When we left Calgary, the weather was dark, grim & unforgiving, with an occasional wisp of wet snow. When we started from the trailhead at 10:10AM, the sky started to clear. We found a more attractive, gradual & direct way to get onto the Long Prairie Ridge, leading us to great views sooner, with the front ranges covered by wisps of clouds. We surprised a coyote less than 15m from us, who scurried away too fast to capture in a picture. Shortly after that we saw a large flok of waxbirds, chirping away in the aspen canopy. The sun was nice and warm during our snack-break below Long Prairie Ridge. We had lunch at 1:10PM on the summit of Sandy McNabb Hills, enjoying the view and sun. Cornelis e-mailed a picture directly to the office, using his new Black Berry (another useful gadget??).


Cornelis enjoying the veiw on Sandy McNabb Hill

Cornelis, Kim, Gerard, Sheila, Kathy and Mario on Sandy McNabb Hill (1520m altitude)

The Front Ranges West of Sandy McNabb Hill

As we packed up to go home, clouds moved in from the West. By the time we reached the car at 2:20PM, "styropore" snow-granules started to fall from a lead-grey sky. We had used the complete "sunny window" of the day! Driving back we saw a heard of approximately 100 elk, south of the road leading to Turner Valley.

Participants: Gerard, Kim, Kathy, Mario, Sheila, Cornelis (Coordinator, pictures & scribe).

Trip Statistics: An easy trip, 11.5km, 115m effective elevation gain 430m total elevation gain.