The Next Adventure — Meghan J. Ward

If every adventure I’ve been on is any indication, each one has a beginning, middle and end. Yet the adventure is never really over. It lives inside us in the memories we created, the challenges we overcame, the joys of the accomplishments and surprises, the callouses on our feet from rubbing in our hiking boots.

At times we know what the endpoint of an adventure will be – that clear moment when we take off our boots, crack a cold drink and start to reminisce. We might even plot it out in our itinerary (Day 3: Get back to trailhead, potato chips waiting in the car). At other times, something ends our journey abruptly or tells us it’s time to start heading home. No matter how intentional the endpoint is, there is adventure in getting there. And there is adventure in embracing the closure when it arrives.

I don’t think any of us could have predicted how this past year would unfold, and I certainly couldn’t have predicted the ways it would cause my life to shift, like scree suddenly giving way underfoot (and hurtling downslope). Suddenly, we’re looking at the terrain differently. The fallout affected enough aspects of my life to make me pause on that slope altogether, take inventory of my surroundings, and gaze ahead at what all the postponing and cancellations would mean for my work/life balance. As the dust settled, I realized I had a choice made for me.

I am being called to explore new terrain, in new ways.

With that, I am here to tell you the news that I will be making an exit from the adventure that has been Crowfoot Media. It has not been an easy process accepting that this chapter of my life ends here. Yet I leave knowing a solid foundation is there and a talented, passionate and determined guide remains in place as Dee, the company’s co-founder, stays the course and prepares some new offerings for all of you. Crowfoot Media is more than the content we post, or the Canadian Rockies Annual, or our events, which we hope can one day resume. Crowfoot Media is a loyal community that cares about the Rockies and our unique mountain culture. I know the spirit of #MountainCultureElevated will continue on in all of you, too.

I will be eternally proud of everything we created, particularly the award-winning content in the Canadian Rockies Annual. I had the privilege of working with so many talented contributors over the years, and it was an honour to help them bring their stories to life. Because of these stories, I’ll never look at these mountains the same way. I have an enriched understanding of the people and landscapes that create a sense of place here. I also have an awareness of the stories that remain untold. Every person can be a storyteller, and I hope you’ll all embrace that.

My deepest thanks goes to our team: to Dee, for dreaming big and working hard; to our staff over the years who helped us bring those dreams to fruition; to our contributors, ambassadors, advertisers, partners, event volunteers and subscribers, who all shared in the process. And thanks to the Rockies community — you have kept me feeling inspired and elevated. This is an incredible place we live in.

As I peek over the next mountain pass in my life, I’m not sure what the future holds. But if you’re interested in joining me on my journey, you can visit my website, follow me on Instagram and subscribe to my Field Notes where I’m writing about a life lived off the beaten track.

I look forward to seeing where Crowfoot Media goes next and will always carry my memories of the adventure.

-Meghan J. Ward