Spring has been late arriving this year and it’s beginning to look like it’s going to bypass us altogether. It almost seems as if winter is here to stay for good. Although the first day of spring officially occurred three weeks ago, on March 20th, there have been few spring-like days, thus far. The weather doesn’t always behave as we think it should, and it seldom pays attention to what time of year the calendar says it’s supposed to be. All I know is the prolonged wait for spring has caused an increase in the cases of cabin fever. With some individuals, symptoms have gone from mild to severe. Almost everyone I know has had their fill of winter and are anxious to get outdoors to enjoy some sunshine and warmth, and maybe indulge in a few favorite spring activities.
As I write this, southwestern Alberta is under another snowfall advisory. It’s been snowing since 8:00 am this morning and by the time it’s supposed to stop this evening, we’ll likely have another 15 centimeters on the ground.
Chilly waters – Crowsnest River
Robins and bluebirds have been back from their southern retreats for several weeks. They must be in shock and wondering what’s going on. There’s not a lot of food available for them yet. Dried, shriveled apples and berries on trees and bushes, leftover from last autumn, are about all they have to eat at the moment. Crows are back, too. I watched a pair of these birds in my backyard the other day. They have nest-building on their minds and were trying to break dead branches from trees to shore up last year’s abode. There are plenty of broken branches on the ground but three feet of snow will need to melt before the crows can gather them for their nest. Bears are starting to come out of hibernation and there have been several sightings in and around Crowsnest Pass. If I was a bear, I would poke my head out of the den to check for snow, first. If I saw what I’m seeing today, I would turn around and go back to bed for a few more weeks.
Bluebird house
There is some good news on the way. The weather forecast looks pretty nice for tomorrow, April 13th. Today’s snow will have ended and there will be a return to sunshine and above-freezing temperatures. By the weekend, we are looking at double-digit temperatures on the plus side, and lots of sun. This just might be the cure we are looking for!
Crowsnest River at East Hillcrest Bridge
(downstream view)
Crowsnest River at East Hillcrest Bridge
(upstream view)
6 Comments
It has really been a long drawn out winter and we are all more than ready for spring temperatures, melted snow and some clear waters. Enjoyed the read and the photos; wonderful works as always! Thanks.
Hi Kurt,
It has been a long winter, that’s for sure. It started the middle of October. The weather forecast looks great, though, at least for the next week or so. Highs of 14°C expected by Friday and maybe 18°C on Tuesday. If temperatures warm up too quickly, the Crow could get cloudy during the afternoons. So far, it’s been staying pretty clear and has been fishing very well. Thanks for commenting.
Vic :
Yikes !
Here, it is Lilac & Dandelion Time and our temps have been more like 18º.
A few outings to regional lakes for small trout for me has been all the Spring has brought, thus far. General lakes season opens in two weeks and some of the waters up near Spokane are in my sites.
Summer plans include the Pass in August. Is there any best / better time on your schedule around then? I have trip timing flexibility and have even been considering rock climbing and rappelling lessons, but it may be too late for those.
All best – patience; it has always melted before – – hasn’t it?
Great pix of the cabin, BTW.
Terry
Hi Terry,
I guess spring is late everywhere this year, not just in Crowsnest Pass. After Thursday’s snowstorm, we had three days of warm temps and now we are back into more snow. Another 6-8 inches in the forecast for today. We’ve already had about 4″. All of the lakes around here are still ice-covered. The forecast is calling for it to warm up quite a bit as the week progresses. I suspect our lakes will start opening by the weekend or early next week.
Glad to hear you will be coming to the Pass this August. Anytime of the month should work. We have a huge snowpack this year, but I’m sure everything will be in great shape long before then. Let me know, once you know when you will be arriving. Talk to you soon.
Vic: The cabin photo captures our prolonged winter real well. And nice pictures of the Crowsnest River…looks ready to fish….I zoomed in on a couple of the pics to see if any midges were buzzing around but saw none! LOL. I’m hoping to get on it before run-off occurs.
robert
Hi Robert,
What may have looked like midges buzzing around in the photos were snowflakes. The log cabin/building is on the outskirts of Hillcrest, along East Hillcrest Drive. You have probably driven by it many times. I’ve been getting good reports from people who have been on the river the past few days, including during Thursday’s blizzard. I’m ready to get out there myself … maybe tomorrow. I’ll let you know if there are any midges and rising trout. Then again, you will likely be going out to see for yourself. Thanks for stopping by.