Seventeen hikers met at the McTaggart Sanctuary parking lot for a hike through the Whitemud Creek Nature Reserve. This beginning of this trail is more wild and adventurous than most of the trails in the city as much of it is narrow paths on slopes. It reminded us of some of the Waskahegan trail sections along Coal Lake or Battle River West—only less maintained.

We sneaked past some wasp nests and kept our eyes to the ground for sections that had eroded away. When we lifted our eyes we were treated to stunning views of the valley with the creek down below.

Once we reached the outskirts of the neighborhoods, the trail widened and leveled out, resembling the Whitemud Creek trail that runs north of Snow Valley.

When we reached the Snow Valley Ski Chalet, we stopped for a pleasant lunch at the picnic tables and benches in shade.

On this hike we saw high-bush cranberries and chokecherries starting to ripen, and some summer flowers in full bloom.