"We're rich!" the kids shouted when they first spotted the quartzite- or calcite-encrusted boulder. We had come across this rather impressive "diamond-encrusted" rock feature while making our way around the base of Isolated Peak towards the glaciated face of Mount McArthur.
Travelling in the backcountry with children is an interesting affair. At times, they move at blazingly fast speeds, leaving you struggling to keep up. At other times, they become completely distracted by an interesting feature, seemingly uninterested in continuing the trek, or they simply stop in their tracks pending refuelling. Regular top-ups of snacks and water are essential!
A few simple rules can make these adventures considerably more enjoyable. First, bring other children along in addition to your own. This tends to eliminate the usual grumbling of "Are we there yet?", "How much further?" and "This is the worst day ever!" as they become too busy distracting one another, socializing, playing games, or racing along the trails. I'd also recommend bringing the parents of those children for your own sanity, lest you find yourself outnumbered.
Seek out water features. Children are naturally drawn to lakes, rivers, streams, and waterfalls. Let them throw rocks into the water (or into canyons, where safe), and don't be surprised if some immediately wade into the shallow creeks. You did remember to bring their spare socks and perhaps even shoes, right? Look for interesting boulders to climb, allow snowball fights, investigate pika sightings, and watch them peer into ground squirrel burrows. Sometimes the simplest discoveries become the highlights of the day.
Spending time in the mountains means regularly finding and testing comfort zones. Your children will encounter challenges, and you'll often be surprised by how well they handle them. Along the way, you'll be treated to the thoughts and insights of these bright, curious minds through their questions, observations, and the interesting features and scenes they point out.
On our August Family Section trip to the Little Yoho Valley and Stanley Mitchell Hut, a thoughtful teenager in the group took the time to record her experiences in the hut logbook. Her account captures the adventure, the challenges, and, perhaps most importantly the spirit of why we spend time in the mountains together.
"While we are accustomed to thinking of wealth in terms of money and property and material, I think that true wealth is experiences and memories." - renowned alpinist Colin Haley
We are rich, indeed.
Jonathan Coombs, Forrest Gainer, and Brielle 15.
