Hi friends! It’s been a minute since we posted a blog, we have been taking a little time away from posting on IG, our blog and other social media outlets. As much as we know it is important to keep our friends and followers engaged we have also felt like there is a lot of ‘content’ out there just for the sake of posting something. We only want to post when we are excited about something, we hope you agree…
On that note, we are excited about our stunning backyard that is the Canadian Rockies! Brenna and I decided to take a quick couple of days out of our schedules and spend them in the mountains. For those who are winter enthusiasts, know that there are endless outdoor and indoor adventures to be had. Whether it be cross country skiing in Canmore, watching the ice sculptors in Lake Louise or zenning out in the new Nordic spa at the recently renovated Kananaskis Lodge, there is literally something for everyone.
We planned on one day + night of fun out and about in Canmore followed by one night in Kananskis with Camp Hooha.
So, what to wear? This winter has been significantly more mild than the previous one here in Calgary so we decided to keep it simple with interchangeable outfits that can play double duty. Check out our list below for items and outfits.
WHAT TO PACK: Brenna and I have similar yet slightly different styles overall. We decided to keep it simple (as you should when heading to the mountains). We each brought 3-4 outfits. Here is an easy packing list for you ladies heading to the mountains, whether it be with gfs, significant others or family.
Plaid (OBVI) jacket or fleece - see pic of B
Anorak in Green or Black for versatility - see pic of P
1-2 pairs of denim
1-2 pairs of tights
1 oversized cozy sweater, sweatshirt or cardigan
1 short sleeve + 1 long sleeve t-shirts for layering
Lace up hikers - see pic
Toque with pom-pom
Swimsuit for the hot tub
Sunglasses (sunscreen)
WHERE TO STAY: With so many options it was hard to choose where to stay. We had specifically heard of two new-ish hotels in Canmore, The Malcolm and The Lamphouse. We settled on The Lamphouse and were very happy with our stay. Essentially they have a virtual desk and your check-in info is sent to you electronically. We arrived two hours earlier than our scheduled check-in time and we called the customer service # and were greeted right away and allowed to check in early which kicked off our day perfectly, aka - we headed to happy hour at the Grizzly Paw for Caesars :)
WHERE TO EAT: We did a tour of eateries while in Canmore; The Grizzly Paw, Tavern 1883 , Crazy Weed and Communitea.
Grizzly Paw - Your classic pub but with a twist on the traditional pub menu offerings. Try the house dry rubbed chicken wings - SO good!
Tavern 1883 - A fun crowd, easy going service team and live music on the weekends! Try the skillet nachos, omg.
Crazy Weed - Top dinner recommendation in Canmore hands down! Fabulous fresh menu in an upscale yet casual environment. Try the Arctic Char.
Communitea - Healthy, healthy, healthy! We went for both breakfast and lunch the following day! Try the Pacific Avocado Toast, it’s ridiculously good.
KANANASKIS NORDIC SPA: One of the newest and hottest places in the Rockies right now is the Kananaskis Lodge and Spa. The lodge is newly renovated and the rooms are nice and fairly spacious but a bit expensive ($400/night for a standard double). The spa looked lovely from afar but the waitlist was so long (3-5 hours) we did not get to experience it. I definitely will be back before the season is over to try it out.
We seriously live in one of the most beautiful places on this planet and we don’t connect with it enough. B and I had the best time playing in the mountains! We could have added another day to go for a nice long hike as the weather was fairly mild while we were up there. Grassi Lakes and Ha Ling are both well traveled trails that all levels of hikers can explore. Note: the latter is somewhat more difficult, like nature’s stair master haha.
Thanks for coming along with us!
XO, Phaedra