Join Us On Our Next Field Trip or Event.
Listed below are upcoming and recent field trips and events of the Rocky Mountain Naturalists.
Members welcome.
A guest must complete a waiver form and pay $2.00 per Outing.
Group sizes are limited in order to provide a quality and safe experience for everyone. Carpooling can be organized from the meeting place for those feeling comfortable. If there is space, guests are welcome to join an Outing up to twice a year.
Please let us know if you are interested.
Early Morning Birding (Daryl)
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 - 8:20 am
This week, at 8:20, begin at Rampart Rest Area, SE of the Fort Steele interchange, along highway 3/93. From the interchange, NE of Cranbrook, continue along 3/93 almost 4 km SE to the well marked exit on the right, into a small, semi formal rest area beside a small, readily visible pond. We'll check this productive pond for 15 minutes, arrange carpooling, then continue SE and peel off to the south and west. We will examine as much of the Ha Ha Creek Road valley as possible, terminating our session in the little town of Wardner. From Wardner it is a quick trip back to Rampart and Cranbrook on the main highway.
Members welcome.
A guest must complete a waiver form and pay $2.00 per Outing.
Group sizes are limited in order to provide a quality and safe experience for everyone. Carpooling can be organized from the meeting place for those feeling comfortable. If there is space, guests are welcome to join an Outing up to twice a year.
Please let us know if you are interested.
Early Morning Birding (Daryl)
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 - 8:20 am
This week, at 8:20, begin at Rampart Rest Area, SE of the Fort Steele interchange, along highway 3/93. From the interchange, NE of Cranbrook, continue along 3/93 almost 4 km SE to the well marked exit on the right, into a small, semi formal rest area beside a small, readily visible pond. We'll check this productive pond for 15 minutes, arrange carpooling, then continue SE and peel off to the south and west. We will examine as much of the Ha Ha Creek Road valley as possible, terminating our session in the little town of Wardner. From Wardner it is a quick trip back to Rampart and Cranbrook on the main highway.
Annual RMNats Club Camp
Sunday to Wednesday, June 1 to 4, 2025
This year the annual Club Camp will be held in Creston. We have reserved the Canyon Community Park for the campers. A variety of motels/hotels are available in Creston for those who do not have a camper or do not wish to camp. Hiking, birding, biking, paddling and a guest speaker are all on the list. More details will be coming In the near future.
Skookumchuck Prairie Key Biodiversity Area Bird Count (Wasa, BC) - Birds Canada and Rocky Mountain Naturalists
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - All Day, 6:00 am start time
Join the Birds Canada team for this volunteer-based count, and survey birds in this new Key Biodiversity Area along the Kootenay River between Wasa and Skookumchuck. Amazing grassland bird sightings await you! Intermediate-good bird ID skills preferred. Register at [email protected].
Elizabeth Lake Migratory Bird Day
Saturday, May 10, 2025 - 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Please join us at Elizabeth Lake to learn about Cavity Nesting Ducks, Long-billed Curlews, Bluebirds and the Bluebird Box Monitoring Program, area Bats and new monitoring program taking place at Wycliffe Flats. Also available will be two bird-watching walks - one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and take in the waterfowl on the lake at the new viewing platform through supplied scopes. For those that do not have binoculars, there are Birding Backpacks available for checkout at the Cranbrook, Kimberley, Creston, Fernie and Invermere Public Libraries (1 backpack per library).
Birding 101 (Theckla)
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 - 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Meet at the Calgary Public Library. This is aimed for anyone beginning/new to birding, but anyone interested in birding is welcome to come join.
Birding 101 - McGinty Lake Outing (Theckla)
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 - 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Meet at the parking lot to McGinty Lake Recreation Area. This walk is aimed for anyone beginning/new to birding, but anyone interested in birding at McGinty Lake is welcome to come join. We will walk into the main picnic area of the lake to take in the waterfowl on the north end. From there, we will do the walk around the south end of the lake to the east side picnic area. Following more waterfowl spotting, we will take in the east side trail along the lake, then on to Mini-Ginty. The whole walk will be approx 5km, easy terrain. Hiking boots/shoes and binoculars are required. Prize for the first person to check out the birding backpack from the Kimberley Public Library.
Elizabeth Lake Work Bee
Saturday, April 26, 2025 - 9:00 am - 11:00 am
We need to finish pulling back the dead grass and weeds from the planted shrubs in the plots that are located from the Broadstreet swale to the cedar rail. The first work party two weeks ago did a great job from the weir to the swale. Bring leather work gloves, (there are some thistles), short handled clippers and if you have one, a small rake to help pull back grass from the fence edges. Dress for the weather. Meet Stewart at the parking area at the corner of 11th St. S and Innes Ave. for a 9:00 am start.
Elizabeth Lake Turtle Day
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 - 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
The RMNats, with our partner, Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) are again organizing Turtle Day. All events will take place in the area between Elizabeth Lake Tourist Information Building and the new Viewing Platform. There is a school program with 3 schools of 2 Elementary classes each, rotating through 3 stations from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. The Public Event is from 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm, taking place in the same area with the same events. Joe Pierre of the aq’am Community will open the public event at 2:30 pm, and then the public will be able to visit the stations.
