Hike #6 - Iroquoia section 51.6-57.4
total hiked:86.9
total time: 15:50


A beautiful day brought a lot of people to the trails, including my mom! We wanted to do a spring hike and the day was perfect for it. We did part of the Bruce through Dundas, with the side trail up to Webster falls where we left a 2nd car.

From Governors road its a nice easy hike through the woods. Unfortunately the trail does a good 2.5km on the streets instead of passing through the falls. I don't get it, as there clearly was a trail over the tracks that would connect up to Webster falls and meet back on the trail where the loop starts. Perhaps crossing the tracks is the concern since the way we took went under them? Either way, its a shame they don't take advantage of it somehow, as the falls end up 5km out of the way off the trail and are a must see detour.

In any case, spring run off means great waterfalls!

 

  

Hike #5 - Niagara section 68.1-81.1
total hiked:81.1
total time: 14:30


A quick run through the last of the Niagara section. Some pretty technical rocky sections closer to Grimsby, but its a nice change of pace.

Coming into Grimsby there seems to be a reroute compared to my maps (rev 26). Instead of keeping in the woods, the trail literally cuts up through someone's backyard and onto the road. After a while the white markers disappear and I think I missed a drop in, but even on my ride back I took the same way and didn't see anything. Then all of the sudden I see a blaze into the last KM of woods on mountain rd. Its fine, just don't be discouraged as long as you are going the right direction.

Spring time

Its good getting a section done, but daunting as its not even 10% of the trail at this point. I will be glad to get done with QEW soon, not sure how people put up with that everyday.

Hike #4 - Niagara section 56.2-68.1
total hiked: 68.1
total time: 12:20


A quick weekday hike, from Balls' to Beams'. Its a good section, almost all trail with lots of rocky sections to negotiate. From the start there was one last look at the falls and into the woods. It follows the top of the escarpment with some good views of the water, and its actually the first time you can even really see Lake Ontario. It was clear enough to even see the Toronto skyline.

This area has really only 2 things you will see, one after another. Trail, and vineyards. Over and over.

Halfway through I came across this sign, marking the first blaze of the trail in 1962

She is still young. On a side note, I was just reading about a hiker named Doug Sloan, who last year finished his 50th end-to-end hike of the bruce trail, totaling over 40,000km of this trail.


The trail follows under the escarpment for a few km, and eventually there is a steep climb to bring you back to the top. You walk along the top of cave springs, but I couldn't help by take a small detour down into the rocks. It looked like a trail, and seemed to follow the same direction, so why not.

The cave spring

The trail quickly disappeared and I was into the bush for a bit, walking along the wall. I decided to try and find a place to climb up instead of turn around. There was a massive overhang and lots of rocks than had come down. I eventually found a place I could climb out out of and found the bruce again.

I finished shortly after and in Kinsmen park and was greeted by a large deer. My ride back to the car I realized I look like like a hiker, and probably more like a working from vineyards covered in mud.

Hike #3 - Niagara section 34.6-56.2
total hiked: 56.2
total time: 10:20


Sunday was cold. Actually a record cold for this date. There was also a lot of snow in the forecast so I was out at sunrise to stay ahead of it. I decided to just walk this section so I could dress warm, not having to worry about sweating from a run.

Starting from DeCew, the trail dips into Short Hills provincial park. Mostly flat with open meadows, I saw lots deer and even the odd person walking their dog. Or perhaps its the dog walking the person, since so far Ive only seen people with dogs on the trail.

The first of many falls was at Terrace creek, where you could climb down and under them easily if you wanted

You also pass Swayze falls on your way out of the park. There is then trail behind a bunch of farms with noisy turkeys, and eventually you are lead into Rockway park. Quiet here as usual, the park is smaller with a few loop trails. My map shows a 1/2km of road but I think its been updated as it was just a road crossing.

The bridge in Rockway

I had a little rest on the bridge and started to fall asleep listening to the water pass under me. I couldn't help but wonder what someone passing by would think as they would have to walk over me to get by. Needless to say I don't do well when I wake up this early and starbucks wasn't open.

The trail heads to Louth Park, and passes a gun range at some point. You can't miss it, there are about 90 signs telling you to stay on the trail. I wonder if there was an incident, as it was excessive. After Louth is a long and boring 2km of road on the way to Ball's Falls. I can't believe there wasn't a way around this, but I guess if you want to see more vineyards this is your chance...

Entering Ball's Falls park from glen road means walking up the river, which at this time of year was at full power. Reminded me of the rivers in the mountains.

After a lot of stairs, you are in the main park. The lower falls are the more impressive, at 2/3rd the height of Niagara. Spring is the time to see them, they are much bigger with the run off. A great finale to a long cold day of waterfalls.

