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Yes! There is one spot, and it’s awesome! You’ll find the volunteer-run skateway on Google Maps when you type in Pigeon Lake skate. The skateway is on the south shore of the lake (as shown on the map below). As the weather fluctuates, the shape of the skateway changes every time they clear a path. In December 2023, it was eight kilometres long! It includes an area for hockey and a fire pit for warming up. It’s a wonderful place to stretch your legs in the wilderness and enjoy nature. All of this is available for free, which is amazing!
Table of Contents
Quick Look
- Skateway on the South Shore of Pigeon Lake
- Fire & Warm Up
- Skateway to the East
- Skateway With Ice Formations
- Heart to the North
- Play Hockey
- What Clothing to Wear?
- Ice Safety Reminder
Skateway on the South Shore of Pigeon Lake
This is what you’ll see when you approach the lake from the parking lot. A spray-painted sign reading “park skating” is hung from a tree to indicate where to park. Kitty corner from there, you’ll find the Pigeon Lake skateway entrance. The skateway offers skating options in multiple directions.
Fire & Warm Up
On the lake, you’ll see chairs arranged around a fire to warm you up. It’s a nice treat on a cold day! A MEC Seat Cushion would make sitting by the fire even cozier. Wood bundles are provided for your convenience. It’s a nice ambiance, with music from one of the houses playing throughout the Pigeon Lake skateway.
Benches and chairs are also placed along the edge of the skating path so you can sit down to lace up your skates.
Skateway to the East
The skating path is nice and wide, allowing you ample room to skate further down the lake.
Skateway With Ice Formations
Along a different skateway path, you might find different ice and snow formations that are cool to see.
Tip: Don’t go too close to them, as they can be unstable and may have holes in the ice. Remember, when skating on a lake, you are skating at your own risk.
Heart to the North
You might be lucky enough to spot a heart-shaped path further north of the hockey area. It was a fun find! It was a bit bumpy when we went during the March cool-and-thaw cycle, but it was awesome to see and experience it nevertheless.
Tip: Conditions are better earlier in the winter season, when there are multiple consecutive days of cold weather.
Play Hockey
You’re likely to find a designated hockey area with nets set up. This location didn’t have many bumps and was pleasant to skate back and forth when it was empty.
Tip: Watch yourself during a hockey game; if you’re not wearing a helmet, a puck to the head could definitely hurt!
What Clothing to Wear?
Having the right gear and layers can make or break your day trip. You want to ensure you’re not overdressed, but also not forget any layers. When the wind picks up, it can get cold quickly. The perfect amount of layers I wore for a -4°C day is listed below.
Top Half
This is what I wore to keep myself warm:
- Midweight Ossipee Women’s Crew 100% Merino Wool
- DANISH ENDURANCE Merino Wool Thermal Top
- Columbia Fleece Jacket
- THE NORTH FACE Women’s Aconcagua 3 Hooded Jacket
Bottom Half
I wore two pant layers as indicated below:
- MEC Cold Rush Thermal Tights – Women’s
- MEC Trax Nordic Softshell Pants – Women’s
- Outway Everyday Merino Wool Crew Socks
- K2 F.I.T Women’s Ice Skates, similar to the K2 F.I.T Men’s Ice Skates – they are patted like a ski boot, making them warm for outdoor ice skating and super comfy too!
Ice Safety Reminder
Where ice is protruding, danger is nearby! There can be holes in the ice, making it dangerous to approach. If there’s water on the ice, it means the ice is melting, and it could be thin beneath your feet. Stay away from open water and holes through the ice. When skating on a lake, you are responsible for your own safety. You are skating at your own risk.
If you’re feeling adventurous and would like more snow-and-ice trips, the Athabasca Glacier hike offers an amazing mountain experience.
Final Thoughts
It’s a spectacular one-hour day trip from Edmonton! There’s lots of room to skate, offering different directions around Pigeon Lake. The music is awesome to listen to while skating, and it’s an added bonus to have a place to warm up between laps or when you want. Grab your hockey stick and puck to play a game of pick-up hockey. It’s a fantastic place to spend time by yourself, and it benefits your mental and physical health too.
Additional Links
- 5 Awesome Outdoor Skating Rinks
- Places to Skate Near Me
- Why is Abraham Lake, AB, worth the Trip?
- How Much Does a Ski Trip to Marmot Typically Cost?
- 9 Extraordinary Winter Wonderland Banff National Park Activities
Trip Resources
- Book your flights with Expedia
- Book your hostel through Hostelworld.com
- Book your hotel with Booking.com or Hotels.com
- Book your vacation rental with Vrbo
- Book your experiences through TripAdvisor, Manawa
- Book your guided trips through Viator or GetYourGuide
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