Hikes

Nine people came out to hike Chickakoo Lake and were treated to the first signs of spring.

The trails were mostly dry except for a few sections on the hills.

With the snow gone, the rich thick moss and evergreen ground covers were revealed, hinting at the lush greenery to come. Bufflehead ducks seem to outnumber the mallards. We even saw a robin.

The weather was typical of early spring on the Prairies—overcast skies, windy in the open areas, chilly in the morning, and warming throughout the day. Towards the end of the hike came drizzle mixed with snowflakes, like winter’s last hurrah. But the good conversation and high spirits kept us warm to the end.

Thanks go out to Anita for leading this hike. You can see more pictures on Flickr.

Ten people came out to hike the Devonian Trail on a warm, but overcast day. We started at the access point on the first township road south of the Devonian Gardens and headed east along the edge of the woods. Some spots on the trail are still icy and we needed to walk on the road.

When we reached the neighborhood of acreages, we spotted a young moose wandering on the pavement between some of the fine properties. Perhaps the moose has discovered that the grass really is greener on the manicured lawns and well-tended shrubs.

Then we were back in the woods through the Imrie Property, donated by Mary Louise Imrie, one of Canada’s first women architects. At the edge of the right bank of the North Saskatchewan River are the magnificent views of the river valley and the Highway 60 bridge below. David pointed out that there is a photograph of this bridge in an 8^th grade text book, presented as an example of a cantilever bridge. Architects and engineers…where would we be without them?

A majority continued down the switchbacks to the bottom to Prospector’s Point for lunch. It’s a grassy park with picnic tables and easy access to the river’s edge. Overall it was a great day for fresh air and conversation with fellow hikers.

Thanks to Lee for leading the hike. You can find more pictures on Flickr.