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Last summer, my family and I visited the Columbia Icefield as part of our Alberta vacation, which was the first vacation we have had in 12 years. As we drove along the Icefield Parkway, there are various lakes that pooled from glacial water, set between valleys, and many deer and elk spottings along the way. We had the opportunity to walk on the glacier and learn about the land and animals in the area. I found it quite picturesque and it was an incredible experience to essentially walk on 10,000 years of history. Learning about the formation of the Rockies and the science behind them, as well as the significance of the land to the Indigenous peoples was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Being among the mountains and sharing this experience with my family was truly the highlight of my summer, and it taught me what resilience looks like.

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Elements across the Columbia Icefields teach us various lessons, however resilience resonates with me the most. The land reminds us of the importance of connections, flexibility, support, and a growth mindset as we navigate through the complexities of our lives. It can be quite daunting at times, where it may feel impossible to succeed, or it can feel as though everything is falling in line as we hoped. Building resilience ensures that we can overcome the difficult situations, recognize that we are not alone, and develop a strong sense of self. In the pursuit of happiness and rising high, by learning about resilience from the Columbia Icefield and practicing it, we can foster fruitful and wonderful futures as we journey through.

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In the Columbia Icefield, Englemann spruce trees are quite common along with small shrubs. Due to the climate, these trees grow during the 6-week summer and only on one side of the trunk. Despite their short growing period and corresponding short stature, these trees continue to maintain their height and health throughout the year. They are very long-lived and most of these trees are over 500 years old. These Englemann spruce trees have been withstanding and resisting the effect of the harsh climate for hundreds of years. When it is their time to grow, they strive for the best outcome- hence growing extensively on one side instead of a little bit all around. We can look to these trees to teach us how to maintain a growth mindset and be strong in arduous times. Like the trees, we can learn to be unmovable and deep rooted in our values, beliefs, and goals. All of us face many pressures and adverse situations, and these trees teach us how we should find opportunities to grow and thrive despite challenges.

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Glacial water runs down from the Athabasca Glacier as it melts. Over thousands of years, this water has eroded surrounding land to form the mountains. Today, tourists who visit the Columbia Icefield are encouraged to drink the water as part of the experience, and animals also drink it as it flows down the glacier into the nearby rivers and lakes. The water was not intended to be used this way, however the rapid melting that creates strong currents shows us that the water has found a new purpose and continues to move forward. The flowing water teaches us to be flexible during life changes, and redefine ourselves with new goals when our plans fall through. Just as it took over a hundred years for this water to establish a new purpose due to overwhelming climate change, we must also be open to persisting over a long period of time. Ultimately, unwavering resilience is the key to successfully achieve our goals, despite what changes come along the way.

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Mount Athabasca is one of the 52 giants in the Canadian Rockies. As one of the giants, Mount Athabasca has a high perspective and overlooks many of the other smaller mountains, however it is connected to everything around it in many ways. Remnants of glacial ice lead to water flowing down various slopes which in turn flow into three different water bodies: the Pacific Ocean, the Hudson Bay, and the Arctic Ocean. Mount Athabasca reminds us of the importance of community and connections in order to stand tall. Each slope is a connection that the mountain makes with the animals who drink the water, the oceans that collect it, and the people who admire its magnificence. We know that it is natural to break a connection with someone, whether a family member or a friend. However, Mount Athabasca teaches us that it is essential to build connections and form a community in order to thrive. These social and emotional connections can immensely enrich our lives and strengthen us to become dynamic individuals.

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The Columbia Icefield is the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies and the Athabasca Glacier is one part of it. The six extensions of the Icefield resemble our toes. Out of these six "toes", the Athabasca Glacier is the only one accessible and open to tourists during the summer months. Since 1840, the glacier has been receding, however the current climate change is causing significant rapid melting, with a foot of ice melting each week. Having had the opportunity to walk on it and learn about its story taught me that our time is limited, hence we must do the best we can with what we have. Despite the grave circumstances, the Athabasca Glacier demonstrates strength and resilience, so that visitors can enjoy its existence and historical significance. By sharing its story through the water and ice, it encourages visitors to take action against climate change and environmental damage. We often have day-to-day and life events that can heavily impact our mindset, health, and abilities. Sometimes the only way to balance our situation is to ask for help and find the best solution. The glacier provokes us to help by taking action, and similarly, we can also employ that strategy to ask for support from those we trust.