Elizabeth Lake Work Bee
Saturday, April 12, 2025 - 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Things that need attention: litter pick up; clipping dead weed stalks and bagging, inside the fenced plots; checking fenced plots and pounding down any fence posts that are leaning.
Bring work gloves, short handled clippers and dress for the weather. Please indicate if you will meet a leader at the parking area at the corner of 11th St. S and Innes or at the parking area off Wattsville behind the Elizabeth Lake Lodge. That way we can have two groups in two different areas.
Potato Butte Outing (Marianne)
Sunday, April 6, 2025 - 9:00 am
Cranbrook members meet for a 9:00 am departure at the Tamarack Mall parking lot between Boston Pizza and Husky Truck Stop to carpool.
Kimberley members meet behind the Marysville Arena for a 9:10 am departure to meet at Stirton parking area at 9:15 am.
Join Marianne for a walk from Stirton Rd to the top of Potato Butte and return via the east fenceline. We will be looking for the earliest spring flowers - Sagebrush Buttercups, Spring Beauty, and Mertensia and identifying rosettes of later blooming ones. Our eyes and ears will also be tuned up for any nearby birds.
This walk is rated as Moderate with a couple steeper sections, especially at the beginning. You may want to bring a walking pole. Wear sturdy footwear, dress for the weather, bring water, a snack and binoculars. We will be back at the parking area just before noon. This Outing will be limited to 10 participants so that discussions and observations can be discussed and we are able to stay on the trail. If there are more than 10, I will do the same walk the following weekend.
Crowsnest Pass Golden Eagle Migration Viewing (Daryl)
Saturday and Sunday, March 22 and 23, 2025 - start 9:00 am March 22
On Saturday morning, March 22, Daryl Calder will lead an overnight trip to the Crowsnest Pass, and Alberta foothills, visiting several areas which are known for eagle viewing. For those who want to spend the night, there are 3 reasonably priced motels and a campground with hookups. If you do not want to spend the night, you can join the group on Saturday or Sunday.
The trip will begin Saturday, at the Tamarack Mall in Cranbrook at 9 AM, and return late afternoon on Sunday.
The first stop will be at the 'viewing benches', sparsely treed slopes near the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre. There is a decent walking route up and over a small ridge. It is likely that local viewers will be there to assist with spotting. The weather looks reasonable, but there will certainly be a cool breeze.
On Sunday, Daryl will lead an Early Birding walk for an hour. Then, at 10 AM, we'll drive east along secondary roads, from Lundbreck, to Old Man Dam, Pincher Creek and west to Beaver Mines. The landscape is attractive with wild areas and potholes. Beaver Mines on Sunday afternoon is likely our best opportunity to observe the most widely distributed eagle in the world.
Bi-Monthly Meeting - COTR Rm #KC152
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - 5:45 pm
There will be a very short business in Room 152 at the College starting promptly at 5:45 pm. We will finish by 6:20 pm so that those wanting to attend a presentation on local geology by Dr. Nicholas Kinar of COTR at 6:30 pm in the Lecture Theatre.
NOTE: You must pre-register for the Presentation: COTR Museia - An Unconventional Geological History of Cranbrook and the Kootenays - College of the Rockies
RMNats - Winter Social at Wycliffe Regional Park, Site Area #2
Sunday, March 9, 2025 - 3:00 pm
Follow the plowed road to the end where you will park. The fire pits, tables and covered shelter are right there. Bring your own wieners/smokies and buns to cook over the fire along with your own drinks, plates and cutlery. There will be some roasting sticks available or bring your own. Condiments will be provided. There are several picnic tables at this site and you may wish to bring along a foam pad to sit on or even a chair.
3:00 to 4:30 pm Join a group who will hike a loop trail from the wiener roast site. Wear your grippers and bring poles.
4:00 to 4:30 pm Join a group who will walk a relatively flat, short loop near the picnic site. Wear your grippers and bring poles.
4:30 pm Come just for the wiener roast and visiting. This is a great opportunity to meet and connect with folk who love nature whether you are a new member or have been in the Club awhile.
The draw for 2 Top Crop gift certificates for the Bird Count participants will be held.
Check out the top notch disc golf course; bring your own disc if you want to explore on your own. Disc players keep the pads shovelled during the winter.
Cavity Nesting Group Outing (Katrin)
Saturday, March 8, 2025 - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
We would like to welcome Rocky Mountain Naturalists to join us on our outing at Elizabeth Lake this Saturday, March 8, to see what the Cavity Nesting Group is all about.
