The air temperature at the start was cool at -2C, but in the sun with a little uphill exertion it was actually quite pleasant- lack of wind helped. There had been a bit of snow overnight which didn't affect the footing but made for a winter wonderland look to the trees:

Brenda and Deb on snow-festooned Long Prairie Ridge

When we got to the west end of Long Prairie Ridge the panorama of snow covered peaks to the west dictated this was the spot for the group picture:


The gang on sunny Long Prairie Ridge

We descended and crossed the highway to head back to Sandy McNabb for a snack break in the sun. Then it was along the interpretive trail to connect with the old road up to the ridge:


Sonja & Deb on the trail to Sandy McNabb Hills

After some muddling about by the coordinator we took the correct junction and headed up to the high point of the west Sandy McNabb Hill:


Joe and Sonja almost at the top

There were clouds starting to bubble up to the west but it remained sunny for us so we descended to an area with lots of logs to sit on for lunch. Afterwards we did the next two hills before turning around and returning to our lunch spot where we headed north on the ski trails to get back to the parking lot. Although the clouds had looked like they were going to thicken, for the most part they bypassed us and we finished in sunshine at a little after 2pm.

The ride home required navigating the shady hill just east of the High Noon Hills which had been quite icy in the morning; there wasn't much improvement in the afternoon but if you didn't touch the brake it was fine. Just past Anchor-D ranch it was round-up time for the cattle that had been on the summer grazing leases and they were beside and on the road which made for slow going for a half kilometre as the cows would mosey across the highway at random intervals:

Pure Alberta: Round up time in the Sheep River area

Moseying alongside the highway

Thanks to an excellent and lively group who enjoyed getting out in the foothills on a glorious sunny day: Participants: Rosanne, Philip, Joe, Ron C/S/P, Barbara (photos), Brenda, Sheila, Douglas, David, Inge, John, Sonja, Lenard, Deb and Kate on her first Rambler hike- Welcome!

fauna report: mostly cows but John claimed a sighting of two moose on the drive west from Turner Valley, others saw one of them.

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