I was born in Whitehorse, YT, in 1975. I went to elementary school in Fort McMurray, AB, where I lived with my Dad; and high school in Provost, AB, where I lived with my Mom. I received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta in 1997.
To prepare for this journey, I began studying wilderness skills in 2000. I spent time at a wilderness school as a student, caretaker, instructor, and eventually as the Director of Community Education Programs. While I was a caretaker, I built and lived in a primitive shelter for four seasons. The shelter was made exclusively of natural materials: grass for a roof, wood lashed together for support, and cob for an oven.
I can usually be found knitting, playing pool, practicing martial arts, or running. My parents own a lounge, and I consider my Dad a pool shark. He taught me a lot, and it has come in handy over the years. In 2006, our team competed in the World Championships in Las Vegas.
At the age of five I chose martial arts over ballet. I started taking Tae Kwan Do classes, and, after a lifetime of developing skills and discipline, I received a Black Belt in 2006.
Geoff introduced me to trail running. Together we’ve explored many backcountry trails training for races. My biggest accomplishment has been completing the Haliburton Forest 100 mile race in Ontario.
My roles on the trip are: bow paddler, archivist, camp builder, and child wrangler.