The first 2 hours are rated 'easy' and the afternoon is rated 'medium'. You can attend either am or pm or both. Bring a mask if you would like to not breath in dust from the boxes, work gloves, water and lunch. Dress in layers as Elizabeth Lake is sometimes windy and cold. We will be carrying a ladder and equipment to 13 duck boxes around the lake and opening each one, taking measurements of eggs and noting observations of box contents, and doing detective work to try to figure out what used the box. The first 2 hours by the Info Centre has an approx 500m walk. Then we move vehicles to the Innes Avenue side (have lunch at the brown blind) and then continue up the forest trail from 1-4 where we have an approx 3km return walk. The entire outing will run from 10-4 but you can always just come for part of it.
St. Eugene Outing (Marianne)
Monday, February 17, 2025 - 1:00 pm
St. Eugene and area walk, checking for birds to add to the Great Backyard Bird Count. We will enjoy a warmer day after a couple weeks of colder daytime temperatures. We will walk along the St. Mary's River via the golf course and down to Prairie Bridge. This is an easy walk of about two hours. Dress for the weather and wear/bring your grippers. Bring binoculars.
To carpool, Cranbrook folks meet at the parking lot between Husky Truck Stop and Boston Pizza at the Tamarack Mall for a 12:45 pm departure.
To carpool, Kimberley folks meet at the back of the Marysville Arena for a 12:40 pm departure.
Everyone to meet at the St. Eugene parking area at 1:00 pm just off Mission Rd in front of the big white event tent next to the avenue of trees that leads to the front entrance of the old school.
Great Backyard Bird Count, South Country Loop (Daryl)
Saturday, February 15, 2025 - 8:30 am
Daryl will lead a driving tour to Newgate. This will be the 4th consecutive year for this particular tour.
Meet at the regular Tamarack Mall parking area at 8:30, and expect to return mid to late afternoon.
My vehicle has space for 3 birders and their stuff. You will need to bring your lunch, water, layers, camera and scope.
The loop tour will start by heading south along the Gold Creek Road, the Teepee Creek Road and the Newgate Road. This is a well maintained, good quality gravel and paved road. We'll return via Kikomun, and Jaffray. Expect compact snow and little traffic.
There are about a dozen places to stop and several will have a short walk through the snow to a vantage point. The longest walk, in the early afternoon, will not be difficult, and will be about an hour through grassland along a jeep road.
In addition to finding birds, we'll look for animal tracks, varying forest types and fine South Country landscapes.
Great Backyard Bird Count
February 14 - 17, 2025
The Great Backyard Bird Count, is a world-wide event which is easy to participate in at any birder level. Fun to do with family, friends or by yourself. Over one or more of the days, identify and count the birds in your yard, neighbourhood or where you are recreating. These observations help scientists better understand global bird populations before their annual migrations take place. Go to Great Backyard Bird Count for more information.
After entering your counts on eBird, at the end of the 4 days, send Marianne your totals in the form of a Trip Report. A Trip Report is easy to generate through eBird from all the lists that you submitted over the four days. If you need help creating a trip report, please email me. Send your totals to Marianne by Wednesday, February 19 to be eligible for a random draw of one of two $30.00 Top Crop gift certificates. The number of participants, number of total species and individuals, along with draw winners, will be announced a few days later.
On the February 15th weekend, there will be a couple of bird watching outings to several locations. Details to follow.
St. Mary's Slump Outing (Marianne)
Sunday, January 26, 2025 - 12:50 pm
Enjoy an easy 4 km walk on Conservation land to the St. Mary's River Slump located on the St. Mary's Prairie between Cranbrook and Kimberley. Lovely views, interesting hoodoo and tree formations, active bat and bluebird monitoring stations and a look at the geomorphology feature. This walk is on a well packed, flat snow trail (no slippery sections on Monday). Rated easy and will be an hour and a half long. Wear sturdy, warm boots, grippers if you feel more comfortable or bring them in your pack. Dress for the temperature (-6 to -8 predicted) and bring your binoculars. Parking at the trailhead is very limited so please carpool.
Cranbrook folk meet Marianne at the Tamarack Mall parking lot between Boston Pizza and Husky Truck Stop for a 12:50 pm departure.
Kimberley folk meet for a 1:00 pm departure at the back of the Marysville Arena. I will let you know who is coming from there. Please RSVP to Marianne.
AGM & Bi-Monthly Meeting - Manual Training Centre at Library
Sunday, January 12, 2025 - 11:00 am
AGM commences at 11:00 a.m. The Bi-Monthly Meeting will directly follow the AGM. Agendas for the meetings to be sent in early January along with the Treasurer's Report and Committee Reports.
Following the meetings, there will be a potluck luncheon & social. Please bring a shareable, plates and utensils.
Kimberley Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, January 4, 2025
There are four geographical areas in the count circle – Town Centre, Meadowbrook, Wasa / Ta Ta and Wycliffe. The map is on our website at rockymountainnaturalists.org under Christmas Bird Counts.
Once we have a list of participants, teams will be formed and final details sent out. If you are
interested in a specific quadrant and have a buddy (ies) you plan to go out with, please include
that information in your RSVP.
You do not need to be an experienced birder to join the fun and challenge. Birders are always learning and teams will include a variety of birding levels and expertise. You may decide to join for just a couple of hours. Once teams are formed, with their leader, they will decide when and where to meet to begin the count of their quadrant. Each team will submit their data as one ebird Trip Report to Dianne, our Kimberley count compiler.
