Tag Archives: Edmonton River Valley

Whitemud Ravine with Tom

The return of Tom (to Whitemud Ravine)

What a gorgeous day after yesterday’s rain! Afternoon walk with Tom in Whitemud Ravine south (and parts of north). It’s been a long time since we walked along this trail together. I’ve walked solo a few times in the last year, and a bunch of times with Sharon and Stella, but not Tom. The trail has lots of slippery ups and downs and he doesn’t have microspikes (well, he does, but won’t wear them), so that leaves winter out. The other issue is that the trail is deceptive. We like to get at least 10,000 steps and walking Whitemud Ravine south from one end to the other, with its rolling hills, seems like you’ve put it a lot of steps because it’s a bit of a workout, but it’s only about 8,500. You have to walk into Whitemud Ravine north across the Snow Valley parking lot to get 10,000+ steps. Whatever, it’s a great walk. One of my absolute favourites.

The creek is running high again
From the boardwalk
The difference a few weeks and some rain can make
Whitemud Ravine North ‘hoodoo’
The ‘weird’ bridge over the creek in Whitemud Ravine North
Not sure why this dandelion seed photographed blue

Great to see the creek running high. No mosquitoes yet, at least not mid-afternoon. The wild roses are everywhere. About 90 minutes, 11,476 steps.

Blooooo Sky

Me, after the Prisma app…

I’ve turned into a bit of a blue sky walker. If the sky is blue, I’m walking. If it’s overcast, I’m pouting. Luckily we’ve had a lot of blue sky lately. It’s been beautiful.

A killer view

Saturday, Tom and I went for our usual walk through Glenora and into Ravine Drive. A not uncommon event in our lives, especially in this ridiculously warm weather we’ve been having since mid-December.

Tom and I, Prisma’d

An Edmonton Journal confirmed what I was thinking about this ‘winter’ – that it’s very reminiscent of the winter of 2011/12. It helps to have a walking blog, but during that winter (apparently meteorologists define winter as starting from Dec 1) it was warm and largely snowless, meaning the snow that had previously fallen either disappeared or turned to solid ice.

It’s a dilemma for walking because the sidewalks are clear but many of the streets still have sheets of black ice. Do I wear micro-spikes? On long walks and in the woods, yes. Walking to the store two blocks away? No. Very much like the winter of 2011/12, which along with this year (so far) is one of three warmest winters ever recorded. We did get snow in February and March of 2012 but it stayed relatively warm.

Tom
Thistle (or somethng…)

-2C, 15,021 steps

Golden Gorgeousness

Hello gorgeous!

Yeah, I know I keep posting this particular scene at the old provincial museum, but I think it just really captures the season, whatever the season. Monet had his haystacks, I have this trail. Or something like that.

Groat Road looking south, around 4:15 pm.

I was out at lunch and it was cold and overcast. After work, it was cold and sunny, in a twilighty sort of way. This is probably the last snowless day for a long, long time. -1C.

The turquoise river

Addendum to this post: we got about 25cm of snow between Saturday, November 7 to Monday, November the 9th. It’s full winter now. It happens just like that in this part of the world.

The twilight river

An Hour in MacKinnon Ravine

MacKinnon Ravine crossroads

My cheeks are on fire (upper cheeks) but the gorgeous walk was worth the windburn.

View of the river from MacKinnon Ravine (with bonus water outtake)

Sunny, warm enough (capris/tank top) and as always lately, windy. Oliver 👉 MacKinnon Ravine 👉 142 Street 👉 Ravine Drive 👉 Glenora to pick up Tom 👉 Oliver. About two hours, 18C, 15,609 steps. (The step count includes a brief shopping trip this morning to Michael’s to buy a particular crow which they didn’t have but I did find some candy eyeballs for my Christmas goats so not totally fruitless.) 🌝☀️

From MacKinnon Ravine Bridge

Labour Day Loveliness

Purplely and pleasurable!

Surprise! Another gorgeous after-work walk. 14,488 steps. 24C AND it’s a long weekend!! This will mostly be a photo post. It’s been a long week, and it’s always so rejuvenating to head out after work into the river valley, which is still sporting so much colour.

On my way…
More purplely pleasure!
Yellowy yarrow (I think)
Thickly thistlely I
Thickly thistlely II
The start of MacKinnon Ravine, looking east
MacKinnon Ravine, looking north
Leaves I
Leaves II
Leaves III

Tufted Caterpillar

Party in the front AND the back!

Met a little friend on my after-work walk to Tom’s – a Spotted Tussock Caterpillar, also known as a Woolly Bear Caterpillar also known as a Tufted Teddy Bear Caterpillar! They are not uncommon, but it’s always nice to see one. They look like they would have nice personalities.

Victoria Hill Road area, on the stairs leading into the golf course

My camera, if I use the wide angle setting, can give really interesting effects, but it also distorts on the edge. Trying to get as much green in my photos as possible as we head into Fall. Once again it was windy but it got up to 21C. 11,773 steps.