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Fall 2023

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Outdoor Activities Discovery Evenings
Photo: James Pritchett

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Published on 6 December 2023
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Published on 6 September 2023
Published on 13 July 2023

December 2023

S M T W T F S
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Saturday 2 December – Winnipeg River outing

Saturday 2 December – Winnipeg River outing

Outdoor Activities: 

Event Date: 

December 2, 2023

Trip Rating: 

NOVICE

Contact / Registration: 

Contact Rudolf Koes at 204-661-0763 or at rkoes@mymts.net  or Garry Budyk at 204-667-1062 or gbudyk@shaw.ca for carpool info.

This is your chance to get a start on your winter list. We hope to see lingering waterfowl, such as Long-tailed Duck and Harlequin Duck, or rare gulls. Please meet at 7:45 a.m. at the Safeway parking lot at the southeast corner of Henderson Hwy. and Chief Peguis.

Dec 2 2023
 
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Migration in the time of climate change

Migration in the time of climate change

Presenter: 

Dr. Kevin Fraser

Date: 

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Start Time: 

7:30 pm

Location: 

Westworth United Church at 1750 Grosvenor Avenue, Winnipeg

Admission: 

$5 for members (non-member rate $10)

For migratory animals timing can be everything but are birds keeping up with the pace of climate change? Dr. Kevin Fraser will discuss his research with local migrants and how they can respond to climate change and new hazards along their migratory routes.

Dr. Kevin Fraser is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Manitoba. He leads the Avian Behaviour and Conservation lab where he and his students study the long-distance migrations of landbirds and how they may be impacted by climate change and artificial light.

Buy tickets at Eventbrite for the Dec 5th, 2023 Discovery Evening

Note: Eventbrite ticket sales close at 7pm on December 4th, 2023.

Dec 5 2023
 
 
Walk Sturgeon Creek Greenway and Yellow Ribbon Greenway

Walk Sturgeon Creek Greenway and Yellow Ribbon Greenway

Outdoor Activities: 

Event Date: 

December 6, 2023

Trip Rating: 

NOVICE

Contact / Registration: 

Kathleen Harrison & Christine Urban -- register at kharriso98@gmail.com

Time / Location: Meet at 10:15 AM at the Woodhaven Park Community Club at 200 Glendale Blvd. Park in the community club's parking lot, or on Glendale Blvd or Woodale Blvd. Start walking at 10:30.

Description: The route will be something like: north along the Sturgeon Creek Greenway and east along the Yellow Ribbon Greenway. The walk will be ~10 km / ~2 hours. There are no bathroom facilities at the community club or on the route. Lunch afterwards is available at Stellas or R and R  previously Perkins) on Portage Ave. Call or text 204-770-5973 with questions.

Bring: Your name tag.

Activity Type: 

Dec 6 2023
 
 
 
 
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Tuesday Breakfast

Tuesday Breakfast

Outdoor Activities: 

Event Date: 

Repeats every month on the second Tuesday 2 times.
December 12, 2023
January 9, 2024

Trip Rating: 

NOVICE

Contact / Registration: 

Charles Begley -- register at ccbegley@shaw.ca

Date: The second Tuesday of every month at 9.00 AM
Location: Smitty’s Family Restaurant, 580 Pembina Hwy (near Grant Ave)
Registration deadline: The preceding Sunday at 6:00 PM. Charles needs to know who will be attending.
Bring: Your name tag.

Dec 12 2023
 
 
Hike Beaudry Provincial Park trails

Hike Beaudry Provincial Park trails

Outdoor Activities: 

Event Date: 

December 13, 2023

Trip Rating: 

NOVICE

Contact / Registration: 

Marilyn Hearn -- register at marhelhearn@gmail.com

Location / Time: Meet in the main parking lot at Beaudry Provincial Park at 1:00. A Manitoba Parks vehicle permit is required. The hike begins promptly at 1:15.

Description: We’ll hike the Elm Trail (5.2 km) and then the Oak Trail (2.7 km). Enroute to the Oak Trail after hiking the Elm, we’ll be passing by the parking lot. Anyone who wants a shorter walk can leave the group at this time, but please advise me before you go.

Bring: Your name tag.

