It has been nearly 4 weeks since the three of us set off to hike what would be 70km in the beautiful Canadian Rockies.

I'd like to get some thanks out of the way.

Thank you to everyone who asked about why we were wearing a dress.

Thank you to everyone who shared our story, donated your time, or your money.

Thank you to my brother Jeff who not only hammered out his first backcountry backpacking trip, but did it in a dress.

Thank you Dale who led the way on the trail once again, and being such a pushover when it came to convincing him to wear a dress for five days.

You both were all in, right from the beginning.  I appreciate what you did and continue to do so very much.

Thank you to my family who supports me in all of my endeavours.  You're amazing and inspire me.

... and thank you to anyone who has or will put on a dress, so a girl in Africa can wear one too.

Outtakes!

If you thought it was just a walk in the park... try walking with a 20kg pack in the park, with a 1500 meter elevation gain...



















Inspired to hike in a dress?  Join our growing team of hikers called

Hikers Without Pants

and hit the trails in your part of the world.  Hiking in a dress is pretty awesome...

What first seemed unusual... wearing a schoolgirl dress while doing something mundane (or crazy), has started to feel pretty normal I must say. 

But for many others, it's not so normal, and of course, that's a big part of it.  Get noticed, spread the word, and inspire people to partake, donate, or at least think.

I've been fortunate to have been given an opportunity to talk on CBC Radio's "The Morning Edition" (twice!) to spread the word and talk about what we were doing.

I was also interviewed on CTV Morning Live talking about Do It in a Dress & One Girl.  You can watch the video here.





Our story was also featured in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix and Regina Leader Post.



But really, I want to involve more and more people in this campaign.  So I went to a "Tweetup" to meet up with the most influential & savvy social-media folks here that I could.  And got them to wear a dress.


World traveler Corey Waldner @whereswaldner


Tweetup co-organizer Steve G @SaskGatz


Tweetup co-organizer Lise Merle @LiseMerle

I even got the local weather guy Mike Ciona to do the weather in a dress...

So now you know, you can do it too!  :)

After four exceptional days on the trail, with a mixture of hot & sunny days, spectacular thunderstorms, and everything in between, it was time to head out.

Day 5: Berg Lake to Trailhead (22KM)

By far, the coolest morning.  A cold front was definitely coming through, and for the first time on the trip, not only was Mr Robson covered in clouds, but clouds were quickly flowing through the valley.  We said goodbye to Berg Lake, Berg Glacier, the people we met and told our story to, and began our descent.



We made another stop at Emperor Falls on the way down, and were able to catch a better view as the wind was blowing the mist away from us.  We also shot photos with a bunch of cool people  :)



We started to feel a bit of rain, and didn't want to spend the majority of the trek soaked, so we picked up the pace.  Winding down, we were welcomed with another view of the Valley of a Thousand Falls, though this time without the sunny blue skies.



After a snack break at Whitehorn (our 1/2 way point), we headed across the suspension bridge and towards Kinney Lake.  With sore feet and a quick pace from here, we focused in on what was in store for this evening.



And finally, at the end of the trail, we peeled off our boots and relished in the amazing trip we had.  Back at the visitor center we caught the attention of a Korean tourist.  Mount Robson, shrouded in cloud.



And finally, we headed for our big finale.  Still donning our dresses, we walked the streets of Jasper, Ab (while turning many heads) to pick up some drinks and snacks before heading off to Miette Hot Springs for a celebratory soak.

And a beautiful rainbow on the way...



Thanks to Nokia for providing us with the Nokia 808 Pureview camera phone to take these snapshots featured here in our 5 day roundup.  My personal photos will be up on my travel & photography blog Skinny Backpacker

Our big day trip was today.  Snowbird Pass, known for its incredible views of Mt Robson and across into Jasper National Park. 

Day 4: Snowbird Pass (22km, 780m elevation gain)

We hit the trail early once again.  Unlike the past few days, it was partly cloudy.  This is both good and bad.  The sun had been quite hot and intense the past few days, but on the other hand, the wind can be bitter off of the glaciers and coming down the mountains when the sun is hiding.

The trail starts flat, and after a couple km, you get your first look at Robson Glacier before heading up the rocky and steep moraine.  Some sections, a little dicier than others.



Our snack of choice was a delicious concoction of trailmix, m&m's, and pretzels.  I'm not sure I ever enjoyed pretzels so much in my life.



Robson Glacier is impressive.  A huge chunk of ice slowly winding its way down the mountain.



Just when you think it is all rock and nothing else, you come to a beautiful alpine meadow.  It's the opposite of the lifeless rock we spend the previous couple of hours traversing, with butterflies, marmots, and flowers.  It's hard to tell in the photo, but there is snow just above this, maybe 15m away.