After, there will be a dinner at 5:00 pm at the Marysville Pub. RSVP to Carol.
Snowshoe Outing - Sunflower Hill (Marianne/Daryl)
Wednesday, January 1, 2025 - 11:00 am
Join Daryl and Marianne on a 4 hour loop snowshoe hike through Wilks Woods, including a wiener roast at the midpoint.
Meet at the North (upper) end of Wilks Road which is a 1 kilometre spur off King Street, Cranbrook. Drive up Wilks Road, keep right at the 'Y', and take the 2nd right to the concrete barricade.
We will snowshoe up through open woods on a packed snowshoe route, utilizing game trails and dodging rough, rocky sections. 4 + kms in length with a 200m elevation gain/loss. Expect hills, a variety of ups and downs and 3 viewpoints. Snowshoes and poles are needed to navigate the considerable snow depth. Dress in layers. This is rated as a Moderate Plus Outing.
At the first viewpoint, almost at the halfway point, we will have a fire for lunch. Bring your own wieners/ smokies/ bun or whatever you want for lunch, water, tea, etc. We will supply condiments, sticks, and mulled wine and apple juice. We will be standing around in this area for lunch so bring extra clothes to keep warm and perhaps a sitting pad. After lunch, we'll continue to Whiskey Jack summit, then north over to the 3rd viewpoint overlooking the Trench, then down Sunflower Hill and across to the vehicles.
Naturalists will observe various forest types, animal signs and a few birds. We will listen and look for American 3-toed Woodpeckers and Brown Creepers. RSVP to Marianne.
Cranbrook Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, December 28, 2024
The Cranbrook Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is Saturday, December 28. There are four geographical areas in the count circle. South Cranbrook Hidden Valley-Gold Creek, North Cranbrook Mission, New Lake Old Wycliffe and Jim Smith to Moyie.
Once we have a list of participants, teams will be formed and final details sent out. If you are interested in a specific quadrant and have a buddy (ies) you plan to go out with, please include that information in your RSVP. The map is on our website at rockymountainnaturalists.org under Christmas Bird Counts.
You do not need to be an experienced birder to join the fun and challenge. Birders are always learning and teams will include a variety of birding levels and expertise. You may decide to join for just a couple of hours. Once teams are formed, with their leader, they will decide when and where to meet to begin the count of their quadrant. Each team will submit their data as one ebird Trip Report to Dianne, our Cranbrook count compiler.
There will be a potluck dinner at 5:00 pm. RSVP to Daryl.
Snowshoe Outing - Tabletop (Gretchen)
Sunday, December 8, 2024 - 1:00 pm
Snowshoe outing to Tabletop which is a small hill near Ramparts Rest Stop and provides nice views of the other hills, sloughs and forests in the area. The trail is already packed and has gradual hills with two short but steep sections. Total distance out and back is about 4 kilometers and there is 125 m of ascent. This is a moderate outing.
Meet at at the Tamarack Mall parking lot between Boston Pizza and Husky Truck Stop by 12:50 pm where carpooling can be arranged. We will leave there at 1:00 and drive to Ramparts Rest Stop where we will park and don our snowshoes. If you want to drive directly to the Rest Stop, be ready to head onto the trail by 1:15.
Dress in layers for the weather and bring water. Please bring at least one pole because of the hills. Binoculars optional; we may see birds or examine tracks in the snow. RSVP to Gretchen.
Snowshoe Outing - Sunflower Hill (Marianne)
Sunday, December 1, 2024 - 1:00 pm
Welcome in December and our wonderful snowy conditions with a snowshoe. This is an easy route, already packed with a variety of uphill, downhill and flat terrain. 2.3 km with an elevation gain of 102 metres. This is a moderate outing. Meet at 1:00 pm at the far end of Wilks Rd which is off King St. 5 kms north of Cranbrook. To carpool from Cranbrook, meet at the Tamarack Mall parking lot between Boston Pizza and Husky Truck Stop, ready to leave at 12:45 pm. Kimberley members, if you rsvp me, I will put you in touch with each other for carpooling. Dress in layers for the weather and bring water. Poles are useful. Binoculars? RSVP to Marianne.
Bi-Monthly Meeting - COTR Rm #KC152
Wednesday, November 20, 2024 - 7:00 pm
Guest Presenter: Janice Strong and Jamie Levine will present "Out of This World" - an educational and audio-visual presentation about Aurora and Comets. This will be followed by "Darkness to Light", a twelve minute slideshow of images to music.
A short business meeting will follow these presentations. Attendance at the business meeting is optional.
Elizabeth Lake Work Party (Marianne)
Thursday, October 31, 2024 - 9:00 am
Before winter really sets in, there are some jobs that need to be done at Elizabeth Lake. Several include:
brush sawing around some of the planted plots, removing landscape cloth and stakes in a couple areas, removing several signs, litter pickup and carrying some small logs a couple hundred metres.
