Narcisse Snake Dens

It was a long drive around Winnipeg and north to the small town of Narcisse, Manitoba. Narcisse is home to some world famous snake dens, the winter home to perhaps as many as 700,000 red sided garter snakes. I decided I just had to see their emergence and mating ritual. As I arrived at the site I realized I would not be able to park in the parking lot there, but instead along the side of the highway due to the high visitation. As I walked the 1/2 mile from where I parked my car to the snake dens, I noticed the "snake fence" that had been erected to protect the snakes from getting run over by cars.

The fences corral the snakes into tunnels that lead under the highway.

 As I arrived at the entrance to the site, it was obvious just how popular the site is on spring days. There were people everywhere and lines to use the pit toilets. It would be impossible to avoid the crowds. I followed the well-marked and maintained trail system to the snake pits.

They are sinkhole depressions in this area of limestone. in some areas, acidic water has enlarged cracks in the limestone, in essence creating mini caves that reach below the frostline and allow a safe and relatively warm area for the snakes to spend their winter. As temperatures warm up, the snakes emerge from their dens and are ready to mate.

I observed two small "mating balls" where the male snakes try to mate with a female.

Overall, the site was a bit of a disappointment. I realize the snake emergence is a natural phenomenon and impossible to predict, but there were far more people to observe than snakes. While most people were respectful, I observed a few throwing sticks at the snakes and squirting water at them. It made for a less than optimal experience. I walked the trails twice and then returned to my vehicle for the long drive back to International Falls.

Whiteshell Provincial Park: Bannock Point Petroforms

After my hike on the Amisk Trail, I headed further north in Whiteshell. My next destination was the famous Bannock Point Petroforms.

I had seen something marked as "Ojibwe Mosaics" on my atlas of Manitoba and so at one point had done a little bit of research to figure out what they were. It turns out they are piles of stoned that are shaped into effigies, animals and other figures. Petroform is just another name for mosaic.

I arrived at the parking lot a bit surprised to find it nearly full. I hadn't anticipated the site being this popular. As it turns out, most of those parked and visiting the site weren't curious people like me, but mostly First Nations folks who were seemingly making a religious pilgrimage to the site. This made my visit seem a little bit awkward, but I felt I was able to act respectfully and observe the petroforms while not infringing on the others' at the site.

Among the shapes I found outlined in stone were a few turtles,

a snake

and some other shapes whose meaning is unknown to me.

Some of the forms appeared very old with moss growing alongside the rocks, while others appeared relatively new. A very interesting place. Apparently, there are other sites like it in the local area, but the Bannock Point Petroforms are the most accessible.

Whiteshell Provincial Park: Amisk Trail

This morning I was awake in time to see the sunrise at West Hawk Lake.

I made coffee, had breakfast and then packed up camp. I would be headed through the northern part of Whiteshell Provincial Park and then skirting around Winnipeg to visit the Narcisse Snake Dens. First on my agenda though, was a hike on the Amisk Trail. Amisk is Ojibwe for beaver (though we say Amik in Minnesota). I hit the trail through an old field and then passed over a swampy area on a short boardwalk.

There were glacial erratics here and there along the trail.

Soon I found myself at a small stream with beautiful views.

A spur trail headed down to a section of the stream where I found a beaver dam,

beaver lodge, and even spotted one of the resident beavers. I observed the beaver for a bit and then finished up my short hike on the Amisk Trail. It was still fairly early in the day though, so I decided as I headed north a quick stop at Rainbow Falls was in order.

Whiteshell Provincial Park: McGillivray Trail

After this morning's hike at Hunt Lake and a short break at the campground, I was ready to do some more hiking. I looked at the Whiteshell Provinical Park map that I obtained and found an interesting trail not too far from the campground: McGillivray Falls Trail.

I made the short drive to the trailhead.

It was pretty packed (it's the May Long Holiday in Canada) but I was able to find a place to park and quickly hit the trail.

Pretty quickly I arrived at the falls. They were not very impressive; more like a set of cascades.

However, the trail seemed to get more interesting after passing the falls. The stream that fed the falls meandered through a grassy meadow lined with evergreens.

There were a few wildflowers in bloom here and there.

Soon enough I met up with a pair of ladies and their dog Claire. I ended up hiking with the two ladies for the remainder of the hike. One was from Winnipeg, the other from Steinbach, Manitoba. Soon enough we arrived at the turn around point for the hike: McGillivray Lake.

