Waskahegan Trail Association

Early in the morning, the rain was pounding hard on the roads. For about two seconds we wondered would anyone show up? Well of course they will! Rainy days can have the best hiking conditions: not too hot, always refreshing, and you never know what you're going to see. We started on the trail with eight hikers, and were soon joined by a ninth, and after lunch, a tenth. [ 233 more words. ]

http://waskahegantrail.ca/…/lush-green-and-extraordinary-t…/

Saturday's guided hike is the Hastings North Section, where we'll be having lunch on the lawn at St. Margaret's church, and taking in the Allen Nature Trail. Here's a picture from the Nature Trail taken on Wednesday.

Mosquitoes! Did you know that the Edmonton area has 36 species over 6 genera? Aedes and Ochlerotatus groups are the major ones; the other groups are Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, and Culiseta. It's Culex that carries West Nile Virus.

You can read about their life cycles here

This Wednesday June 22 we worked on a section of Hastings Lake A97 to A95 & Allen Nature Trail - A successful trip for the 8 of us done in less than 3 hours, partly because it is a shorter hike and there is some road. We had the predator brush cutter out for the first time this season and it was marvelous even in the damp grass and brush (Geoff F. [ 65 more words. ]

http://waskahegantrail.ca/…/06/22/maintenance-hastings-lake/

Looking forward to the hike this Sunday - Middle Battle River A62 to A61.
Here's a picture from the past.

We were out with the new trailer for the first time on June 15th, finishing the work started June 8th on the Battle River section from A62 to A61. Most of the trail clearing was done June 8th except for some mowing as you can see in this picture. We built and fixed many boardwalks. More pictures on the Waskahegan Photo Gallery.

http://waskahegantrail.ca/…/16/maintaining-battle-river-tr…/

Even before we got to the trail head, we were challenged. Hwy 16 had construction and after pulling off to make a pit stop at a gas station, we were blocked at every entry to the highway! Eventually we circled around following other lost souls and return to our route only to miss the turnoff! The forecast uncertain us eight hikers endured the rain and the winds! [ 156 more words. ]

http://waskahegantrail.ca/20…/…/13/ross-creek-obstacle-hike/

Have you heard about biophilic cities? It means living with nature everywhere. Or instead of "a park in the city," think "city in a park". Last week, Edmonton officially joined the movement with the announcement of the Edmonton Green Network Strategy.

What other cities have achieved is very inspiring.
http://biophiliccities.org/

Here's another reminder about the hike this Sunday at Ross Creek.

Have you noticed a new author in the Edmonton Journal? Our friends, the Edmonton and Area Land Trust are contributing a regular column to the Life section.

Here is one from May 1.

The trail section on Coal Lake which we had planned to hike this Sunday has so much standing water and mud that we have to omit it.
Now for the good news: remember the Ross Creek hike that was rained out a few weeks ago? We're doing that one instead!
You can read the details here

Just a reminder about the hike on Sunday along Coal Lake. If you plan to meet at the trail head, go to the event at the website and look for directions in the comments.

The long-stalked mouse-eared chickweed (Cerastrium nutans), found at its southern limit, at the Blackfoot Recreation Area. Do not confuse with the introduced and naturallized common chickweed (Stellaria media).
(Ref: "Floristic, Rare Plant, and Vegetation Survey of the Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area Uplands (1997-1998)" by Timoney and Robinson)

Maintenance crews have been working A45 Kjorlein corner to the Water Plant the last two weeks. May 25 a crew of 11 were out; with muggy conditions after all the rain. We built a 2 section boardwalk at the Hughston stopover and did maintenance from the stopover south to the pump house. We managed to haul the makings for a 4 section boardwalk in two trips over many hills and slanted footing with the lake begging for a plunge 1.5km to the site. [ 202 more words. ]

http://waskahegantrail.ca/…/maintenance-at-coal-lake-the-b…/

At last Saturday's hike in Blackfoot Recreation Area, we saw a huge tree taken down by a beaver. The record observed is 46 inches. Here's more about beavers and tree-felling.
http://animals.mom.me/long-beaver-chew-down-tree-11371.html

You can help celebrate the return of migrant songbirds from their wintering grounds by visiting the Beaverhill Bird Observatory for the BIG BIRDING BREAKFAST this Saturday.
http://beaverhillbirds.com/index.php
http://beaverhillbirds.com/images/ruby_crowned_kinglet.jpg

When Irene steps up to lead a hike she has a huge following. She is a hiker's magnet. Thirty-one hikers, from Edmonton, Wetaskawin, Camrose and points in between met up at the Blackfoot Staging Area under cloudy skies after a week of near-constant precipitation. The minute we stepped out of our cars and took in our first breath, we experienced the rich, earthy aromatherapy that always follows a good rain. [ 303 more words. ]

http://waskahegantrail.ca/2016/05/29/blackfoot-staging-area/

Many of us are going to tomorrow's guided hike. The trail head is Blackfoot Staging Area in the Blackfoot Recreation Area. People from Edmonton are carpooling from the Superstore at 51 Ave and Calgary Trail.
http://www.albertaparks.ca/…/d…/blackfoot-lake-staging-area/

Have you ever wondered about the Beaked Hazelnut we run into so often on the trail? Learn more about Corylus cornuta from this U of A fact sheet. https://www.acrre.ualberta.ca/…/ACRREDo…/Corylus_cornuta.pdf