Fri, Jan 13 2006, Sat, Jan 14 2006, Sun, Jan 15 2006 - Hiking Weekend in Nordegg (View Original Event Details)
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Beatniq Goldeye Ramblins
Driving in the dark…. into the heart… of Nordegg
Gold Eye sure wasn’t dry. Foosball. Boozehall. Shuffleboard. Fireside.
The Matrix babe wagon. Jamiroqai. I’m braggin’.
Two Euro-foxes. Two homegrown vixens.
All pushin’ the minivan that inexplicably went ditchin’.
Short haul to the waterfall. Don’t fall off that cliff wall!
Trail mix. Jerkey. (Some of it turkey.)
The neon hiker was a beacon.
And a warning to blurry eyed hunters.
Ice rink. Pickup game. Wasn’t tame.
Tho’ the biggest tumbles were self inflicted.
Dang ruts. Skipping pucks.
Goalies. Follies.
Alvin’s “Ten” on his rear end.
Rhonda as Ronaldo.
Kick that ball. Kick. Kick.
Hot tub trickery to make more room.
Climb a tree and a reward there will be.
A special “cup.”
But first embrace the cheese-grater bark. Embark. Embark.
The troubadors played over the crackling fire.
But when they retired, one was voted of the island.
For “singing” too loud in his sleep.
Mushroom in full bloom.
Avoided a lost key tragedy.
We weren’t hiking on thin ice, but it did growl at us… to watch our step.
Respect. Respect.
Good friends. The end.
Ta ta for now.
See you next Tuesday!
daveneuf
What a fantastic weekend! I met so many great people who I look forward to seeing again on future events.
Some of my highlights:
-Great carpool companions, thanks Dave and Wendy!
-The beautiful views of the canyon on the hike.
-The cut-throat hockey game on icers with beer in one hand and a stick in the other.
-What Ian would do to be part of the first annual COC "cup".
-The sounds coming from the ice on Sunday that made the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
Kudos to the staff at Goldeye who kept us well-fed, entertained and did an overall excellent job.
See you next Tuesday! (Or at the next trip to Goldeye)
- Jess.
Wow this excursion comprised of 31 people with various backgrounds and age levels. It was a bit overwhelming because in September there were only 9 of us.
The weather on Saturday January 14th was fabulous. It was like hiking on a warm fall day. I wore too many layers and thus proceeded to strip along the ridge of the Big Horn Canyon. The warmth also prompted Sam to offer to show her girls to Glenn. For some reason, Glenn seemed to need some encouragement to strive on!! In the forested areas where the sun was shielded, I was able to find my way easily by following the fluorescence of Maryanne. Icers were a good idea. Even though there may have been only two-three icy patches along the hiking trail, I witnessed two slippages that could have resulted in significant injuries. Highly recommend the icers from Lee Valley (like everyone else!)
The play on words was the highlight of the two evenings for those who did not have the gumption to partake in the high energy activities. It was hard to listen to other’s stories when the volume in the mess hall was on maximum. Therefore, those of us who wanted to sit around and quietly chitchat went to the common room in the hotel. Dirty talk kept the conversations funny and interesting and we sat up for hours talking about Gwen’s sex life (or lack thereof), what you could have “eaten”, Glenn’s sausage, Gio’s “Latins and Laces”, etc.
In all I had a wonderful time and will sign up again. I’ll most likely be known as the Nordegg girl since the Nordegg outings are probably the only COC activities I am able to sign up for. Who knows you may see me again on some hiking trail or social event.
- Gio
Hike One: Cresent Falls
We started off on the Bighorn Canyon/Crest Falls hike. An easy to moderate stroll along the edge of an incredible canyon under the skilled guidance of Marg Meisner. The view of the walls and depths of the canyon were amaising. The Cresent Falls could be seen shortly before the end of the hike from high up on the Canyon edge cascading over the edge of two creasent-shaped cliffs. The falls were nearly covered in a sheat of ice making it look like they were suspended in time until spring.
Upon reach the falls the majority of the group headed back to Goldeneye for some skating, hot tub action and general hanging around. Five of us, myself, Charls The Colonel (Actually an Owner of WestJet), Lisette, Jenny and Allison decided to head for the upper falls a further four km up the trail.
The trail from this point was much flater and the valley was wide and open. The hike was relatively uneventfull and the upper falls were not nearly as spectacular however the scenery was beutifull and we welcomed the added exercise and fresh air. After having lunch at the upper falls we returned the same way to the Goldeneye.
Hike 2: Baldy Lookout
Wanting a bit more chanllanging hike than the proposed Fish Lake route Charles the Colonel, Lisette, Susan, Cam, and myself decided to do the 8km long 450m Baldy Lookout. Not to be confused with the Mt. Baldy scramble at Barrier lake or Old Baldy on Highway 1 near Banff and Canmore.
The hike quickly turned into a 10km 500m hike as the road was not maintained and we couldn't drive all the way in due to the snow. However, we went anyways.
This hike amounted to a steep climb up an old fire road to a lookout on the bald summit of the mountain. I judge that about 350m of the hike was over the first 2.0km while the last 150m was over the last 3. The lookout was also accompanied by several large broadcasting towers which destroyed any perception of being in the wilderness, however the view of the nearby Rocky Mountains was incredible.
