Hike Schedule

Blue Mountain End to End in 3 Hikes ~ Stained Glass Fundraiser Badge

Hike open to BTC Members only.

Hosting Club: Blue Mountains, Sydenham
Category: General Hike
Location (Google Maps):

Hike Leader(s): Margaret O’Dell Click here to contact Hike Leader(s)

Pace: Brisk: 4 to 5 km/h, Fast: more than 5 km/h
Terrain: Strenuous: Hilly with steep climbs and some poor footing.
Distance: 22.8 km

Description

This series of hikes is a Fundraiser series for the Blue Mountains Bruce Trail Club. All proceeds fund the activities of the Club directly. You are signing up for all 3 hikes, and must be present for all the hikes to receive the special fundraising badge.

Hikers will receive a schedule of the Itinerary for all 3 hikes upon registration. Each Hike is 22-23 Km. The GPS coordinates for Hike on Day #1 are provided here. We will be starting the hike from Maple Lane, at the Blue Mountains Beaver Valley Boundary

• This hike series is intended for experienced distance hikers only; hikes will be lead at a brisk to fast pace. Be aware of your ability to join this series.
• Hikes will average 4.5 km per hour including breaks, moving pace is 5 km per hour;
• Expect to be on-trail for 4-5 hours;
• Meeting time is scheduled for 7:00am so that we’re on the trail at the earliest part of the day and avoid the heat in the afternoons;
• You must arrive no later than 15 minutes prior to the meeting time to organize shuttle; all participants will be expected to participate in the shuttle;
• Any applicable parking fees will be shared within the group.
• Hikers must carry sufficient hydration, accessible snacks, small lunch, first-aid kit, rain gear, extra socks, bug spray, etc; Check the weather as you pack your gear;
• If you have any questions or concerns, please use the Contact the Hike Leader above.

Urban Walk: Whitby to Oshawa

Hosting Club: Toronto
Category: Urban Walk
Location (Google Maps): Whitby, Ontario

Hike Leader(s): Brian Rideout Click here to contact Hike Leader(s)

Pace: Moderate
Terrain: Flat
Distance: 10 km

Description

Please join me under the clock in the Great Hall of Union Station by 9:05 am.  We will take the eastbound Lakeshore train departing 9:20 AM, arriving in Whitby at 10:13 AM.  If you prefer to drive, please meet at the north entrance of Whitby Go Station near the washrooms and the ticket counter.

Please check out the GO Transit website and consider purchasing a one day pass for $10.
We will hike south to the lake and east to Oshawa along the Waterfront Trail for an estimated distance of 10 km.  We will pass through several parks in Whitby and Oshawa along the way.

While in Oshawa we will take Durham Region Transit to the Fox and the Goose pub and to Oshawa GO so please bring your Presto card and / or cash fare.  Please bring sun screen, bug spray, a light snack and at least 2 liters of water.

Here is a map of our route: Whitby to Oshawa

Sydenham E2E Stained Glass Fundraising Series in 8 Hikes

Hike open to BTC Members only.

Hosting Club: Toronto, Sydenham
Category: Car Hike
Location (Google Maps): Km 20.7, on the shoulders of 6th Concession S. GPS N44.507399, W80.810098

Hike Leader(s): Jacquie Van Dyke

Pace: Brisk, Moderate
Terrain: Hilly, Variable
Distance: Distances will be approximately 20-25km per day, spread over 8 hikes, for a total of 175km.

Description

This Sydenham Stained Glass E2E Fundraising hike series will be spread over 8 days, covering approximately 175km. The funds paid will be collected by the Toronto Bruce Trail Club and transferred to the Sydenham Club to help with the club’s expenses and the pledge of maintaining “The Ribbon of Wilderness for Everyone Forever.” The registration date of March 3 at 9:00pm is for all 8 group hikes. Participants completing this series will receive the Hart’s Tongue Fern badge (designed by Joe Borges) at the end of the last hike. Life aside from hiking does happen and you may miss 2 hikes but please let the hike leader know ahead of time and make it up before June 20, 2024.

A hike schedule will be sent late-May to all participants. Hikes will range in distance of 20-25km, hiking at an average speed of 3-5km/hour, depending on trail & weather conditions.

Please arrive by 8:00am for each hike to get organized and to be ready to begin the car shuttle at 8:15. All hikers are expected to participate fairly in the car shuttles. No dropout points have been established and therefore hikers who must drop out, will be responsible for their own transportation back to their vehicle. Please note: available transportation back to your vehicle is very limited in this section. It’s going to get warm/hot so please be prepared with enough food to last the hike, a minimum of 2L of hydration, bug repellent, and hiking gear appropriate for the weather/conditions. We’ll have a short morning break and also a lunch break on each hike.

Spring Birds and Blooms

Hike open to BTC Members only.

Hosting Club: Peninsula
Category: Birding
Location (Google Maps): Meet at the parking lot at the intersection of Highway 6 and Dyers Bay Road at 8:30 a.m. We will car pool to the Cottrill Lake ST parking area to begin our hike.

