With six national parks and eight provincial parks within just over an hour’s drive, Golden, British Columbia, has rightfully been dubbed the “Heart of the Parks.” But, what’s even closer than a handful of these famous parks – and equally impressive – is the Blaeberry Valley, less than 20 kilometres from downtown Golden and ripe for untamed adventures. Abby Cooper gives us the inside scoop.

Anyone willing to put in some mileage on their hiking boots should consider a multi-day trip into Egypt Lake in Banff National Park. Forested valleys, striking pinnacles, clusters of small lakes, and exciting alpine passes distinguish this area from its other backcountry counterparts. Hit it up in July to enjoy carpets of wildflowers, and warm weather that’ll make you eager to jump into one of the many lakes along the way.

When wildflowers take over the once snow-covered mountain slopes, avalanche specialists in the Canadian Rockies are far from done their job of keeping us safe. Come summer, many professionals from Avalanche Canada and Parks Canada are still busy with avalanche work. What are they up to when the snow stops flying?

Opening Day. It’s the day all ski and snowboard enthusiasts look forward to – a chance to be among the first up the chair and down the slopes. But opening a mountain for skiing isn’t as simple as turning on a lightbulb – far from it. Sarah Magyar from the Lake Louise Ski Resort walks us through what goes on behind the scenes.

Calling off a mission is not easy. Mountain folk tend to suffer from serious FOMO and have a hard time saying “no” to the peaks, their friends, and the potential for a great time. But, sometimes bailing on an adventure is the right thing to do. Abby Cooper outlines the factors that influence these decisions and provides a mental checklist to help you make the right call.

Ask Dave Carlson where the name ‘Unlimited’ comes from and he’ll tell you it’s all about optimism, opportunism and having a “no boundaries” attitude. We caught up with the Banff/Canmore storeowner to get behind the scenes at one of the Bow Valley’s favourite independent retailers. We came away with a whole lot more.

Only one woman can become the first woman to ski down Mt. Everest. It was a lofty goal for Canmore’s Maegan Carney, and one that slipped through her fingertips in 2003. Lynn Martel reports on how Carney’s journey intersects with Kit Deslauriers’ successful descent of the world’s highest mountain in October 2006. Deslauriers recently presented her new book, Higher Love: Skiing the Seven Summits, at the 2015 Banff Mountain Book Festival.

It’s hard to come by a better spokesperson for avalanche safety than Marty Schaffer. This ACMG Ski Guide has grown up in the ski industry his whole life, works closely with Avalanche Canada, and now runs his own ski guiding operation, CAPOW – Canadian Powder Guiding. He gives us the low-down on why backcountry ski and snowboard enthusiasts should upgrade their Avalanche Skills Training, what an AST 2 course has to offer, and what the biggest mistakes are that he’s seen in avalanche terrain assessment.

Christine Feleki is a Canmore native who is about to push some serious boundaries. Contributor Abby Cooper caught up with Christine to hear about her current venture to become one of the first female splitboarding guides to take the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) test. Turns out, she is one of those incredibly humble and driven human beings that make you want to live a better life, love more, and be a better person. She must be from Canmore…

Good things come out of the Bow Valley, and this new craft distillery is just the latest. Bringing together local grain, local water, and local people, Wild Life Distillery offers authentic Rockies spirits made in small batches 100% on-site. We talked to co-owner Matt Widmer about the ins and outs of the distillery industry, and what to expect when they open their doors.

For four years, Joanne Liu has lived with Lyme disease after contracting it from a tick in Kananaskis Country. Among many changes, the infection has brought about unforeseeable consequences, including an estrangement from the mountain community she was so much a part of, especially as a climber. Here she describes the inspiration behind a photo series, what she’s learned living with the disease, and her best tips for avoiding it in the first place.

Banff attracts flocks of tourists and the local ski scene is bright and robust. It is thanks, in part, to the families that form the backbone of the ski culture, who work at the resorts, and lend a hand to ski clubs and programs. Writer Kevin Hjertaas profiles one such family, whose modesty is as impressive as their accomplishments on the slopes.