Welcome to A Crock of Schmidt. Here you will find campground reviews from all my camping adventures over the years. I also share cool attractions and destinations we’ve been to, great hikes we’ve done, and some insights on our hobbies. Once in awhile, I toss in some ramblings on whatever nonsense moves me at the moment. Thanks for coming by and I hope you find something that helps and/or entertains. If you do, kindly tell a friend about this place.
Lower Lake Campground – Peter Lougheed Provincial Park – review
February 7, 2020
Oddly enough, Lower Lake Campground feels like kind of a letdown. That’s an unfair assessment, but as I sit down to write this after such lengthy, positive, glowing, even, reviews of Boulton Creek, Elkwood, and Interlakes campgrounds, it’s how I’m feeling. Lower Lake campground just didn’t inspire me much. Context, of course, is everything in
Interlakes Campground – Peter Lougheed Provincial Park – review
February 5, 2020
If ever there was a campground that might induce a total rethink of my first-come-first-serve aversion (FCFS), Interlakes Campground in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park would be it. That’s saying something, because my aversion is strong. UPDATE: As of 2026, only 5 of the campsites remain FCFS while 41 are now reservable! If you’ve been following
Elkwood Campground – Peter Lougheed Provincial Park – review
January 26, 2020
Back when I was a young lad, long before international beer conglomerates were a thing and craft breweries were a rare niche, Canada had its very own major breweries. Okay, there were two of them, but those two had an inordinate impact on pop culture. They sponsored Hockey Night in Canada, for example. They owned
Boulton Creek Campground – Peter Lougheed Provincial Park – review
January 9, 2020
I grew up in a tourist town. Not the spring break, summer at the beach type of tourist town or the cultural hub, rare antiquities type of tourist town. Sadly. No, my hometown was the bus loads of big city seniors coming to buy decorative but useless knickknacks and hopefully catch a glimpse of Old
Bluerock Campground – review
January 6, 2020
I know of Bluerock Campground because an aunt and uncle of mine camped there annually with my young cousins years ago. When I first moved to Calgary, on a couple of occasions I either visited them at the campground or joined them camping for a night. Everyone else, I presume, knows Bluerock Campground as pseudo-overflow
The Irony of Poor Communication
December 17, 2019
The other day, as I wasted a few more hours of my aimless life plodding through monotonous Candy Crush levels, the voice on the radio caught my attention by mentioning that next year marks the 25th anniversary of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. Upon hearing this factoid, my mind blurted an invective lamenting yet further
Sandy McNabb Campground – review
December 10, 2019
Sandy McNabb is a very popular campground and it should be. Located in Sheep River Provincial Park towards the southeast end of Kananaskis Country, Sandy McNabb is an hour’s drive from Calgary through the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Blessed with so many options, Calgarians are some of the most spoiled citizens on the
Kinbrook Island Provincial Park – review
December 6, 2019
Mosquitoes, heat, pit toilets, and crowds. The quadfecta of loathing when I’m camping all tested my resolve during our first ever visit to Kinbrook Island Provincial Park. Located 15 km south of Brooks, Alberta, a small city two hours east of Calgary primarily known for its large slaughterhouse, Kinbrook Island is a small oasis in
Ol’ MacDonald’s Resort – review
December 2, 2019
In the annals of family camping in Alberta, there is perhaps no greater legend than that of Ol’ MacDonald’s Resort (often misspoken as Old MacDonald’s Farm). Nestled along the south shore of Buffalo Lake, almost equidistant from Edmonton and Calgary, the family-run and family-focused Ol’ MacDonald’s Resort is an institution with few provincial rivals. At
Can My Nissan Pathfinder Save the Planet?
November 19, 2019
Can a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder (Platinum) coupled with a 2019 Geo Pro (16BH) travel trailer save the planet? In the spring of 2018, I aimed to find out, one camping trip at a time. This is what I discovered, aside from the gaping hole in my savings account. I’m still a believer in the adage