Fresh Air

Sat./Sun. 10/11 November:  Fresh Air

Saturday:  Pine Creek Plod

It was cold out there today.  Not that this has ever stopped me from heading out into the hills.  Winter had swept into the city the previous week, leaving a good cover of snow and temperatures way below freezing.  Today it started to clear up.  So I took the opportunity to head down to the south end of the city, and out to the Cross Conservation Area.  Here the prairies meet the foothills, and there is plenty of good walking in remarkably remote country.  Yet off to the north the city spreads across the prairie, the view dominated by the skyscrapers of the downtown core.

I should have worn snow shoes, but instead chose my warm snow boots. This made it more of a plod around the circuit of the Pine Creek Trail, through snow that lay up to six inches deep.

Nobody had been on this entire trail since the snowfall, so I could see all the prints of the deer criss-crossing the trail.  There are large herds of deer here, yet I saw only one animal.  The rest were hiding in the woods, well out of sight.

Not many people take the Pine Creek Trail all the way to the grand viewpoint at the western end of the park.  Today the mountains were hidden by a thin haze.  During my walk, this haze cleared away, leaving sharp mountain peaks sticking out of a low mist.

It was a pleasant amble across the open hills, up through the woods, and down Pine Creek.  Some of the route was already in the cold shade, as the low sun was sinking towards the horizon.  The trees were draped with the new snow, making this a very pretty, yet wintry, scene.

I returned along Fescue Trail, up past the southern viewpoint, then northwards back to the city viewpoint.  Although there was no wind, my face started to feel very cold when the sun was at my back.  I was happy to jump in the car at the end, and turn up the heat!  I had seen no other people along the way, but towards the end of my hike, I saw the footprints of a party of three on a shorter circuit. 

This beautiful Alberta landscape is always well worth the $2 entrance fee, and to have this winter wilderness all to myself, yet in plain sight of a city of 1.1 million.

Statistics
Cross Conservation Area
Sat. 10 November
Total Dist.	9 km (hike)
Height Gain	600 ft.
Max. Elev.	4,270 ft.
Time	2 hrs. 51 mins.

Other Stats.
Dep. car:        1.37 pm West End:      2.30 pm S. viewpt:       3.41 pm Ret. to car:     4.28 pm	Temp: minus 12 C to minus 17C Clear, v. light breeze, snow covered, cold day.

Sunday:  “Luncheon is served, Madam!”

Another one of those famous (at least in my own mind!) “Tours by Dad”.

Today C and I toured the Elbow Valley on a clear but cold Sunday.  Highlights were Elbow Falls, Forgetmenot Pond, and Allen Bill Pond, plus a detour part way up Moose Mountain road for the view.

The area around Elbow Falls was a scenic wonderland, with snow-draped trees framing the Falls, with the Elbow River passing through the forested foothills, diving over the Falls, then sweeping away eastwards towards the prairie.  A perfect place for photo shots along the short but scenic walkway above the Falls.

A fully catered luncheon was on the agenda.  At the far end of the Elbow Valley, over Rainy Pass, lies Forgetmenot Pond, the most scenic of small lakes, with its backdrop of snowy peaks.  Here we chose a picnic table in the trees beside the lake.  After clearing a foot of snow off the picnic table, we spread the bright yellow table cloth, set the crockery and cutlery, and proceeded to enjoy our lunch.  A broad menu was available to the diners, but I have to admit that the favorites were kettle chips, mini-eggs, grapes and raspberries, washed down by a bottle of sparkling apple/pomegranate juice.  Of course, the proper attire is essential for the discerning diner.  Ours consisted of winter coats, wooly hats, mittens and blankets wrapped around the legs.  After all, it was around minus 8 degrees C.  The breeze was bitter and on one occasion gave us a free coating of snow off the nearby trees.  But what a view, and such a bright sunny day, as we sat beside this beautiful, frozen lake.

The Moose Mountain road rises steeply from the valley.  We ventured a short way up the icy road as far as a nice viewpoint of the valley.  This was far enough.  I had visions of sliding gracefully over the edge into a deep snow-filled ditch, but we returned safely to the valley floor.

Allen Bill Pond was shining crazily in the sun.  The frozen surface consisted of thousands of tiny slivers of ice crystals, many in the shape of small leaves.  I don’t recall ever seeing anything like it.  In the sunshine the whole lake glinted and glittered.  Of course, we ignored the warnings not to stand on the ice.  This would make a perfect skating rink, but they seem to have signs up all winter warning people to stay off the ice – spoilsports that they are!

We detoured through the tiny village of Bragg Creek, stopping at the old-fashioned trading post to admire four young deer.  They seemed unconcerned by our presence as they wandered across the narrow road into the trees beside the Elbow River.  C went on a shopping spree in the store, coming out with a postcard of a moose (and nothing else!).

Today we didn’t need money to enjoy our adventure.  There was plenty of fresh air out there for free – both fresh and cold!