GrandTaiga

As with any proper hero’s tale, the boys triumphed while exiting the East Coast. First, they backcountry camped on top of the highest point in the Montagne des Érables (Maple Mountains) before making their way west along the famed Trans-Canada Highway. Driving from Quebec to Alberta is a staggering feat. Hardly any civilizations can be found for hundreds of miles combined with the endlessly straight and repetitive tree line on both shoulders of the road; this type of experience can cause even the wisest of men to lose it. To break up the madness, and in true GrandTaiga fashion, they paddle boarded random lakes at sunset in the infinite chain of water stretching from Ontariothrough Manitoba. Some of this time was also used to bathe in the freezing cold Canadian lakes.

As they made their return to civilization, and just as the team began to find a natural travel flow, BAM, the ball bearing burst! Thus, flinging them into on-coming traffic and seconds away from obliteration by the mouth of a semi. With added adrenaline and split-second awareness, Sam swerved back into the right lane getting the van back on track saving the comrades from impending doom.

Frustrated and imprisoned to the side of the road. The boys trekked their way into town in search of the first mechanic shop they could find, fearing the possibility of being stranded again. Worst of all it was now Friday at 4:45 PM and they knew local businesses would be closing their doors within minutes. They jolted into the nearest Chevy dealership, quickly explained the synapsis of Explore the North and were reluctantly told Tuesday was the earliest they would be able to get on the road. With complimentary cookies, and coffee in hand Nick sank into the couch in disbelief they’d have to wait another 5 days. Thi was especially devastating coming off the bad luck in Quebec. Time stopped, and just when all hope was lost, out of nowhere a coverall suited mechanic hero from behind the counter came forth. After listening in on our story and our sharing our mission to get back on the road as soon as possible, with a leap of courage the man exclaimed, he would get the job done for us that night.

Grateful and a bit shocked, the boys were happy to be on the road and headed to a photographer’s dreamland, Jasper, Alberta. This was a place as unimaginable as photos they’d seen online. Upon arriving during golden hour, from the cockpit to shotgun, to the back seat, the excitement was shared amongst all. Beaten down from the Trans-Canadian Highway, they were drifters and Jasper was an oasis. Through the windows they looked, outside the comforts of the van, golden tipped white giants drifted past them as bears and coyotes emerged out of the brush, this new land was overflowing with life!

Now in full stride, the team was enjoying raw daily backpacking adventures in the Canadian Rockies. They summitted everything their boots touched. In a testament of strength, at times they carried stones along with them just for the added challenge. They did pull ups on trees. They raced, they played. They were hypnotized by the magnificence of mother nature.

With the morning light shimmering through their roof top tent, at one point they found themselves waking up to the sound of tour buses. They climbed down and began a familiar breakfast routine. Today’s menu? Tea and freeze-dried eggs. With an incredible view, and not a single worry in their minds, they used their small eco-friendly camp stove to get a flame going. A hundred feet or so behind them buses came and went each with a new group of senior tourists. As the third bus stopped an over-sized Asian family began to pile out and approach the van. The boys looked as rugged as ever, next to their makeshift picnic table kitchen prep station when an old lady from the group caught us off guard as she began to help us cook. Our stove was wood fueled, so she scampered around finding small sticks and kindling for us and at one point he even gave our tea a stir. She didn’t speak one word of English but her smile and engagement that morning was infectious. Unfortunately, they couldn’t even exchange names, but the boys and the lady exchanged something more, human connection and hospitality.

The boys were now sun burnt, beat up, fatigued, but whole at heart. While enjoying many external triumphs, the road life offered them so much more. The group shared meaningful experiences, like intimate chats on rainy days hunkered down in the van to finding compromise with the three sleeping positions the van accommodated. Through this difficult yet rewarding journey a communal bond grew between them.

The crew had now been living in the van for 30 days and the power of road really began to reveal itself. Being away from their past lives, while letting each day come to them as naturally as possible and trekking up and down enormous mountains had a way of introducing a heavy dose of clarity into their once over stimulated brains. Create, play, adventure, shutter, click... Create, play, adventure, shutter, click... was the rhythm they abided by. It was that simple.

Marching deeper into the adventure, the young scouts found themselves castawayed onto the northern beach’s in the Olympic Peninsula. A dragon lurked in the water, a crawling ocean floor sprang to the surface, and a red dwarf coastal sunset lit fire to the sand. “A MARI USQUE AD MARE!” the boys shouted as they raced into the sea. From the mountains and bushes, through rivers and streams, the boys marched on, no worries, just happy spirits with eyes met with a gleam.

In true celebratory vagabond style they decided to stay a while and experience all that they could! In a day or two, they managed to explore atop the sea stacks, trek far along the sharp cliffside coast only to get cut off by the tides, bushwhack their way back through heavy towering brush, stumble into a campsite of three 70 year old ladies, play 18 holes of rock golf, build a driftwood castle, and sleep fireside underneath the stars. Again, the glory was found in the simple things.