Meet at the parking lot on the corner of 11St. S and Innes Ave. below Parkland School. Dress for the weather, bring work gloves. If you have a brush saw that you are able to use around the plots, please let me know so that I can make a plan. Gas money will be provided. RSVP would be appreciated but not necessary.
Moe's Canyon Larch Loop Outing (Betty)
Saturday, October 19, 2024 - 9:00 am
This is a moderate hike with an elevation gain of 110m over a 6 km. loop, up to 3 hours. We will walk along the base of a steep talus slope and through a stand of large old-growth larch trees in full autumn colour. Wear sturdy footwear and bring a snack. Forecast is cool and cloudy. Meet at the far end of the Kimberley Nordic Centre parking lot at 9 a.m. Cranbrook residents can carpool from the Tamarack Mall; meet at the parking area between Boston Pizza and the Husky truck stop, ready for an 8:30 am departure.
Sunday to Wednesday, June 1 to 4, 2025
This year the annual Club Camp will be held in Creston. We have reserved the Canyon Community Park for the campers. A variety of motels/hotels are available in Creston for those who do not have a camper or do not wish to camp. Hiking, birding, biking, paddling and a guest speaker are all on the list. More details will be coming In the near future.
Skookumchuck Prairie Key Biodiversity Area Bird Count (Wasa, BC) - Birds Canada and Rocky Mountain Naturalists
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - All Day, 6:00 am start time
Join the Birds Canada team for this volunteer-based count, and survey birds in this new Key Biodiversity Area along the Kootenay River between Wasa and Skookumchuck. Amazing grassland bird sightings await you! Intermediate-good bird ID skills preferred. Register at [email protected].
Elizabeth Lake Migratory Bird Day
Saturday, May 10, 2025 - 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Please join us at Elizabeth Lake to learn about Cavity Nesting Ducks, Long-billed Curlews, Bluebirds and the Bluebird Box Monitoring Program, area Bats and new monitoring program taking place at Wycliffe Flats. Also available will be two bird-watching walks - one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and take in the waterfowl on the lake at the new viewing platform through supplied scopes. For those that do not have binoculars, there are Birding Backpacks available for checkout at the Cranbrook, Kimberley, Creston, Fernie and Invermere Public Libraries (1 backpack per library).
Birding 101 (Theckla)
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 - 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Meet at the Calgary Public Library. This is aimed for anyone beginning/new to birding, but anyone interested in birding is welcome to come join.
Birding 101 - McGinty Lake Outing (Theckla)
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 - 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Meet at the parking lot to McGinty Lake Recreation Area. This walk is aimed for anyone beginning/new to birding, but anyone interested in birding at McGinty Lake is welcome to come join. We will walk into the main picnic area of the lake to take in the waterfowl on the north end. From there, we will do the walk around the south end of the lake to the east side picnic area. Following more waterfowl spotting, we will take in the east side trail along the lake, then on to Mini-Ginty. The whole walk will be approx 5km, easy terrain. Hiking boots/shoes and binoculars are required. Prize for the first person to check out the birding backpack from the Kimberley Public Library.
Elizabeth Lake Work Bee
Saturday, April 26, 2025 - 9:00 am - 11:00 am
We need to finish pulling back the dead grass and weeds from the planted shrubs in the plots that are located from the Broadstreet swale to the cedar rail. The first work party two weeks ago did a great job from the weir to the swale. Bring leather work gloves, (there are some thistles), short handled clippers and if you have one, a small rake to help pull back grass from the fence edges. Dress for the weather. Meet Stewart at the parking area at the corner of 11th St. S and Innes Ave. for a 9:00 am start.
Elizabeth Lake Turtle Day
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 - 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
The RMNats, with our partner, Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) are again organizing Turtle Day. All events will take place in the area between Elizabeth Lake Tourist Information Building and the new Viewing Platform. There is a school program with 3 schools of 2 Elementary classes each, rotating through 3 stations from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. The Public Event is from 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm, taking place in the same area with the same events. Joe Pierre of the aq’am Community will open the public event at 2:30 pm, and then the public will be able to visit the stations.
Elizabeth Lake Work Bee
Saturday, April 12, 2025 - 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Things that need attention: litter pick up; clipping dead weed stalks and bagging, inside the fenced plots; checking fenced plots and pounding down any fence posts that are leaning.
Bring work gloves, short handled clippers and dress for the weather. Please indicate if you will meet a leader at the parking area at the corner of 11th St. S and Innes or at the parking area off Wattsville behind the Elizabeth Lake Lodge. That way we can have two groups in two different areas.
Potato Butte Outing (Marianne)
Sunday, April 6, 2025 - 9:00 am
Cranbrook members meet for a 9:00 am departure at the Tamarack Mall parking lot between Boston Pizza and Husky Truck Stop to carpool.
Kimberley members meet behind the Marysville Arena for a 9:10 am departure to meet at Stirton parking area at 9:15 am.
