Fullerton Loop Trail -- Nov 16, 2009 - From the archives

Every year I forget how late the snow comes to the mountains. Fall hiking is probably my favorite time of year. Once the snow hits, I'm barely able to wait until there's enough for snowshoeing, but it's always nice to sneak a late fall hike in a familiar spot and see the brown and yellow fall colouring for the last time that year...

Putting the Hip in HipHiker...

While HipHiker the geek has been sucked into the Twitter vortex for some time, HipHiker the blogger hasn't really committed to it... until now.

Find and follow us at @HipHiker. I think it could be a lot of fun....

And... we're back

Hello old friends.

It's been a while since I've last updated this site. Real life took over for a while.

Family health issues led to a decline in available time, and blogging was something that had to be put on hold. That temporary hold led to a much longer one as my own medical issue developed, but that was a much nicer situation.

Our twin boys were born in March of 2011. ;-)

So for now the HipHiker and crew are back, maybe hiking a little less (and snowshoeing!), maybe posting a little infrequently. Maybe sharing the joys of the boys' first excursions onto the trails come spring (Grassi Lakes, my eye is on you). Maybe taking it a little easier as this old body gets back into shape (but not that much easier).

There will definitely be some clean up, some moving of things around.

It's nice to be back. I've missed you.

Grassi Lake -- October 18, 2009

Grassi Lakes in fall. One last hike before the snow took hold in the Rockies.



Nature photographers will tell you the best days for shooting photos are the overcast days. The gray tones will bring out the colours of your natural subjects so much more. The pools at Grassi Lakes show how true this tip really is:













Looking back toward the town of Canmore, with the clouds hanging low over the valley, yet the peaks visible for kilometers.....

Chester Lake -- September 12, 2009

Strangely enough, I'd only ever hiked the Chester Lake trail when it was fully engulfed in winter -- deep snow, lake frozen over, icicles dripping from trees. So when Dave suggested a fall hike, I jumped at the chance to see such a beautiful place without the usual white touches.

My first real education was midway through the hike. A meadow type plateau on the hike that I'd always assumed was windswept, causing drifts that piled into hills:



Those little hills are actually the ground itself!



Equally awe-inspiring in fall:







I can never get over the colours of fall:





The layers of time.



Finally got to see Chester Lake in its unfrozen glory. We were among the last on the trail this day, and got to see the lake in a calm state, only the odd splash from the fish:





So calm, it was easy to catch the reflection of the mountains surrounding it:





Looking forward to visiting this special place in spring....

Exshaw Trail -- September 27, 2009

Straying away from our usual haunts, Nat and I took a quick hike down Exshaw Trail, a relatively flat creek bed walk with lots of route finding.

A pipeline was our guide for the first 1km or so. It's not always easy to remember that without the early development of some of our natural resources, a lot of the easy access to our favorite places might not exist:



A reminder that winter was not far away:



The trail was mostly a riverbed, with lots of creek crossings thrown in. The perfect flat hike with a few footing and terrain challenges to keep you on your (often wet) feet.



Come spring, we'll be back to see how we fare with considerably more water running through this creek!

West Bragg Creek Trail System -- Public Review

There's been a lot of chatter both off and online about the Bragg Creek Trail System and the changes proposed by Alberta Tourism Parks and Recreation.

The plan focuses on the area just west of Bragg Creek that is used primarily for cross-country skiing in winter. However the trails are also used by hikers, cyclists and equestrians throughout the summer, despite the fact there is no official maintenance on the trail system.

The province is looking to further develop this trail system in light of this use, to enhance the trails for summer recreation while protecting the delicate watershed.

The Herald has more: Public invites to review trail plan for Bragg Creek

No matter what your recreation of choice is, odds are you'll want to at least review this plan and make your feelings known to the government. There's only a 60-day review, so don't wait. You can submit feedback at http://www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/consult/braggCreek/default.aspx

There is also more coverage and information online at Greater Bragg Creek Trails Association.

Beyond just the West Bragg Creek plan, there are plenty of opportunities to stay on top of the planning, maintenance and redesign of Alberta's Recreational areas. Visit the Alberta Parks Consultation/Notification site often for information of what projects are currently in discussion.