Legends of the Sky: A moonlight snowshoe with a Blackfoot storyteller

By: Heather Davis, Founder & Owner, Uplift Adventures

The night sky has long been a source of inspiration for countless stories—and it’s at the centre of our Legends of the Sky experience. This guided night snowshoe in the Castle Parks is no ordinary adventure. Besides the beautiful night sky, you’ll hear from Jaron, a Blackfoot Nation storyteller, share incredible stories about the stars and his traditions.

I always knew why I wanted to work with the Blackfoot People to create the Legends of the Sky program.

I loved reading stories about the night sky from an Indigenous perspective, but I knew they weren’t my stories to share. I wanted to create an opportunity for people to hear them in a deeply authentic and moving way—so who better to tell them than local Indigenous peoples? I approached Jaron to join me in creating a program that brings together the Blackfoot and Western stories. But why did Jaron agree to work with Uplift Adventures?

Jaron, who works for the Piikani Traditional Knowledge Centre, wants to share who the Blackfoot people are, to not forget the history, and to build new partnerships. Some of his ancestors couldn’t do this, but he can. The Blackfoot people had their own way of living that included hunting and gathering, and learning from the animals about how to take care of their children and how to hunt. Jaron wants to open doors for his people and to build relationships to enhance the ability to hunt and gather in this area. It is important to him to be able to gather things like traditional herbs and medicines. Jaron understands the complexities of the land nowadays, and wants to build connections to work together moving forward. Everything comes down to respect, and he wants more thinkers to think differently.

Jaron is one of the kindest people I know and I’m honoured to work with him and others from the Blackfoot Nations. Jaron ended by telling me, “You’re giving me a chance to be in the West Castle again and to reconnect with this area.”

I am so grateful that I get to share these lands with incredible people and I hope I can help bridge a brighter, more collaborative future for all of us.

The Legends of the Sky program runs Saturday nights from December 28 to March 15. It is a great activity to do after a day of skiing at Castle Mountain Resort. View the itinerary or secure your spot on an upcoming adventure today. We’d love for you to experience this unique and immersive journey under the starlit sky with us.