The contrast between the deep blue sky, the red rock of the mountain and lush green of the meadow was particularly nice.

We continued past the meadow, crossing snow (we did the trail in mid August) and heading up the rock toward the pass.  The winds were cold coming through, and as we made the pass, we tossed our jackets on and dropped our packs to get a better look.

Here, Jeff is overlooking the 25 square km Reef Icefield situated in Jasper National Park



And to the left, Coleman Glacier.



Sheltered from the wind behind some rocks, we hung out up here for about an hour or so, just enjoying the view.  We even had a tiny amount of hail, but at least it (and a bit of rain) passed quickly, even leaving us some sun.  A well earned rest before we had to head on back (another 11km).

After the big day to Berg Lake on Day two, we decided to take it easy... with a hike to a glacier.

After breakfast, we decided to head to the Hargreaves Glacier lookout.  With lighter daypacks with just some food, jackets, and cameras, we were off.



Heading up the trail, we could already get an even better look of Berg Lake, as well as the lake that Mist Glacier creates.  You can't see this from down in the valley.



After a chilly lunch, basking in the breaks of the clouds that gave us a hint of the warmth of the suns rays, we headed down to Hargreaves Lake.  The lake is created from the melting of the glacier that gives it its name.



Not content with just viewing the lake itself, we scurried around the rocks and headed up to Hargreaves Glacier for a closer look.

The rock itself is very smooth and at a relatively steep angle having been ground down by the glacier.  As the glacier has receded, the rock is now being shown.



After a flirtation with the glacier (I kissed it) and filling our water bottles with fresh glacial melt (while talking about the perils of the bottled water craze in the Canada) we decided to head toward the lateral moraine.

What is a lateral moraine?  Well as a glacier creeps down the mountain, it grinds the rock beneath it, pushing it down and to the sides.  This creates steep piles of concrete-like rock.  Finally, as the glacier recedes (shrinks) the piles are left. 

There is a real issue with perception when it comes to these things.  They don't look nearly as high, far, or long as they really are when you're viewing them from far away.  What looks like a couple hundred meters away and a dozen meters tall can be 5x larger or more.



... but we have to climb it.  So we carefully make our way up, while keeping our  distance as to not knock a large rock to hit someone below.  As I recall, Jeff got a rock heading for his crotch.  A rock, mind you, who's impact was blocked by his dress.  Score another one for hiking in a dress!

Once on top, I realized how small the ridge was.  It was so thin you couldn't even stand on it, and steep on both sides without decent footholds.  Oh, and we could see lightning on the other side of the valley, uh oh.  After some quick brainstorming, Jeff volunteered to head down first, in a story that will be told for decades to come (ask him yourself).



We made it down, and powered our way back to camp as quickly as we could.  Unfortunately, the rain beat us, and we spent the last 10 minutes of hike in the rain.



At least it cleared up after a few hours for yet another majestic look at Mt Robson & Berg Lake.



Again, thanks to Nokia for providing us with the Nokia 808 Pureview camera phone to take these snapshots featured here.  My personal photos will be up on Skinny Backpacker

You know you have awesome friends when you put out the word that you're going wall climbing in a dress, and they ask if you're bringing one for them.

With just a few days left in Saskatoon, I've been trying to get the word out about Do It in a Dress, and with much success.  But sometimes, you need to go and relax on the walls for a few hours.

I'm rocking the baby blue dress (as always), while Dean and Nathan both donned the purple as we scaled 15m walls at Grip It Indoor Rock Climbing in Saskatoon.

The view from Whitehorn. Not bad...

I'd love to say we were up bright and early to hit the trail, but we don't quite work that we.  We tend to be the last to bed, and among the last to leave the site in the morning.

It's a tougher day, though among the shortest in terms of distance.  There is a 600m altitude change as we head up and out of the Valley of a Thousand Falls toward Berg Lake, and much of it is exposed.  The sun is harsh on my pale skin, and Jeff's dome.



As we head up the trail towards Emperor Falls, we pass White Falls, and Falls of the Pool.  As we neared Emperor Falls, we couldn't get close as the mist from the falls was being blown right in our direction. brrrr



With most of the vertical out of the way, we came across the flats and caught out first glimpse of Mist Glacier adorning the side of Mt Robson.



A few kilometers later, we arrived at the edge of Berg Lake.  The lake gets its beautiful color from the rock flour (glacial silt) in the water.



After setting up camp.  The three of us headed to the edge of the lake to rest our feet, skip rocks, and soak up the sun.  The water is freezing cold, as this lake is literally fed by two glaciers, Berg Glacier that you see in the photos, and Robson Glacier about 3km away up the valley.


