Hikes

The hike began with some confusion as there was absolutely no parking at our starting point, Snow Valley. A big ski swap sale was happening and it was very well attended, with people waiting in long lines to get in. We moved our start over to Whitemud Park and headed south into the Whitemud Ravine and Whitemud Nature Reserve.

Led by Oscar, we took frequent stops and admired the scenery from various scenic viewpoints. We studied the creek from the many bridge crossings. We appreciated the silence and feeling of being out in the country even though we were in the heart of the ravine.

It was on one of these stops that a hiker spotted a large beaver tucked up on the opposite bank lunching on a branch, or more likely the bark on the branch.

At another stop, we spotted a beaver swimming upstream around a small bend.

We saw both red and grey squirrels and were scolded by some. It appears there are bird lovers that frequent the Ravine and leave birdseed for the birds. The many chickadees we saw were the beneficiaries of their kindness.

Thanks to Oscar for a lovely hike.

See more pictures on Flickr

On today’s hike, nine of us descended on the bank of the North Saskatchewan river to take in the walk from the boat launch to the Lions Campground. It was a good test of our winter gear. Some of us determined that we will have to get mittens over gloves, better footwear, and thicker socks before the real winter comes.

Much of the trail was a wonderland. Snow piled on leaves that were still attached to the trees made for fun game I call “Let’s Make a Blizzard.”

At the campground, the residents were preparing for a Thanksgiving event. And in the spirit of Thanksgiving, they allowed us to come in and warm up around the magnificent fire.

The lively topic at lunch was Where is the best place to buy bread?

Here are some of our suggestions:
Bon Ton Bakery
B&A Bakery
Cobs Bread

We took a lot of pictures. You can find the rest of them here