GENERAL MEETINGS
Meetings are held at 7:30 pm on the last Monday of the month, except as noted. September, November, and April (Potluck and AGM) meetings will be in the Trail Anglican Church basement. Enter by alley door. February (Annual Banquet) Trail venue will be announced at January meeting. January, March, and May meetings will be in the Castlegar Library basement. Enter by east door. October Potluck is in the Robson Hall, 6:00 pm. June is the annual picnic. Venues vary. No meetings July, August, or December. Read your newsletter and attend the meetings! We have the presentation and refreshments before a short business meeting. Bring your own cup, and coins for donations to the coffee fund.
WEST KOOTENAY NATURALISTS’ ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
2003 – 2004
Elected:
PRESIDENT Ed Beynon 365-7806
VICE-PRESIDENT Joan Snyder 226-0012
SECRETARY Hazel Kirkwood 365-7806
TREASURER Sharon Lelliott 365-1161
Appointed:
IMMED. PAST PRES Pat Thomson 362-7649
PROGRAM DIRECTORS Pamella Wik 368-3333
Webb Webster 365-2572
FBCN REPORTING DIR Joan Snyder 226-0012
NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER Margo Saunders 693-2229
ARCHIVIST Tom Allis 365-5542
Area Representatives:
CASTLEGAR Laima Allis 365-5542
Marg Webster 365-2572
TRAIL Lois Pazurik 364-2140
NELSON & AREA Bill Bennetts 352-9834
SALMO Dorothy Hearn 357-2265
Check out our new Club website!
Maintained by Sharpwit Web Consuls,
TRIP REPORTS
Saturday, February 14, 2004:
Six Nats and one guest (now a member) planned to ski into the scenic valley between Rosebud Lake and the International Border. The attempt was thwarted by inadequate access, so we skied around the edge of the lake before lunch, then circumnavigated the route in the opposite direction. The birders in the group cruised away from those of us more interested in the perfect weather and the companion ship, and we all agreed that it was a most satisfying jaunt, all things considered.
Margo Saunders
Saturday, March 20, 2004:
Eleven Nats met at the Syringa Park gate for our first official hike of the season, on the Yellow Pine Trail. The starting time was one hour earlier than stated in the Program, so those who did not phone to confirm their attendance were out of luck. (Only one couple fell into this category. We met them later, at lunch). The weather was sunny, if somewhat cool, and the trails were in very good shape -bare and dry. Hazel Kirkwood led the hike without mishap: we didn't even encounter any wood ticks! At the end of the hike, we ate our lunch at one of the campsites, then dispersed. A pleasant hike, even though we didn't observe much in the way of wildlife.
Bill Bennetts
Saturday, April 3, 2004::
Seventeen Nats took part in a hike in the Pend d'Oreille river valley. It was a very pleasant day and the leader got lost only once. Some birds were seen, but numbers and variety are quite limited yet. Gwen was not successful in finding an osprey, but some people did see bluebirds on the drive out.
Emily Yakimchuk
Saturday, April 17, 2004:
Seven Nats and one guest met at the Brilliant Park 'n' Ride and carpooled to Lemon Creek. Peter McIver was good enough to let us park at his cabin. We were welcomed by a Red Naped Sapsucker, our first of the year. The day was partially overcast but warmed up as we walked. The river had many ducks such as Buffleheads, Common and Barrow's Goldeneyes, Mallards, Ring-necked, Wood, and Cinnamon Teal, Greenwing Teal and Pied Billed Grebes. Many small birds such as Winter Wrens. Yellowrumps, Chestnut Backed Chickadees, both Ruby and Golden Crowned Kinglets and Juncos were seen or heard. A Great Blue Heron, Kingfisher, Red Tailed Hawk, Merlin and Three Bald Eagles were seen. As well, our first Osprey of the year came over while we were having lunch. All in all, it turned out to be a great birding day and a beautiful day for a walk.
