Mill Creek Ravine — Attraction in Edmonton

"How was Mill Creek Ravine?" asks my phone in a notification. "Tell others how you loved this place..." It suggests under these words I am typing. "...was..." "...loved..." ...and I'm reminded of lost love...suddenly I feel like one of those kids that let their dyed black hair grow over their eyes; like they're hiding tears that dried long ago....

I love Mill Creek.

It's saved my life I believe.

I live in it.

Not by choice, but because I'm crazy, and can't find a stable, quiet place to live for $650 - $700 a month.

Need a mailing address and the opportunity to try to sustain regular sleeping, eating, and exercise with a stable diet before I can have a family doctor who can coordinate with a psychologist and hopefully fix my multiple symptoms of multiple illness that hold me captive in homelessness.

It's a beautiful park, and a massive off leash area to many happy people owners.

I hide away in a little clearing I found many years ago, and call "The Rabbit Hole".

Others had come and trampled it into an everglade that will likely flourish with greenery to hold the morning dew up for the sun to sparkle through by the end of next spring; now that I've picked up all the bits of litter that held them down.

I doubt I'll be around then, so please, if you find it, love it. You'll know if you find it.

I've survived 4 winters in The Rabbit Hole. Then luckily one in other people's homes, and 2 cold garages. [Edit: I survived 2 more years here until someone baited coyotes with dog food, attracted deer mice, and I caught Hanta or Covid 19, maybe both and was rescued by an outreach worker who later tried to make me kill myself by stalking and tormenting me with a group of sadistic creeps. See my Bissell Center Edmonton review, my other Mill Creek review, my Facebook wall, my YouTube, my Instagram, and my SoundCloud for the whole story until January 2024 the rest is in progress.]

I don't believe I'm fit to survive another, mentally or physically.

I can barely climb out of the ravine most days without needing to stop and catch my breath. Can't do that in -40°C. It's always colder down there. Cold and humid.

I haven't been able to gain my weight and strength back since the spider bite 2 years ago.

I look so young to myself in an Instagram photo showing the wound after the first surgery.

I remember waking up after the first snowfall, my first winter. I crawled out of my shelter into the warm sun to see white crystals coating every branch in sight.

I felt like I had just stepped into and interrupted a royal ball, and the suits and gowns woven of diamonds stopped to stare, and then I realized how ugly we are...and there forward it has been my favorite place on earth.

I love Mill Creek. Present tense and forever will.

Odds are not in my favor for survival this year, if only because I don't want to survive another winter outside. The will to survive is crucial in winter survival situations. That will is like a ball of yarn. The cold pulls a bit more every year and the ball shrinks at an increasing rate.

Don't be shy if you stumble across my hut in a small fenced area someone set up and almost works to keep the pups from crawling into bed with me, or begging for my breakfast.

Say, "Hello Rabbit!".

Please don't creep around, I have ptsd from a home invasion almost 4 years ago that started with creeping footsteps that we didn't take seriously.

I don't bite, I just look like this because I'm always in danger, and have gone mad.

I'll take all the friendly strangers I can get.

And to all you Mill Creek regulars: keep being awesome, and take care of your humans so they stay awesome...

There lots if areas up and down, we found a very big field. If you go into the lower areas there are A LOT OF TREES. The lower area is a great place for biking,walking,hiking ,you can get alot of good photos there are a few paintings items there so try and find them! In the upper area you can roller skate too , be careful with the wooden bridges i got two really deep splinters in my finger. The creek is very beautiful from my point of view. The field has a Well placed bench and its a very good place for playing catch , doing cartwheels,running, playing Volley ball, playing football and over...

One of the largest wildlife corridors in Edmonton, this ravine runs from Argyll Rd to the North Saskatchewan River and contains numerous species of wildlife including hawks, the occasional beaver and skunks. Some of the trees are over 80 years old! The top level contains a paved multi-use trail, while unpaved gravel trails exist on the lower level. Perfect for families, bikers, skateboards, dogs, strollers, nature lovers, artists, etc. Enjoy the ravine year round and marvel at the spectacular scenery! Fun fact: the paved trail exists on the old EY&P Railway line which ran from Hazeldeen...