December 2022 Hawaii to Canada

We had an active travel itinerary to start the winter season. Just after Thanksgiving we drove to California and spent a few days on Coronado Island. From there we flew to Hawaii for a week on the Big Island and a week on Maui.

The craftsman style homes, lush tropical vegetation, pacific ocean and the remarkable Hotel Del were fascinating. Coronado Island was a dramatic change from the high mountain environment we left in Colorado.

After two days in Coronado we flew to the Big Island of Hawaii. A good friend and neighbor from Telluride generously allowed us to stay at her lovely home on the North West coast in an area known as Puako. It was my first time visiting Hawaii.

The coast is quite rocky in that part of Hawaii and the ocean conditions were somewhat dramatic with high wind and surf warnings posted. We spent some time in the water, snorkeling and boogie boarding, and a lot of time hiking at many different locations around the island.

We hiked for miles along the coasts visiting historic sites, luxury resorts and beautiful beaches along the way. We hiked through the upper craters and the surreal and active landscapes of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We hiked thru tropical rain forests, bamboo jungles and waterfalls. It was an exceptional and unique experience.

After a week on the Big Island we took a short inter-island flight to Maui. Once again we were hosted by friends from Telluride who have relocated to Maui. These incredibly gracious folks set us up in a beautiful town home right on the beach near Paia.

The dramatic wind and wave conditions did not abate. Sustained wind speeds of 40mph+ and high surf were in place for the first few days of our stay. Too rough for us to get in the water so the hiking program continued.

We spent a very adventurous day dropping into the volcano crater at Haleakala National Park. We hiked up, down and around every interesting route on the island. Once the winds and waves calmed down we got in some snorkeling and boogie boarding. Our time on Maui provided another unique and exceptional experience.

We then returned to Telluride and 10 days later I was off to Revelstoke, BC. I was very fortunate to be included in a great adventure with the most excellent ski companions.

After arriving in Revelstoke we flew via helicopter into a small cabin located in some prime Selkirk Mountain back country ski terrain. This newly built cabin was thoughtfully designed and nicely crafted. It accommodates just four people. We brought in enough firewood, food and water to spend 3 nights and 4 days of ski touring.

We skied fun runs through the world famous Selkirk trees and one day was spent higher up in the alpine. The snow quality was great, but the avalanche hazard was high. Our good friend and local ski guide extraordinaire M. S kept the skiing good and route selection conservative.

Ascending near treeline and approaching a ridge crest our small group caused a collapse on a slightly steeper, small and confined pitch. That collapse radiated through the snow and triggered a remote avalanche on steeper terrain more than 1,000 feet in the distance. Yikes!

The contrast between these two back to back trips was extreme. A December to remember!