Blackfoot Loop Hike to Meadow Shelter

August 26 2024·566 words·3 mins

Geocaching Blackfoot Hiking

Parked at the "Blackfoot Back Door" Trailhead

In 2008 I hid a small series of geocaches based on what was then and probably still is now my favourite movie: The Shawshank Redemption. These caches are in the southwest section of the Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Provincial Recreational Area (- phew, that’s a mouthful - let’s go with “Blackfoot” for short) and accessible from a trailhead geocachers have come to call “Blackfoot Back Door”.

When you start the hike from the “Back Door” the trail is one-track path, often with plant growth reaching across the trail. But for most of the day I was on the “main” Blackfoot trails that are used for two-lane cross-country ski tracks in the winter so they are easily two vehicles wide, mowed, trimmed along the edges and generally free of any deadfall. They are a dream to walk along.

Recently, one of these older hides hadn’t been found by an experienced cacher, so I went out today to check on the cache, yes, but more as an excuse to experience walking these trails again.

A new hide to replace a cache that disappeared. If you're a geocacher this could be nice spoiler photo. 😃

I couldn’t find that cache either. Nature seems to have completely changed everything in area where it was hidden and the 4, 5 and 6 foot tall thick sea of thistles didn’t make the job of searching any easier. I ended up hiding a new container in a new spot and continued on to the other hides in the series of three geocaches.

I found the next two caches in the series, not immediately, but fairly easily and decided to move both to more accessible hiding spots to minimize the bush-whacking needed to get to them.

After that cache maintenance, I made my way to the ultimate goal for the day: Meadow Shelter.

Meadow Shelter, built in 1991 by volunteers.

The shelter was built by volunteers during November-December 1991. A framed series of photos in the shelter shows the shelter taking form and notes it took “900 hours of labour” to build. My gratitude goes out to the people who applied their skills, time and energy to the building of this gem of a place.

A post-processed pic of my hiking boots after I shed them in the shelter - AHH!

After checking on my geocache hide at the shelter which is still going strong after 16 years, I had a much-needed rest and a quick lunch in the shelter. Then it was time to head south again toward the initial trailhead.

On way, I dipped in for a quick visit to Wanisan Lake Stopover. From the amount of things stored there and the number of “art installations” in front, I’d say this place is very well used.

The Stopover sign and a wide angle shot of the small compound.

Although it was an extremely pleasant day on the trails with few bugs to worry about, my legs and feet were more than happy to see the car parked at the trailhead.