Fri, Sep 16 2005, Sat, Sep 17 2005, Sun, Sep 18 2005, Mon, Sep 19 2005 - Hiking Weekend in Nordegg (View Original Event Details)
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The Second Annual Nordegg-Goldeye Lodge hiking trip was off to a shaky start, when the original coordinator had to be replaced. The original coordinator fell down and injured a finger, however Glenn soon volunteered to take the trip over. Carpools were arranged for the 7 Calgary hikers and on Friday afternoon Josh and I were on our way out up Highway 22 via Cochrane to Nordegg. A trip through rural Alberta.
We were the first to arrive at 5pm, just over a 310km drive, and a few kilometers west of Nordegg town site. Goldeye had considerable accommodation, about 6 squared timber dorms, meant to hold considerable numbers of summer campers, but it was nearly deserted this time of year. The other 2 hikers were traveling separately from Edmonton, and arrived later in the evening. Merridy and Glenn provided the guitar entertainment in the rec. room/cafeteria.
On Saturday, after the provided breakfast and a slow start, we carpooled to Nordegg and parked at the information center. The destination was an abandoned mine and Glenn's tour book took us from the Nordegg cemetery through a maze of cut lines, under a railway trestle and onto the level 12 mine road. The road went past several abandoned coalmine sites onto an access road to the AGT tower, our lunch stop. So far the weather was perfect and we had a valley wide view on the way up. The aspens had turned yellow and some snow patches from last weeks storm lingered. The AGT tower was as far as we traveled on this hike up and on the way down encountered 2 hunters on ATV's, elk hunting. Another reminder, along with the absence of trail signs, that this was no National Park. A few ruined mine related buildings remained near Nordegg. Returning down the road the ATV's came up we became slightly disoriented, a mystery since we were now hiking on streets with street signs and fire hydrants, but no houses. One suggestion was this was a new subdivision, actually it was the opposite, an old one with all the houses removed. Following the general compass heading of north and the pavement, we found Nordegg again. We crossed a removed rail line but it had signs posted on it. Could this be where the mountain bikers came from which we later saw in Nordegg, or was mt. biking also banned on the old rail line? We returned to Goldeye for a turkey dinner and a few late night hours for some in the hot tub, which rumor had was an extra $40 charge.
Sunday, another slightly late start, and this time a half day hike around Fish Lake, between Goldeye and Nordegg, with Glenn receiving football scores by cell phone. Lunch in the Parking lot at the picnic tables. A short detour on the way back by my vehicle to Shunda Creek hostel, another potential accommodation site. The afternoon at Goldeye was spent lying on the dock in the sun and canoeing on the lake. A final lasagna dinner and Merridy, Glenn and An left, followed by Stephanie later that evening.
Monday morning and Deanna left at 7:30 for a Calgary appointment. Josh and I left in one car, and Gwen and Gia shortly after. Our drive through the Park west showed that winter was definitely coming, and the rain was continuous through the park.
Goldeye Princess award to the female hiker who had her own dorm
Goldeye Hot Tub Entertainer award to Josh
Goldeye Entertainment award to Glenn and Merridy for guitar playing.
-- Harry