a few years ago with Barry and Karen when we found a tourist’s cellphone. Crazy story.
No crazy story this weekend. Just three strong female runners trying not to push too hard because we had a big day on Sunday.
We chatted briefly with a couple from Spain that was exploring the area. Other than the couple, we didn’t see many people on the trail until we started down to the parking lot.
Before we knew it we were down at the creek, sippin’ on gin and juice and cooling our feet. Perfect ending to a nice summer day.
Would you try to run all the trails in one summer? Do you like the idea of a trail passport? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.