Half way through the iconic and testing Bugaboos to Roger Pass was a good time to reflect on the journey. A ski-mountaineering trek of some130km, gaining over 10,000 m in altitude and expected to take us about 10-11 days which we completed on the 11th April 2026 – 10 days and 4 hours after our start.
To put that into context, Mount Everest stands at only 8,848m above sea level and a rise of about 6000m in elevation gain when you start from the Nepalese side. This was going to be a mighty challenge.
But sometimes we become so focused on our goal that we forget to take note of where we are, how we are and how far we have come; we forget to enjoy the moment. The reality for us was that Rogers Pass was a dusty lay-by on the Trans-Canadian highway 9see photo), so our destination was not a thing of beauty in itself!
But the journey? Wow, what a journey! Such beauty, such scale and such a challenge. Raging storms, complete white-outs with no distinction between snow and cloud. Blistering, melting sun, relentless climbs, heart-stopping ski descents, mighty glaciers, endless forests and precipitous traverses. It had it all.
It was pretty physical, deeply emotional but profoundly spiritual. The scale, beauty and silence reinforced just how totally insignificant we are, how fragile, how easily lost. But the biggest learning for me is that it is all a journey. Everything is a journey; life, love, learning, leadership. There is no destination. No absolute plan, just an intent … so,
… enjoy the journey!
