Another adventure, this one an urban hike, which we did in the depths of winter but you can do anytime. A short “stroll” (for us), follow the Bow River making a loop of sorts where one travels down one side and up the other. Along the way we’re witness to lots of wildlife, including majestic bald eagles, anglers practising their craft, many of them in fact, and countless fine views of the river itself.
If you follow our route, perhaps you’ll see all we did too. It’s a pleasant little jaunt regardless most of it passing through green spaces. The always noisy Deerfoot makes an appearance.
A good start is at Cabrburn Park in the community of Riverbend downstream from the city’s core. Find the main paved pathway heading south. Pass a large pond, then another that during the colder months is used for skating. In summer, these are more a water bird kinda place. Leave the park, hit the street on a sidewalk for a block or two, then enter another green space. Cross over the river at a pedestrian bridge, enter a dog park and turn left (south). Expect to meet many new four-legged friends here.
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Squeeze between a cement plant and the river. Warmer than usual temperatures have kept the water from fully freezing. On our visit both banks were lined wall to wall with ducks and geese.
Pass under busy Deerfoot Trail (we warned you it was coming), right after switchback up a bit to the top of a bluff, backing on a residential neighbourhood, and then less than a click on, drop back down to river level and enter a green space. Cross over to the other bank via a foot bridge and turn left. In this wooded area, a river flat, are some good places to enjoy a lunch break. Fallen trees make good benches. Of course, we break out some wine. Mountains or in-city, we always hike with a bottle (and if friends join us, two)
Look around in the area and maybe you’ll spot a bald eagle. We saw two but both were a bit camera shy. Talking with locals, they often hang out on the tops of the tall evergreens that grow on the opposite bank overlooking the waters, using them as good fish spotting platforms. Human anglers are common here too. Fishing on the Bow, even in town, is always quite good.
Pass under Deerfoot again and enter an open area. Notice all the new houses and condos. Some time ago, this new neighbourhood was once a gravel pit for the cement plant across the river. There used to be a bridge connecting one to the other. To the right is a wooded flood plain.
Before long meet up with that foot bridge you crossed earlier and soon after enter Carburn Park again. We take time to watch the actions in the frozen ponds. The one for skaters is doughnut shaped, with a centre island. Since we passed it the number of people on it has increased greatly. The second pond seems popular with cross-country skiers.
Not ready to call it a day yet, we wander about the park a few times. It’s a busy place but on a warm sunny winter day, no one is in a bad mood. It’s nice to get out!
Ready to call it a day, head for the car, twelve clicks or so
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One aspect of Calgary we really like is the extensive pathways system. There are hundred and hundred of kilometres worth of them, heading to all corners of the city, most of them paved (and some plowed in winter). Many pass through many of the city’s green spaces. We make use of them a lot in winter especially, when we can’t make it to hills for what ever reason. They’re one thing that makes this city a great place. What a wonderful resource.
If you wish more information on this route, by all means contact us!
Date of adventure: January, 2016. Location: Calgary, AB. Distance: 12km. Height gain maximum: 40m. Height gain cumulative: 40m. NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate.
(via Facebook) We did a lot of that on a long ride last summer, when I finally did the Bowness to Fish Creek loop that I’d planned for a while. Winter is more appealing, you should have seen the mud hole the pathway had become under Deerfoot!
The Trolleybuses of Sandon BC (2018) & how they're seen through the eyes of our good friend Byron Robb. More below 👇
These buses all hail from Vancouver BC (which has the last trolley network in Canada) and many came by way of many other Canadian cities. So Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg, who all ended their electric networks in the 1970s. Vancouver bought them and ran then into the '80s or used them for parts to keep their own fleet in service. The buses date from the late 1940s to early 1950s period and that they were brought here saved them from being scrapped.
Stop by the central library in Calgary to see examples of Byron's cubist works of art on display, including his trolleybus photo seen here.
We are heading back to Sandon B.C. in 2025 if it kills us and we have some unfinished business up in the hills. The past is calling and there's so much up there we want to document before it's gone. ______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Pic: 2024. Showing at the Corral-4 Drive In (Calgary's east end) on opening day in March of 1980...below 👇
The Changeling and Piranha on one screen, 1941 and National Lampoon’s Animal House on another, Silent Scream + Search and Destroy on a third, and finally The Jerk and More American Graffiti on the last.
The Corral-4 officially opened that spring although they did some test showings the year before. First and lasts: the first and only multi-screen venue in town. The last drive in to open in Calgary and the last to close.
A big fire in 1999 at an oil recycling plant right next door was its undoing, but it does appear business was on the skids anyway. Talk of them closing was documented even before and we suppose this gave them a good excuse.
Some of the land has reverted back to nature and other sections were used for trailer storage for a time. They were all gone on this visit and the only thing left is this lane guide.
Have Corral-4 memories? Share them in the comments.
2023 Kananaskis Alberta. Ours son's doggie Drea and everyone's best friend on the trail. Say the four magic words "go for a walk" and she'll whine at the door and then make a line for the car. She's been atop mountains, done grueling 25km hikes and thrilled to be in the outdoors. A great hiking companion.
2017 Consul Saskatchewan. The End of the Line RV Park ironically reached the end of the line. Read on below 👇
Consul is the very last town for a long time if you're heading down south to the Montana or west into Alberta from the area. Not that many people choose either route and this is perhaps why the business closed. The road sign says next services 110km (Havre Montana) and 114km (Elkwater AB), respectively.
2020 & 1950s. An old abandoned car & the place on Macleod Trail Calgary where it was sold. Classy sign! More below 👇
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This early '50s Hudson was found on a decommissioned road deep in the Alberta Rockies. Car Strip operated into the 1960s and seemed to move a lot of inventory. They financed everyone!
The building seen in the old photo is still here today and home to a (you guessed it) used car dealer. Check the comments.
Car Strip advertised heavily and had extensive listings of their for sale inventory posted to Calgary papers. We scoured every ad we could find in hopes of seeing this one (it is a rare car, so it would stand out) but it didn't make mention.
Photo credit: unknown. Shout out to: House Of Cars Group. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Great day to be out!
Especially when it’s with you!
(via Facebook)
We did a lot of that on a long ride last summer, when I finally did the Bowness to Fish Creek loop that I’d planned for a while. Winter is more appealing, you should have seen the mud hole the pathway had become under Deerfoot!
Haha, streak up the back time?