Landowner Rights & Trail User Responsibilities

The Waskahegan Trail is a unique resource that exists only because of the generosity of landowners. Before you set foot on the trail:

  1. Know the landowner rights and the trail user responsibilities.
  2. Check the trail conditions

Battle River Trail Clearing

Yesterday was a gorgeous sunny day perfect for working on the trail and showing off the beauty of the valley with it’s fall colors.  You will have to forgive me for my blue green tinged pictures of late….did you know when you buy a new cell phone it has a cellophane cover on the screen AND the camera eye???? 009

We cleared from A60 to Schnee hill. One group  cleared one way from A60. The second group drove down the county line road to 1km from Schnee and clear there and back, looking for a wonky boardwalk to replace, and found the one there still not too bad. We then cleared towards the other group. 010

Afterwards we dropped our boardwalk wood in the bush in the middle of the section where there are two walkways needing resurrection and that we will do another time. We had brought wood for a new stile but did not find it although there is a stile needing a new post. There was a short crossing of a crop where we carried the mowers; hopefully the crop is cut by hike time. 008

One mower refused to propel forwards and was abandoned at the beginning. The Ariens mower handle broke wrestling it with a tree root.  A fence attacked Mike’s jeans and ate a chunk! All in a day’s work!006

The trail is in good shape and we have more access roads than I thought which is great for maintenance!

Kopp Lake Blue Skies

Nine hikers enjoyed the Kopp Lake hike on Sunday.

Tea break

The trail, located on the hillsides of the Gwynne Valley, winds its way through spruce, aspen and birch forest. It was particularly lovely with all the fall colours.

 

 

beaver-lodge-on-kopp-lake

The day began cloudy but it cleared to blue skies.

We enjoyed a “coffee break” at the beaver lodge. We saw no beavers but admired their work. They have been busy—even since the work party passed through.

 

 

We saw two white-tailed deer, a few geese and a squirrel or two. We discovered some flowers blooming—something we didn’t expect in September.

lungwort
Lungwort
bladder-campion
Bladder Campion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new wooden walk installed by the maintenance crew received its initiation. Thanks to the maintenance crew for a well-prepared trail.

Thanks also to the landowner(s) who allow us to share their land for this hike.

hikers

See the pictures on our album on Flickr

2016-09-18 Hike: Kopp Lake