AWA’s 60th Celebrations: What’s Your 60?

August 13, 2025

• •
• •
• •

• Adventures for Wilderness
• Hikes and Tours
• WLA Archive

 

By Lindsey Wallis

Read the PDF version here.

Do you want to forge a deeper connection with Alberta’s natural spaces? Maybe you don’t connect as often as you would like…or maybe you’ve never even been outside your city. Well, AWA has some ways for you to find that connection. Join us on one of our upcoming Adventures for Wilderness (by donation, so cost NEVER has to be a reason why folks can’t join our programs) or join our “What’s Your 60?” challenge, which allows you to reach out where you’re at, and deepen that connection to our natural spaces.

The What’s Your 60 kicked off in January, and some folks are already well on their way to their goals. Jaimie Jack cross-country skied 60 kilometres in the first few months of this year. Jim Campbell has skied 60 kilometres and identified 60 different bird species. Bill McKeeman has spent 60 hours (and counting!) watching his bird feeder this year and submitting the results to eBird. Ten species were recorded in one session in late March! Shawna Rogers is almost halfway to completing her 60 Adventure Labs, and Kelsie Joad has visited 25 of her 60 Calgary Parks for the year.

“I LOVE challenges like this. I am a huge believer in living intentionally and being curious about life, people, places, and seeing familiar places in a new way,” Kelsie said. “I think maybe people think they need to do BIG things to make an impact or and impressions, I want to inspire people to push out to explore NEW places, there is always something new.”

With summer just beginning, there is still plenty of time to join the adventure! Find something that inspires you about Wild Alberta and commit to explore it more deeply in 2025. We are thrilled to see the enthusiasm, with some people taking on multiple challenges. Some families want to get out in nature 60 times this year, either in the city or further afield. There are people writing poems, taking photos and painting. Some people are doing one big adventure like a 60-kilometre trail run, while others are doing 60 hiking or biking trails over the year. Two folks are writing letters to their elected officials about environmental issues, and others are using this challenge as the impetus to plant more native species in their gardens. One keen young adventurer has committed to 60 nights in a tent and has already completed a couple nights in the snow! It’s really whatever speaks to you.

Can’t join a challenge? You can support participants by donation through our website. Visit https://albertawilderness.ca/product-category/donate-now/ and select the person you’d like to sponsor. All donations go to AWA to help protect Wild Alberta.

In addition to the handmade finishers’ medals people will receive from Bowness Soapworks+Seto Pottery, numerous local businesses are generously supporting us with prizes for our participants’ fundraising efforts. A giant thank you to Gord’s Running Store, Tea Trader, author Lori Beattie, and Passive Care Massage.