On February 21, 2009, at the age of 74, Edythe Trail heli-skied for the first time. She took a helicopter to the top of a remote mountain in British Columbia to ski down the virgin snow. It was her first taste of the extreme sport. Already an expert skier, familiar with some of the most difficult “double black diamond” runs at renowned slopes throughout the world, Edythe embraced this opportunity for unbridled adventure.

Not one to shy away from adrenaline-filled activities, Edythe boarded the chopper at lower elevation and exited to a pristine mountain top with no maintained slopes or established trails…only fresh powder just waiting for its first set of ski tracks. Edythe was more than happy to oblige, navigating her way through secluded forests and serene, open meadows. And when she got to the bottom, there was no apres-ski lodge or tourists to greet her. Instead, she re-boarded the helicopter, flew to the top, and skied the mountain once again. And again. And again.

Edythe will tell you that she is a better skier now, at age 80, then ever before. Her technique is sharper and her confidence is stronger. She is willing to take more chances now and rarely worries about falling or breaking a bone on the slopes. Keenly aware that taking risks is quite different from being reckless, Edythe also knows that a calculated risk cannot be 100 percent safe or foolproof.

Through life experience, Edythe has learned that most of the boundaries and limitations people face are self-imposed, and that fear of breaking boundaries and surpassing limitations is tantamount to fearing life itself. The more we are able to push our boundaries and defy expectations, the more we can learn about ourselves and grow. And as Edythe has demonstrated through her own life experience, we can expect to learn that we are capable of much, much more than we thought.

Edythe Trail … Peoples Health Champion.