The second week of September I traveled solo to Whistler, BC , the famous ski resort town to do high altitude training for a couple 10k’s I had coming up.

After a two-day drive, I checked into a hotel and headed out for a run. Not a hundred yards into it, I realized I made a big mistake. Because Whistler is a ski-resort town, I assumed it was high elevation. Not so, as this ski lift station shows.

So my two-day drive to do some altitude training was worthless. My house in Spokane, at a little over 2,000 feet, isn’t much different in elevation. After my run I decided to focus on hiking, which is the real reason why I went to Whistler.

The next day I left town by foot and hiked into the high country to explore. I covered about 23 miles by the time I got back.

I came across a couple deer that I wanted to wrestle, but they refused to participate.

As I gained elevation, I came across huckleberries, and couldn’t believe how huge they were. I picked a bunch, and when I popped them in my mouth, realized something was wrong. They weren’t huckleberries. They were blueberries, a close relative, which are very bland compared to huckleberries.

Though I stayed on a trail most of the time, I went off-trail to explore interesting features or areas. On a lonely knoll above timberline, I came across a marmot sunning itself on a rock. I was surprised how close he let me get.

After three days in Whistler, I spent a night in Kamloops and then Nelson, BC as I made my way back to Spokane. I used to take road trips frequently when I was married and had kids, but after divorcing, I worried I wouldn’t like doing them solitary. But I enjoy myself just as much as accompanied trips.