A real gem of a coulee hidden in the northwestern suburbs, 12 Mile Coulee winds down from the district of Tuscany towards the Bow valley above the Stoney Trail bridge. It was a blustery day, but down in the coulee it was mild and protected, with the wind moaning on the prairie and city above. There were several lovely sandstone outcroppings, prairie grass on the eastern side and aspen and spruce on the shady side. Down in the lower part of the coulee there was no sign of the nearby city, and you could believe you were out in the foothills. The mountains to the west were wreathed in wind blown cloud, a harbinger, we hope, of skiing to come. Moose Mountain stood prominently on the horizon, showing a less familiar profile from this angle. It was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon, despite treacherous footing on glazed ice and slippery mud. Everybody made it all the way without falling down, at least until the very end. We had three canine mascots.Participants (not counting Alastair Sinclair, who met us near the end of the trip): Madeleine Mangels, Ron Hunter, Barara Mitchell, Ron Mason, Marian Gadostik, Ken Watson, Damian Gannon, Anne Moran, Dorothy-Ann, Marianne Reid, Dick and Marg Lowndes, Jay and Frank Reed, Dave Ladouceur, Arma Flamand, Dorothy Valgardson, Karel Silovsky, Caroline Potter and Carl Potter (co-ordinator and scribe).

Photos: long line of Ramblers in the coulee; sandstone formations in the coulee