Eight people came out to hike along the North Saskatchewan River into Hawrelak Park. We started from the parking lot at Whitemud Park in softly falling snow. Crossing the Quesnel bridge into Laurier Park, we continued on past joggers, dogs, and fat-bike riders.
We reached Hawrelak Park, where the Silver Skate Festival has been on for the past week.
The ice castle looked well preserved in spite of the swings in weather.
The snow sculptures where amazing as always, like this shaggy rabbit.
A new attraction this year was the helicopter. For $80 per person, you and up to two friends could have a lot of fun flying over the city and getting some spectacular views.
On the walk back to Whitemud, we followed the south bank. The sun broke through the clouds, warming up the day.
There’s a new development on these trails—the city has installed some wide lookouts on the trail. In this photo, the house you see in the clearing across the river is Yorath House, the historical residence situated next to the Edmonton Rowing Club.
Thanks to Lee for leading this hike. You can find more photos on Flickr.
