top of page
Search

Do You Know Your Boreal?

Aug 27
3 min read

Autumn Hike to “The Chutes”

By Sharon Krushel, author of Mother Earth: Boreal Beauty of the Peace Country with Flora, Fauna, & Fungi ID, including Latin, French, Beaver & Cree


At the beginning of the hike
At the beginning of the hike

In 2021, I photographed the Vermilion Falls while hanging out the open door of a Super Cub (seat belt on). Last October, I finally got to see “The Chutes” from the ground and hear the roar of the waters of the mighty Peace River plunging over a 1.8km-wide limestone cliff!


From Fort Vermilion, we drove to where the barge would cross to Fox Lake, turned west, and parked at the end of the gravel road. We walked west along the north shore of the river. The weather was getting cool by October 3, but the river and creek were sufficiently low for the hike by then.


Through the animated conversation and the pitter patter of raindrops on the river, I was amazed to hear the faint roar of the falls—even from a distance of eight kilometres.


Hiking in the rain
Hiking in the rain

Oh, the stories told along the way! What a great opportunity to get to know people with a shared passion for connection, learning and adventure in the wild beauty of Mother Earth in the boreal!


My highly-regarded hiking companions included three palaeontologists—Emily Bamforth, Curator at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum in Grande Prairie; and Dr. Colin Sproat and Mikayla Rychel from the University of Saskatchewan. There were two teachers—Devin Zobell from Peace River, and Alicia Gross from Fort Vermilion. Dr. Naveen Arora, plant geneticist, came from Peace River, as did our friend from Kenya, Joseph Mwihaki and I. 


Three members of the Northern Lights Forest Education Society also joined us—John Thurston, Gale Hayday and David Asher. They know how to make a much-needed fire at the destination, even on a rainy day! Our canine guide, Emily’s dog Aster, made us an even dozen hikers.


Vermilion Falls photographed from the east
Vermilion Falls photographed from the east

As we approached our goal, the sun started playing peek-a-boo, creating splashes of reflected light. We climbed a limestone cliff to get to a high, flat spot overlooking the falls.


As the widest waterfall in North America, this spectacle is so extensive you “scarce can take it in” let alone photograph it! 


I could have sat by that fire for hours, drying my feet and enjoying the sights, sounds, smells, subsiding shivers, shared stories, snacks, sighs and laughter.


On our journey together, we saw Greater White-fronted Geese, villages of Cliff Swallow mud nests, beavers and moose. There were intriguing plants and rocks, and some cool coral and other fossils, including bryozoans (moss animals). 


A small slab collected during the hike described by Dr. Sproat: "The shells on the slab are all brachiopods. The large one on the left is a Cyrtospirifer, the knobby looking one is called Spinatrypa and the more finely ribbed shell on the bottom right is Atrypa. The small tube-shaped structures are bryozoans, commonly known as moss animals. That little smooth piece in the top right is actually a piece of a snail fossil."
A small slab collected during the hike described by Dr. Sproat: "The shells on the slab are all brachiopods. The large one on the left is a Cyrtospirifer, the knobby looking one is called Spinatrypa and the more finely ribbed shell on the bottom right is Atrypa. The small tube-shaped structures are bryozoans, commonly known as moss animals. That little smooth piece in the top right is actually a piece of a snail fossil."


Dr. Sproat said, “There was a diverse range of brachiopod fossils that are in need of study...The two geological units there are very different—one represents more of a reef ecosystem while the other is a muddy sea bottom. Both of these formed at a time when North America was much further south than today and was largely covered by a shallow tropical sea.”


The Mighty Peace Watershed is a vast wonder to explore. You can read more about it and see my aerial photos and other shots of The Chutes in the Mother Earth book (pages 259-262.)


At The Chutes
At The Chutes

I returned home exhausted and happy, and I thought, “Well, that was the only thing on my bucket list, so I guess I can die happy.” But no, I can’t. I want to go back!


I’m putting together a 20-minute video which I hope to have on my website by the end of August. And I’ve started a blog post featuring photos and stories of others who have visited Vermilion Falls. If that’s you, contact me!


The Chutes have captured my heart as a symbol of gracious, joyous generosity. May we care for this life-giving river that connects us, protect her and her tributaries, and leave nothing but footprints when we visit.



Contact: Sharon Krushel, 780-625-6324, krushel@mac.com


At MotherEarthBook.ca, you can find our music video “Come by the Hills” and a song I wrote about chickadees.


You can also order the 288-page coffee table book, or find a retail outlet in Fort Vermilion, Fairview, Manning, Peace River, Beaverlodge, Grande Prairie, Edmonton or Red Deer.


For a personalized autograph or bulk purchase, contact Sharon.


Find Mother Earth Book on Facebook and Instagram



Sharon will be leading several hikes this summer and fall.

Comments

bottom of page