Gary Lelliott
Saturday, April 24, 2004:
Many happy hikers met on one of the first sunny days of the season for the annual Mel DeAnna Trail cleanup. So astonished were we by the first blossoms of avalanche lily, blue-eyed Mary, spring beauty, Indian paintbrush and trillium. It was as if Spring was a new idea which none of us had ever before experienced. And I guess every Spring is. We hoped to, and did, see Goldeneye, Merganser, Ring-necked duck and Mallard, and greeted with awe, as always, the massive Ponderosa, whose bark positively glows like cuprous chain mail. We think the filled-in part of the pond is floating, suspended. It supports beautiful weeds, grasses, sedges and some flowers, and would be fascinating to study, being such a specific microhabitat of the slough.
Pamella
Saturday, May 1, 2004:
Where is Cougar Rock? [NOT where we thought it was!] I understand there are several in the Slocan Valley, but the real one is on the west side of the river at Winlaw. It was a lovely Spring day, and ten Nats arrived at the Kosiancic farm and drove to Drake St access, close to the rock bluff. We were met by Clarke Smith and his friend, Corey, who live at the base of Cougar Rock. They have created trails around the Rock, and offered to direct us on these trails, giving us all some walking history. Clarke plans to build a Chilcotin-style building, were people may bring their horses and stay overnight. He owns the timber frame company constructing buildings with wood dowels, designed with no nails. The trails offered many beautiful views of the Slocan River, the Valley, and the mountains, including spectacular Frog Mountain. [Ray & Ida celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on May 15]
The Poor Farmer, Ray (Kay) Kosiancic
Saturday, June 19, 2004:
On a sunny morning four WK Nats and two Boundary Nats headed along the Skattebo trail and then up the Waterline trail. I always enjoy this trail, the ingenuity and tenacity of the Doukhobors in running this 16 in wood stave pipe up,over and around this mountain is always a wonder to me. Not a lot of birds around this day, But we did see a Ruffed Grouse, an osprey in a nest, and heard Red-Eyed and Cassins Vireos. We were also entertained by a Winter wren while we had our lunch. There were lots of flowers to enjoy on this day, Spotted Coralroot, Stonecrop, Queens Cup, Twinflower, Paintbrushes, Fireweed, Hazelbells, Prences Pine, Tiger Lilies, Foamflowers, Saxifrage, Bedstraw and Self Heal to name a few. An enjoyable walk was had by all. Thank you Marg.
Gary Lelliott
Saturday, July 3, 2004:
It is a challenge, trying to describe the Fry Creek Canyon in one paragraph! Rod "Been-there" Dunnett led ten Nats and two guests, from Kaslo and up the canyon. The day produced pouring rain only on the trip to Kaslo, and a few very light showers to cool us off on the hike. Tracy Wallace, Rod's wife, joined us and warned us that a schoolteacher would never stop talking. We were pleased with that, as Rod's 40+ years in the area have given him an encyclopaedic knowledge, including history, geography, flora and fauna. He showed us various features en route, including Kootenay Joe, and the picturesque wetlands where a day could easily be spent birding. We lunched at the bridge over the creek, our first contact with it. Four of the group departed here, and missed the most glorious, breath-taking, glass-green tumultuous rush of water, and sheer cliffs, redolent with multi-hued mosses, and twisted trees, all viewed from a supremely clean and well maintained trail. The trail hugged the north bank of the creek, but was not dangerously close, and provided unexcelled views for the entire length. We travelled but a third of this trail (about 2 km), which Rod assured us was the best section for views, as we were so busy exclaiming our good fortune to be here. All the way back down the trail, pictures were taken for posterity and the thrilled travellers were making lists of the friends with whom they would very quickly be returning! Rod has promised us two more trips next summer. He knows the whole area intimately, so this is wonderful news!
