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A RAMBLE WITH AND REPORT by Trails Maintenance Co-ordinator Peter Wood. Although it is only mid-February as I write this article for the CFPT Newsletter, there are definite signs of the imminent arrival of Spring. Early this morning, the trail system on the Columbia Power Corporation (CPC) land between Fortis' property and north Shoreacres, alongside the Kootenay River and below the CPR tracks, was coated with a new 5cm deep covering of coarsely grained snow. On the trails, this was on the slippery remains of consolidated snow and ice caused by the passing of the feet of many hikers, snowshoers, elk and deer. In the woods, amongst the majestic and splendidly, naturally spaced mixed stand of 90-plus year old specimens of western hemlock, grand fir, Douglas fir and a few remaining veteran western larch, western white pine and the occasional ponderosa pine, the old, accumulated snow was up to 30cm deep plus its new 5cm of fresh. As I cautiously X-C skied off the trail and up over the edge of the treed flatland, I spied two white-tailed deer stepping gracefully and unobtrusively out of my line of sight and away from my direction of travel. No panic, just their steady, cautious high-stepping gait with their heads and ears moving backwards and forwards sensing their way ahead. Their tails were held down, no alarm flagging for Pixie and me. I love it when they don't take flight at our appearance. [Pixie my 6 ½ year old dog respects her 'bionic' right knee with its heavy-duty nylon loops replacing her r. anterior cruciate ligament. No chasing anything for her these days, least of all over breakable crust which she was just able to stay atop of, if she went carefully enough].

This morning I made two loops of the CPC property, on and off the trail at different places, between 09:30 and 11:00 hrs. On our first go around we had the place to ourselves (and the deer), but as I scanned the Pool from Shoreacres looking for any waterfowl that might be afloat, I heard a young family approaching along the riverside trail. First came father and son talking quietly as they walked together. Then 20 m or so back came mother and daughter and a small, quiet dog. The higher pitched female voices carried more noticeably to my ears. All seemed to be enjoying the lovely area and their time together on this lovely morning. I don't think they noticed me across the shallow bay although they can't have missed seeing my ski tracks.

All the preceding reflects my wish to encourage all CFPT members and friends to get out on our many lovely, local trails often and regularly and so enjoy watching the changes, which accompany the passing of the seasons. Enjoy the appearances of the many wild flowers as they go through their annual blooming and fruiting display, the bursting of the over wintered conifer and hardwood buds and their development into tender green shoots, needles or broadleaves; the many other of Nature's changes through the seasons such as the passages of the warblers between their wintering grounds and their summer breeding grounds; the arrival/departures of varied thrushes, killdeer plovers, red- tailed hawks and their other migrant raptorial relatives. There's simply so much to see, enjoy and learn about out there!

Well, down to some kind of report re. Our CFPT trails:
After last season's extensive "working over" of all our trails (except the Waldie Island area ones) by our very special Katimavik volunteers (Jess and Erik, March through May and Rebecca and Charles, June through August), and by our two very conscientious and skilled contractors, Tess and Grace (mid March to late August) and our several CFPT volunteer trail-worker expeditors and labourers (off and on), as required through Spring and Summer, [Please see the CFPT Fall Newsletter, Sept. 07 for all the details] , our trails should be in excellent condition for the start of the 2008 trail walking season. No doubt there are some new trees down across the trails since August because of wind and snow-loading. We will try

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