Hike Elora

Our October hike this year was loads of fun! We had the largest turnout yet - 18 participants! With the threat of a Saturday rain all week, we were very happy it held off. The hike in Elora was on a beginner trail that was stroller-friendly, so we even had three hiking participants under the age of 2! :)

We noticed a funny sign along the way ... it was for the hikers. Notice Derek standing at a stop sign which is there to inform anyone using the trail to stop before crossing the road!!

After the two-hour hike, we had a delicious BBQ at Michelle's parents' house in Elora. Thank you to all who brought food, drinks and utensils. You all made our trip and BBQ wonderful! It certainly was a group effort! We then spent a very relaxing afternoon eating and socializing.

Thanks to Lauchie and Scott for cooking!

Hike Mono Cliffs Provincial Park

What an awesome day for a hike! It was hard to believe today was September 22 ... it was very warm and sunny! Eight hikers enjoyed the wonderful trails and views that Mono Cliffs have to offer. We got to see the beginning of spectacular fall colors, and we enjoyed the hike along rolling countryside with one steep climb (cardio hill). The trail reaches a set of metal steps down to the impressive rock phenomenon and deep fissure known as Jacob’s Ladder. A wooden boardwalk takes you trough this area of overhanging rock.

The hike was about 11 km long but wasn't too difficult. Still, we were happy to see the cars in the end and enjoyed Tim's before we left the area. This is definitely a place to re-visit!

Hike Skyline Trail, Cape Breton

Derek and I had an awesome trip to Cape Breton in August this year. Besides visiting my family and friends, we had a couple of gorgeous days to explore around the Cabot Trail. Along the Cabot Trail not too far past Cheticamp, there is a hiking trail called the Skyline Trail. This is where we saw two moose (mom and baby) very close-up!! We were just walking along and out of the woods they came. The encounter certainly made for great photos! We also saw a pod of whales that day, but my camera doesn't take great pictures at a distance, so it just looked like water. We were very excited to see all this in one day!

Taking the summer off

As you may have noticed, the summer is a very busy time when everyone has a lot of travel plans. Because of this, we have decided to take the summer off and get back into the hikes in September, 2007. I hope you have a great (and adventurous) summer!

Hike The Rouge River Valley

Hi all, yesterday, we had another fun day of being out in nature and exploring a new area near the city. We met at the start of the hike near the Toronto Zoo and spent the next 2 hours exploring the trails in the Rouge River Valley area ... the very confusing trails with many Y intersections that weren't labeled on the map I had. Because of this, we made some spontaneous decisions as to which direction we should take, but that is all in keeping with tradition, it seems. We haven't had a hike without this kind of adventure yet! Thanks to the hikers for their patience and good humor. :) Along our way, we saw some wildlife too. We weren't sure of our way at times, but we never did run into the zoo's wild animals ... no, but it was our first time seeing a fox on our trail! We also saw a chipmunk and some interesting bugs. Our next hike may be time to bring out the insect repellent. If you are interested in knowing about the next hike, email hikefocus@yahoo.ca and ask to be added to the mailing list. I'll add you to my list and you will receive hike info each time it is planned.

Hike Borer's, Webster's & Tews Falls

The first hike of 2007 was a great adventure in the Dundas area. On April 21, 6 brave hikers had fun expolring the Bruce Trail in the area from Borer's Falls Conservation Area to Spencer Gorge Wilderness Area. The first adventure was before the hike began ... a road we planned on using was closed, so we had to find a different way to the start of the hike. The hike of approximately 12 km was heavily wooded, had flat areas, steep hills and rocky areas. We saw three very beautiful waterfalls, a snake, squirrels, and the first sights of spring. The trees were mostly bare, but there were a few flowers peaking out amongst the dead fall leaves. We found an area with picnic tables for lunch ... it was nice to eat and relax! There were lookouts for all three falls, and panoramic views across the valley. Webster's Falls has a 123-step metal staircase which leads to the bottom of the falls ... absolutely gorgeous!! I recommend going to these falls one day to spend the whole day there. There is a beautiful park there to relax in and parking nearby. The day of our hike was incredibly sunny and hot ... so hot, if fact, that some of us got sunburned ... some more than others. We ended the day relaxing at Tim Hortons. Thank you to the hikers that came out that day, and thanks to Esperanza for sharing her pictures.