On-Top.ca

Matthew Hobbs

My name is Matthew Hobbs and I like it on top. Many years ago my parents met and fell in love while working in Lake Louise. It was their passion for the mountains that brought them both to the Rockies from Montreal. Apparently that passion was an inherited trait! I was born and raised in Calgary, AB and trips to the mountains were at least a weekly occurrence. Indeed, I took my first steps in the Illecillewaet area of the Purcells. Upon our return home to Calgary, it took me several more weeks to master the flat terrain of the city. I bagged my first peak at the age of 3 and have been hiking and cross-country skiing ever since.
While my passion for the mountains is a driving force in my life, there’s much more to me than my obsession with elevation. I am passionate about science and pursued that interest to its logical end by completing a Ph.D. in chemistry in 2011. I am also an avid fan of the Calgary Stampeders and, indeed the Canadian Football League in general. My annual attendance at the Grey Cup is compulsory and I have been to every CFL championship game since 1998. I also consider myself to be a connoisseur of fine ales and believe that they are key to rehydrating following a rigorous ascent.
I’m lucky to share my life with my beautiful wife Brianne (who also likes it on top) and daughters Mera, Penny and Lillian. Together, we have a small zoo (Calvin, Link and Crux). I can never thank Brianne enough for not only tolerating my scrambling compulsion, but also joining in!
Enough with the intros, let’s get scrambling!