Snow When It's Not Snowing

One of the prettiest sights in the Peace River Country is hoarfrost in the winter.

It happens when it's really cold and still overnight and there is a lot of moisture in the air. A thick layer of crystals forms on all the trees and when the sun hits the frost, the whole landscape sparkles like diamonds.

Any air movement causes the frost to drift off the trees, and it looks and feels like light snow is falling, even if the skies are clear and blue.

A hoarfrost morning is the perfect time for a walk, to stand under a tree and shake it or go for a drive down a country road lined with trees and bushes.

The thing about this special frost is as mysteriously as it appears; it just as quietly disappears so make sure you take time to enjoy it.

Snow When It's Not Snowing

Snowshoeing & Game Trails with a Side Order of Wolf

Last Sunday we went out for our weekly winter exercise. This time we went snowshoeing which is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this beautiful country. It's simple great cardio exercise and we especially love the quietness. Snowshoes are light, easy to travel with and a great way to hang out with people.

We chose a spot near the little village of Rolla, about 10 miles north of the city, which has great bush trails and fields with sweeping views all the way into Alberta. It's beautiful there.

We had just about completely crossed a field when we saw something big moving in the tree line just ahead of us. It moved like a coyote but was a lot bigger. We had our binoculars and camera with us.

It was a Gray Wolf. Even though common sense told us that he would not bother us, being out in the middle of a field in deep snow with a wolf watching us was scary exciting.

We stopped and watched the wolf, and the wolf stopped and watched us. We figured we would just wait for it to make the first move and after several minutes the wolf turned and resumed his travels away from us.

When we got home, I looked up Gray Wolves on the Internet and found that there are estimated 7,500 in BC. Life isn't easy for a wolf. Living on large and small game, they only have a 10% success rate with their hunting and so live by feast or famine. I also learned that they often travel 200 kilometers in a day.

A friend told me that a Gray Wolf had been spotted about 30 kilometers from here; maybe it's the same one. The mystery is whether or not there is a pack around.

Whether a local or a visitor, it's important to keep eyes and ears open when you are out an about in the country. There are a lot of wild animals living here. Cameras & Binoculars and a cell phone are a good idea. It's also a great idea to mention to someone where you are going.

Snowshoeing & Game Trails with a Side Order of Wolf

Nothing Beats the Winter Blues Like an Opening at the Art Gallery

We are so lucky here in Dawson Creek to have a really active art community.

When my friend told me about the latest show and concert to open at the Grain Elevator Art Gallery I knew it was just the thing to bring some light and warmth and color into the deep days of winter.

We arrived early and from the first moment of opening the door we were wrapped in soft welcoming music. Looking up the spiraling ramp, the walls were hung with bright, colorful portraits, people were just starting to come in, and apparently with the same idea we had for breaking up the winter.

There was a big bowl of punch and a table full of appetizers to enjoy as well and we strolled up to the top of the gallery nibbling, chatting, and enjoying the art. We often stop to look down over the rails to the belly of the gallery below.

We finished our stroll and returned to the center of the gallery to fill our plates with more snacks and take a seat to listen to an intimate concert by a traveling musician. The Art Gallery hosts regular concerts and art exhibits and we try to go them on a regular basis.

Ticket prices are always reasonable and we never fail to enjoy ourselves. It's a small venue and that's what makes it so enjoyable.

It was a wonderful evening.

Nothing Beats the Winter Blues Like an Opening at the Art Gallery

Annual Cabin Fever Winter Festival at Mattson's Farm in Dawson Creek

The annual Cabin Fever Winter Festival hosted by the Mattson Family took place on a very cold, clear February day this year. We were all dressed up in our warmest winter clothes to be outside.

It was a day of visiting, laughing, eating, dancing, playing and stiff competition between neighbors and visitors alike.

The kids with their rosey cheeks had a great time racing the "Board Walk" (modified three legged race where they have to walk together with feet strapped into two short pieces of lumber and also testing their skills in the "Snowball Toss."

Adult Competitions:

"Tea-Boiling" - contestants had to run to grab a hatchet and kindling and light a fire with no paper and ten matches only and bring a pot of water to a rolling boil – first one to drop a bag of tea in the pot was declared the winner.

"Cross-Cut" Sawing - teams of two people sawing a slice from a big log with an antique cross-cut saw.

"Bale Rolling Race" - Teams rolling 1500 pound bales of hay a specific distance.

"Mitt Mayhem" – This was the best! Contestants struggled to open a canned drink and make a peanut butter and jam sandwich wearing large bulky snowmobile mitts.

The competitions were fierce! The winners were thrilled!

There was a beautiful team of Shire Horses giving sleigh rides. Hot food was served in the warm barn and we had a warm-up fire and hay bale wind break to make the outdoor event comfortable even with the bitter winter day.

