50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

 Over the following months, our newest member Rodd Taylor will be taking pictures and videos on some of the hikes. The video will be a short compilation our hikes and what we see and do. It will be our 50th Celebratory Anniversary video. Also if you have some videos you would like to include in video, let me know. Animal sightings would be great. Hikers may choose to be or not to be in the pictures or videos. Please contact me at elhiking@gmail.com if  you do not want to be in the videos or pictures that will be shown to the public as a way of promoting the club. Thanks for your cooperation and thanks Rodd for taking on this project.

JACK RABBIT/FIRE TOWER 2023 03 23

 An icy biting wind did not deter 9 feisty folks. 

We safely navigated the glare ice in the parking area at the foot of Firetower Lookout Rd. 

We donned our snowshoes and headed up the hill. We took time to enjoy watching the sky clear of grey clouds and also, to catch our breath!!

At the Lookout people marveled at the clearing clouds over the North

 Channel  and the lakes and forest below us.

One of our group volunteered to be the first one to stomp down the Porcupine Trail with the rest of us following. There were a few tricky spots where we had to fight against gravity. Hard to stay upright when treacherous hollows swallow your snowshoe!!

With the Porcupine Trail well stomped down we turned to the Jackrabbit Trail back to the Firetower Rd. A quick stop to replenish our strength with much needed calories and we headed up to the "Magic  Erratic" and the half snowed covered picnic table for a longer lunch break!!

Two of our number decided to skip lunch with us and headed home down  the short distance to their cars. 

The total distance covered was 5 km.  However, it was  a challenging hike up and down hills and then up  down more hills!

We earned our cookies!

PHOTOS

Thursday Senior Hike Review

 We are going out of town for the Thursday afternoon Seniors Hike. We will be going to the Little White River for a road walk along Hwy 546. Driving time to the start of the walk is about 40 minutes.  Expected (but not guaranteed!) return time to town is between 330 and 4pm. Any questions, please call Astrid at 705-849-3879.

BIG D 2023 03 21

Beautiful day for a hike. Sun beaming down, spring in the air. Breathtaking.

PHOTOS

ALL NATIONS RD SLIPPER LAKE 2023 03 20

 I led a dozen hikers out the All Nations road.. good footing thanks to the groomer.. up the hill by Slipper lake, past the gravel pit at the Hector Connector and on towards Eston Lake.. from yellow birch on the way up the hill to white birch on the flat.. lovely spring weather, coats open, mice tracks and burrows, grouse tracks, so nice to be out and about.. 8 did not want it to end so I handed off to another hike leader to continue on while I brought the rest back as per the plan.. beaver are shaping the environment along the trail.. fox tracks across the pond... quiet except for one raucous raven

THURSDAY SENIOR HIKE ROAD WALK ALONG LITTLE WHITE RIVER. Hwy 546.

 We are going out of town for the Thursday afternoon Seniors Hike. We will be going to the Little White River for a road walk along Hwy 546. Driving time to the start of the walk is about 40 minutes.  Expected (but not guaranteed!) return time to town is between 330 and 4pm. Any questions, please call Astrid at 705-849-3879.

SNAKES AND LADDERS VIA BEARBAIT 2023 03 18

 Nine eager hikers started off for an amazing hike. Seeing as it was Bellingham Bush it was a forgone conclusion that we would miss the turn for the mountain and have to back track. There were two leaders, both with their Gaia apps on and we still had to backtrack and then when we couldn’t find the turn we bushwhacked straight until we found it as we knew we would. Thanks to Louise for sweeping and for also leading when we made a new trail. Double duty for her!  We had a snack break at tippy rock and then Renee led us on yet another loop, which the leader had never been on, but that took us on a trail behind Beckett Street,  which made the whole hike 5 kms long.  It should be noted as well, that only there were three falls but that none were serious.  We also came across a pelvic saddle with an attached column that the spinal cord goes through of an animal. It was too large to be a rodent, so possible a fox of large raccoon or porcupine. It had no flesh or fur attached to it. Very interesting find. Great hike with very accommodating hikers.

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GENERAL MEETING TUESDAY MARCH 21 2023

 Agenda 2023 General Meeting. March 21 2023

1. Welcome introductions and thanks

2. Approval of minutes: corrections, additions

3. Treasurers report

4. VP report

5. Social committee Report

6. Trail master report/requests

7. Hike leader's meetings. (next on the 28th at 2;30)

8. Business arising

9. New business

Items for discussion:

Penokeans update

Stipend from city update

Changes to constitution.. required by Ont., Hike Ontario insurers

Hike cancellations - on blog by 9 am

Volunteer hours and dinner.. 40 hours needed to qualify startingApril 1^st.

Hike leader training.. new trainers, new leaders needed

New brochures and poster

Sale of loppers

50TH YEAR OF C de B.. planning a larger event with dignitaries.

Next meeting

Everyone heard?

Closing and thanks.

PASSION LAKE 2023 03 16

 A group of eight completed the nearly 10 km hike to Passion Lake via Hwy 639. The trail followed a snowmobile track and was pretty comfortable to walk on, so we dispensed with snowshoes. The weather was mostly overcast with only a brief spell of wet snow early in the hike. We had lunch at a scenic spot on the lake near a recently used ice fishing hole. We saw some animal tracks and heard what might have been a pileated woodpecker. It was a long hike, but we finished in good time and felt pretty proud of ourselves. Thanks to Eva the assistant hike leader and Don the sweep!

PHOTOS

MELLON LAKE 2023 03 14

 

8 intrepid hikers made their way to Stanrock Rd and the May Lake loop snowmobile trail. It was a cold, windy morning with the bright sun about the only thing in the morning to spur one on. The trail was well packed making the walk easy, without snowshoes or crampons. In the beginning the pace was brisk in order to get the heart pumping and body temps up.

There were many tracks in the snow, mouse, grouse and wonderful otter slides. Also large k9 tracks that could have been wolf or maybe a rather large coyote. Then again, given the close proximity of the houses on Quirke Lake, maybe someone’s dog went for a walk on his own.

We stopped for a break on the sunny shore of a little just south of the berm where we would break in the past. One could almost have taken a nap as there was no wind, just the beautiful sun beaming down… and the peacefulness of nature.

One hiker lost her sunglasses which we all looked for on our way back to the vehicles. None was found, however, when we got back to the vehicles there was a pair of sunglasses on the hike leaders truck. A dog walker had found and returned them.

PHOTOS