It began innocently enough with a gorgeous museum display of J.E.H. MacDonald’s (from the Group of Seven) oil paintings and on-site plein air work done at Lake O’Hara in Yoho National Park. The Whyte Museum exhibition was called “To See What He Saw: J.E.H. MacDonald and the O’Hara Years 1924-1932” a project undertaken by Patricia Cucman and the late Stanley Munn. They hiked the area for two decades, photographing in detail locations where MacDonald had painted. Private and public collections loaned their MacDonald paintings for the exhibit.. and it was unequivocally a breathtaking experience. Masters Art Gallery of Calgary was the lead gallery, assisting financially and in the procurement of paintings for the exhibit.

I immediately purchased the book after viewing the exhibit, in order to continue to “see what they saw” from the comfort of my home.. the Opabin Plateau, Seven Veils Falls, Yukness Ledges and more.

Not long after a group of artists were invited to stay at Lake O’Hara Lodge and were given the opportunity to plein air paint various settings around the lodge, lake side, mountain top.. all of it at the tip of their paintbrush.

I decided that we must hike the area.

My first and only experience of Lake O’Hara was in my 20’s, a very long uphill cross country ski to the lodge, we brought a bagged lunch and ate it in some friendly hallway (this would never be allowed now) a brief walk around inside the lodge and then out we skied.. downhill thankfully.

It seems I am late to the game, for today’s system for being able to hike the Lake O’Hara area has dramatically changed. One must queue and be fortunate enough to obtain a campsite or sign up for a lottery style ticket for a seat on the bus to the top. Were I younger, the 11 km hike to the top before even beginning to hike would be doable. At 65+ years of age I felt it might be a better plan to book a room for us. My partner is a world wide mountaineer/scrambler and he was keen to go.

One phone call put an end to my dream. Apparently the Lake O’Hara Lodge secures 60% of their rooms for repeat guests, a mere 40% for first time guests. There is a date when I could call back to “apply” to be chosen for a room for the following 2027 year. But I was kindly told that it would likely be a 3 to 5 year wait before we would ever be chosen. Respectfully, they are a small boutique hotel that relies on repeat business, but their decision to give 60% of rooms to repeat customers is one I hadn’t heard of at any other luxury hotel, eg the Post Hotel. Be that as it may, I asked politely to be on the 1,500 person wait list for this year’s cancellations.

Deep breath here..  Growing up was a simpler time when local hikers supported these lodges and ensured their place well into the future, which would be today. Now we compete worldwide for a place in our beloved mountains.

So.. I am not holding my breath.  While we are fit and good to go the next few years, will I be able to hike nearly as well when I’m in my 70’s and finally get selected?

It’s actually kind of broken my heart..

I’m an artist as well.. this is my painting of Peyto Lake from a wintery day of Wild Ice skating.

I will sign up for the shuttle bus lottery draw.

It all uneasily feels a touch exclusive/elitest to be honest, but I prefer not to think that way as it is distressing for a native Calgarian who just wants to hike and paint an area before she actually can’t as a senior citizen. And posting this may ensure my name gets permanently scratched off any Lake O’Hara Lodge lists … I surely hope not, I’ll keep trying.

♥

What to do on this snowy, bleak feeling day.. but bake some cookies. I like to have batches of our favourite cookies on hand in the freezer for when we head out to the mountains. This recipe was a special request from David as they are one of his favorites.

This is hands down the best Peanut Butter Cookie recipe I’ve made. Please do follow the somewhat fussy instructions, most peanut butter recipes have the same list of ingredients but the process will make these melt in your mouth delicious. I think if we pack them well once frozen they would withstand a little jostling in the backpack but, if not, I’m sure the broken bits will be worthy of an appetite gained by hiking to a mountain top.

Best Ever Peanut Butter Cookies

 

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Author: Barbara Barry

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• Two large cookie sheets lined with silpat or parchment paper (two in order to put the second batch in while the first batch has time to cool)
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 180g
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter unsalted, room temp
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar (minus 2 tbsp if using sweetened peanut butter)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup peanut butter (whipped, with or without sugar, not natural with oil)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg large, room temperature (set an egg in a cup filled with warm water if coming straight out of the fridge)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line two cookie sheets with a silpat liner or parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together 180g (1 1/2 cups flour) together with 3/4 tsp baking powder. I strongly recommend weighing your flour so that you have the perfect amount, too much and your cookies will turn out drier.
3. In a mixing stand fitted with a paddle, blend together 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Blend in 1/2 cup granulated white sugar (minus 2 tbsp if using sweetened peanut butter) until thoroughly mixed. Blend in 1/2 tsp salt.
4. Add in 1 cup peanut butter and blend thoroughly. I recommend not using the natural style peanut butter as the oils can change the texture of the cookie.
5. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 room temperature egg.
6. Blend well.
7. Using a cookie scoop, measure or roll in your hands a 1 inch ball of dough and space evenly on your prepared cookie sheet.
8. Use a fork to press each cookie in both directions. This imprint helps the cookies cook through to the center.
9. Bake for only 10 minutes. They will be very pale when done. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely right on the baking sheet so that they hold their shape. If you wish a crunchier cookie you may bake for a minute or two more as desired.
10. Once completely cooled, remove and store in an air tight container.

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Love,

Smidge