Wed, Feb 12 2020 - Whitemud Ravine Nature Reserve (View Original Event Details)
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On this hike night it got windy and cold again after a spell of warmer weather and new snow. The drive to our regular Wednesday hike was treacherous and stressful in traffic, but I took it slower and arrived at our meeting place safely. Once we got going as a group, we entered the forested trails and it was like entering a different dimension all together and all thoughts of traffic and daily stress were forgotten. There was enough ambient light and moonlight to see the dark trees silhouetted along the trail as it weaved along our route. As our eyes and senses adjusted to the night, we could see stars above us through the old growth forest we were trekking. The smell of the frozen forest, the crunching of snow under our ice grips, our breath coming out in clouds of condensation untouched by the wind outside the forest.... pure magic. As we crisscrossed through the maze of trails up and down the valley, we often caught glimpses of houses and buildings in the distance, the only indication that we were still in civilization. The only trail companions that we knew of were the distance howling coyotes, and the occasional deer that darted away from us in their sheltered forest domain. I have experience time and time again that the stress and winter blues wash away once I hit the winter trails, no matter how cold. Being well dressed and then the resulting cardio from the trek create a very comfortable experience, and sometimes we are even removing layers despite the depressing weather raging on outside our trail “bubble”. It’s all in just getting out there and starting from the trail-head, give yourself a couple of kilometers for your body to acclimatize to the conditions. If night hiking isn’t your thing (you can wear a headlamp for dark nights), then daylight hikes in the river valley are just as magical. Picture the dazzling sun reflecting on snow crystals in the air and the blanket of snow along the trails. You might have a better chance of seeing the many species of birds and mammals that also call our river valley home year-round.
Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Mark G at photos@edmontonoutdoorclub.com. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to thirty of your favourites (only) for a day event, or up to sixty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.