On a glorious March day, 14 Albertans gathered, divided into socially-distant groups, to tackle the 15 km Green Loop of the Mount Shark Trail system. Don’t be fooled by the misnomer “Green” — we quickly learned that the trail lived up to its “difficult” rating with some seriously steep ups and downs. We tried to be graceful, but sometimes we looked more like Bambi on ice on those hills and we all had a fall or three to laugh about.

Nevertheless, we pressed on, our spirits carried by the warm sun and beautiful peaks. The back half levelled out with more gentle slopes and gorgeous views. Some four hours later, we reconvened at the parking lot, tired and happy, for some snacks and beverages provided by our fearless leader, Jamie Jack. What a special day to be in the incomparable Alberta wilderness.