Snowboarding in the Canadian Rockies
As avid snowboarders, my family enjoys trying out a new spot every year. So, this past March, following the recommendation of a friend, we went to the Canadian Rockies to try out snowboarding. I am normally into skiing, but I thought I would try something new! We arrived at our resort, which we had prior booked, late in the evening and so we decided to unpack and get a full night’s sleep before starting out our adventures the next morning.
Upon waking up the next morning, we realized that we had missed a snowstorm while sleeping – something I would really have loved to experience. A winter storm had passed by overnight and there was a few inches of fresh powder to play in. Eager to get out on the slopes, we hit up a nearby store located in our resort and rented the gear we needed. Then, with our lift tickets in hand, we took the shuttle to the ski area. The weather wasn’t extremely sunny, but it was still great weather to be on the slopes.
The next morning, we got off to a basic start in one of the valley areas, a great area for my young sister who was not comfortable with snowboarding and it was necessary to have her gain some courage and experience. It had shorter runs and was a good place to start off the day. After a few trips down these warm up slopes, we quickly wanted more of a challenge and went up to another lift to explore some of the other runs.
A Great Way To Exercise and Get Fit
There were a variety of runs to choose from, but from the top, you could choose from a few of the blue trails or a green trail called Zig-Zag that connected to the Boomerang trail farther down the mountain. I decided to try out on of the blue trails at first and it was fairly simple, so pretty fun.
Up for the challenge, we then decided to get on the Zig-Zag and take it all the way down. It was a great trip, but also a little icy and fairly narrow. The trees on both sides with the drop-offs made for an exhilarating, but also slightly nerve-wracking ride!
By this time, we were more than ready for lunch, especially the younger members of the family. We went back to the lodge and ate at their dining hall. It had a great atmosphere, full of other tired and hungry skiers and snowboarders, eager to hydrate and rest their legs. With full bellies, we headed back to the slopes to explore the other areas.
Feeling a little too full for an extreme adventure, we started out with some green trails that were nice and easy. After warming up again, we then felt adventurous and took the lift up to #6 which went to the top of the mountain. The view was amazing! However, it was also fairly windy, so we started down on the Deuces Wild trail. We took this trip fairly slowly which was a good idea since it ended up connecting with a few other trails near the bottom.
Finally, after a few more adventures on the slopes, we were ready to head in. We took the shuttle back to the resort and settled in. Just in time too, since some winter weather was coming in. After ordering room service, we shared some stories of the day and then got an early bedtime. I sweat so much today, I swear I lost a few pounds! It was a great day, and one of the memorable experiences from our snowboarding trip!
If you, or anyone you know, is looking for any fun sports where they can get great exercise and lose some weight successfully, do your research. You will be surprised on how many different kinds there are.