Join Marianne for a walk from Stirton Rd to the top of Potato Butte and return via the east fenceline. We will be looking for the earliest spring flowers - Sagebrush Buttercups, Spring Beauty, and Mertensia and identifying rosettes of later blooming ones. Our eyes and ears will also be tuned up for any nearby birds.
This walk is rated as Moderate with a couple steeper sections, especially at the beginning. You may want to bring a walking pole. Wear sturdy footwear, dress for the weather, bring water, a snack and binoculars. We will be back at the parking area just before noon. This Outing will be limited to 10 participants so that discussions and observations can be discussed and we are able to stay on the trail. If there are more than 10, I will do the same walk the following weekend.
Crowsnest Pass Golden Eagle Migration Viewing (Daryl)
Saturday and Sunday, March 22 and 23, 2025 - start 9:00 am March 22
On Saturday morning, March 22, Daryl Calder will lead an overnight trip to the Crowsnest Pass, and Alberta foothills, visiting several areas which are known for eagle viewing. For those who want to spend the night, there are 3 reasonably priced motels and a campground with hookups. If you do not want to spend the night, you can join the group on Saturday or Sunday.
The trip will begin Saturday, at the Tamarack Mall in Cranbrook at 9 AM, and return late afternoon on Sunday.
The first stop will be at the 'viewing benches', sparsely treed slopes near the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre. There is a decent walking route up and over a small ridge. It is likely that local viewers will be there to assist with spotting. The weather looks reasonable, but there will certainly be a cool breeze.
On Sunday, Daryl will lead an Early Birding walk for an hour. Then, at 10 AM, we'll drive east along secondary roads, from Lundbreck, to Old Man Dam, Pincher Creek and west to Beaver Mines. The landscape is attractive with wild areas and potholes. Beaver Mines on Sunday afternoon is likely our best opportunity to observe the most widely distributed eagle in the world.
Bi-Monthly Meeting - COTR Rm #KC152
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - 5:45 pm
There will be a very short business in Room 152 at the College starting promptly at 5:45 pm. We will finish by 6:20 pm so that those wanting to attend a presentation on local geology by Dr. Nicholas Kinar of COTR at 6:30 pm in the Lecture Theatre.
NOTE: You must pre-register for the Presentation: COTR Museia - An Unconventional Geological History of Cranbrook and the Kootenays - College of the Rockies
RMNats - Winter Social at Wycliffe Regional Park, Site Area #2
Sunday, March 9, 2025 - 3:00 pm
Follow the plowed road to the end where you will park. The fire pits, tables and covered shelter are right there. Bring your own wieners/smokies and buns to cook over the fire along with your own drinks, plates and cutlery. There will be some roasting sticks available or bring your own. Condiments will be provided. There are several picnic tables at this site and you may wish to bring along a foam pad to sit on or even a chair.
3:00 to 4:30 pm Join a group who will hike a loop trail from the wiener roast site. Wear your grippers and bring poles.
4:00 to 4:30 pm Join a group who will walk a relatively flat, short loop near the picnic site. Wear your grippers and bring poles.
4:30 pm Come just for the wiener roast and visiting. This is a great opportunity to meet and connect with folk who love nature whether you are a new member or have been in the Club awhile.
The draw for 2 Top Crop gift certificates for the Bird Count participants will be held.
Check out the top notch disc golf course; bring your own disc if you want to explore on your own. Disc players keep the pads shovelled during the winter.
Cavity Nesting Group Outing (Katrin)
Saturday, March 8, 2025 - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
We would like to welcome Rocky Mountain Naturalists to join us on our outing at Elizabeth Lake this Saturday, March 8, to see what the Cavity Nesting Group is all about.
The first 2 hours are rated 'easy' and the afternoon is rated 'medium'. You can attend either am or pm or both. Bring a mask if you would like to not breath in dust from the boxes, work gloves, water and lunch. Dress in layers as Elizabeth Lake is sometimes windy and cold. We will be carrying a ladder and equipment to 13 duck boxes around the lake and opening each one, taking measurements of eggs and noting observations of box contents, and doing detective work to try to figure out what used the box. The first 2 hours by the Info Centre has an approx 500m walk. Then we move vehicles to the Innes Avenue side (have lunch at the brown blind) and then continue up the forest trail from 1-4 where we have an approx 3km return walk. The entire outing will run from 10-4 but you can always just come for part of it.
St. Eugene Outing (Marianne)
Monday, February 17, 2025 - 1:00 pm
St. Eugene and area walk, checking for birds to add to the Great Backyard Bird Count. We will enjoy a warmer day after a couple weeks of colder daytime temperatures. We will walk along the St. Mary's River via the golf course and down to Prairie Bridge. This is an easy walk of about two hours. Dress for the weather and wear/bring your grippers. Bring binoculars.
To carpool, Cranbrook folks meet at the parking lot between Husky Truck Stop and Boston Pizza at the Tamarack Mall for a 12:45 pm departure.
To carpool, Kimberley folks meet at the back of the Marysville Arena for a 12:40 pm departure.