Margo Saunders
Saturday, July 10, 2004: Abercrombie Mountain, WA
Elevation 7,308ft Hike 9km return 2,400 ft elevation gain Four Nats joined up with hikers from the KMC to make a group of 16. Mary Baker was our leader from the KMC. We met at and carpooled from the 'Waneta Quik-stop' south of the border. The one hour drive to the trail head was somewhat bumpy towards the end! The hike was about three and a half hrs up, on a good trail -- a little shaley toward the top. Many alpine flowers were out -- a very colourful showing. The beargrass was profuse. On getting to the summit, we enjoyed our lunch, at 2pm! It was interesting to pick out landmarks north of the border: Old Glory and Rossland nestled below it. We had intermittent sun and light clouds with a refreshing breeze at the summit -- a perfect day for a hike.
Margaret Knudsgaard
Saturday, August 14, 2004:
A small (cozy) group of three, Rod Dunnett, Margo Saunders, and Catterina Henriksan met at the turnoff for the Antoine Basin off the Valley of the Ghosts highway, determined to beat the heat by heading into the alpine. Rod's trust Suzuki Samurai, top down, bounced us up the rough mining road, with Margo continually "wowing" from her standing position in the back seat. Stops were made at points of historical interest along the road and features discussed. Amazement was expressed when the rough track traversing the alpine slope was pointed out, from far below, as our destination. A couple of small slides across the road were no barrier, but 200 metres from our parking spot a larger slide made the road impassable to all vehicles but ATVs. A short hike and we were at the Tom Moore mine, with incredible vistas toward Idaho Lookout, New Denver Glacier, and all the way east to Mt Brennan. Cool fresh water flowed out of the adit, and artifacts and minerals abounded for discovery. On the alpine track, spied from so far below, we were surrounded by alpine flowers in full force. Margo's cameras were heating up with so much use! We followed a grouse family closely up the hill, and the sounds of pikas warned of our approach. Once in the basin itself, we explored the old cabin and mine dumps, looking up to the ridges and the promises of more "wow" factor. An idyllic, verdant, shady spot by a lovely spring was our lunch spot, and the light mountain breeze and the trickle of water were special company. To make a full day of it, we stopped on the way down at the Rambler Concentrator and looked for artifacts at the demolished assayer's building, and marveled at the thousands of tons of rock moved from underground. We made one more stop at an almost perfectly circular little lake by the old Washington mine to wonder about its formation - perhaps a meteor - eat a few huckleberries and pick up some galena, and then down through McGuigan townsite (where a cross carved into a tree many decades ago marked the boundary) to the main road, and the heat. A grand day out!
Rod Dunnett
Remembering our Friends
Predeceased by his parents John and Agnes and brothere Clark. Survived by his wife Helen, children Gary (Marchia), Dennis, Jean (Rob) Hitchens, Shelley, Neil, five grandchildren, three great grandchildren, sisters Alice Corrigan in Fort Francis, ON and Lorna Coulson in Cranbrook, and many nieces and nephews. Cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, donations were to be made to West Kootenay Naturalists in Castlegar. A gathering of family and friends took place on June26 at his daughter's home in Castlegar
Jan was born in the Netherlands. His father had arrived in Canada in 1924 and brought his wife and four children to this country in 1928. They lived on a dairy farm which Jan's father had established in an area in Trail now known as Miral Heights.
Jan was educated in Trail and the University of British Columbia and also served four years with the Canadian Armed Forces. He returned to Trail in 1950 and Jan, Dorothy and four children made Trail their permanent residence. Jan also imparted his love of the outdoors to his family. There were lots of camping and fishing trips, as well as the Kootenay pasttime of picking huckleberries. His love of the outdoors lasted all his life.
Dorothy and Jan joined the West Kootenay Naturalists in 1980, where they became very active members. He loved the meetings and club outings, always making new friends along the way. He especially enjoyed the hiking in the mountains of the area. He did serve as president for one year, but really preferred being the supportive and helping hand.
Jan died peacefully on April 19 with his family at his side. The family would like to thank all the Nats who came to say goodbye. We also appreciated the kind donation made to Selkirk College and the cards, letters and visits.
Dorothy and family