Return to Mantracker Island

After Monday’s cloud cover and wet snow, we weren’t surprised to wake up Tuesday morning to a bit of snow on the ground and some low cloud/fog hugging the bottom of the Bow Valley. But we were quick to get outside in the afternoon, once the sun evaporated the residual moisture.

Fearless or foolhardy? Youngest GeoKid figured it would be easy to balance on the top rail of this fence, so he climbed up and started walking along. No fear of losing his balance, but Mrs. GeoK kept flashing to the horrible possibilities involving his head and the large boulders just on the other side of the fence, so with a bit of prompting, K jumped down and walked at ground level, like the rest of us.

After a brief family discussion, we headed down to the Bow River to search for signs of spring on Mantracker Island (which we first mentioned in this Feb 2012 entry). But unlike our Family Day visit, when Oldest GeoKid was down in New Orleans, this time the whole family crossed the fallen spruce to Mantracker Island.

Boys head towards the banks of the Bow — Once we crossed to Mantracker Island, the boys headed east, towards the bank of the Bow River.

Simply irresistable, ice chunks attract inquisitive boys just like steel attracts magnets. Our lads lobbed several blocks of ice into the river, just to see how fast they would melt, or how fast they would be swept along in the current or whatever other question their curious minds came up with!

Although spring run-off hasn’t really started, the water level is relatively high in the Bow River…which means the ground water level on Mantracker Island is pretty high and since the temperatures have warmed up a little, the ground was a little soggy. Oldest GeoKid decided against getting muddy and headed back home, while the rest of us trekked a little further along the shore of the island.

Reflections — The mountains to the west reflected off the pond of melt water near the shoreline of Mantracker Island.

All about balance — As we explored the shores of Mantracker Island, K found plenty of old logs to walk along, continuing his earlier balancing act but at a much safer elevation!

Total distance walked today was just over 4 km. Great time in the outdoors with the whole family (at least for part of the time) and probably our last visit to Mantracker Island until after the spring run-off. A little time with some topo maps and hiking guidebooks just might reveal a new location for our next adventure!