igloo village

 my most creative MOVEment yet involved building an igloo village in the meadows at hollyburn ridge, up cypress mountain. this was something i had done before, but not with this many people camping over night with us. there is something very magical about being up in the mountains over night. the scenery is incredible, for one, with the fog rolling in around the snow capped trees. i also find the moments i share with people in the wilderness become something special. they become the stories i tell, the photos i review, and the memories i turn to when i need inspiration. this night was no different.

the snow conditions were surprisingly perfect for igloo building and the evening went incredibly smoothly. we built two igloos and with three people per igloo, the building seemed to go by pretty quickly. we found the best arrangement was one person working in the block quarry (as i like to call it) cutting blocks out of the snow with the snow blades and saws we brought, one person shuttling the blocks to the igloo and helping pack the walls, and one person working from inside the igloo, receiving the blocks and forming the walls and ceiling. after our two igloos were complete we decided to connect them with a massive tunnel (that almost became a third igloo itself!). the process took about 4 hours but the end result was a very impressive snow structure that provided shelter for our winter camp out!









this was a fantastic experience but i would insist that interested people do a bit of research before they try this themselves. a good outdoor store like Mountain Equipment Co-op is a great place to start. we made sure this was a safe experience by doing a few simple things:

• we chose an area to camp in that we were already very familiar with.
• we told other people where we were camping and what time we were expected to return home by.
• our group was a mixture of experienced and less experienced winter campers, so we had enough knowledge and skill to draw from (as well as a first aid professional).
• we brought appropriate gear, including specialized winter camping gear, as well as a small heater, stove, and hot drinks. on an extreme scale, the difference between appropriate gear an inappropriate gear can save your life. when nothing goes wrong, it still serves to increase the comfort and enjoyment of any trip.

i can't stress both sides enough: how memorable and rewarding outdoor adventures can be but to know your facts before planning any outdoor adventure.

9.12.11: day 39
walk in eve.

10.12.11: day 40
walk downtown victoria: 2hrs.

11.12.11: day 41
cardio at the Y.

12.12.11: day 42
strength at the Y.

13.12.11: day 43
 walking.

14.12.11: day 44
just stretching. i was really sick the night before :(

15.12.11: day 45
stretching 30 min.

16.12.11: day 46
christmas light walk :)

17.12.11: day 47
trail run in pacific spirit park, vancouver. 1 hr.

18.12.11: day 48
walking.

19.12.11: day 49
igloo village building! at least 4 hours of hiking in the snow, cutting and lifting blocks, and sculpting igloos before camping out over night.

20.12.11: day 50!!!
waking up in an igloo was a remarkable way to start day 50! i concluded with a beach walk at night.

21.12.11: day 51
quick jog and stretch in local park.

22.12.11: day 52
walking along the vancouver waterfront.

23.12.11: day 53
walking downtown victoria.

24.12.11:day 54
simple home strength workout: squats, push ups, v sits, stretch.