 

 

Activity Type: 

Dec 13 2023
 
 
 
 
Sunrise Walk at the Forks
Dec 16 2023
 
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Sunday 17 December – Winnipeg Christmas Bird Count

Sunday 17 December – Winnipeg Christmas Bird Count

Outdoor Activities: 

Event Date: 

December 17, 2023

Trip Rating: 

NOVICE

Contact / Registration: 

Please contact Rudolf Koes well before the count date (preferably no later than early December) at 204-661-0763 or rkoes@mymts.net for details or to register.

This is a great opportunity to see some wintering birds in the city. Join tens of thousands of other birders across North America in this event and help contribute to our knowledge of winter bird distribution.
A potluck dinner and compiling session will be held afterwards; details about the venue to follow.

Dec 17 2023
 
 
 
 
Cross Country Ski Lessons (postponed from December 13 to December 20)

Cross Country Ski Lessons (postponed from December 13 to December 20)

Outdoor Activities: 

Event Date: 

December 20, 2023

Trip Rating: 

NOVICE

Contact / Registration: 

Kevin & Anita Miller-- register at k.a.miller@mts.net

Location: Windsor Park Nordic Centre

Time: Lessons from 1:00 to 2:00 PM.
We will gather inside the clubhouse at 12:30 to sign-in, buy trail passes, and get ready. If your skis require grip wax, you should probably do that at home, but Kevin & Anita will be in the clubhouse at 12:15 to answer any equipment/waxing questions. Shortly before 1:00, we'll meet our instructors and head outside via the back door.

Description: We've offered these lessons each December since 2014 (except 2020). Last year we had 35 participants divided into five groups, each with a CANSI instructor.
Depending on the desires and skill levels of participants, possible instruction groups could be:
1. Improve (or learn) diagonal stride (the basic cross country skiing technique) – beginner, novice, and participants who have not skied very much in the past few years
The goal of this lesson is for participants to learn or improve diagonal striding. The instructor will work with this group in the Practice Grid area.
2. Improve your diagonal stride (the basic cross country skiing technique) – intermediate or getting there, and have skied a fair amount in the past
The goal of this lesson is for participants to improve diagonal striding and become a more efficient skier. Some hills skills may be covered.
3. Review/refresh basic skills and learn/refresh other techniques – intermediate to advanced
The goal of this lesson is to become a more efficient (or faster) skier by dialing in your diagonal stride and then learn/refresh other techniques.
4. Review/refresh basic skills and learn/refresh more advanced techniques -- advanced
The goal of this lesson is to become a more efficient (or faster) skier by dialing in your diagonal stride and then learn/refresh other techniques such as turning, kick-double-poling (which is ~20% more efficient than diagonal stride on flat terrain and very slight downhills), and/or double-poling (which is another ~20% more efficient). There may also be a brief refresher on hills.
5. Hills – intermediate
The goal of this lesson will be to ascend a moderately steep hill using diagonal stride technique, ascend a short steep hill with herringbone technique, and to descend these two hills safely and confidently. Hopefully there will be time to work on both descending and ascending; descending is the priority.

Cost: Participants will pay for their share of the instructors' fees (likely $5+ of each instructor's $35 fee) and a Windsor Park Nordic Centre trail fee.

Weather: Instruction involves some standing around, and the training grid at the Windsor Park Nordic Centre is not well sheltered. Please dress warmer than you would usually dress for skiing.

Registration: If you are interested (or might be interested) in attending this activity, please contact the leaders ASAP to register ... or if you have questions or comments. Please indicate which of the five instruction groups you'd prefer, and also specific skills you'd like to acquire. The more info you provide when registering, the more likely we can create a group that will meet your expectations. A confirmation email message will be sent as registrations are received.
The registration deadline is Friday December 15 at 11:59 PM. At that time, all registrants will be contacted and asked if they will commit to the activity by agreeing to pay in-person at the Windsor Park Nordic Centre on Wednesday December 13 (or paying by e-transfer if they don't attend the lessons). We will then form instruction groups and hire the instructors.

Cancellation: This activity will be cancelled or postponed if snow conditions are poor, if the number of registrations is insufficient to form instruction groups, and/or if the forecast temperature/windchill is too cold. 

Bring: Your name tag. Also your skis/boots/poles (which you've checked out and tried on a few days earlier), or you can rent equipment at the Windsor Park Nordic Centre. All rental classic skis are skin skis.

Activity Type: 

Dec 20 2023
 
 
 
 
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