In this transition period, we can make some good choices for hiking and some more challenging routes too.

Generally speaking, the first trails to melt also get mud first.   Second, any trail that is on a side slope will drain faster.   Third, any trail that has a south-facing slope will dry faster.   Fourth, forested trails are slower to clear.   Fifth, any trails on clay soils tend to get deeper freezing and are slower to dry.

So the best bets at this time of the year include the following trails:

• the Rivers Trail past the airport
• Cooney Bay
• the Moonscape Trail
• Some of the Lower Batchelor hills trails (but some will be muddy)
• Some of the Valleyview Nature Park Trails, but the parts up in the trees will take longer to dry
• the Savona – Sabiston Creek trail is already dry (an article to come soon)
• the Lower Rose Trails (the gullies will have snow, mud, or ice though)
• some routes on the Dewdrop Range