Sat, Feb 6 2010 - Elk Island Snowshoe (View Original Event Details)
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It sure didn't seem quite that long when we did it as a summer hike!
15 people met at Belvedere station and carpooled out to the Shirley lake trailhead. Our trip to Elk Island started off well - -20C in the morning with traces of fog, but the sun came out and it warmed up through the day. We set out at a fair pace, and after a couple of hours reached the Oster lake campground where we stopped for a break. We spotted a herd of Plains bison on the far side of Shirley Lake, but never got too close. There were a number of cross country skiers on the trail and we tried to stay off their set tracks.
Somehow, what had been a brisk little 2.5 hour jaunt in the summertime turned into a marathon! We left at 10:45 and didn't make it back to the parking lot until around 2:30. Allowing a quarter hour for our break, the whole hike took 3.5 hours for a 10.5 km trail. By the last few kilometers feet were dragging, and the parking lot trailhead was greeted with a few cheers.
Thanks for coming out, everyone. I know it was a tough slog at the
end, but congratulations for sticking it out. Maybe we'll try
something a bit shorter next time.
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