The Greenwater Report for December 30, 2002
Greenwater Provincial Park - Monday, December 30, 2002 - by: Jerry Crawford
snow heaven	December 29th, 2002: Greetings from Greenwater Park - also known as Snow Heaven! It started snowing very lightly first thing today, gradually got heavier, then tapered off towards evening. There was no wind until later in the day and the temperature was moderate, in the ó10° zone. We slogged over to the Cove for afternoon coffee, and the walking was tough. There must have been at least eight inches of fresh stuff. The ski trail would be heavy, but the snowmobilers are having a field day! I counted forty at the Cove yesterday, and that was after some had left.
wolf	On Monday, the hoar frost was fantastic, so I drove up on the hill where we used to live to take some photos. Coming north on that road, down the last big hill to the tower road, I saw an animal in the middle of the road. As I got closer, I realized it was a wolf, but its attention was focused on a vehicle at the ski trailhead. I got quite close before it noticed me, then it took off through the deep snow into the bush on Woodyís Acres. A beautiful animal, in very good shape from the looks of it, and the closest I have been to one as long as I can remember.
almost deserted	By Christmas morning, our hoar frost had blown off; I went to Kelvington and the trees were still loaded with it, from to top of the hill by Shuyaís almost to Kelvington. I went for a walk around the core area after breakfast; the Park was dead quiet. I met a couple of vehicles on the road by the old motel, and three little kids were sliding on the hill by the Cove, but otherwise the place could have been deserted. Later in the day a few snowmobiles started moving around.
great shape	By Friday, the skating ice at the Marina had been cleared; I saw some tractor tracks by the boat launch, so think the Park must have gone down with their front-end loader and scraped the snow back. Frank put in about a sixteen-hour day on Christmas Eve, packing the ski trails, then grooming the snowmobile trails. All reports are that the trails are in great shape.
snowmobiles	The trail from the core area to the ball diamond goes right past our place, on the boulevard. For the most part, they travel at a pretty reasonable pace, but the odd one must approach 60 mph. We get a kick out of the little kids on snowmobiles - at first, they go back and forth very slowly and carefully, then as their confidence builds, they go faster and faster. I havenít heard of any accidents, though.
mule deer	Bernard Hayunga phoned on the 28th to report that he saw a herd of ten mule deer just a mile or so west of Porcupine Plain. Looked like one buck and his harem. He has seen the odd animal other times but never that many at once. Bernardís Dad told him that when he homesteaded here about 1919 and 1920, there were just as many mule deer as whitetails; gradually the mule deer herds declined to the point where they were rarely seen. Now, it appears, they are on the rise again.
	All our best wishes to all of you for 2003!
	Doreen & Jerry Crawford Box 100, Chelan, SK S0E 0N0 (306) 278-3423 http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/crawg
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