Sixth Annual Christmas Tree Hunt

Trip Date: November 2017

This year marked Cooper's first Christmas and thus his first Christmas Tree Hunt. Christine and I were both really looking forward to having him along on this adventure and for many more years to come! For our sixth annual Christmas Tree Hunt we decided to try a new location. Instead of waiting until the calendar flipped to December we opted to go out the last weekend in November as those dates worked best for everyone. Due to the earlier than normal departure we were able to access some terrain that is typically closed at the beginning of December each year. Powder Face Trail, which is located in the Elbow River Cutting Area, is closed annually from December 1st to May 15th, so we'd never searched for trees along that road before. The gamble paid off handsomely as everyone managed to find gorgeous trees this year. In fact I think this year's trees were easily the best looking than all the previous years combined! There were even some rumblings of hunting in late November next year as well to ensure similar trees could be obtained.

Cooper's first Christmas Tree Hunt

This year's tree was a real beauty!

This little family photo actually made our Christmas Card this year

Playing around with my GoPro to get this action shot of me harvesting the tree

As with previous years the weather was fantastic and there was even some snow on the ground, which made the outing all the more festive. The day wouldn't be complete without the customary bonfire after the trees were harvested. This year we opted to try Dawson Provincial Recreation Area and it suited our needs just fine. The day-use sites were well-equipped with picnic tables and fire pits and the out-houses were unlocked and clean. It was the perfect way to cap-off our annual tradition and we were all looking forward to the after-party, being hosted by Ben and Jess this year.

Time for a bonfire

Me and my little man!

All that fresh air tuckered him out

Good-looking crew for this year's adventure

Helping dad set-up the tree

The 2017 edition of our tree after being decorated

If you're looking to start a new tradition of harvesting your own Christmas Tree please refer to my previous post, Searching For The Perfect Tree, for all the details on how to obtain a permit. I'm already looking forward to next year's adventure!

Fifth Annual Christmas Tree Hunt

Trip Date: December 2016

It's hard to believe our annual tradition of cutting down our own Christmas Trees has reached the five-year mark already. I won't bore you with all the permitting information again, but if you'd like more info about how to get your own permit please visit my previous post titled, The Search For The Perfect Tree. We ended up back in the same area as last year, but that was on purpose. We remember seeing several good looking trees after cutting ours down so we wanted to see if they were still out there. Plus the Sibbald Lake Day-Use Area is perfect for the post-hunt bonfire.

We lucked out with another gorgeous day with the exception of a strong wind. We geared up on the side of the road and headed into the bush in search of the perfect tree. Christine and I were the first ones to find ours this year and it was likely the fullest tree we'd found to date.

What this year's tree lacked in height it made up for in fullness!

Christine and I with our Christmas Tree

After all the trees had been cut (in record time I might add) we headed over to Sibbald Lake for lunch cooked over a bonfire. As soon as the food was pulled out about five Whiskey Jacks, also known as Gray Jays, appeared as if from nowhere. The newly anointed National Bird of Canada waited patiently up in the trees until there was unattended food available.

Whiskey Jack

Gray Jay

Devin and Gabe playing outside

As you can see Kola is built for the outdoors!

The end of another successful hunt

The fully decorated tree looks pretty good in our living room

I'm so glad this has become an annual tradition and I don't see it stopping anytime soon. Until next year...

Fourth Annual Christmas Tree Hunt

Trip Date: December 2015

Although we got a bit of a later start this year (we didn't head out until the second week in December) our annual Christmas Tree hunt was another successful one. Previously we had always gone to the Ghost Area for our trees, but this year we wanted to stay a little closer to home so we headed to the Elbow River Area, which is still in the South Saskatchewan Region for provincial tree cutting permits. You can read all about last year's successful hunt right here.

It was a beautiful blue-sky morning as we drove west from Calgary along the Trans-Canada Highway.  We were heading for Highway 40 in Kananaskis Country so we could work our way back towards Calgary along Highway 68 (Sibbald Lake Trail).  This stretch of secondary highway is roughly the northern border of the Elbow River tree-cutting area, so we were hoping to find the perfect trees along this section of gravel road.  It didn't take long before we found a decent stand of evergreens, so we parked along the road, geared up, and began walking.  

Rome loves this day just as much as we do!

There were five families participating in this year's hunt and all of us were able to find great trees relatively close together.  I even got to try out my new chainsaw, which made quick work of the tree trunk!  

Pretty excited to try my new toy!

Selfie in front of this year's tree

Cutting through that tree trunk like butter!

Success! Now it's time to carry it back to the truck.

After the trees were all loaded we made our way to Sibbald Lake Recreation Area where we had a bon fire in the day-use area.  Almost as soon as we brought out the food the Whiskey Jacks started showing up.  There were four or five of them flying around from tree to tree, hoping to steal something when one of us had our back turned.  

