A Fernie Summer

I always enjoy the peaceful grandiosity of the mountains. They present a beautiful challenge. I for one, love challenges and beauty.
I am a photographer after-all.  

We were invited by Fernie Alpine Resort to stay right next to the mountains at Lizard Creek lodge with my friends for a weekend. That plus the promise of happy adventures in the mountains.  An invitation I dare not turn down, I don't think my friends would have forgiven me. I embarked upon the small resort with Emily, Preston and Ryan, all dear friends of mine. 

These three beauts were my weekend shenanigan companions. 

So, i'm the competitive one. I need everything in my life to challenge me, and this was no exception. (I have found ways of making LEGO a competitive thing) It's sad really. 

Our first adventure was a climb in the trees in the Aerial Park. This is what happens if people design a play structure for adults that actually enjoy a challenge. Children still manage to be better at finishing this obstacle course than grown ups. :(

Ryan opted for mountain biking (jealous). The fun part, one takes the ski lift to the summit and rides down on trails (no need to exert yourself in paddling). Just pure speed and hot brakes. 

Click to expand images

A small safety/how-to is the first step in going along this high wire combo. A series of checks and balances are drilled into your brain so you don't fall off a 50 foot lookout in a tree. The 2ish hour path in the trees require a physical dexterity that few people possess, unless you've mutated into an octopus. 

Day 2. We opted for a hike (ski lift) to the Lost Boys Cafe . From there we hiked another 1000ft in elevation, and nearly made it to the peak of elephant head but determined we lacked the energy to go all the way.

I was snowboarding here last winter, and went up this ski-lift 10 times. The view was ok, but the view in summer...beats that by a mountain mile. The lush greens, and blues - eye candy. 

The above photo gives a good sense of scale on the mountains with a small downhill biker visible. 

The evenings were spent playing board games and drinking in Fernie. Because friends. :D