Laurier Park to Hawrelak Park and the Silver Skate Festival

Cold and windy but clear and sunny!

Eight hikers braved the weather for a great hike from Whitemud Park to Hawrelak Park.  Crossing the Quesnell Bridge, we wondered if we should have stayed home!

Fortunately, once on the trail out of the wind, we slowly warmed up.  The sun felt great on our faces.

Crossing the river again to Hawrelak Park we were reminded how windy and cold it really was. The main pavilion—our lunch spot—was a welcomed site.


The Silver Skate Festival at the Park featured beautiful snow sculptures, the ice castle and sleigh rides.  We slowly made our way along the river back to Whitemud Park.  The sun and great conversation kept us warm.
Thanks to everyone who came out.

Find more pictures on Flickr.

Midwinter Whitemud Creek

Although the days are short and cold in Alberta’s midwinter, the clear skies and fresh snow can offer up brilliant daytime scenery to invigorate the senses.

Our hike in Whitemud Creek between Snow Valley and John Janzen Nature Centre gave us just that.

Whitemud Creek

snow fence Whitemud CreekA thick layer of snow had fallen just two days before, burying once and for all the ice that we had been struggling on for weeks.

The crisp temperature kept the snow white and firm, making it the perfect backdrop to display long sharp shadows, a feature of our northerly location.

On the path, we ran into a person who pointed us to a pair of owls nesting in a hollow in the tree above us. That’s right!—a nest of eggs in January. Just above our heads.

Birdhouse Whitemud Creek
Birdhouse on the ground?

Whitemud Creek

Total hike including the loop around Fort Edmonton was 11 km. You can see more pictures on Flickr.
Whitemud Creek bridge