Club Events 2005

Trip List Calendar

2005-10-30 : COC - Nihahi Ridge
We weren't the Calgary Outdoor Club going up the trail today... we were the Calgary Outdoor MOB. With Matt's group of 14 ahead of us, followed by my group of 27... whoa! The scenery once you get up to the start of the ridge was absolutely to die for, with the mountains sprinkled with just a bit of fresh snow.

Duncan had a bit of a scare up at the top when he joined what he thought was part of a COC group, even confirming it verbally (they must not have been able to understand his strong Scottish brogue... note sarcasm... Duncan's accent is quite mild), only to have them "remind" him a time later that "his group" would be quite far gone by then. So, then trying to return to us, he got lost on the ridge and wandered around for a while, and had an unfortunate "crampon incident" resulting in a fall, before he finally found us (happily waiting for him) again.

A very interesting and fun group out today...

-- Rhonda


2005-11-04 : COC - Powderface Ridge via. Powderface Creek Trail
Well, I didn't get to finish the hike today - I had to turn around with a hiker with a minor injury, but Debbie took over the group and it sounds like they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Some comments:

It's windy up there! But the sun is great and we can see very clearly the snow mountains far away.
-- Sunry

We made it and didn't get lost thanks to Debbie. It was very windy at the ridge, with a fantastic view. We saw a small herd of dear running through the snow at the top, you could pretend that they were reindeer and Santa would be next. I think that Julie and Sunry enjoyed their experience despite wet socks ( Debbie lent her a dry pair). Snow hiking is much more tiring than summer hiking.

-- Ann


2005-11-07 : COC - Ptarmigan Cirque
YAY for Birthday Brownie!!!

With a beautiful day, including some in-between conditions, we set out with two on snow shoes, one in Icers, one in Yaktrax, and two in boots for a most excellent early winter hike. I had set a hike up for today because it was my birthday (39 - eek!!), and chose one of my absolute favorite places to go. I couldn't have planned it any better - we had a spectacular day, augmented by good company, and BIRTHDAY BROWNIE!!! Marg and David were staying out in K-Country over the weekend, and brought along a birthday brownie, which they prepared and presented to me about halfway up. We transported it the rest of the way up to our "lunch spot" (just below the actual turn-around point of the Ptarmigan Cirque interpretive trail) where Marg and Ed managed to light the sparkler (which, in turn, spun the mini-pinwheels).

For most of the first part of the trail, I felt that the snow shoes were completely unnecessary, but as we finished the elevation and broke out of the trees, we found ourselves in about 2' of snow the rest of the way and I had to break trail to the lunch spot. I NEVER break trail. Never! I'm always at the back of the pack, so I've never had the "pleasure" before. It was um.... nice to try once.

About half way up, we stopped for a while to watch some snowboarders who had lugged their boards all the way up to the peak of the mountain across the road and then boarded down. It took them well over an hour to get up, and not more than a couple minutes to get down. Whoa.

Thanks to all of you for sharing "my" day with me. It was perfect!!

-- Rhonda


2005-11-11 : COC - Afternoon Hike: Fullerton Loop
This is a fantastic, short, shoulder-season hike, with a little bit of elevation gain to make you feel like you worked a little bit, and a little bit of a view to make you feel like the little bit of work was a little bit worth it.

Allen Bill Pond was ruined by the flooding - the river broke through and now the pond is part of the river. Plus, the east side of the parking lot is blocked off (for good reason, you realize once you're walking through it), but the Fullerton Loop trail lives on just as we remember it.

There is a little bit of ice on the trail at this time, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I highly recommend Icers ice cleats (available at Lee Valley Tools).

-- Rhonda


2005-11-13 : COC - Hogarth Lakes - Beginner Snow Shoe
This was a fantastic beginner event! We had 31 people out today, many for their first time ever snow shoeing.

We set off around the Hogarth Lakes trail, and before we'd even gone one kilometer, came to a large open stream. A few people tried to cross, and many ended up with wet feet (and some with wet legs). One of our group had heard from the info center that the other side of the loop was even worse for water hazards, meaning we'd have to return this same way, and so we decided instead to turn around, and venture a ways up the Burstall Pass trail instead.