Gray Jay aka Whiskey Jack

Casually watching our table for unguarded food!

Whiskey Jack

We couldn't have asked for better weather again this year.  I'm really happy that this is something we plan weeks in advance to ensure that everyone is able to attend (thanks Ashley for your role in this!!).  After our bellies were full we piled into the vehicles and headed back to the city to drop off the trees.  Once again Ryan and Ashley played host in the evening for dinner, drinks, and way too many baked goodies.  Thanks again to everyone that took part in a wonderful day outside.  I'm already looking forward to next year!

Group photo at Sibbald Lake

The Christmas Tree in our living room

If you're looking for more details on how to cut down your own Christmas Tree next winter, please refer to this story I wrote for the Calgary Guardian titled, The Search For The Perfect Tree.  

Third Annual Christmas Tree Hunt

Trip Date: December 2014

December 2014 marked the third year in a row that we searched for and cut down our own Christmas Trees.  You can read about our previous trips here and here.  This year's event was special because it was Gabe's and Devin's (and Dan's) first time out.  Our group grew exponentially from the first two years as we welcomed nine additional people (and one additional dog) to our hunting party.  Like years past, we headed out to the Ghost Area in the Southern Rockies Region, but searched in a different spot.  It paid off as we all found our perfect tree in a relatively short amount of time.  Remember any Alberta resident can harvest their own Christmas Tree, all you need is a $5.00 Tree Cutting Permit from Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development.  

The ridge that overlooks the Ghost Valley

The tree hunting crew for 2014

We all parked on the ridge overlooking the Ghost Valley that featured amazing views of the Rocky Mountains.  We lit a bon fire that was used to cook lunch before setting off to search for our trees.  The weather couldn't have been better as it hovered around 0°C throughout the day, which was perfect for the newest, and youngest, members of our group.

Christine cutting down our tree

Our 2014 Christmas Tree

Rome and Murphy in a total standoff!

Another great outing

As usual, Ryan and Ashley played host to our Christmas Tree after-party.  It's always a great way to wrap-up a perfect day outside.  

Rocky Mountains

I wrote a brief story for Calgary is Awesome that outlines how to harvest your own tree if you've never done it before.  The story, titled The Search for the Perfect Tree, was published on their blog in late November 2014.

Second Annual Christmas Tree Hunt

Trip Date: November 2013

On the last day of November seven of us ventured into the Ghost wilderness in search of this year's elusive Christmas Tree.  2013 marked the second year in a row that we searched out and cut down our very own trees.  This is an option for anybody living in Alberta.  All you need to do is purchase a permit from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and you are allowed to cut down up to three Christmas Trees that are under a specified height.  If you'd like to read about last year's hunt, I briefly mentioned it in my previous post about the Ghost Valley.  

Driving down the rough Trans-Alta Road into the Ghost

We couldn't have asked for better weather for our day in the wilderness.  The sun was shining and the temperature was somewhere between 0° and +5°.  After cooking up some pizza pops and smokies over a roaring bon fire the hunt began!  There was bushwacking, creek crossings, and a lot of searching for that perfect tree.  Come see for yourself...

Ben and Jess cutting down their tree after a soggy walk through a partially frozen wetland!

It was worth it!

While walking back to the trail after Ben and Jess got their tree, Christine spotted this beauty

It became our Christmas Tree for the holiday season!

Nath was rolling solo on the day, but had no problems cutting down their tree!

The perfect sized tree for their condo

Last, but definitely not least, were Ryan and Ashley who also found a great looking tree this year

The tree hunting crew.  We even managed to squeeze Dan in for the group photo!

Another year and another good day outside with great friends.  We capped the day off with a little soiree at Ryan and Ashley's place, where the laughs and good times just kept coming.  It would seem that everyone is pretty excited that this has now become an annual tradition for us and I would hope it continues for years to come!

Our tree fit perfectly in our living room.  It's just waiting to be decorated.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I wrote a brief story for Calgary is Awesome that outlines how to harvest your own tree if you've never done it before.  The story, titled The Search for the Perfect Tree, was published on their blog in late November 2014.

Ghost Valley

Trip Dates: November 2006 to Present

The Ghost Valley is a very special place.  Not only is it basically the backyard for my workplace, but it is also a place that is filled with legends and lore that date back centuries!  The Ghost Valley is a world famous rock and ice climbing destination.  I am not a climber, but I have been fortunate enough to have spent time there both with work and without, and it's a place I hope to continue to frequent in the future.  I have written about the Ghost in previous posts (see Hoodoo Hall and Black Rock Mountain), but never in as much detail as you will find here.  

The Ghost Valley is located within the Ghost Public Land Use Zone (PLUZ), formerly known as Forest Land Use Zones (FLUZ).  The Ghost PLUZ is an area of 1,500 square kilometers and was established in the spring of 2006.  It is one of 19 PLUZs within the province of Alberta.  The Ghost PLUZ is situated beside Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park and Banff National Park, and is close to the Ghost River Wilderness Area.  

