Somehow, my guide and I got back into the kayak, only to repeat the scenario at another rocky waterfall five minutes later.

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Because we had no backcountry experience, my friend Annemarie and I enlisted a guide from Canadian Skyline Adventures, the only Jasper-based outfitter that leads hikes of the Skyline Trail.

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If my experience and that of thousands of others is any guide, the FiveFingers phenomenon can only grow and spread.

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To have overcome a very long walk of circumstances, stay in business and for my inspirations to have lead Naoe to become one of only 28 restaurants in the world to achieve the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award is surreal.

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