my version of "remember to breathe"

Did you check out the video on my previous post?  Or, have you seen the new Travel Alberta ad on television?  Well, I borrowed their theme "remember to breathe" for today's snowshoe to Tower Lake.  It was to be a snowshoe and I will record it as a snowshoe but for more then half of the distance, we were able to hike.  

The trail head is at the Rockbound Lake trail kiosk.

We owned the parking lot when we hit the trail around 9:00am.  There wasn't much snow and what was there was packed, so we hiked the trail where all the elevation was through trees with no views and managed to do it quickly.  

When we broke through the trees, going quickly ended quickly.  On went the snowshoes as the snow was deep and untouched.   With no visible trail and the area looking totally different to Short Stop then when she was there in the summer, yet with a general idea of where our destination was, we put our route finding skills to use to find our way to Tower Lake.

...but not before taking the time to admire Eisenhower Peak and Castle Mountain...

...and not before taking the time to appreciate the spectacular alpine meadow...

...but mostly importantly...

...not before taking the time to...

...remember to breathe...

I love winter wonderlands, only a trio of us today, owing the area.  What was a week that started out with life being put into perspective and being very thankful in the middle of the concrete jungle, was ending on the very same note in the center of an out there, in a playground, in a wide open space.    Out here, the little insignificant things are all that are truly beautiful and important!  Like...

snow covered rocks

that "V" between Castle Mountain and Eisenhower Peak

trees growing on top of boulders

We reached our destination of Tower Lake!  We took the time to enjoy the view and take photos under the blue sky.  We also took some time to have a look at the rockwall that leads up to Rockbound Lake and decided an unplanned extension was not going to be happening today.  Next, we followed the lake shore just about to the far end and took some time to find a nice sheltered spot in the trees to dine.  

...but most importantly...

...not before taking the time to...

...remember to breathe...

I am calling the above "remember to breathe" photo my summit shot for today!  

As we were finishing dining, the wind whipped up then flurries flew in and cold crept lower. We layered up in down to keep warm as we got going, then hit the trail to head home.  It was much easier going in our already broken track. 

I learned that when I am out here, I have always taken the time to "remember to breathe" but never knew that was what I was really doing!  I knew I was enjoying views, and appreciating being where I was and what I was seeing.  To me, that is what taking the time to "remember to breathe" really means!