EDIT: Please see below for what I’ve added to the article after posting!
…
When Andrew and I went to Morden for a mini-getaway during spring break, I studied the map of the region and found a little squiggle in the road north of Thornhill which was labeled “Mount Nebo 400 m”.
I circled it.
And then, we went there.
At 400 meters, it’s not really a mountain. It’s not even as high as the Pembina Hills to the south. But considering it’s on the prairie, well, it certainly is something.
Of course, I had to climb it. Or, like, walk up it.
Once upon a time I lived in Banff, but it’s been quite a while and I’m an unapologetic prairie girl. So while this was fun to ascend, I found it weirdly tricky to descend.
Can you see me in the picture below? I was posing. Andrew told me he could barely see me. Ha! It’s like Where’s Waldo?
I took some pictures from the top.
You can see how flat the landscape is out there.
On the Manitoba Museum website, it’s mentioned that Manitoba’s Mount Nebo was named after a Mount Nebo in Jordan. It too appears to not be a legitimate mountain.
I saw a YouTube video where I learned that apparently some people find shark teeth here? I’d think that they mean from back when this was all an ocean. Perhaps the shark teeth are related to the dinosaur fish found in Thornhill.
Andrew and I once went to Uluru in the centre of Australia, and learned about its significance to the Aboriginal people. For some reason visiting Mount Nebo reminded me of that. On Peakery, it’s suggested that Indigenous people once used this hill for signal fires.
I wonder what this formation was called before someone named it Mount Nebo.
UPDATE:
I’m happy to report that this post has provoked helpful response! Here is some of what I’ve learned from some folks who know a lot about this area:
- It is NOT to be described as “north of Thornhill”. This is offensive to folks from Miami, Manitoba because Mount Nebo is closer to Miami than it is to Thornhill. I have unfolded my map and sure enough, there’s Miami! And it is in fact nearer to Mount Nebo. Yes.
- Cactus once grew here! And probably right now there are crocuses blooming here.
- There was once a motocross track at the base of Mount Nebo.
- Thornhill can be shortened to “Thrill”. (This may have been an autocorrect situation, or it could be legit. Either way, I’m here for it.)
And, I think that’s it! This was fun. I’m looking forward to using my posts to continue to provoke locals into providing more intel! I’m always grateful for added information.
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