Tag: nature adventure

It Was A Walk In The Bush

February in Northwest Territories usually means -30 degree Celsius temperatures, and 10 layers of clothing to protect from the very real potentials of frost bit and freezing to death. However this year the weather has been so unpredictable and up and down, every week we have something else. Lately it even go in the the plus temperatures. Of course that’s pretty awesome if you want to go on a nice bush hike and be out in nature. Not sure if its best for the environment up here though.

That being said, it was an absolutely stunning and warm day, so I decided the best way to spend it would be hiking out in the bush, and seeing what mother nature had on offer this particular day.

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The surroundings themselves are absolutely beautiful. Winter wonderland is the exact description I would use.

The snow was pretty deep in lots of area’s, every time I would take a step, it would go straight over the top and straight into my boot.

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Just your typical ‘Snow booter’, no big deal… Scoop that right on out and keep trucking along. Ok, well it was a bit of a chilly deal after the 10th one, not gonna lie.

The scenic view kept changing, which kept the walk enthralling.

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We are so lucky in this area of the world that one of the most sought after medicinal mushrooms in the world grows wild. The Chaga mushroom.

There is an ample supply of birch trees here, in which host the Chaga mushrooms. Chaga mushrooms have the highest number of antioxidants of any food, incredible immune boosting properties, anti-inflammatory, as well as anti-viral and cholesterol  lowering effects to name a few. It is a powerhouse of a healer, that’s for darn sure.

When your out on the land here, it’s always prime time to do some Chaga hunting.

We were not super successful this day, but we did find some. There are times you find a area covered with Chaga. Even finding a nice chunk is awesome, and you can cut it off and take it to make some super healing tea. Yum! Health taste’s so good.

I also came across a spruce tree that was oozing with sap.

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Alright, well perhaps I should say it had oozed with sap, as the sap was hard. When I was a child growing up in the bush, I spent quite a lot of time out on the land a lot. I always loved chewing on spruce sap, I called it tree gum and/or bush gum. It is also full of healing qualities and vitamins, as it comes straight out of the tree, it kinda like tree blood.

I was pretty excited when I found the sap, and straight away cut a piece off and tucked right in.

I love the taste! It definitely has an earthy taste, similar to a tea, however I love those types of flavors. I suppose because I grew up with them, so my pallet is  accustomed to them. Of course a few beautiful flashbacks from my childhood came flooding in – which was absolutely wonderful in and of itself. This day had proved a be a massive success, and probably one of the best ideas ever.

Let’s not forget one very important detail. Being a lover of grounding and tree hugging, there was absolutely no way I could be out there without giving a tree a hug.

The energy exchange is undeniable, and the healing benefits are amazing. Nature always fills my soul.

After a couple hours of adventuring around, we decided to head back and end this nature filled day the only way that seemed to be the cherry on top. A good ol’ bonfire.

 

Not before taking in the spectacular sunset though.

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It was such a fabulous day out in pure blissful nature, it was too great not to share.

What can I say, don’t underestimate the soul soothing, energy topping abundance of a day in mother natures playground. Get out there and go bask in it. Heck yes to being awesome in nature!

Chasing Beauty In The Northwest Territories – The Land That Doesn’t Disappoint

Well it’s official. It is mid October, and there is snow everywhere here in the Northwest Territories. Winter has come early this year. Not that I am complaining, I do love the snow. Especially when it’s accompanied by favorable temperatures. Although, the up and down, above and below zero game, makes things messy, wet, and slick. You never know what your going to get. Yes, the pro’s and con’s to everything in life.

Just before the snow flew, I went out on another day of adventuring. It’s just what I do. No matter where in the world I am. Trust me though, the snow ain’t gonna stop this lady from adventuring. It simply creates more various adventure opportunities. Particularly in the NWT.

The week prior to this I went to Twin Falls Gorge and enjoyed the epic ambiance of Alexandra Falls.

This time, we went the opposite direction. We cruised out to the little community of Kakisa, which is about 1.5 hours North of Hay River, NWT. With a population of about 45 people, I don’t mean little lightly.

The primary reason of driving out there was to visit Lady Evelyn Falls. Which is located just 5 km away from Kakisa. Obviously I had to take a little cruise through the quite little community since I was in the area. Lady Evelyn Falls are closed for the season. Well the campgrounds are.

img_4605img_4604  You can still walk in and see the falls. It was quite cool being in the area when everything is totally shut for the winter. A completely empty campground. Not a soul to be found, other then a couple of birds that is. Funny enough though, I wouldn’t have any problem camping in that weather. Get a nice warm fire going, a couple extra layers of clothes, and your laughing. Or perhaps I am just a die hard?! Ahh well, next summer.

Don’t forget to heed the warning before you embark on your waterfall adventure.

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I guess it depends what a high level really means? Thanks for the warning though!


Lady Evelyn Falls are quite a bit smaller then Louise and Alexandra Falls at the Twin Falls Gorge, however she is not lacking in pure stunning beauty.


It’s almost a calm feeling and smooth flowing energy when you are around them. As opposed to the powerful high energy feeling you get at the Twin Falls. It’s not hard to get down beside them, but we didn’t go for it that day.  It was a beauty of a pit stop, and well worth the drive in itself.

After we took in our fill of Lady Evelyn Falls, it was time to start driving back in the direction of Hay River. Not without keeping our eyes peeled for more pit stop adventures to be had along the way. I absolutely love having no plans sometimes. I truly believe in the journey along the way, and when you are open to receive whatever awesomeness is out there, you get exactly that. More awesomeness. Not without a few bumps in the roads at times. I mean trust me when I was crossing Africa alone with that mentality, there were some bumps. However, it always turned out amazing or with a big ol’ forehead swipe of ‘phew’ , and definitely added to my story.

There was this awesome little lookout point that we pulled into. You stand tall on the rocks, and take in the spectacular Northern view.

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It’s total Northern landscape as far as the eye can see, and it’s absolutely wonderful.

img_4559 It is so unique, and as you progress up North towards the Tundra, you have less and less plantation. The changes are dramatic, and the beauty just continually morphs, yet never becomes less. Looking into this bliss, makes a person want to bring a canvas and paint it. Maybe I will wait for warmer weather though. 

Don’t forget to lick a tree while you are there.

Not far up the highway from that look out point, we pulled into McNallie Creek, where sit’s another one of mother natures dazzling gem’s.


There is a day use area, and once again, another set of little waterfalls flowing into a bowl shaped ravine. With the icicles forming on the edges of the water, you can see winter is well on it’s snowy and cold way.  If you keep your eyes peeled when you are there, you can see cliff swallows nesting in the walls as well. Which we didn’t see that day…..

The depths of the water at the base does appear fairly deep. I have been told that people do enjoying jumping in there in the summer.

The paths around the area are great if you feel like frolicking in the bush.

img_4491 The colors were magnificent, and even though there was a chill in the air, after a bit of walking you don’t even feel it. You get warmed up by the incredible setting. Nothing compares to being in nature, it gives you such an uplift and flow of awesome energy. And particularly in the North. It’s a very special place that I will never stop boasting about.

That was a whole day of absolute pure bliss. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in one day. The majestic Northwest Territories once again did not disappoint. It seems as though she is the land of endless waterfalls.

While you wait to check the NWT off of your bucket list, don’t forget to explore your own back yard. There are always beautiful places hidden around every corner – where you would least expect it.