Before I begin, I just wanted to stress the meaning of this post. I am publishing this blog post in hopes of creating a more respectful co-existence between bears and humans while we are out exploring the trails that they call home. Far too often it is forgotten that when we go out and explore, we are going into their homes, their territory and that is a fact that needs to be addressed and acknowledged. I hope that through reading this, there becomes an existence of safety, and an understanding that although we may feel that we are entitled to roam these lands, we have a due diligence to ensure that the bears are safe and are being respected as well.  To begin, it is important to understand the difference between a black bear and a grizzly bear. The type of bear may determine how you will need to handle a situation if you encounter a bear on a hike.  A grizzly bear has : short rounded ears dished face profile prominent shoulder hump (pure muscle!) ...

Today, Jake and I decided to cross one of our hikes off the bucket list: East End Of Rundle! Mount Rundle is a 12 KM stretch that has 7 distinct peaks, and overlooks Banff and Canmore.  Although we did not attempt the true summit, we attempted the most eastern side of the mountain stretch. As per usual, we picked up a pup from  Megan's Rescue Efforts  named Jet. This spunky guy is a 2 year old ball of love who was returned to Megan's Rescue Efforts after his first adoptive family welcomed a beautiful baby who was ultimately highly allergic to Jet's fur and dander. As you will see throughout this post, Jet is a wonderful companion, full of personality, who is currently looking for his forever home!  If you or anyone you know think that he would be a great fit in your family, please click  here  to fill out an application for this adorable guy!  Adorable Jet in the car, heading to the mountains. The view from the trail head! We knew we w...

As avid hikers/animal lovers, it comes as no surprise that Jake and I have explored our fair share of trails with some four legged companions. As much as we love hiking and exploring just us two, it's a pretty incredible experience to go with them; the way they explore all the new sights and sounds is pretty heart warming.  Although Jake and I do not have our own dog, we often take a dog (or two) from the shelter we volunteer at and head West to the mountains. We have learned through trial and error what works best when having a companion and what doesn't.  I have compiled a list of tips that can help you to have the most adventurous and safe day possible! 1. LEASH/HARNESS & ID TAGS It is a law to have your dog leashed at all times when hiking in most parks across Canada, for many reasons. Not only is it for your dogs safety, it is also implemented for the safety of others using the trail, protected nature, and any wildlife who call your exploring ...