Balancing rocks on the edge of Berg Lake


Jeff looking out towards Berg Glacier and Mt Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies.

You often hear what sounds like a crack of thunder, when there are no clouds in the sky.  This is the sound as the glacier cracks and breaks off into Berg Lake, leaving little icebergs floating in the lake.


Dale enjoying a well deserved rest


I always have a camera...


When it came time for dinner, we decided to give this freeze-dried "chilli-mex" a go.  Stories of this meal will live on for years, like an urban legend.



Again, thanks to Nokia for providing us with the Nokia 808 Pureview camera phone to take these snapshots featured here.  My personal photos will be up on Skinny Backpacker

So you might think it was all work-work-work as we went down the trail, counting the kilometers.

But sometimes you need to stop and enjoy breakfast.



In Dale's words:

"This is why we work"

Thanks for the support everyone!

A week later, and we're back from an amazing trek around Mt Robson.  Carrying 20kg+ packs on our backs, Jeff, Dale and I hiked along the Berg Lake Trail, turning heads along the way.

Day 1: Trailhead to Whitehorn via Kinney Lake (11km) 

Day one had us up early, and after stopping in for our trail passes at the Mt Robson Visitor Centre (and an impromptu photo shoot), we were off.  Or at least we tried.  We were quite popular at the centre, and the parking lot as we readied our gear.  This was just the calm before the storm, as we were stopped to tell our story about hiking in dresses dozens of times that day on the trail.



We stopped at Kinney Lake for lunch and invited a gentleman to take a photo with the three of us.  He literally ran off.  Fortunately, most people were not only friendly, but incredibly supportive.  People are awesome.

After crossing the flats, we gained some elevation heading into the "Valley of a Thousand Falls" before coming back down, crossing the bridge across the river to Whitehorn. 



Before dinner, we actually dipped our feet in the freezing cold river.  Not bad.  Early to bed, and early to rise.  Tomorrow was to be a hot one, and between a 600m elevation gain, and large sections of complete exposure, it was going to be a tough one if we left it too late.





Thanks to our good friends at Nokia for providing us with the Nokia Pureview 808 camera phone to take these snapshots.  My personal photos will be up on Skinny Backpacker

After a whirlwind of the past 9 days since we launched, Dale, Jeff and I (Dustin) are heading out of Saskatoon shortly.

You may see some updates via twitter by checking out @skinnybackpackr and we'll update here when we're back to civilization in about a week.

Thanks so much for the huge amount of support we've received.  The three of us have been blown away!

(and if you like what you see, be sure to check out and join the movement via our Do It in a Dress hiking team "Hikers Without Pants" or whatever tickles your fancy)

With dresses complete, it was time for a photoshoot. 

Once again, the first thing out of Jeff's mouth had to do with how he got stuck with purple.  Good thing he won't be able to fit into my saucy blue dress.

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Just a three days before we take off, and we're already 2/3 of the way towards our goal.  Not bad for a week!  Thanks to everyone for their support and for spreading the word.



Admittedly, I'm usually the one behind the camera, but today we had Ana to take the reins.  Much thanks to her!

Step one: committing to the project.  EASY
Step two: recruit Jeff and Dale.  EASY
Step three: find dresses...

So how hard can it be for three guys to find school girl dresses?

Harder than we thought.

So where does a guy even start?  Turns out that's a pretty big question.  Much like realizing that I needed to watch out when I bent over to pick something up off the floor the first time I did it in a dress, there are just some things we don't know until we get into the thick of it.  






My good friend Google, who usually is so great at helping me out, was no help in the search to find school girl dresses (try it for yourself). 

So the three of us met at the local 2nd hand shop (there is safety in numbers) and tried to figure out the sizing system.  What does size 12 mean, shouldn't it be S / M / L ??  Nerd skills come in handy here, thanks for the assist Google.  You're back in the good books.



Some women tried to assist, while others looked at us like we were about to cause society to collapse.  Usually in those cases, I would speak up about how great the dress looked just to try to turn their world upside down.

About 45 minutes later, we had picked up 6 dresses, 2 for each of us.  Mission accomplished!

Wait

They should be school girl dresses?  Oops.

Jeff spent an afternoon calling around town.  "Uh we need some school girl dresses for some guys to go hiking in..."

He didn't get far.

So Jeff and I headed to another 2nd hand store, and tried to match up the photo I had on my phone to what we saw.  One lady gave some good advice, but really, we were out of our league and after 30 minutes, we bailed.



Finally, with an offer from a seamstress, we finally had a nother choice.  Galina has offered to sew up a storm and make us six dresses.  Why six you ask?  Well to that I say, "Have you ever hiked 5 days in one dress?"

Me neither, but I guess I'll try to do it in two.