Bernie's Report - July 21, 2003

Cedar Bowl Walk

We had planned to hike up to Polar Peak today, but Fernie has been in the grips of a warm spell� (daytime highs in the mid 30s C) so we opted for a morning walk in the woods. It turned into a 3 hour jaunt from our place, up the bike trails north of the ski hill into the base of Cedar bowl and back down the Cedar trail. The route follow the yellow dots on the map� more or less counter-clockwise starting on trail 53 (The Hobbit�s Trail). Ben, our yellow Lab, was very excited. It is the first time we have taken him hiking since his knee surgery last month.

From the trail head behind our place on Boomerag Way, the trail meanders gradually uphill through a open wooded area that was cut for lumber about 20 years ago and into a fairly dense (i.e. shaded and cool) forest. Before coming out into the meadows at the base of Cedar Bowl. Many of the bike trails are named. We hiked up, Happy Gilmar, Old Goat and Mega-Hurts before following the View Trail past the base of the Haul Back T-bar. After passing the T-bar the road divides. We stayed to the left and looped around through Cedar Bowl back to Confusion Corner. This corner is well signed and there are signs which direct you back toward the Base Area on the Cedar Trail. We followed this route to a bike trail called Honey Bee and proceeded down it to return to the house.

This was a nice relaxed 3 hour stroll compared to last weeks 3 Sisters hike. There is an extensive network of trails in the area we hiked today, between the ski hill and the Fernie Provincial Park campground. The Fernie Trail Guide (part of which is displayed) has all of these trails depicted. It is available at most of the sports stores and coffee shops around town.

Bernie - bernie@far.redtree.com