The festival ended with a barn dance in "Albert's Loft" with old timey music by the Sweetwater Ramblers.

The festival was a great way to shake off the winter with friends and laughs.

Annual Cabin Fever Winter Festival at Mattson's Farm in Dawson Creek

Flying on a Snowmobile in Dawson Creek

We try to spend as much time outside as we can in the winter and since we get so much sunshine here in the Peace River Country, the cold doesn't seem to bother us.

Our friends invited us to go snowmobiling with them. I hadn't been on a snowmobile since I was in elementary school. The machines certainly have changed since then.

We met up at the entrance to the Bear Mountain Wind Park and spent the whole day exploring back trails.

I couldn't believe how fast we went. It was very exciting! There are a lot of places to ride around here. In addition to the oil and gas pipelines and back trails, the ditches along the highway are really wide in a lot of areas and you can go for miles and miles with ease. You have to have your own machines because there is not a business that rents them.

We weren't the only ones on the ridge that day, we heard and saw several other groups of people.

Our friend packed some kindling and small firewood along and we stopped along a trail that had a panoramic view of the valley to the east of Dawson Creek, built a small fire and roasted hot dogs. Thermos' of hot coffee and chocolate made the day perfect.

We had one problem right near the end when we crossed a field and were met by a farmer who was out plowing snow on his tractor.

We stopped and he told us that being on the fields was not allowed unless we asked permission and then it depended on the crop. Apparently it packs the snow down and can damage the crops. He said our two little trails wouldn't do much damage, but groups roaring around on a field can really affect it.

If you are visiting our area with your snowmobiles, make sure you have permission to be on private property.

Flying on a Snowmobile in Dawson Creek

A Spirit Art Festival Walkabout in Dawson Creek

The Spirit Art Festival has transformed Dawson Creek streets into a city-wide art gallery for the month of February.

Many of the downtown businesses have turned their street front windows into display cases for our local artists.

Last Sunday, I bundled up, parked my car at the corner of 102^nd Ave & 10^th Street, by the Mile O Post and went for a walkabout with my camera.

I stopped at Café Europa for my favorite specialty coffee to sip and walked up and down the streets looking at the awesome local art. It was great to have the time to stop and really look at all the work.

There are displays from potters, print makers, painters, photographers and quilters.

My absolute favorite is the display inside the Alaska Highway House that features the work of a local potter who just recently lost her life. She was an avid potter and her family put her latest work on display for the community and visitors to enjoy.

Projects like this really enhance the city. We are bursting at the seams with talent and I am looking forward to taking into many other performances and displays. My congratulations to the planners who chose the winter month of February to put on this festival.

Grab a hot drink and check out the art!

A Spirit Art Festival Walkabout in Dawson Creek

Brrrr in the Peace River Country

I woke up to -34 degrees Celsius (-29 degrees Fahrenheit) the other day. That is the coldest yet this winter and although we have been colder in years past, it's cold enough.

Temperatures like this require extra travel considerations whether you live here or are visiting:

~ All vehicles must be winterized (winter tires, block heater, anti-freeze, emergency kit, extension cord, warm clothing, ice scraper, cell phone).

~ Pets need to be monitored carefully while outside if they are not used to the cold.

My sister from Vancouver was here at the time and we had quite a discussion on the hardships of our respective winters.

• Rain versus snow.
• Warm weather versus cold.
• Grey cloudy days versus lots of blue skies and sunshine.

We came to the agreement that both areas have pros and cons in regards to winter climates.

Then a Chinook came through and the temperature jumped from -34 to +2 (35 degrees Fahrenheit) on the same day.

Chinooks are usually accompanied by big gusty winds and this one was no exception. Drifting is another reality of northern winters and are a novelty unless they plug roads.

Several years ago, a blizzard caught quite a few people unaware and there were reports of a dozen or so motorists stuck in big drifts overnight.

Graders, snowplows and sand-trucks are winter heroes here in the north.

Brrrr in the Peace River Country

Flying on a Snowmobile in Dawson Creek

We try to spend as much time outside as we can in the winter and since we get so much sunshine here in the Peace River Country, the cold weather doesn't seem to bother us.

Our friends invited us to go snowmobiling with them. I hadn't been on a snowmobile since I was in elementary school. The machines certainly have changed since then.

We met up at the entrance to the Bear Mountain Wind Park and spent the whole day exploring back trails.

I couldn't believe how fast we went. It was very exciting! There are a lot of places to ride around here. In addition to the oil and gas pipelines and back trails, the ditches along the highway are really wide in a lot of areas and you can go for miles and miles with ease.

We weren't the only ones on the ridge that day, we heard and saw several other groups of people.

