Isabelle Gecils's Blog

I have always heard the that Canadian Rockies are beautiful and I daydreamed of visiting it for years.  Still, nothing prepared me for the unparalleled and spectacular beauty of this wilderness area. The mountains were so high and massive.  Glaciers were scattered throughout with their accompanying waterfalls.  The colors of the lake are so vivid, it is hard to believe that they are real.  And the wildlife: abundant and free.Due to high demand, here is a chronological list of the hikes we completed during our two weeks journey.  As we rented an RV, we stayed in campgrounds.  Reservations are a must during the summer – for the campgrounds that accept them.  We also lucked out and grabbed spots at first-come, first serve areas in some spectacular areas by rivers and glaciated mountain ranges, but we had to arrive there early to secure our spots.On average, we selected day hikes that were 6-8 miles in length. There were some irresistible ones that were considerably longer, but what can you do?  You just do them (Lake Louise and Iceline are 14 miles). On the days we felt “hiked out,” we chose easy 4 miles walks.We loved it so much we are going back.  Here is the list of the hikes we did, and the ones we will do during our future trip.Enjoy!HIKES WE DID1. Banff National Park: Johnston Canyon/InkpotsHike through a canyon filled with waterfalls.  Hike further towards the inkpots for a colored pools of water and an incredible meadow surrounded by mountains2. Kootenay National Park: Stanley GlacierHike through a young forest towards a bowl with glacier views and waterfalls.3. Banff National Park: Sunshine MeadowsTake a bus to the trailhead at the Sunshine ski resort.  From there, hike around 3 alpine lakes, meadows of wildflowers towards a view point that will take your breath away4. Yoho National Park: Emerald LakeThe color of this lake is so blue, is hard to believe it is real. Dip in freezing waters, do a flat hike around the lake, or add a challenge by hiking to the glacier at the north end of the lake5. Yoho National Park: Takakkaw Falls/Iceline TrailThe waterfall is one of the highest in the Rockies.  But for true awesomeness hike the challenging iceline trail.  To get there, you need to walk 2 miles uphill, in altitude. The reward is an out-of-this world landscape with glaciers, waterfalls, lakes and incredible views.  We completed about 10 miles as a day hike (before we realized the kids would have been able to complete the 14-mile loop).  Many do this as an overnight backcountry camping trip.5. Lake Louise: Moraine LakeThis lake used to grace the Canadian $20 bill.  Arrive early in the morning or late in the day for still waters that renders this gorgeous spot a mirror.  There are hiking trails near the shore or to nearby lakes.  Or you can feel so mesmerized by Lake Moraine that you just sit there for hours watching the day go by.6. Icefields Parkway: Bow Glacier FallsDrive over one of the most beautiful roads in the world.  But stop at Bow lake and hike towards the glaciers/waterfall that grace this pristine lake.7. Icefields Parkway: Peyto LakeStop by Peyto Lake via a short hike from the parking lot.  Better yet, lose the crowds by hiking a bit further inland to have the place to yourself.8. Icefields Parkway: Wilcox PassWant to have lunch with big horn sheep? Your chances increase as you walk over this mountain pass.  The views on the return are incredible as you can almost touch (that’s a bit of an exaggeration…) the glaciers you clearly see across the valley.9. Jasper National Park: Maligne CanyonFor a change of pace, hike the Maligne Canyon. It is an easy hike, and similar to Johnston Canyon.  The highlight was the incredible spot where you can sit on the rocks in the middle of the river looking at the underground rivers/waterfall spewing forth.10. Jasper National Park: Sulphur SkylineThis is a challenging trail, all uphill.  But when you get to top… just wow!  You see far and wide, and numerous mountains and glacial valleys.  Go earlier in the day so that you don’t get caught up in thunderstorms.  Relax your weary muscles at the Miette hot springs at the trailhead.11. Jasper National Park: Old Fort PointThis is a hike just in town, short, sweet and spectacular.  From the top, you have a 360 view of mountain ranges all around you. You can also see the town of Jasper, its lakes and trains. Make sure you stop by Lake Edith/Annette and/or Pyramid for a dip in the water ahead (or after) the hike. Recharge at the Paw bakeries before or after too.12. Icefields Parkway: Athabasca Falls, Sunwapta Falls and numerous viewpointsWhile not technically hikes, be sure you stop at the viewpoints throughout the Icefields Parkway. Most require no to little hiking.  The views are unique and incredible.  Everywhere you look.13. Icefields Parkway: Parker RidgeA moderate hike that is all uphill.  As with Sulphur Skyline, the reward is when you get to the top.  An incredible view of a glacier, lakes, ridges, valleys, waterfalls, mountains.  Truly spectacular.14. Lake Louise: Plain of Six Glaciers, Lake Agnes, Big BeehiveYou can easily split this hike over 2 day trips. As this was our last day, we decided to combine them for a long and arduous 14-mile loop.  We stopped at two tea houses along the way to refuel and rest.  Jaw dropping views of glaciers, Lake Louise, the forest, mountains and valleys.  And did I say we stopped at teahouses? Seriously, where else can you do that?HIKES WE DID NOT DO, BUT ARE PLANNING TO IN THE NEXT TRIP1. Yoho National Park: Lake O’HaraSupposedly the jewel of the Rockies.  Requires a spot on a bus that sells out the reservations in 10 minutes in April.2. Banff National Park: Taylor LakeSupposedly a waterfall fills a lake. 12 km roundtrip.3. Icefields Parkway: Helen LakeA hike to a remote, but supposedly spectacular lake.  10 km roundtrip4. Jasper National Park: Edith CavellHike through glaciers. Our bus/RV was too large to pass through twisty mountain roads, otherwise, we would not have left this one for the next trip.5. Jasper National Park: Maligne LakeWe skipped this hike because the drive there was too far, and the boat ride on this lake is best enjoyed with high tea beforehand, but they had an age limit for kids. We will go back when Lo is older than 11.  Bear warnings in place throughout the area.6. Mt. Robson: Berg LakeSupposedly a bucket list hike. 13 miles each way to a lake with a glacier touching its shores. Requires overnight backcountry camping.7. Mt Assinboine, Revelstoke, Waterton parksTrails not yet selected... but we heard these places are beautiful (what isn’t in the Rockies?).

