Sarah and Joe’s story began in 2019 at the University of Calgary, where they studied just one floor apart in the Earth Sciences building. Sarah was finishing her Bachelor’s in Urban Studies and Architectural Studies, while Joe was completing his degree in Geology. Despite being practically on top of each other, they never crossed paths—except for a brief encounter at MEC, where Sarah sold Joe a pair of climbing shoes and watched him completely ignore all of her awesome advice.

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Though they shared plenty of chances to meet around campus, the climbing gym, or even on the slopes, it wasn’t until February 2019 that they finally connected on a dating app. Sarah was drawn to the dog in Joe’s pictures, and Joe was intrigued by all of Sarah's rad skiing and climbing photos, so it was an obvious match.

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Their first date was set for Jameson’s Pub near the university, but it almost didn’t happen—Sarah had put off submitting her master’s application until the last minute, and Joe, at 22 going on 98, couldn’t be out past his 8 p.m. bedtime. After a quick reschedule, they ended up meeting on the coldest night of the year—a casual -35°C night—but they instantly hit it off and made plans for a second date the very next night to see the movie Free Solo.

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From then on, they were inseparable. By April, they were off on a climbing trip to Squamish, where Joe learned to climb outside for the first time. By August, they’d moved in together, quickly discovering that household cleaners and in-unit laundry are both luxury items. They even worked together at Ski Cellar Snowboard on 17th Ave and welcomed their wild dog, Ernest, into their little family. In 2023, Joe decided to pursue his teaching degree, and they spent a year living apart comunitng between Calgary, Nelson and Vernon.

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On a quiet, snowy night in Fernie, BC, after meeting halfway between Nelson and Calgary, Joe finally found the right moment to ask Sarah to be his partner in life. After three earlier attempts that didn’t quite go as planned, he was glad to finally get it right in November 2024.
 

During their relationship, they’ve weathered a pandemic, tackled graduate degrees, and long-distance while growing both as individuals and as a couple. Together, they’ve been on countless climbing and skiing trips, and shared some comically failed attempts at campfire meals. Recently, they took on their biggest adventure yet: moving to Nelson, BC, where they now enjoy having the mountains, lakes, and trails right at their backdoor. With Ernest leading the way, they’re excited to explore even more of what their new home has to offer!