JoAnne Burek

Ten people came out to hike the trails south of Miquelon Provincial Park. This trail is spectacular for watching shorebirds at the edge the lake.

The day was warm and humid. The air was so thick with mosquitoes, we decided to cut the hike short to just 7 km. In the group photo below, you can see how happy we were to have our cans of mosquito spray.

Thanks to John S. for scouting and leading the hike, to trail maintenance for their good work on clearing the trail, the landowners for their continuing permission, and the Alberta Provincial Parks and Recreation. And thanks to Mary for these awesome pictures. You can find all the photos on Flickr.

Where we’re hiking next.

Eleven people came out to hike scenic Coal Lake from the road allowance southward to Kjorlein Corner. It was a straight-through hike, which meant that there was no looping back. Every corner turned was a new experience.

We saw a lot of pelicans along the way, including this small flock.

It’s not often butterflies will stay put long enough for you to observe them closely. However, this one may have been reaching end of life. We confirmed that it’s a Fritillary, based on the silver spots on the underside of its wings.

On most visits, our lunch stop is at Point Cooperation, a grass-covered outcrop overlooking the lake. But today it was very windy, and so we sought shelter in the woods alongside the trail.

Thanks to Johanna for leading the hike, to Trail Maintenance for clearing the trail (on one of the hottest days this summer), and to the landowners for their continued permission for the trail. You can see all the photos on Flickr.

Where we’re going next.