2021

I feel like I’m not supposed to be pleased with 2021, but to be honest, everything in my life fell into place this year in the best way possible.

Last winter, though my business wasn’t the definition of thriving, I managed to really enjoy the cold season for the first time in my life. Living so close to a ski resort sure helped, as I strapped into my snowboard over 37 days over the season. It was a year of tremendous improvement in the sport, as I began to feel comfortable in all sorts of conditions and terrain. I even began to venture into the backcountry on my split board, learning avalanche skills along the way. Throw cross country skiing into the mix and it was a winter full of more outdoor activity than ever before.

As ski season was winding down, I took part in the Online Adventure Filmmakers Workshop through the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. I had the honour of learning from world renown filmmakers and collaborating with some incredibly talented individuals. During the course, a group of us completed this short film about nordic skiing while working remotely from across Canada. It was such a unique experience and though I wish it could have been in person, I’m grateful for it happening at all. 8 months later I was able to travel to Banff during the centre’s annual film festival and meet some of my instructors and classmates in person, which was well worth the drive.

In April I began working with a local web designer called Laura as she grew her business Revy Web Design. We had met through an online peer mentorship group for local female entrepreneurs and hit it off really well. I took on work on a contractural basis, photographing products, experiences, and headshots for the websites she builds for her clients. This was exactly the boost I needed in my business, and everything seemed to pick up from there. I’ve been able to work with some fabulous clients and photograph projects I’m really proud of through this partnership.

Because I didn’t have any weddings on the books for summer 2021, I decided there was no better time to give mountain biking a try. I was nervous and hesitant, but it didn’t take long to become a total convert. To my surprise I had so much fun riding with Bryce and friends all summer long. I’m still more cautious than many, but I love the challenge of riding uphill and the thrill of coming back down.

In June I managed to sneak back to the prairies for a couple weeks to spend some time with family. We got to go camping with Bryce’s family in Banff and I met my two new nephews in Winnipeg and Saskatoon! My time with my family is always way too rushed, and I long for a time I can convince my whole family to come out to Revelstoke for a visit.

July was marked by a huge adventure and accomplishment, as a group of 7 ladies and I headed out on a 9 day canoe trip in Northern Saskatchewan on the search for cliffs to rock climb. We had all put in a ton of work to make this expedition possible and our success did not go unnoticed. Articles about our feat of documenting climbing in Saskatchewan were featured in Gripped Magazine, CBC Saskatoon, the Alpine Club of Canada’s blog (which I first posted here), and the town of Outlook’s local paper.

While I was away, Bryce moved us into our new home in Revelstoke! Taking possession of our first (and forever) house was so exciting and waking up to the most magical views every morning can’t be beat. Our backyard looks out onto the Columbia River with the Monashee Mountains towering above. Every hour is a new view with the quick changing weather here and we’re constantly in awe of how beautiful it is. Bryce has put in a ton of work already as we make improvements and renovations to the house itself, but we know it’s very much a marathon project.

Bryce and I joined the board of our local Alpine Club of Canada section and have been getting more involved with coordinating and leading activities. We ran weekly climbing evenings through the summer, snuck in a quick beginner mountaineering trip up Mount Begbie, led some hikes in the fall, and have ski events coming up in the new year. It’s been a great way to make new friends in Revelstoke and get outside to do what we love.

One of the best parts about owning our own home is having space for family and friends to visit. We’ve had a number Saskatchewan visitors which has been so fun and we’re looking forward to more this ski season. We’ve also been able to host backyard barbecues and games nights with friends we’ve made in town. It’s so great having room for friends to gather, and even better yet is having the friends in the first place. There’s a bunch of us who met through the ACC have developed a really rad group. We get together lots for climbing, biking, skiing, or other events around town depending on the season!

Though we did have one set of travel plans get cancelled from the pandemic this year, we were able to fit in a couple others. We went climbing in Penticton in April, biking in Nakusp in May, and hiking in Jasper in July. My parents also drove out for thanksgiving and then we joined them down in Kelowna for a few days. It’s always nice to have a change of scenery, even if just for a few days here and there.

November in Revelstoke is always a long and rainy month, but December brought with it a ton of snow and I’ve quickly forgotten about the dark dreary days of the month prior. We’ve been back on the planks and enjoyed a wonderful Christmas together in our home before we make the trip to Saskatchewan to celebrate with family. Thanks for tagging along and all my best in the new year!