A long hilly ride back to the car and I was spent.

Hike #2 - Niagara section 22.9-34.6
total hiked: 34.6km
total time: 5:35


A shorter hike today as I had a smaller window on a Friday, but wanted to get done with St. Catherine's. From where I left off in Merrit park, it went down a very busy road for the next bit with overpasses and malls. I know Im only 5% done but this must be the worst section of the entire trail.

2km later its finally in the woods up the escarpment again. I managed to jog most of the day until it got muddy again, which it did. The trail passes through Brock University's campus and its pretty easy to get lost around here. Lots of trails and paths and a lot of the white blazes are fading pretty bad on a few spots. Basically if you don't see a blaze for 200m, you are probably going the wrong way.

After the university the trail loops around Lake Moodie. There is an easy 5km you could skip with a shortcut here, but I did the entire loop and glad I did as it was the only decent trail of the day.

 

Marshes outside Brock

The lake was pretty quiet as its on the edge of the city, and connects to the large Lake Gibson. The trail follows a raised gravel path around the west bank to the dam.

Brock's library tower on the other side

I finished the hike at the Morningstar Mill at Decew falls with a short bike ride back to the car along the city's crappy roads. Keeping the distance at 12km has me feeling much fresher the next day, but its a pain to drive all the way out there for a shorter coverage. On the plus side I am done with the area and the next and only real built up area should be Hamilton.

Hike #1 - Niagara section 0 - 22.9km
total hiked: 22.9km
total time: 3:45


Hiking alone means either out-and-back, or finding a way back to the car. I have zero interest in out-and-back, so I first locked up my mountain bike with flat pedals at the end of my hike, which I used to get back to the start.

Starting from Queenston park, there is a nice cairn built to mark mile 0 however its a pretty anticlimactic start otherwise. I walked and jogged through mostly flat trail for the first 5km until I was drenched in sweat. It was a few degrees and the sun was out, and I got warm fast. Winter coat went into my pack (more on that later), and I carried on with a light jog for the next hour.

Fireman's park had some people walking their dogs, otherwise no one was out. It got muddy fast after this, some really nasty sections that are probably worse in the spring like this, but I imagine are muddy year round based on their condition. Its funny how you avoid the mud until your shoes are dirty, and then it doesn't matter.

After the QEW is the 'screaming tunnel'. I suppose its haunted or something.

so scary

Woodend park is next which is a nice hike. Its high up and dry with some well maintained side trails. Its close enough to St Catherines at this point that it probably sees a lot of people in the summer

Shortly after it cuts through a golf course, which was another very muddy part that was slow going. I know I said I didn't want to take short cuts, but I wish I had taken the paved path that was 20 feet beside me as I made my way through what was more creek than trail. Oh well its hiking after all.


It was about this time it started to snow. A lot. By the time I made it to the old canal, it was white out. The golf course went from green to white, and I couldn't keep my eyes open without sunglasses on from the snow blowing. REALLY glad I kept that winter jacket with me.

whats left of the old canal

There is a long and busy road section across the main Welland canal, and it was snowing so bad I couldn't even see the locks. I was pretty soaked as I got back into trails with about 5km to go, and relentlessly the sun came out and snow stopped.

Making it back to where I had the bike hidden, I had a quick lunch, saw that the snow was supposed to start again soon and quickly jumped on the bike. Riding back to the car and it started snowing bad again in the last 2km, and the drive back home was particularly nasty. I thought it was April but clearly my calendar is broken.


Lessons learned:

-Always keep the maps in the plastic case it came in. Map 1 and 2 are ruined from the snow.
-as tempting as it is, running downhill is never worth it
-need to layer clothing better. Also spare pants in the car.
-snow is the same as rain when its warm out (wet)

5 years later, time for another journal. Its nice to be able to look back, I figured I would write this down, and this seemed like a good a place as any. Also since Im still playing with routers, and its still cold, the name is fitting.



The goal is to completely hike the Bruce trail from Niagara to Tobermory by the end of the year. 885 km total. I do not plan to take any shortcuts, meaning if there is a side trail that saves me a couple of KM I will not take it, and take the white blazes always. I also plan to keep do the trail as 'in order' as possible, with the odd exception for hiking with others.

Its already April, and the peninsula can get rough in the winter. Id like to do Wiarton to Tobermory, the hardest and most remote part of the trail, in one shot. 165km in probably 5 or 6 days. This means getting to Wiarton by the end of September, for a week long hike in October to finish the trail. It may be a crunch to fit it in, but here is the attempt!

Here is hoping for more of this weather!