Rabbits, Feb. 30th

Thank you, parents for your flexibility in making our field trip to Silver Springs happen. We had an amazing adventure! We explored. We noticed different types of trees and fauna. We identified new types of berries and tried to recognize flowers that had dried through the winter. We walked through an aspen forest and we discovered the springs! We talked about where the springs come from and what makes them different from a river. Most of us knew about springs, but had only really paid attention to hot springs before. We talked about how long these springs have been running and how they were here far before the first houses in Calgary. We worked really hard in travelling as a group, despite our accumulating excitement to discover the falls.

Once at the falls we spent time exploring the ice, feeling how easily the tufa rock crumbles. We found a pathway leading us to above the falls. We talked about safety and staying low to the ground when we are on an edge. We watched sticks float down the falls. We explored higher and found the spot where the main spring comes out of the earth. Some of us took a moment to eat and take in the new surroundings. Some of us read about the geological history of the area and some of us noticed how moving rocks in the spring would alter the course of the water flow. We filtered some water (using a mec filter) directly from the springs and tasted the difference of spring water.

Ready to explore, we headed down the waterfalls to adventure to the top of the cliffs. Some chose to haul their mega ice blocks to the top. From the highest spot we stopped and took a moment to take in the view.

Refreshed we had one more spot to explore, the river. We ventured down and repelled to the banks. From here everyone was lost in their own explorations. From feeling the sandy cliffs, watching the water flow under the ice, taking in the different types of ice and talking about ice safety. Some stayed transfixed in the river bank and mud while others had a hand at casting fishing rods (sticks tied to ropes) and saving stuffies from the icy river (stuffies tied to ropes). We could have lingered here for the rest of the afternoon, but alas it was time to make a hasty walk back to the top to meet our parents.