Hidden Lake #1 East

The Hidden Lakes are located within Chadburn Lake Park, which covers an area of 7,550 hectares. They are kettle lakes and came to life when the depressions, left behind by glacial ice, melted during the ice age retreat filled with water when the Whitehorse Hydro Plant was built. The Hidden Lakes and the surrounding boreal forest provide essential animal habitats for many animals, including porcupines, bears, coyotes, loons, grebes, and eagles. Let’s explore the trails winding through the forest, across grassy slopes, and along the shore. 

We are hiking along the red-marked line. 

The sun-dappled path from Peewee Pond to Hidden Lake #1 leads us through dense growth. We enjoy the earthy smell, the chatter of a squirrel, and the different shades of green. 

After stepping over logs and ducking under low-hanging branches, the forest changes as the trees get taller. The landscape becomes more open, and the current of air is water-scented. When we arrive at the north shore of Hidden Lake #1, a serene lake with glass-clear water greets us. 

As serene as the lake is, the forest around it is anything but. Birds are flitting about or perching in willows and trees; we spot frisky robins, plump sparrows, dapper-looking flickers, and swift swallows. We listen to the sweet chorus of different bird voices.  A reddish dot in a spruce tree is catching our eyes. What is it? It’s a male White-winged Crossbill; it looks resplendent with its red plumage, boldly marked wings and crossed bill. 

We continue and briskly hike upward on a single-track trail that soon provides us with a great view of the northern end and narrows of Hidden Lake #1. A meadow flanks our path, and the air is alive with the fragrant scent of flowers and the soft hum of insects. 

We arrive at the narrows; time slows and invites us to linger amidst the quiet beauty. The grass along the shore sways gently with the soft breeze; a pair of seagulls purposefully flies across the lake. We observe a couple of common loons in their carefully selected nesting area across the narrows. The partly hidden loons look striking with their black-and-white checkered back, the necklace around their necks, and dagger-like bills. Both loons share the responsibility of incubation duties, and at the moment, a switch of nesting chores is happening. Grass and willows camouflage the nest, but we spot two olive green eggs in the shallow bowl-like structure made of grass. 

We are not the only ones observing the loons - a keen bald eagle is sitting on the branch of a nearby spruce tree, keeping his sharp eyes on the nest. According to Bald eagle predation on common loon eggs by Stephen DeStefano, field biologists have observed eagle predation of loon eggs. Fortunately, the eagle soon spreads its impressive wings and flies off with mighty flaps.

It’s time to hike on! We quietly walk along the shoreline. To our left, we spot wild lupines and prickly wild rose bushes. Wild roses are perennially deciduous, meaning they lose their dark green finely toothed leaves in fall. The delicate, fragrant pink flowers draw our eyes to their beauty. 

After a while, we pass a sturdy beaver lodge made of sticks and mud. We scan the shore and water surface for signs of beavers and spot one nearby feeding on a branch. Beavers are North America's largest rodents, and adults weigh 25 to 70 lbs. We keep our eyes peeled on the furry, stocky critter ahead. The beaver has not spotted us, and we stand still, not wanting to scare it. Its bright, beady eyes don’t see well into the distance; however, its hearing- and smelling senses are highly developed. 

Not far from the beaver, we discover a Wood Frog sitting at the shore's edge. We pause and look admiringly at the little critter with its sturdy body and natural camouflage of shades from brown to green. The Wood Frog’s adaptation to the Yukon’s freezing climate is impressive. Its body produces antifreeze that protects its organs from damage during the cold winter, thus surviving months of hibernation with much of the body frozen! In spring, the frog thaws and becomes active again. 

Hiking on, we enjoy the cheerful chorus of songbirds and noisy squirrels. We scan the shore with binoculars and notice a medium-sized shorebird with a long orangish bill and generously spotted plumage. It’s a Spotted Sandpiper, bobbing its tail while walking toward us, soon joined by another one. We don’t want to scare the handsome birds and stop, remaining still. We notice more movement, and to our joy, we discover three tiny, downy and active chicks! The sandpiper family keeps moving constantly, searching for insects.

One of the adult sandpipers stops, settles down, calls its chicks with soft noises and spreads its wings invitingly. The three tiny feather balls head straight toward the adult; two chicks quickly slip under the wings. The third chick seems undecided but eventually decides to join its siblings, and now all three chicks rest under their parents' careful protection. What an unexpected, delightful encounter! Bloodthirsty mosquitos swarm us; it takes willpower to stand still and not disturb the sandpiper family. After about 20 minutes, the adult lifts its wings, stands up, and the whole family continues their day. They pass us, and we stretch and shake our limbs when they are far enough away. What a fantastic encounter we had! Now is the perfect moment to hike up the gentle hill to head home!