The passionate hiker

The passionate hiker
Early days in the outdoors

Monday, February 18, 2019

The Winter End-to-End


Mon. 18 February:  The Winter End to End




Three years ago, I joined a winter end-to-end hike, curious to see what this special challenge was all about.  The following blog entry tells the story of that trip:


I knew from that one magical winter’s day that I was hooked.  And now I have completed my first winter end-to-end, travelling the entire 328 km length of the Rideau Trail, over three years, only in the months of January and February.  The statistics show that there are less than a hundred of us who have done this.

This is a photo essay.  The pictures will speak for themselves.  They will describe why this most compelling of the Rideau Trail challenges keeps people coming back year after year:  the physical challenge, a common purpose shared with kindred spirits, the beauty of Eastern Ontario in mid-winter.  And many other reasons which make this a special experience.

If you join an end-to-end hike, you will find the true spirit of the Rideau Trail, and will know the reason why, after forty seven years, it is still going strong.

The photos are in chronological order – which is not the same as geographical sequence!  The reader might enjoy figuring out each location, in its winter cloak. 

The Passionate Hiker

Early starts

6767 Perth Road:  organizing shuttles

North from Upper Rock Lake access

Cataraqui Trail

Kindred Spirits

Chilly mornings

Concession Road 9 (Westport )

Frosty hollow

McAndrews Road

Frozen ferry

Ridge climbing

The Rideau Trail Spirit

Bedford Mills

Footwear options

McParlan House

Beaver dam crossing: only in winter!

Snowstorm in the middle of Perth

Wood Road

At Rosedale Road junction

Nicholson's Locks, Rideau Canal

Ken Pryor Bridge

MICROspikes for sheet ice

Westport Sand Lake

Trail companions (large and small)

Saskatchewan? (north of Richmond)

Should we get out of the car today?

Yes!

Ottawa Green Belt

Or Narnia

Unusual trail companion

Approaching Ottawa

Lime Kiln loop junction

The Long Bush

Marlborough Forest

Capital Hill

Wintry trail marker at Kilometre 0 in Ottawa

Parliament Hill, Ottawa River

End-to-Ends bring out the true Rideau Trail spirit

Voyageurs

Ottawa River

Westboro Beach, Ottawa River

Celebrating Winter E2E completions

Kingston Club greetings:  Cataraqui Cemetery

Lake Ontario, Kingston

Lake Ontario

Murton Road

Foot fashion

A cold, sunny winter's day

North of Unity Road

Well-prepared end-to-enders

Sydenham

Beside Gould Lake

Gould Lake

Above Gould Lake:  the Core Team

Flagpole Hill, (just outside) Frontenac Park

Meeting the XL team in the Frontenac Park wilderness

Reflections (north of Maple Leaf Road)

What about the other three quarters?

Essential trail food (sausage roll)

New snow shoes (old pair broke during previous hike)

Skycroft:  sprint start?

Skycroft:  near Lindsay Lake

Idyllic winter scenery

Tricky descent

Beaver dam crossing

Beside a frozen lake

A competitive spirit:  the Bonwill Shelter log book

2 comments:

Derrick said...

Amazing photos. Huge congratulations on your epic end to end!

Thank you for your trail blogs. It's been a great resource when planning my own adventures. All the best!

The Editor said...

Derrick, many thanks and best wishes.

PH