Ups and Downs

Fri. 26 January:  Ups and Downs

A roller-coaster trail

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Some people might think that Eastern Ontario is flat farmland.  I’d like to show them this ten kilometre section of the Rideau Trail. 

From Foley Mountain east to Narrows Lock Road is a roller-coaster country of steep drops and climbs through woodland and beside Upper Rideau Lake.  But hardly anywhere is it flat.  And the farmland lies across the lake to the south, or beyond the escarpment to the north. 

Spy Rock is a grand starting place for any hike, with its birds eye view down to Westport and its church spires.  Here is the highest point on the entire 328 km trail.  We plunged down heart-attack hill through the woodland wilderness.  We had deliberately chosen to travel eastwards.  The logic is clear to see from the elevation profile.  Who wants the steepest uphill section right at the end of a long hike?

North Shore Road seemed to be hiding behind several ridges, but we finally found it, and enjoyed the up and down stroll with glimpse of lake and small islands.  There were some enormous homes hiding in the trees above the lake, but we encountered just one vehicle and no other walkers.

The final 1.4 kilometres took us up the open hillside above Duck Bay, and through an enchanted country of rocks and swamps and ancient trees pointing the way – a microcosm of the entire Rideau Trail, all within a few hundred metres.

No need to head to the Rockies – we have enough hills right here!

Little Bay, at the lowest point of the trail beside Upper Rideau Lake

Leaving Foley Mountain trail  network

A DOWN...

...and an UP

Ridgeline above the trees

Friendly tree points the way

Our 10.7 km route

The full elev./speed stats.

From Snow-shoes to Slippers

14-21 January:  From Snow-shoes to Slippers

On the menu for tonight's ice storm

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It’s hard to keep up with these weather swings this winter.

In the space of just one week, I made use of all my options for winter travel:  cross-country skis, snow shoes, regular hiking boots, and MICROspike icers.

Just a week ago, we were snow-shoeing along the Rideau Trail, beside the Tay Canal, into Perth.  It was very cold, close to minus 20C, with a new snowfall.  It was hard to believe that, only twenty four hours earlier, it had been plus 11C and raining, with the heavy snow cover rapidly melting.  Then the temperatures plummeted in just a few hours, and it snowed again.  So for our frigid journey beside the canal, we wore our snow-shoes – and moved quickly to keep warm!

Snow-shoeing beside the Tay Canal

Three days later, the temperatures had warmed up a bit – now closer to minus 10C, perfect for a cross-country ski trip around Murphys Point Provincial Park.  We had the beautifully groomed trails to ourselves.  Blue wax was the choice, and we glided smoothly through the silent forest.

A  cross-country ski trip in Murphys Point Park...

...gliding effortlessly through the forest

Only two days later, it had warmed up again, creating a slushy surface, needing only regular hiking boots for our journey along ten kilometres of the Rideau Trail, from Burritts Rapids to Merrickville, on quiet roads.

Strolling into Merrickville on the Rideau Trail...

...crossing the Rideau Canal on the Rideau Trail

Finally yesterday we travelled fourteen kilometres along the Rideau Trail, north of Richmond, finding that MICROspikes made safer travel across the icy sections of trail, in temperatures hovering around the freezing point.

Icy surface on the Rideau Trail north of Richmond...

...more safely negotiated with MICROspikes

Now an ice storm is on its way into Perth this afternoon!  So tomorrow it will be time to put on my slippers and relax in front of the fireplace.

Earthstar

Tues. 9 January:  Earthstar

Entering the snow maze:  Earthstar trail

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This must be the craziest bit of trail along the entire 328 kilometre length of the Rideau Trail. 

Somewhere in the heart of the Marlborough Forest lies the Earthstar trail.   This eccentric section of the Rideau Trail twists and turns through thick forest on a narrow pathway, continually changing direction.  At one point it appeared to be in danger of disappearing up its own tail end. 

Our challenge was made even more exciting by the recent snowfall.  The tree branches framing our route were sagging with new snow, which you could choose either to eat or wear (or both) but impossible to avoid on that narrow woodland path.

This was just one section of a long sixteen kilometre snowshoe trip through, and beyond, the southern half of the Marlborough Forest, starting at Roger Stevens Drive and running south all the way into Burritt’s Rapids beside the Rideau Canal.

It was a good five hour workout.  Our only welcome respite was the lonely Earthstar shelter, hiding in the woods on a rolling section of land, untypical of the generally flat terrain.  This simple cabin, open on one long side, allowed us to sit in relative comfort on the wooden bench and recharge our batteries over lunch.

We had hoped to walk a good part of this route without the need for snowshoes, but the recent snowfall ruled that out. Our path was a mix of wide, packed snowmobile trails and narrow, winding woodland paths - mostly the latter.

But we persevered, with our renowned stiff upper lip, and were rewarded at the end by a welcome hot drink in our favourite coffee shop.

If you are looking for some excitement, travel the Earthstar trail and experience the joy of feeling hopelessly lost, and then finally emerging safely at the other end.  Rather like a wintry version of a corn maze.

Our route was a mix of wide snowmobile trails and....

...narrow pathways through the forest. 
Yes, this IS the route of the Rideau Trail right here.

Approaching Earthstar shelter...

...a welcome respite for weary travellers.

Heading out from Earthstar shelter

Journey's end:  Burritts Rapids

Our 16.1 km route through the southern half of the Marlborough Forest

The Forest

Thurs. 4 January:  The Forest

The mystery of the Marlborough Forest

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There’s a large forest near here where strange things can start to happen to your mind.  Or perhaps it’s real.  Distances get distorted.  Items mysteriously disappear.

Today we walked across the northern half of the Marlborough Forest, from Jock Road in the north, all the way down to Roger Stevens Drive in the centre of the forest.  The maps give the distance as 13.3 kilometres.  But two separate GPS devices in use today measured 14.1 kilometres.  And some of the measured distances between interim waypoints seemed to stretch far longer than the map indicated.  Perhaps there’s something secret hidden within the forest, and disguised by some clever distortion of the map. 

And then somehow my colleague’s car keys jumped out of a deep pocket and disappeared into thin air.

Enjoy your hike through this forest, but be on the lookout for  strange happenings – and also keep an eye out for speeding snowmobiles!

Oh – and take your snowshoes, as the nice wide, well-packed tracks suddenly revert to narrow forest trails, choked by fallen trees, with half-frozen puddles hidden beneath the snow.

Starting out along Munster Road at the Jock River bridge

Brisk walk towards the forest down Munster Road

Entrance at Kettles Road

The trail draws us into the woods

A strangely attractive open section within the forest

Klondike Road:  snowshoes needed from here
(and happy to leave the snowmobiles behind)

Challenging final section of trail

Threading through the snowy trees near the end of our walk