It's easy to forget to enjoy life's simple pleasures when you feel overwhelmed. This month's Photo Blogging Challenge theme is a good reminder to slow down and appreciate the simple, good things all around us.

It's easy to forget to enjoy life's simple pleasures when you feel overwhelmed. This month's Photo Blogging Challenge theme is a good reminder to slow down and appreciate the simple, good things all around us.
It shouldn't surprise long-time readers that Mother Nature plays a key role in our world. As do family and friends. September was a great month for hiking, biking, kayaking, board games and family dinners.
With four mountain lakes and extensive larch forest, the hike to Gibbon Pass from the Vista Lake parking lot is a good choice for strong hikers on a golden larch pilgrimage.
Despite the mist, rain, sleet and snow pellets, it was definitely worth hiking at Lake O'Hara during golden larch season and we hope to do it again (in better weather) some time over the next few years. On the advice of Parks Canada staff, we covered about 9 km, hiking up the Lake Oesa trail, across the Yukness Ledges and then - after a bit of time exploring the Opabin Plateau - down East Opabin trail.
One of our favourite destinations during wildflower season, Grizzly Peak is also a solid option for larch season. Less well-known than the crowded trails around Lake Louise, it's a half-day hike that's easy to extend with a ridge walk or an exploration of Pocaterra Cirque.