[twitter]My first ever geocache was found on the west shores of Allen Bill Pond, a small pond next to the Elbow River in K Country.

It was a popular place for kids and families to fish and picnic. For my boys it was also a popular place to go and throw rocks.

In the 4 years since moving to Calgary, we’ve come out here dozens of times. A quick 30 minutes from home, this was a great escape.

Now it’s gone.

The quiet glassy pond where we spent that Father’s Day in 2010 is now a river bed, the Elbow River having carved a new path down from the mountains. The

Allen Bill Pond – June, 2010

Allen Bill Pond – May, 2014

I should have known. I mean, the Calgary Flood of 2013 was the most expensive natural disaster in Canadian history, it had to have had damage that was widespread.

The pathway that went around the pond now just stops in a tangle of uprooted trees. The grassy area on the far side where we found our geocache now just a collection of river rocks.

If you want to go fishing at Allen Bill Pond, bring your river fishing gear – the pond is gone. So while Charlie and I did no fishing on this weekend, there were still plenty of rocks to be thrown, and he loved it.

Next we headed further down the highway to Elbow Falls. This was a very popular recreation area with dozens of picnic tables in a grove of trees along the banks of the Elbow River. The falls made for a short and exciting hike for kids, and it was a fun place for families to relax for an afternoon.

Elbow Falls Picnic Area – June, 2010

Elbow Falls Picnic Area – May, 2014

As with Allen Bill Pond, the pathways to the picnic area at Elbow Falls ended suddenly. The entire area has been wiped away. The paths to the falls remain, the picnic area gone.

It is still a gorgeous area to explore, just different.

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