We relaxed there and ate some snacks. Claire demanded my attention for a bit and I was happy to oblige.

Then it was a short hike back to the trailhead parking area and the drive back to my campsite.

After dinner tonight I decided to explore the campground area a bit. I noticed a trail that led up a hill near my campsite and found that it led to several beautiful, high overlooks of West Hawk Lake.

I admired the views for a bit

before returning to my tent and settling in for the evening.

Whiteshell Provincial Park: Hunt Lake Trail

Last night I packed up the car and drove up north through Fort Frances and Kenora, Ontario and across the border into Manitoba and Whiteshell Provincial Park. I witnessed a beautiful sunset for the last half hour of the drive, pulled into the West Hawk Lake Campground and set up camp for the night. This morning I set out early for the short drive to the Hunt Lake Trailhead for what is one of the most popular hikes at Whiteshell.

Almost immediately after hitting the trail,

I heard and saw something large run through thick brush. I was almost certain I had just seen a bear. I wasn't able to get photographic evidence though. Pretty quickly the trail arrived at its namesake: Hunt Lake. There were sporadic views of the lake through the trees.

At one point a short side trail led to a small set of cascades.

Then the trail climbed a high ridge, passed an obvious wolf kill site,

and eventually led away from Hunt Lake. The forest in Manitoba is just starting to awaken from its winter rest and the leaves are budding out like crazy.

Soon enough, the trail climbed to a high overlook of West Hawk Lake,

the same lake whose shore I was camped near. The trail followed the shore of West Hawk Lake for a bit with many views through the trees that lined its shore.

Eventually I passed by a wetland

and soon after found myself at the end of the trail and a shelter.

The shelter looked heavily used, and a bit abused with quite a bit of graffiti. I rested near the shelter for a short break and then started to make my way back the way I had come. At one point I nearly walked right into a white tailed deer.

It seemed to have no fear of me!

When I arrived back at the trailhead parking area, I noticed a large black figure, moving around in a large tree nearby. It was a bear!

Probably the same bear that I had scared earlier in the morning. I observed the bear for about 15 minutes as it climbed up and down the tree. It seemed to be looking for newly emerged foliage to eat. After that I drove back to the campground to register, since I had arrived too late to do so last night.  

International Falls Every Street Project: Day 10

Slowly but surely, the streets of the Falls are being gobbled up by my running shoes. Rickey Gates could probably run all the streets of International Falls in a day or two, but for someone out of shape like me, this endeavor will take about a month of running days at 3 to 4 miles per day. Still, days like today make the running easy. Today's run featured warm morning temperatures and sunny skies. In addition, I would be running some of the most pleasant neighborhoods in International Falls, the ones along the Rainy River.

I started from home and ran past Smoky Bear Park and back to Riverside Drive. After a quick side trip to take a look at the Rainy River,

I ran west on Riverside to an apartment complex, made a left onto 12th Avenue, and another quick left onto 2nd Street. I ran the block north and south on 10th Avenue and then headed out on MN 11 past the WPA era Sports Stadium

and back into the nearby trailer park to finish the roads in there I had missed last time. Then it was past the condemned former Knight's Inn

and on to Riverside Boulevard. I ran Riverside west to Park Avenue. I ran Park Avenue east, made a quick detour on Center Street and then returned to Hiway Lane.

I would run Hiway lane to MN-11 and then finished my run with a trip down the dead-end Terrace Lane.

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International Falls Every Street Project: Day 9

A day off with warming temperatures and the scenery starting to look like spring,

and I set off to take advantage of it with a short run. Today's route would take me out Minnesota Highway 11. I passed the line of trailers used by the paper mill,

then the Border Patrol building.

Soon enough I passed over the creek at what's locally known as "Second Bridge"

and turned left onto County Road 21. According to maps I've looked at, the town border is a short ways up the road. I ran to its approximate location and then turned around.

At the Voyageurs National Park building

I turned right onto a strange divided section of gravel road.

This road is definitely an official road, but it doesn't show up in Google Maps. Still I figured I would give it a run. Supposedly it was built to attract a quality motel to town. I turned right once the gravel road intersected Highway 11 and started to make my way back to town. I saw a fox run through the field between the mill trailer parking area and the Border Patrol building.

It is difficult to see in the photo. A bald eagle was perched in a tree nearby.  

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