Everyone to meet at the St. Eugene parking area at 1:00 pm just off Mission Rd in front of the big white event tent next to the avenue of trees that leads to the front entrance of the old school.
Great Backyard Bird Count, South Country Loop (Daryl)
Saturday, February 15, 2025 - 8:30 am
Daryl will lead a driving tour to Newgate. This will be the 4th consecutive year for this particular tour.
Meet at the regular Tamarack Mall parking area at 8:30, and expect to return mid to late afternoon.
My vehicle has space for 3 birders and their stuff. You will need to bring your lunch, water, layers, camera and scope.
The loop tour will start by heading south along the Gold Creek Road, the Teepee Creek Road and the Newgate Road. This is a well maintained, good quality gravel and paved road. We'll return via Kikomun, and Jaffray. Expect compact snow and little traffic.
There are about a dozen places to stop and several will have a short walk through the snow to a vantage point. The longest walk, in the early afternoon, will not be difficult, and will be about an hour through grassland along a jeep road.
In addition to finding birds, we'll look for animal tracks, varying forest types and fine South Country landscapes.
Great Backyard Bird Count
February 14 - 17, 2025
The Great Backyard Bird Count, is a world-wide event which is easy to participate in at any birder level. Fun to do with family, friends or by yourself. Over one or more of the days, identify and count the birds in your yard, neighbourhood or where you are recreating. These observations help scientists better understand global bird populations before their annual migrations take place. Go to Great Backyard Bird Count for more information.
After entering your counts on eBird, at the end of the 4 days, send Marianne your totals in the form of a Trip Report. A Trip Report is easy to generate through eBird from all the lists that you submitted over the four days. If you need help creating a trip report, please email me. Send your totals to Marianne by Wednesday, February 19 to be eligible for a random draw of one of two $30.00 Top Crop gift certificates. The number of participants, number of total species and individuals, along with draw winners, will be announced a few days later.
On the February 15th weekend, there will be a couple of bird watching outings to several locations. Details to follow.
St. Mary's Slump Outing (Marianne)
Sunday, January 26, 2025 - 12:50 pm
Enjoy an easy 4 km walk on Conservation land to the St. Mary's River Slump located on the St. Mary's Prairie between Cranbrook and Kimberley. Lovely views, interesting hoodoo and tree formations, active bat and bluebird monitoring stations and a look at the geomorphology feature. This walk is on a well packed, flat snow trail (no slippery sections on Monday). Rated easy and will be an hour and a half long. Wear sturdy, warm boots, grippers if you feel more comfortable or bring them in your pack. Dress for the temperature (-6 to -8 predicted) and bring your binoculars. Parking at the trailhead is very limited so please carpool.
Cranbrook folk meet Marianne at the Tamarack Mall parking lot between Boston Pizza and Husky Truck Stop for a 12:50 pm departure.
Kimberley folk meet for a 1:00 pm departure at the back of the Marysville Arena. I will let you know who is coming from there. Please RSVP to Marianne.
AGM & Bi-Monthly Meeting - Manual Training Centre at Library
Sunday, January 12, 2025 - 11:00 am
AGM commences at 11:00 a.m. The Bi-Monthly Meeting will directly follow the AGM. Agendas for the meetings to be sent in early January along with the Treasurer's Report and Committee Reports.
Following the meetings, there will be a potluck luncheon & social. Please bring a shareable, plates and utensils.
Kimberley Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, January 4, 2025
There are four geographical areas in the count circle – Town Centre, Meadowbrook, Wasa / Ta Ta and Wycliffe. The map is on our website at rockymountainnaturalists.org under Christmas Bird Counts.
Once we have a list of participants, teams will be formed and final details sent out. If you are
interested in a specific quadrant and have a buddy (ies) you plan to go out with, please include
that information in your RSVP.
You do not need to be an experienced birder to join the fun and challenge. Birders are always learning and teams will include a variety of birding levels and expertise. You may decide to join for just a couple of hours. Once teams are formed, with their leader, they will decide when and where to meet to begin the count of their quadrant. Each team will submit their data as one ebird Trip Report to Dianne, our Kimberley count compiler.
After, there will be a dinner at 5:00 pm at the Marysville Pub. RSVP to Carol.
Snowshoe Outing - Sunflower Hill (Marianne/Daryl)
Wednesday, January 1, 2025 - 11:00 am
Join Daryl and Marianne on a 4 hour loop snowshoe hike through Wilks Woods, including a wiener roast at the midpoint.
Meet at the North (upper) end of Wilks Road which is a 1 kilometre spur off King Street, Cranbrook. Drive up Wilks Road, keep right at the 'Y', and take the 2nd right to the concrete barricade.
We will snowshoe up through open woods on a packed snowshoe route, utilizing game trails and dodging rough, rocky sections. 4 + kms in length with a 200m elevation gain/loss. Expect hills, a variety of ups and downs and 3 viewpoints. Snowshoes and poles are needed to navigate the considerable snow depth. Dress in layers. This is rated as a Moderate Plus Outing.
