Hikes

Miquelon Lake Members’ Barbecue

Twenty-six people came out to our annual member’s barbecue at Miquelon Lake Provincial Park. It’s the one event where old and new friends of the Waskahegan Trail can get together and catch up.

We started with a hike on the Holdsworth trail. The land was homesteaded by the Holdsworth family. They generously donated it to the people of Alberta. This is the trail where you will find the stunning view below.

Following the barbecue lunch, a smaller group took advantage of the 21 degree weather with a stroll along the lake.

Many thanks to Anita for organizing the barbecue. You can see more photos on Flickr.

Gwynne Trail Hike

Thirteen people came out on a beautiful sunny day to hike one of the most scenic sections of the Waskahegan Trail. From several high points, we took in grand views all at once of Coal Lake, the Battle River valley, and broad expanses of fields and pastures.

One of the remarkable features of this section is the way that old materials were re-used in the fencing. A lot of telegraph poles, railroad ties, and used grader blades were given new purpose.

Along the trail we found chokecherry trees with branches weighed down by bunches of plump berries. The fields were full of purple asters.

On the way back, we passed by a field with a herd of llamas in the distance. When they spotted us, a group of them ran up and stopped quite close to the fence. It was a great moment to see these charming and useful animals and take their pictures.

 

Thanks to Oscar for leading the hike and to Trail Maintenance for all their work on the trail. You can find more photos on Flickr.

Pipestone Creek Trail Reopened

It was 2014 the last time we hiked the eastern section of Pipestone Creek. Each year, the land was falling in even more, especially in the first section where the gorge was growing ever inward into a hay field. The trail had always been challenging to hike because of its ups and down, particularly on the left (northern) bank where it is steep and narrow. This summer, we decided to repair the trail to get it back in shape.For this hike, 12 people can out, even though the weather was cool and there was the possibility of rain. But it never did rain. It was a perfect day for hiking.

The leaves are just starting to turn colour. The flowers are mostly gone. But the forests are full of mushrooms. Here are a few of them.

In Waskahegan tradition, whenever we open or re-open a trail, we celebrate with a champagne toast. And that’s just what we did at the deck overlooking a particularly beautiful section of the creek.

Thanks to John for leading the hike and to Trail Maintenance for all their work on the trail. You can find more photos on our Flickr album.