From the mountain we returned quickly (as the trail was very steep) to our cars and headed for home.
- Steve
My group (me, Samantha, Jana and Shaun) got in quite late (about 10:30), and found everyone else already in full-on party mode. Had a great evening talking & sharing a few drinks. I went to bed eventually, and was just about asleep when the human buzz-saw (aka Glenn) came in and instantly fell asleep. After listening to him shake the walls for an hour or so I grabbed my sleeping bag and took posession of the couch in the common room. Had a great sleep there, except for the tick-Tick-TICK of the clock over the door! ;o)
While some folks headed off in the morning for a "real" hike, a few others of us decided to take it a little easier. Rhonda, myself and a few others lazed around until noon, then did a nice little walk around Goldeye Lake. Saw a few Killer Grouse, and did a bit of walking on the lake. We realized that it was smooth enough for skating, and so planned to come back later that evening for a Wine & Cheese skating party. Instead, it just suddenly happened that everybody headed for the lake in mid-afternoon, after the energetic types had gotten back & relaxed for a bit. What followed was a couple of hours of no-rules hockey, followed by some ice soccer (complete with beer in hand!). A few of us managed to wipe out spectacularly, though with only minor injuries! (Me, Margaret & Alvin all hit the deck pretty hard!)
After the REAL hockey nobody seemed in the mood for floor hockey, so no "drunken hockey" in the indoor arena. Just as well, because I for one was totally beat! Instead a bunch of folks hung out in the lodge drinking, singing, guitar playing etc. Others hung out in the hot tub. (stories of rampant debauchery abound, but I'll edit them to protect the guilty) Yet another group of us stayed in the cabin common room and told stories over a few drinks, trying to avoid the worst of the calamities going on elsewhere. The night ended with a very relaxing and peaceful sleep, as Glenn had been "voted off the island" by the rest of his room-mates.
Sunday came all too soon, and after a good breakfast most of us headed for Fish Lake just a few miles away. Others headed out on another "real" hike. Apparently those who hadn't partied TOO hard the night before! We had a fun-filled walk around the lake, on the ice pretty much the whole way. Got to see some very exciting logs under the ice! Wooo... ;o) We were all a bit spooked when, about 3/4 the way around the lake, the ice started booming. Strangest sound you've ever heard, quite low & a bit scary when you realize it's the ice under you shifting! Afterwards we all headed out, with Rhonda's carload heading west to the Icefields Parkway and the rest of us going into Rocky Mountain House for a good lunch. Then off home. A wonderful weekend, just over too soon!
- Joel
Personally I was quite disappointed with my drinking performance. I believe I had no drinks on Friday and 4 drinks on Saturday, and I was in bed (alone!!) by 11pm. Oh no wait, I did have someone in my bed on Friday "winkwinkSibel".
It was a very relaxing weekend for me and I was thrilled to see my Calgary friends, and the sun (I've been spending alot of time indoors)
Highlights for me were exploring the lake, the hockey game and just being outside and catching up with friends and the COC.
I will definitely be leading more events to Nordegg, so watch for them!
-Steph
Friday: Arriving just in time for dinner, seeing old friends and new faces, followed by conversation by the fire and rousing games of ping pong and foosball. Trying out the hot tub, and winding down with more chatting by the fire.
Saturday: Sleeping through the alarm (though the rest of the room didn't!), trying to find the right parking spot for hiking, nice hike along the canyon to a beautiful frozen waterfall, Fozzie dropping chunks of ice creating a thunderous roar through the canyon, human curling using the Colonel as the "rock", hearing stories later about a name being written in the snow. Quiet time, beer run to the Beer Cabin, more fireside conversation, lake hockey and skating (a few sore bums!), dinner, hot tub, foot and back rubs, Chip and Mushroom doing barefoot beer runs, the teachers trying to prunify themselves, Glenn and Merridy providing nice music, Glenn being voted off the island, sleep….
Sunday: Lost keys, re-arranging carpool, another adventure finding the hiking spot – Mount Baldy Fire Lookout - for those that did party too hard the night before! Moving *obstacles* out of the way to get up the road, making it about 1 km away from the gate (and the start of the hike) before there was too much snow on the road to continue on. Beautiful blue sky, brisk wind, clear 360 degree view of the David Thompson Highway area, running down, snow angel. A definite summer do-over hike!
And a last note to remember - those who complain the loudest about snorers - snore the loudest!
- Susan
What an awesome weekend! Made it Friday night for dinner and to teach Glenn a lesson at Ping Pong! Spent some time in the hot tub, which was still sanitary that night.
On Saturday we went to the canyon of course, but 5 of us made it to the upper falls. We could have used our snowshoes as we cross sections of 10-15cm of snow. The upper fall wasn’t that impressive but it was a nice hike. Next is the highlight of my weekend, skating and playing hockey on the lake. I haven’t done it in a long time and it was just amazing. I even got a purple knee to remind me how great it was! We won the game with a great game from Steph in net and a goal from Allison in 3rd overtime. The best fall goes to Alvin! Hope you were not hurting too bad on Sunday, but again that was a 10! I haven’t seen somebody hit the ice like that in a while, but a least you kicked that ball pretty good. Saturday night was spent doing the next best thing after hockey: drinking beer! Things stayed in control for most of us, I say for most of us… right Kevin!