Our friend packed some kindling and small firewood along and we stopped along a trail that had a panoramic view of the valley to the east of Dawson Creek, built a small fire and roasted hot dogs. Thermos' of hot coffee and chocolate made the day perfect.

We had one problem right near the end when we crossed a field and were met by a farmer who was out plowing snow on his tractor.

We stopped to chat and he told us that being on the fields was not allowed unless we asked permission and then it depended on the crop. Apparently it packs the snow down and can damage the crops. He said our two little trails wouldn't do much damage, but groups roaring around on a field can really hurt it. Oops...

Flying on a Snowmobile in Dawson Creek

Cross Country Skiing on Bear Mountain

I put my cross-country skis on for the first time this year on a beautiful, sunny Sunday. We went up to Radar Lake to the Bear Mountain Nordic Ski Trails.

Being a confirmed beginner skier, I have yet to move beyond the beginner trails, but my more accomplished friends tell me that the intermediate and advanced trails are superb.

There are over 20 kilometers (12 miles) of trails and they are kept beautifully groomed by the Nordic Ski Club.

Cross-country skiing is is a great cardio workout and I love the feeling I get when I find my rhythm. I enjoy the smell of the trees and the sound of the skis and the many wildlife sightings. It's common to see deer, moose, squirrels and an abundance of birds.

It's also great to stop for hot chocolate and lunch at one of the warming huts. The hut on the beginner trail is called the Grizzly Den, where we build a fire and warm up. I haven't been to the other warming huts because they are on more advanced trails.

There are trail maps posted along the trail, but it's recommended to have a paper one for the many intermediate and advanced trails.

Cross Country Skiing on Bear Mountain

Winter Fun at the Lakota Equestrian Center in Dawson Creek

December 30 was a cold winter day in Dawson Creek, the temperatures plunged to -32 Celsius. Our holiday company had been up for a week and we were all feeling a bit house bound. Our 2 nephews were getting bored and we needed something different to do.

The 3^rd annual Christmas Extravaganza was being held at the Lakota Equestrian Center in the new Multiplex.

We have gone every year so far, so decided to brave the cold and check it out. The place was packed! People had come out in droves to watch the different horse clubs that use the facility put on demonstrations.

The show started with a Grand Entry of Flags, then came the jumping horses, dressage horses, a rodeo drill team, barrel racing, western pleasure horses, team roping, reining, and cow penning.

There was a young woman riding without a bridle, but the best were the little kids on ponies tying goats and riding around obstacles and a young man who had taught his miniature donkey to jump over rails.

There are a lot of thriving horse clubs in Dawson Creek and the equestrian center is in constant use There are 110 indoor stalls and each one is rented all year round.

We will definitely go again next year. If you are visiting over the holidays, I really recommend you check it out. It's free and open to the public. Even if you miss the showcase, a trip to the Lakota Center is a great place to spend time.

Winter Fun at the Lakota Equestrian Center in Dawson Creek

Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire At The Old Fashioned Christmas Festival In Dawson Creek

The annual Old Fashioned Christmas Festival sponsored by the Rotary Club of Dawson Creek is held at Pioneer Village and is free to the public. I went to meet up with some friends and was impressed to see so many people there.

As chance had it, the temperature climbed from a chilly -20 to a balmy -5 on the day of the outdoor festival and the community took full advantage of the reprieve from the cold.

It was already dark by the time the festivities began at 6pm and the Village was all lit up. There were two teams of horses pulling sleighs full of people, bonfires strategically placed around the village for hand warming and marshmallows and Santa hats everywhere.

Christmas carols were being played while hot dogs, hot chocolate and cookies were being passed out to everyone. Chestnuts were actually being roasted on an open fire and the gentleman who was manning the roasting pan was being kept busy by an eager audience of young and old alike. I tried my first one and it was delicious. Kind of Nutty.

Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire At The Old Fashioned Christmas Festival In Dawson Creek

19th Annual Dawson Creek Tree Light Up Celebration

The weather for this year's annual Tree Light Up was a bit chilly, it was minus 20 something on the morning of November 19, and we almost decided to stay home by the fire instead of getting all bundled up and driving in to town, but we had arranged to meet some friends, so away we went.

The City of Dawson Creek moved the Mile O Post to a temporary location at the Northern Alberta Railway Park, a block north of it's usual home and put up a 35-40 foot tree in it's place and draped it with multi-colored lights. The streets have been decorated with big white snowflakes and it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas here.

I'm glad we went because it turned out to be a great community party and the cold weather actually added to the fun. It's nice to offer events like this to both the people who live here and also the many who find themselves far away from home and staying in our hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts.

Many of the local businesses were open for the light up celebration and some were handing out hot chocolate, hot cider, popcorn and even glow sticks.

There were kids of all ages mingling around and of course Santa was there too.

19th Annual Dawson Creek Tree Light Up Celebration