Top Ten Glacial Erratics in Calgary

As many of you know, I've been spending time lately continuing my search for Glacial Erratics. They're  an inherent part of our sacred landscape, and too easily written off as being "only a rock".  Many, if not all, are sacred to the First Nations for their association with the bison, which rubbed them smooth abrading off their winter coats. Calgarians are familiar with the "Big Rock" that gave Okotoks its name (50°42'21.12"N, 114° 4'34.71"W); those in the Airdrie area may be familiar with its smaller relative just northeast of that city. But there are many within Calgary as well.  There they sit, noticed only by their urban neighbours, as they've sat for ten millennia, ever since a narrow tongue of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet brought them down from the Jasper area after hitting the Laurentide immediately to the East. 

So here's my "Top Ten List of Glacial Erratics in Calgary", though I know of at least twenty others. (Sorry, but "the Rock" at U. of C. didn't make the list. Do we really know for sure there's anything under all those layers of paint?)  Look up these co-ordinates or addresses in Google Earth or Google Maps, and have fun!

10. Sienna Hills:  A small-car-sized erratic, with signage, incorporated into a park at 136 Sienna Hills Drive SW.  51° 1'33.48"N, 114°10'18.90"W.
9.  Lake McKenzie: An impressive slanting stone incorporated into a playground at 252 Mountain Park Drive SE.  50°54'23.17"N, 113°59'51.95"W.
8. Valley Ridge:  A small-car-sized erratic off the local bike path.  51° 5'33.93"N, 114°15'37.70"W.  Access from 68 Valley Creek Cres. NW.
7. Tuscany:  A table-sized rock that is incorporated into a rest area on the bike path. The lower layer appears to be tufa, suggesting it originated or spent time near water.  51° 7'27.17"N, 114°14'19.34"W.  Access from 8 Tuscany Hills Point NW.
6.  Bridlewood:  A moderately-sized erratic, laser-engraved or labelled, tucked into a wetlands at 55 Bridlecreek Park SW. Accessible if the area is dry.  50°53'59.34"N, 114° 5'48.10"W.
5.  Nose Hill:  One of Calgary's best-known erratics, this "Buffalo Rubbing Stone" overlooks 14th Street at 64 Avenue NW. It even looks like a nose, from certain angles. 51° 6'42.74"N, 114° 5'26.84"W.
4.  Doverglen:  A large erratic, currently covered with graffiti, next to the bike path just off Gosling Way SE (the access to the Inglewood Golf Club at 34 Ave. and 26 St SE).  51° 1'20.02"N, 114° 0'11.34"W.
3.  Split Rock:  Another of Calgary's favourite erratics, located in the West Nose Creek Valley, a  short distance east of Harvest Hills Blvd.  Access either from Confluence Park off Beddington Trail if you like to hike, or from the parking lot just north of the creek.  51° 8'2.55"N, 114° 3'57.72"W.
2.  Paskapoo "Big Rock":  A major slanted erratic in the Paskapoo Slopes, accessed either by trail from Canada Olympic Park, or (as I did) a hike down the escarpment from 99 Cougar Ridge Heights SW.  51° 4'30.15"N, 114°11'55.27"W.  And #1....
1.  Panorama Hills "Crater Rock": This "Buffalo Rubbing Stone" is easily the largest exposed erratic within Calgary city limits, accessed from Panorama Hills Way just off Country Hills Boulevard. It sits within a small park with signage.  43 Panorama Hills Road NW.  51° 9'6.71"N, 114° 4'12.81"W.

June Events: 

Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. All times Mountain Daylight Time.

May 31-Jun 6: Environment Week.

Jun 1, 7:30 pm:  Calgary Witches' Full Moon Circle at the Hawksnest. http://www.meetup.com/calgary-witches

Jun 2-4: Mayor's Environment Expo at City Hall.

Jun 2, 10:19 am: Full (Strawberry, Strong Sun) Moon.

Jun 5, 7:30 pm: Calgary Witches' Movie Night, at the Hawksnest.  Scheduled: Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Burning Times.

Jun 6, 13, 20: Green Calgary Rain Barrel and Composter sales. http://www.greencalgary.org/

Jun 6, 10 am - 4 pm: Calgary New Age Market at Hillhurst - Sunnyside Community Association.

Jun 6, 7:30 pm: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca.

Jun 11, 5:43 pm: Mercury Retrograde ends.

Jun 13, 7:30 pm sharp: COGCOA Litha (Midsummer) Ritual.

Jun 16, 8:05 am: New Moon. Duir/Oak lunar month begins.

Jun 19-22: FreezerBurn, Alberta Regional Burning Man Festival. Sold out! http://www.freezerburn.org

Jun 21, 4:45 am: Summer Solstice Sunrise Vigil in Strathcona, led by moi. Sunrise at 5:19.

Jun 21, 10:38 am: Summer Solstice.
Jun. 21: Spira Solstice Ritual. Contact ravenofapollo (at) gmail (dot) com.

Jun 21: Father's Day.

Jun 26-29: Sun Wheel Music and Arts Festival. http://www.sunwheelfestival.com

Jun 27, 1:00 pm: Calgary Heathen Meet & Greet. Info: Calgary Heathens on Facebook.

Jun 28, 1:00 pm: Cochrane Witches' Meetup, hosted by moi, at Cochrane Coffee Traders.

Jun 30, 7:30 pm: Calgary Witches' Full Moon Circle at the Hawksnest.

Jul 10-12: COGCOA Summerfest campout in Kananaskis. http://www.cogcoa.ab.ca