Even if it was hard to wake-up on Sunday, our room managed to make it for the breakfast. After that, we went off-road to get to Baldy Lookout. The view was amazing, you could enjoy the mountains, the prairies on the others side and tiny Fish lake! It took us about 1h30 to get up and 40mins to get down. I went back home with Sibel and Susan. We stopped at McDonald’s for a quickie.
- Charles
The highlights of the weekend for me were the fantastic views of Bighorn(?) Canyon on the Saturday hike, the great setting of the Goldeye Centre, my 3 great roomies & sleeping on the top bunk for the first time in many years.
- Wendy
Road Trip!! One of my favorite things about this weekend was the road trip with Harry and Marg. We set off on Friday afternoon and putt-putted our way up the 22, enjoying the scenery and the small towns as we went, including a stop in Sundre for coffee and banana bread. For the return trip, we went west from Nordegg to the Icefields Parkway and enjoyed some absolutely BREATHTAKING scenery along the way... the area had quite a bit of snow, and the sky was clear and blue with some perky clouds to keep it interesting. I was babying my back all weekend, so I stuck with easy hikes both days.
-- Rhonda
My weekend away to Nordegg was fantastic! I had such a great time and got to know quite a few members. Ian came to pick me up and almost killed my racing out of Bowness to pick up Alanah. We then made a mad dash to pick up Marta where Ian had drop her to get groceries and booze. Then we were off!!!! In search of the gas station to fuel up, not any of the 12 gas stations we passed but the well hidden Superstore gas station in Country Hills.
Finally we hit the highway Marta and I cozied up in the back while Alanah kept Ian entertained. We did have a small set back, as there was a roll over on the highway. Yikes! We finally arrived around 7 pm and raced to the cabins to snag the last of the beds! HA HA HA As we were unloading we heard a loud CRACK!!!! Is your car ok Lissette? Then we scarfed down some lasagna and visited with the others. After a little fooz ball and ping pon then a few of us hit the hot tub. Sibel in her CFM boots was the talk of the night! Very hot! There was nothing but good clean fun happening in the hot tub despite what some of the pictures may appear to reveal. "what happens in the hot tub.......stays in the hot tub!" I think it was about 1 am when I decided to call it a night.
The next day we were up in time for "camp breakfast" and a then large group of us headed out for a nice hike. I was in the first vehicle out and it took a little while to find the trailhead but we backtracked and found the spot. Yes my gear was quite bright and miss matched and I will forever be known as "the neon hiker". I am quite proud of my $5 ski jacket and $4 pants. Ok they were a little more than Jess’s "fifty cent pant" but still one heck of a deal! And we all love a good bargain! Right Kevin? I don't think I could work the sales person at the Thrift store like you did the gal at Eddie Bower. The hike was beautiful and we had some great views, tantalizing, tantalizing, titillating???? I was not the one carrying the info sheet. After the hike we went for a beer run to "the cutest lil' liquor store ever" and it's not just a clever name it actually IS the cutest lil' liquor store ever! Thanks to Kevin for hauling us out there : ) Although I think he may want to thank us....how often do you see one guy with a truck load of girls in the middle of the day downtown Nordegg??? Back to the cabins for some beers, some played hockey (sorry I missed that) and I was with the lounging group. After supper there was some more hot tubbin'. Ian I really hope, for your sake, that my camera was able to capture your dare. Ouch! That has got to hurt! More hanging in the lodge....I also missed out on the Karaoke fun (AW!) but caught some of the guitar playin'. Off to bed around 1:30 ish.
Sunday morning a large group of us did a nice easy walk around the lake, made a new friend "yellow dog" and there was even a small tailgate party. My car pool pals and I went back to get Marta then we headed to Rocky to meet a few other for lunch at BP's. Allanah captured the attention of a much younger man and we shared pics on some of the cameras. I was unable to share my pics because they seem to be stuck inside or something??? My camera does not show pretty pictures on the backside. What is up with that? Oh right I am stuck in a time warp with my 1984 neon jacket and snowpants and my 35 mm camera. Well it is a good thing my camera got wet and quite possibly ruined because Ralph is now buying me a new camera! Sorry, but the jacket stays!
A great time. "I soooooo needed that!"
"See you next Tuesday!"
- Maryanne
My most memorable parts of the weekend:
A couple of car loads of us pushing Ian out of the ditch (I guess the mini van doesn't handle off road too well)
The scenic canyon on the Crescent Falls hike on a beautiful day
Some "intense" shooter pouring
Hot tob antics o' plenty
Jessica's traumatic experiences over the weekend (hope you've recovered)
The great facility at Goldeye and a walk around the lake
The road trip back with Glenn, Sam and barely an inch to spare in my car...yet room enough for the rum
My lovely roomates Steph, Sibel...and Kevin
Lots of great people and loads of fun
- Merridy