About the Author

Gillean Daffern has explored Kananaskis Country for decades and understands its landscape and history intimately throughout every season of the year. She has also been writing and publishing bestselling trail guides to Kananaskis Country for over 30 years and is the author of the renowned five-volume series Gillean Daffern's Kananaskis Country Trail Guide, which is now in its 4th edition and has sold well over 100,000 copies since it was first published in 1979. She also travels to mountain areas outside of Kananaskis Country, and in particular enjoys visiting countries off the beaten tourist path. Gillean is the founder of Rocky Mountain Books and, along with her husband, Tony Daffern, was awarded the Banff Mountain Festival's Summit of Excellence Award in 2006. She lives in Calgary, Alberta Derek Ryder started hiking, backpacking, canoe tripping, rock climbing and skiing in Ontario in the 1970's. After moving to Calgary in 1981, he fed his passion with hiking, white water canoeing and downhill skiing in the Rockies. Derek retired in 2011 after 32 years in the oil and gas industry, and now resides in Kananaskis Country. Since retiring, he has expanded his volunteering with the Bow Valley Stewards, with WildSmart as a Wildlife Ambassador, with Alberta Parks Ecology's research projects, and at Sunshine Village as a Snow Host. He has held several directorship positions in community organizations, has been a member of the Friends of Kananaskis since 2010 and Chair since October 2013.