When we got back to the intersection, some opted to stay back and practice snow shoe skills with the pristine meadow and great little hill, while others started up Burstall Pass. The "slow group" turned into the "stop and have lunch and turn back early group", and upon their return, they had a play on the great little hill, followed shortly by the "went all the way to the first Burstall Lake group" who also played on the great little hill.

When it was time to go, we kept the big vehicles back to make sure the little guys could get out of the snowy parking lot - we were all ok, but we did help a family get their car out of the lot (they were lucky we were loitering around to do car pushing duty!). Several of us ended the day at Kilkenny.

Before the day had even started, we lost a car, and I hope that Julie, An and Karen made it back to town ok (Julie had injured herself on the way up, although reports were conflicting about exactly what happened... it happened when she jumped out of the car to try to help Ken, who'd gone in the ditch on the Smith Dorrien).

-- Rhonda


2005-11-15 : COC - Castle Lookout
Ed and I decided that, even though it was just the two of us, we'd go out and do the hike anyway (after all, my only other choice was to go in to the office!). Driving out, the skies were very foggy/misty, and it looked really cold! We decided that we'd only go as far as we could, anticipating that it would be really windy.

Well, it turned out to be a fantastic day, mild temperatures and no wind at all. There was about 4cm of snow on the ground, but the trail had been hiked by someone before us, and it was easy hiking, with just a few small patches of ice here and there. We saw a coyote crossing the road, and a big buck deer bounding through the trees, a couple of squirrels, and one crazy spider who decided that he'd hang down in the middle of the trail from a single strand of web.

This is definitely an all-uphill hike on the way up (which is great, because it means an all-downhill hike on the way out) and Ed was forced to go up at my pace (cuz we all know I can't go up the hill at HIS pace). We couldn't see much on the way up, but the sky cleared by the time we were heading out and we were able to at least see across the valley. While we were up at the lookout, we heard about three loud booms - we figure they were avalanches on another side of the mountain.

What a fantastic way to spend a day!!

-- Rhonda


2005-11-17 : COC - Steph L (SWAN) Visit - Kilkenny
woohoo! what a great time I had in Calgary this weekend. Hard to believe it's been six months - everyone looks the same. I was disappointed there was no snow, but I guess I'll just have to return later this year

Kilkenney's was no disappointment. I had several pints of Wildrose Brown - my favourite local brew - and it was as tasty as I remembered. The food was great as usual, the conversation was boisterous. I really enjoyed seeing everyone again, and met a new member, Emin.

To those of you that couldn't make it, a collective 'y'all suck' ...:P you missed out, hopefully they'll be a next time


2005-11-19 : COC - Lake Minnewanka with Rhonda and Steph
Aside from a little vomit from "Projectile Princess" (Darla) in the car, this was a perfect day. It was well over zero - probably closer to 10 a lot of the time, with no wind. The views were great, we had a fantastic group, and I hope Steph had a great time on her "visit to Calgary hike". We did a total of about 16km - from the parking lot to the Aylmer Lookout trailhead and back.

Carpool Conversations:
- How to prevent dog vomit and dog projectile vomit, especially as it relates to me being in the line of fire - Rhonda (in Laura's car)
- Ralph impressed us with his 'pick up' techniques - all of which are guaranteed not to work. -- Steph (in Ralph's car)
- I had a good giggle when Shaun told us he was an accountant, so I told Laura to pull over for him to get out of the car (and they both thought I was serious for a moment). -- Rhonda

-- Rhonda


2005-11-21 : COC - Belly Dance Tabla Choreography


2005-11-25 : COC - Chester Lake
I'm sorry to say it, but this was by far NOT my favorite snow shoeing day. Because of the recent warm temperatures, the trail was packed solid and icy, except on the steepest parts where it was mostly bare and rocky, making it difficult to get up, and durned near impossible to get down. It was beautiful, though, especially earlier in the day when we had the blue sky in our favor. Managed to get up to the scenic part before it clouded over.

Three of us turned back after the lake/lunch to make a time commitment back in Calgary, with the rest proceeding to the elephant rocks. It sounds like the snow/trail conditions up there may have been much better for snow shoeing, since Ed and Michael, who were on Icers/Yaktrax (respectively) instead of snow shoes, gave up.

Good thing I'm planning on doing Chester once/month throughout the winter, cuz today was definitely a do-over.

-- Rhonda


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