Date – April 14, 2013
Location – Map 18 Hockley Valley
Distance – 15.8 km (GPS Distance 17.1 km)
Elapsed Time – 5.5 hours
Total Trail Distance – 392.6 km (501.4 to go)
Hikers – Steve, Simon, Dean, Marlene, Benjamin,
Madeleine, Harold and Janette
Start – 50.9 Airport Road, Caledon Hills
Section
End – 66.7 Dunby Road
Direction – North
Weather – 6 C. Mostly cloudy
We wake up to glorious sunshine --
something we haven't seen for more than a week -- so we're very glad to be heading
out for a hike. By the time we arrive at the trailhead it's overcast, but we
don't care: at least it's not raining.
We pick up Madeleine at Square One in
Mississauga, and then meet at the end point at 11 a.m. where we drop Harold and
Janette's car and then drive two vehicles to the start. With all the rain we've
had the past week, we are expecting a fair bit of mud, but we are all surprised
at how much snow remains.
After almost two years of very sore feet,
I've got new hiking boots (thank you, Mountain Equipment Co-op) and I'm nervous
about how they'll perform. Have I traded one set of pressure points and
blisters for another?
We are all in good spirits and it's a good
hike. Although there is mud and there are some especially slick descents,
nobody falls and there are no soakers.
The forest is still mostly brown and grey,
but there are the smallest hints of spring with some brilliant green moss on
trees and a few shoots pushing up through the soil. We also see debris from the past week's ice storms, with broken branches and fallen trees littering the trail and the forest floor.
In Hockley Valley Provincial Nature
Reserve, where there are many beautiful bridges, there is also evidence of a
recent flood, with a section of the trail washed out and silted up. There are
several wide, rushing streams.
In Hockley Valley we meet Bruce Trail
Conservancy member Keith McKewen (Dufferin Hi-Land Club, double end-to-ender)
who describes the work of the volunteers of the BTC and urges us all to join.
He hands out cards to the non-members in our group.
At the start of the hike Dean had warned us
that this would not be a flat one, and it isn't. There are many climbs and
descents and in some cases we are hiking along ridges with the land falling
away on both sides of us.
I am pleased to report that this is the
first hike IN TWO YEARS that my feet aren't aching. Thank you Mountain
Equipment Co-op.
This sign is NOT accurate!
Thanks for posting all of the info and wonderful photos! I found your blog since I'm thinking of hiking the entire Bruce Trail, too...and will be blogging about the adventure!
ReplyDeleteI was also wondering what kind of hiking boots you ended up buying at Mountain Equipment Co-op...I'm looking to buy a new pair as well!
I'm following your blog now too so I look forward to the updates!
My first hiking boots were Merrells, but they have been replaced with a pair called Ahnu. Not my first choice in terms of appearance, but they were the most comfortable. It really comes down to comfort, so make sure when you go to shop you have time to try them on and walk around a bit. The staff at MEC are knowledgeable and helpful.
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you get and let me know when you start hiking and blogging.
We started our first hike a couple of weeks ago and I hope to blog about it soon! It should be posted within a couple of days. We started the blog here and there are a couple of posts already - http://justinpluslauren.com
DeleteI will definitely take a look at MEC for hiking boots! Thanks for the recommendations!
It's very good blog which seems very helpful information. Thanks for sharing this post. Keep further posting...!! Trek to Valley Of Flowers.
ReplyDeleteIf you are looking for an outdoor sporting activity, camping is one and the other is hiking. Though Camping may not be considered a "sport" by many outdoor activity enthusiasts, it is a good way to get away from the madding crowd for a few days at least.
ReplyDeleteHiking in Bryce Canyon