Category Archives: Uncategorized
Rewards Await Those who Persevere the Rain: Plateau Mountain Bike and Hike
Written on October 8, 2021 at 7:55 am, by Sean Nichols
The initially-inclement weather made the July 11 trip to Plateau Mountain a true Adventure! However as coordinator Chris Saunders relates, those who stuck with it were well rewarded: Plateau Mountain is truly a gem in Alberta’s wild spaces inventory. There is a band of bighorn sheep that one can almost always count on seeing and Continue Reading »
Learning about Alberta’s Nature and History: Cochrane Ranche Adventure
Written on October 5, 2021 at 6:31 pm, by Sean Nichols
On a warm and sunny July 22, Margaret O’Regan led several schoolchildren through Cochrane Ranche on a nature-filled adventure learning about Alberta’s history. Here’s how it went: What could be better than time spent with a bunch of lovely kids hiking in a gorgeous valley, through the tall conifers with their gnarled roots, up along Continue Reading »
Remembering Margaret Main: Crocus Hunting on Nose Hill
Written on March 25, 2021 at 11:35 pm, by Sean Nichols
Led by Christyann Olson, Executive Director of the Alberta Wilderness Association, ten intrepid Crocus hunters gathered on the eastern fringe of Nose Hill Park on Wednesday, March 24 to search for anemone patens (a.k.a.: prairie crocus), that classic harbinger of spring, and thus specially loved by winter-weary Prairie folk. Jim Campbell was along for the Continue Reading »
A Special Day in the Incomparable Alberta Wilderness: Cross-country Skiing the Mount Shark Loop
Written on March 25, 2021 at 8:29 pm, by Sean Nichols
Cross-country skiing in March? What could be better? Sky England took part in the adventure and recounts the wonderful day she and several other adventurers had X-Country Skiing the Mount Shark Loop. On a glorious March day, 14 Albertans gathered, divided into socially-distant groups, to tackle the 15 km Green Loop of the Mount Shark Continue Reading »
Hiking up a Frozen Creek in the Waiparous
Written on March 10, 2021 at 3:18 pm, by Sean Nichols
On a sunny and quite warm late winter day, Heinz Unger led a fearless group of 10, plus a gentle and curious dog, on a hike up a portion of the frozen over Waiparous Creek. He recounts: While some stretches were blank ice and folks appreciated their cleats, other stretches were still covered by deep Continue Reading »
Kicking off A4W 2021: A Family Skate along the Bowness Ice Trail
Written on March 2, 2021 at 1:49 pm, by Sean Nichols
The second season of AWA’s Adventures for Wilderness got off to a great start with an afternoon of skating in Calgary’s Bowness Park. Adventure coordinator Sean Nichols tells the story: Sitting around the firepit post-skate and crunching on s’mores, we remarked that the weather had turned out to be pretty much perfect. Weather is always Continue Reading »
Cochrane & Lochend Areas Field Trip: Exploring Geology and the Impacts of Fracking
Written on October 28, 2020 at 10:37 am, by Sean Nichols
On October 9, Senior Petroleum Geologist Tako Koning led an expedition to the Cochrane and Lochend areas west of Calgary to explore the local magnificent glacial geology and also see a rapidly developing program of hydraulic fracking for oil in the area. He recounts: Friday, October 9th began cloudy and cold but we had a Continue Reading »
Witnessing Southern Alberta’s Fall Glory: A Hike up Lesueur Ridge
Written on October 28, 2020 at 10:17 am, by Sean Nichols
Heinz Unger recounts an early fall hike up Lesueur Ridge in the foothills just west of Calgary: Lesueur Ridge is a steep sandstone ridge facing south overlooking the Ghost River Valley. It’s the first higher elevation feature when traveling from the Bow River through the foothills to the north. And it’s a short one-hour trip Continue Reading »
Remembering Gus Yaki: a Ramble across Nose Hill
Written on October 7, 2020 at 7:08 pm, by Sean Nichols
On October 3 AWA Executive Director Christyann Olson, and board member and Past President Vivian Pharis, led a walk over Nose Hill in memory of dear friend and naturalist Gus Yaki, who passed away earlier this year. They recount: There was a cool wind blowing when we arrived at Nose Hill Park on Friday October Continue Reading »
Golden Larches and Spectacular Views: A Tryst Lake Hike
Written on September 24, 2020 at 9:06 am, by Sean Nichols
AWA Board Member, Secretary and Treasurer Chris Saunders lead an adventure to see the fall larches at Tryst Lake in the Kananaskis on September 20 2020 and writes of that trip here: At about 10 am on September 20, 2020, 13 hikers assembled at a parking spot on the west side of the Spray River Continue Reading »