Leaving Shangrila: The True Story of a Girl, Her Transformation and Her Eventual Escape was selected as a Finalist in two categories in the 2016 IAN Book of the Year Awards: First Non-fiction and Memoir.I feel so honored, happy, humbled and excited!Winners will be announced on August 15. 2016.

This post was original published at the Little Patuxent Review on April 29, 2016. Online Editor’s Note: I first met Isabelle Gecils, an October 2014 graduate of the Stanford Writing Program, when she read an excerpt of her upcoming book Leaving Shangrila at San Francisco’s premier annual event, LitQuake. She so impressed me during her reading that I requested her card after our graduation luncheon and saved it, knowing there would be a chance to introduce her to others when her book came out.

The full review directly from Serious Reading is here. Leaving Shangrila is written by the author Isabelle Gecils who grew up in Shangrila, and her story is about her struggle to transform her life for the better and escape from terrible circumstances. In the book, Isabelle takes the reader to the absorbing world of Shangrila, a forest in Brazil which is beautiful and complicated at the same time. The characters of the book (both good and evil) are intriguing. All of them, from her stepfather to

 Leaving Shangrila's first editorial review - and it is a good one! The poignant life story of a woman who escaped a restrictive past to embrace an independent future.    Gecils’ inspirational debut memoir, 11 years in the making, is both an astute character study and a harrowing familial drama that plays out in the lush environs of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The author grew up as a middle child; she had two sisters, although she says her mother secretly wished for sons. In order to support the

This is the speech I gave at a middle school in Menlo Park to support Teen Read Week. It is an honor to be here to support Teen Read Week. Thank you for the invitation. My name is Isabelle Gecils.  I have recently written a book, Leaving Shangrila, about my life growing up in somewhat difficult circumstances in a jungle in Brazil. Right there you may be thinking that our lives and concerns could not have been more different.  Growing up in a jungle in Brazil, certainly doesn’t compare with

The son's 3rd grade basketball team is less than stellar. Throughout the season, their best score was a loss of 20 points. There were many reasons for it. The coaches, while hard working, are parent volunteers, while the schools they played against worked with coaches. They did not work as a team, each player seeking personal glory rather than teamwork.Their games is a 30 minute drive away.  Tired of waking up early on a Saturday to watch my son’s team get decimated, in a less inspired moment, I

When I moved to the United States as teenager, I left my previous life behind.   I did not think about it, did not talk about it, and did not think that I would feel compelled to.   But in 2004, my son was born.   By then, I had surrounded myself with friends and love, when earlier in my life I felt mostly alone and abandoned.   I found myself relatively successful professionally, using the financial security that it provided to mask that I grew up without means, often wearing tattered, stained