At the first viewpoint, almost at the halfway point, we will have a fire for lunch. Bring your own wieners/ smokies/ bun or whatever you want for lunch, water, tea, etc. We will supply condiments, sticks, and mulled wine and apple juice. We will be standing around in this area for lunch so bring extra clothes to keep warm and perhaps a sitting pad. After lunch, we'll continue to Whiskey Jack summit, then north over to the 3rd viewpoint overlooking the Trench, then down Sunflower Hill and across to the vehicles.
Naturalists will observe various forest types, animal signs and a few birds. We will listen and look for American 3-toed Woodpeckers and Brown Creepers. RSVP to Marianne.
Cranbrook Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, December 28, 2024
The Cranbrook Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is Saturday, December 28. There are four geographical areas in the count circle. South Cranbrook Hidden Valley-Gold Creek, North Cranbrook Mission, New Lake Old Wycliffe and Jim Smith to Moyie.
Once we have a list of participants, teams will be formed and final details sent out. If you are interested in a specific quadrant and have a buddy (ies) you plan to go out with, please include that information in your RSVP. The map is on our website at rockymountainnaturalists.org under Christmas Bird Counts.
You do not need to be an experienced birder to join the fun and challenge. Birders are always learning and teams will include a variety of birding levels and expertise. You may decide to join for just a couple of hours. Once teams are formed, with their leader, they will decide when and where to meet to begin the count of their quadrant. Each team will submit their data as one ebird Trip Report to Dianne, our Cranbrook count compiler.
There will be a potluck dinner at 5:00 pm. RSVP to Daryl.
Snowshoe Outing - Tabletop (Gretchen)
Sunday, December 8, 2024 - 1:00 pm
Snowshoe outing to Tabletop which is a small hill near Ramparts Rest Stop and provides nice views of the other hills, sloughs and forests in the area. The trail is already packed and has gradual hills with two short but steep sections. Total distance out and back is about 4 kilometers and there is 125 m of ascent. This is a moderate outing.
Meet at at the Tamarack Mall parking lot between Boston Pizza and Husky Truck Stop by 12:50 pm where carpooling can be arranged. We will leave there at 1:00 and drive to Ramparts Rest Stop where we will park and don our snowshoes. If you want to drive directly to the Rest Stop, be ready to head onto the trail by 1:15.
Dress in layers for the weather and bring water. Please bring at least one pole because of the hills. Binoculars optional; we may see birds or examine tracks in the snow. RSVP to Gretchen.
Snowshoe Outing - Sunflower Hill (Marianne)
Sunday, December 1, 2024 - 1:00 pm
Welcome in December and our wonderful snowy conditions with a snowshoe. This is an easy route, already packed with a variety of uphill, downhill and flat terrain. 2.3 km with an elevation gain of 102 metres. This is a moderate outing. Meet at 1:00 pm at the far end of Wilks Rd which is off King St. 5 kms north of Cranbrook. To carpool from Cranbrook, meet at the Tamarack Mall parking lot between Boston Pizza and Husky Truck Stop, ready to leave at 12:45 pm. Kimberley members, if you rsvp me, I will put you in touch with each other for carpooling. Dress in layers for the weather and bring water. Poles are useful. Binoculars? RSVP to Marianne.
Bi-Monthly Meeting - COTR Rm #KC152
Wednesday, November 20, 2024 - 7:00 pm
Guest Presenter: Janice Strong and Jamie Levine will present "Out of This World" - an educational and audio-visual presentation about Aurora and Comets. This will be followed by "Darkness to Light", a twelve minute slideshow of images to music.
A short business meeting will follow these presentations. Attendance at the business meeting is optional.
Elizabeth Lake Work Party (Marianne)
Thursday, October 31, 2024 - 9:00 am
Before winter really sets in, there are some jobs that need to be done at Elizabeth Lake. Several include:
brush sawing around some of the planted plots, removing landscape cloth and stakes in a couple areas, removing several signs, litter pickup and carrying some small logs a couple hundred metres.
Meet at the parking lot on the corner of 11St. S and Innes Ave. below Parkland School. Dress for the weather, bring work gloves. If you have a brush saw that you are able to use around the plots, please let me know so that I can make a plan. Gas money will be provided. RSVP would be appreciated but not necessary.
Moe's Canyon Larch Loop Outing (Betty)
Saturday, October 19, 2024 - 9:00 am
This is a moderate hike with an elevation gain of 110m over a 6 km. loop, up to 3 hours. We will walk along the base of a steep talus slope and through a stand of large old-growth larch trees in full autumn colour. Wear sturdy footwear and bring a snack. Forecast is cool and cloudy. Meet at the far end of the Kimberley Nordic Centre parking lot at 9 a.m. Cranbrook residents can carpool from the Tamarack Mall; meet at the parking area between Boston Pizza and the Husky truck stop, ready for an 8:30 am departure.
Fill in the form below for more field trip info. [We do not share your contact info)
The fossil box at Nature Bob's Interpretive Centre at Mount Fernie Alpine Resort.
Photo - Greg