The Ghost PLUZ and surrounding parks

As mentioned above, this area of the province is rich with history.  The first recorded visit was by Sir George Simpson, the governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, but had been used for many years by various First Nation tribes before European explorers arrived.  Kootenai warriors from British Columbia used Devil's Gap, a prominent valley between the peaks of Phantom Cragg and Orient Point as an entry point to the prairies to hunt bison.  The name "Ghost" was first recorded by Dr. James Hector, a surgeon on the Palliser Expedition.  The name was in reference to a Stoney legend that talks of ghosts walking along the river collecting the skulls of defeated warriors after doing battle with the Cree.  The legend continues, saying that these ghosts took the skulls and hid them on the steep walls of nearby Devil's Head.  Other legends state that First Nations people in the area named the mountain Devil's Head out of fear and would make offerings on its ledges to appease its spirit.  Prominent flat-topped mountains that resemble large heads from a distance, such as Devil's Head, were believed to be inhabited by spirits.  Reports also exist that there are numerous Indian graves located along the banks of the Ghost River.  Sir James Hector even mentions that the woods on the top of Deadman Hill, located between the Ghost and Bow Rivers, are actually one big burial ground.

Devil's Head was also useful as a signpost.  First Nations and Europeans alike used highly visible mountains with unique features as a means of navigation.  Prior to the more southerly Bow River Valley being used as the preferred access to the Rocky Mountains, Devil's Gap and the Ghost Valley were the main channels to Lake Minnewanka and the Banff area.  As you can see, the names of rivers, mountains, and valleys in the area all pay homage to the "Ghost" name.  Today that tradition continues with local climbers.  Beowulf, Dead Bird, Phantom Falls, Silver-Tongued Devil, and Werewolf Waltz are but a short list of popular rock and ice climbs within the area that stick to the ghostly theme!

The Ghost Valley with some of the prominent features highlighted

The following pictures are a collection from the times I have spent in and around the valley.  Some of the pictures were taken while I was working and others are from personal trips with good friends.  I would highly recommend exploring the Ghost Valley and surrounding wilderness on your own sometime, if you haven't already done so.  If you haven't been there yet, I hope the pictures below will inspire you to see it in person.  

A perfect day to explore the Ghost Valley is when eerie clouds shroud the peaks, giving them a ghostly appearance

Phantom Cragg

We spotted these bear claw markings on this Poplar Tree while hiking with the students

Due to their height above the ground we concluded they were probably Black Bear markings

Devil's Gap with Phantom Cragg in the background.  We were hiking up to a popular ice climb known as Wicked Wanda.  This was in June so it would just be a waterfall today, no ice.

Getting a little wet beneath the falls

When frozen this becomes Wicked Wanda!

The Ghost River flowing through Devil's Gap

A ghostly mountain silhouette

Along the Trans-Alta Road into the Ghost Valley are a few cut-blocks.  Someone with a chainsaw and some artistic ability carved this totem pole and left it amongst the deadfall.

We found this Black Bear track in the sandy soil along a flooded Ghost River in 2012

A flooded Ghost River flows through the Ghost Valley with Phantom Cragg in the background

Orient Point

Devil's Gap with Orient Point on the left and Phantom Cragg on the right

Black Rock Mountain (background) and Sleeping Mole Mountain (foreground)

Tiger Lily

This tree has an enormous burl.  A burl is a deformity caused by some sort of stress, like an injury, virus, or fungus.

Christine, Jess, and I spent a November afternoon doing some exploring in the Ghost Valley.  We stopped and had lunch at the Black Rock campground.

Jess and Chris with the two dogs, Murphy and Rome

Chris and I in the Ghost Valley

A piece of debris likely from the upstream dam.  It probably washed down here when the river was in flood during the spring.  It looks like a set of stairs.

Phantom Cragg with a light dusting of snow

Murphy trying to escape from the back of the Jeep

In December of 2012 a group of us decided it would be a lot of fun to cut down our own Christmas Trees.  After obtaining the necessary permits, we headed to the Ghost and began tree hunting.  We had a great afternoon outside and we all hoped that it'll become a yearly tradition.  Here Murphy and Rome are fighting over a stick.

The Christmas Tree hunters including extremely thin versions of Dan and Nath!

Christine's first time using a chainsaw

Cutting down our Christmas Tree

Ryan and his tree 

Jess cutting down their tree

Ashley's turn

Ryan and Ashley

Ben and Jess 

The tree fits perfectly in our living room

I wrote a brief story for the Calgary Guardian that outlines how to harvest your own tree if you've never done it before.  The story, titled The Search for the Perfect Tree, was published on their blog in late November 2014.