Hikes

In spite of the rain, and to the hike leader’s surprise, nine people came out to hike Stoney Creek. We met at the south access. Many had never hiked it from this point before. We found the grass lush and long, reaching the top of the legs. And it was wet. So, we all drove into Camrose and started the trail from the north end where there isn’t tall grass.

Surprise! The path soon turned into a dirt trail which was muddy and super slippery. (Lesson learned: It’s good to take a walking pole when you go hiking.) 

We managed to get to our destination with no injuries. And by then, the rain had stopped. But we decided that it would be better to continue south through wet grass than return on the slippery, muddy path. The hike leader phoned her husband and he agreed to pick up the drivers at the south end and bring them back to their cars on the north end. With that arrangement settled, we were on our way.

In the Drumheller-like terrain, another surprise—a lot of cactus flowers in bloom! When the trail was scouted a few days earlier, the flowering seemed to be over.

We also saw hawks, two blue herons, deer, and a deer skeleton, and two ruffed grouse flying onto and landing on trees. We ate some ripe saskatoons, dew berries and strawberries.

We finished the day eating ice cream cones from the stand at Mirror Lake in Camrose.

Thanks to everyone who came out and to the landowners for their continuing generous permission. There are no photos this week.

Where we’re going next.

Fifteen people came out on a sunny day to hike the section of trail that runs from the boat launch of north Coal Lake, past the “source of the Blackmud”, to the high point at the start of the Cloverlawn section.

The source of the Blackmud is the geological divide where water collected on the north side of it drains into Blackmud Creek and water on the south side drains into the Battle River. Eventually, both streams flow into the North Saskatchewan River…which flows into Hudson Bay.

Can you see the divide? We haven’t, but we do walk over it. Maybe it’s around one of the fence lines.

On the lake north of the boat launch, we saw many birds that look like black-headed gulls. Flowers on the trail included harebells, fleabane, penstemon, cinquefoil, coltsfoot, as well as wild roses, wild strawberries, and wild licorice.

Thanks to Lee for scouting and leading the hike and to trail maintenance for their fine work in clearing the trail. You can see all the photos on Flickr.

Where we’re going next.