My last day as 11.

Sometimes, you get to step where no one has stepped before...
It was my last day as an 11 year old, and I had to go on a location shoot. Everyone was nervous. We were going to Brohm Ridge which is a glacier that has been in existance for thousands of years. It is surrounded by peaks of jagged rock, four of which are ancient volcanos that exploded many years ago.

The night before we went to this location, we had to have a safety training where we talked about avalanche training, how to use an avalance transmitter, the buddy system, and the modes of transport we would be taking to the 8,000 foot elevation at the base of Mount Garibaldi.

On my last morning as an 11 year old, we were picked up at 7 am in an SUV. We drove 30-45 minutes up bumpy roads to the "snow line" We were met there by a huge red vehicle called a "Snow Cat" It's basically a tank with a shovel on the front. We headed another 30 minutes up winding roads covered in snow. The view out the window was spectacular. We were surrounded by mountains. We could see the Tantalas range, we could see Black Tusk, we could see, Table Top, and in the distance straight up we could see Mount Garabaldi, an ancient volcanoe that exploded many years ago leaving a peak that was both breath taking and forboding. It looked like all the snow on top of it would just fall on top of us. There is a First Nations tribe hundreds of miles away that found a piece of Mount Garabaldi which means the volcanic explosion was so forceful, it sent pieces flying HUNDREDS of miles away! And that was where were were filming Lost in Space!

We arrived at an old lodge in our Snow cat. This was where we needed to change into our space suits and get into hair and make up. Then, we got into a "Snow Quad"  and headed another 20 minutes straight up.

At last we arrived. The crew was there. It was a small group. Smaller than normal as we had to bring only what was necesary. The cameras looked lonely on the untouched snow. A mountain expert named Andre met us there. He would be with us the entire day. He knew weather patterns, he knew how stable the snow was so we could avoid sink holes and avalanches. He placed the Avalanche Transmitter on me and I followed him to a place on a ridge that no one had stepped before.... It was like a thick white blanket for miles. The snow glistened in the morning sun. And we began to work in this beautiful, quiet wonderland.

When I finished shooting, the stunt coordinator asked me if I wanted to ride on a snowmobile down to the lodge. I said yes of course and off we went leaving the peaks of Mount GAribalding in the distance.

The last day I was an 11 year old, I walked a glacier where not many will ever get the chance to go. I rode on snow mobiles and snow cats on roads that were built just weeks before to allow us to access this beautiful place. This year has been so full of unexpected adventures. This seemed like the right way to end this amazing year!
I wonder how year 12 will be....