Time to Celebrate

With all the snowfall and the fall in temperatures the last while, and seeing that we're into December, it's time to celebrate because I am getting into the Christmasy spirit!  I knew this would be the time to start, being with fun friends out in my playground snowshoeing to Rummel Lake.  

This view right from the get-go was the blue sky blanket of white I was hoping for.  Rummel Lake is not as well known as other trails to lakes in Kananaskis.  There is no parking lot, no official trailhead and no signs saying this is it.  You just pick a safe place to park on the side of the road near the turn off to Mount Engadine Lodge and head up through the forest and find your way.

At first the trail winds through a young forest where the trees and still short enough that every time we looked back the views were amazing.  Then we reached the dense, tall forest section where I felt a dramatic drop in temperature.  I checked my thermometer and it told me it was now -22 Celsius (-7.6F).  We picked up speed here to make our way to the Lake and reached it in just under two hours.  I packed on every layer I had, had a quick bit to eat and then took advantage of being at my playground. 

While, we are not really on a summit, I still wanted a summit shot, after all, we did cover a significant amount of elevation, (for an early season snowshoe and first snowshoe of the season for some of my friends), to get here.

I brought some Christmasy Spirit with me to the Lake and decorated this tree.  Now these decorations will have more meaning when I place them on my tree later today.  Note the address for Santa "Top of the World"!  Now that means something to me!

I said "I like Rummel"!   I didn't say "I like to rumble"!

After eating, decorating and rumbling, we had a snowshoe race across the frozen lake.  That warmed us up, then we packed up and headed on our way.  Once again, it was on the quicker side through the forest until we got to the open area.  We had a great view of Spray Lake from here.  This was also where it was open enough to find the powder and play.

Even though I ran quickly down the hill through the powder, I wasn't doing that to get the trip over with.  I never want these things to end!  It did end early though, which meant we had time to continue celebrating elsewhere, where we could sit down, in warmth and have a drink and a snack.  

Today really did it for me!  I now want to put my Christmas tree up, go Christmas shopping, play Christmas music and write Christmas cards which just happen to reflect about being "on top of the world"!  I certainly was today!