Early on, cliff jumping, and icy dunks became tradition and when an opportunity to do so arrived they went for it with encouragement from all. On this particular day Sam was the chosen warrior around a popular hiking spot in Glacier National Park. Some dunks tougher than others, Sam swam across a freezing cold yet incredible rushing turquoise river to where he then scaled a cliff to begin his spectacular approach. As Sam eyed up his landing, Nick was swarmed by a crowd of tourists. “Is he going to jump… why is he doing this… who are you guys?” they asked with astonishment. Adding to the hype, Nick might as well been on broadcast television because as he responded to each question a foreign tourist began translating the message to her entire family. The best part came after Sam took flight and swam back, to which he was met with a huge round of applause and shared excitement.

Have you ever found yourself telling a story that sounds great now but terrifying to have actually went through it? For the boys this couldn’t have rang truer. The three of them encountered Grizzlies almost daily during their escaped through Glazier but one of the days surely turned grim. Let’s call this tale, The Day of the Grizz. One by one the troops funneled out of the van for a breath of fresh air and some Rock Mountain sunshine. They had a two-day backpacking journey planned that was quickly put on hold. While marching miles into the backcountry they came upon a frantic park ranger that moments ago had an unsettling encounter with a Grizz. They of course were encouraged to turn back as it was protocol to shut the trail down after having such an encounter. Determined but a bit shaken the team marched back to the van and set out on a new trail ironically called Grizzly Lake. Marching a long a winding river overlooking incredible vistas, the trail pinched into a dark forested tunnel. As overexaggerated visuals of rogue bears squandered their minds, in a split second they found themselves trapped in a cloud of bear mace. Two ladies quickly apologized, and gasped, “You didn’t see it!” Their noses burning and confused as ever Matt gestured them to continue the story. They ended up mentioned mere seconds ago, and within a few strides a Grizzly was walking the trail in front of them. Again, creeped out looking over their shoulders they analyzed the dense brush surrounding them wondering what lurked within. The day clearly wasn’t going well but into the unknown they went. What else could the forest throw at them? Turns out within a few miles, more Grizzlies were on the schedule. This time from a distance of about 50 yards, they spotted two bears and couple glared back, one even curiously rearing up on it’s back two feet to get a better look. With caution the boys began to talk softly with one another and slowly back away. At this point, Nick had had it, and wanted to turn back. After all, the day wasn’t going in a positive direction. Unfortunately, Nic was convinced to carry on by a two-thirds majority vote. With darkness creeping in, and a loss for time, the team decided to make one last push for Grizzly Lake! Upon arrival, the team had realized their poor decision. It certainly was a triumph to complete the long trek after having been met with so many hurdles, but it was quite the downfall that it was now dark and they were miles away from their designated campsite. Now scared and a bit frantic, the boys settled in for the night instead of trekking back through the black Grizzly infested forest.

Like Glazier National Park, the Tetons are another destination to embrace the call of the wild. As the groups last regional stop of the trip, the scouts had planned yet another jam-packed fun filled week. The adventure of the day unsurprisingly landed the boys high in the mountains staring at a beautiful turquoise sun-flickered alpine lake. After the usual, snack break, the GT energy quickly resurfaced. Higher, they must go higher! At this point in the trip, it was obvious Nick’s elevation plus distance calculator was broken. He’d simply point towards an inviting peak in the distance and set out for it in a moment’s notice. Sam had a bum ankle, but Matt was ready to rock. Off they raged under a fiery orange sky. As they scrambled to the top the separation of the two grew when all of sudden from a distance, Matt mustered, “I fell... I’m heading back.” His voice barley broke through the wisping winds typical of higher elevations. He echoed again, “A bear is heading your way, be careful...” Considering there was only two routes up, route A, the same wooded scramble Nick came up or route B, a crevasse predominantly filled with long brush and an even steeper incline. While posed like Captain Morgan and looking down over the stunning park below, Nick decided route B was the bet option. Nick thought, “That damn bear had to be in the woods.” After scampering through what had to be the bears den, all while fighting last light, adrenaline raged as Nick bolted down the mountain as fast as he could. His eye site now heighted through an NZT like gaze, peering around every stick, every stone, every tree praying he didn’t run into the mighty Griz.

After a staggering 11,000 miles on the road, 200 miles hiked in just 50 days the scouts had done it! With their curious minds satisfied and hearts full, they set out in a big red van to explore North America in search of the most scenic vistas the continent has to offer. There are a million excuses the boys could have come up with, but they chose to pick from a deck full of opportunity that held little regret. To capture and experience the raw essence of the wild was what this trip was all about. From the towering cliffside site seeker vista to an unknown dreamy remote campsite, no matter how early or late or how many miles were ahead of them, no challenge was too great. To truly triumph one must put it all on the line. They left their fears behind and picked up the unforseen lessons and virtues along the way. Explore the North was over but their bags were more full than when they began.

So… in summary, what did Explore the North teach you guys?