Hike Leader(s): Marg Glendon Click here to contact Hike Leader(s)

Pace: Fast, Leisurely, Medium
Terrain: Moderate
Distance: ~3 1/2 KM

Description

Join Bird Enthusiast – Peter Rasberry – for a Spring Birds and Blooms hike on the Cottrill Lake Side Trail. This should be peak time for both spring wildflowers and bird migration. The hike pace is slow and will be a “walk, stop and talk” type of hike. This provides an opportunity to identify and appreciate all that nature is offering us! The terrain is rocky but relatively flat on Cottrill Lake Side Trail. At the end of Cottrill Lake Side Trail, we will decide as a group, whether we return to our starting point by walking on Britain Lake Road, or hiking the more rugged terrain with lots of “ups and downs” on the Anne and Clayton Roberts Side Trail to the Main Trail. Both options complete the loop at the Cottrill Side Trail parking area. Distance for both options is about the same ~ 3 ½ km. Dress according to the weather. Bring snacks, water, cameras, binoculars, field guides, and insect repellent. Hike finish should be about 11:30 a.m.

Map 40. Bruce Trail Reference Guide Edition 31

Spring Birds and Blooms #2

Hosting Club: Peninsula
Category: Birding
Location (Google Maps): Meet at the parking lot at the intersection of Highway 6 and Dyers Bay Road at 8:30 am, and car pool to the Cottrill Lake ST parking area where we begin our hike.

Hike Leader(s): Marg Glendon Click here to contact Hike Leader(s)

Pace: Leisurely
Terrain: Easy, Moderate
Distance: ~3 1/2km

Description

Open Registration “Spring Birds and Blooms – Join Bird Enthusiast – Peter Rasberry – for a Spring Birds and Blooms hike on the Cottrill Lake Side Trail. This should be peak time for both spring wildflowers and bird migration. The hike pace is slow and will be a “walk, stop and talk” type of hike. This provides an opportunity to identify and appreciate all that nature is offering us! The terrain is rocky but relatively flat on Cottrill Lake Side Trail. At the end of Cottrill Lake Side Trail, we will decide as a group, whether we return to our starting point by walking on Britain Lake Road, or hiking the more rugged terrain with lots of “ups and downs” on the Anne and Clayton Roberts Side Trail to the Main Trail. Both options complete the loop at the Cottrill Side Trail parking area. Distance for both options is about the same ~ 3 ½ km. Dress according to the weather. Bring snacks, water, cameras, binoculars, field guides, and insect repellent. Hike finish should be about 11:30 a.m. Bruce Trail Reference Guide Edition 31.

PBTC Tree Badge Pilot Hike #2

Hosting Club: Peninsula

Location (Google Maps): Parking lot on Jackson’s Cove Rd at the top of the hill just to the west of the trail [44.939536, -81.133319]

Hike Leader(s): Barbara Reuber Click here to contact Hike Leader(s)

Pace: Leisurely
Terrain: Moderate

Description

Join us for the 2nd tree badge pilot hike to help us establish the requirements for the badge. The tree badge will be the next in a series of conservation badges that include the birder badges, fern badge and orchid badge. This hike will allow you to test the requirements for the badge.  The badge requirements are at the end of this hike description.  The badge requires the use of the iNaturalist app  – if you aren’t already part of the iNaturalist Bruce Trail Conservancy Project, please get the app before the hike, see details here: https://development.brucetrail.org/what-we-do/#iNaturalist

PBTC volunteer and hike leader Jeannine Krait will lead the hike and share her knowledge of trees on the Peninsula to support hikers as they try out the Tree Badge requirement.

We will meet at the Jackson’s Cove parking lot [44.939536, -81.133319] and hike the main trail to Jackson Cove Side Trail and back on the Jackson Cove Side Trail.  If there is time and interest, we may extend the hike along the main trail. Our pace will be slow as we focus on tree identification. Bring a snack and water. Be prepared for variable weather and dress for the conditions on the day of the hike.

Draft Tree Badge Requirements:

There is no time limit for completing the badge requirements. All observations must be from the main trail or sides trails of the Peninsula section or on a PBTC-organized hike.

1. Photograph, identify and document 25 different tree species along the Peninsula section of the Bruce Trail. Your list must include at least 1 tree in each of the following categories:

• Deciduous
• Coniferous

• Mast Tree– produces food for wildlife or human foragers through periodic booms in seed production. A key characteristic of mast trees is that their seed production becomes synchronized across entire populations of the same species, producing an over-abundance of food in some years (also known as bumper crops, which is a crop that has yielded a usually productive harvest), and greatly reduced production in other years. Many mast foods have great storage value, avoiding rot, or freezing on the trees to provide quality food even when everything is dormant. Mast foods also have a high nutrition content, such as fatty nuts, which helps mammals build up fat stores for winter. Periodic booms (typically once every 2-8 years) of mast production trigger a cascade of ecological effects that affects mammals, birds, insects & even diseases like Lyme. Some common types of mast trees include oak, spruce, walnut, butternut and beech. (Note: the tree does not need to be bearing fruit/nut/seed at the time it is ID’d, so long the species is considered a “mast” species)

• Wildlife Tree – standing dead or live tree (also known as snags, den trees or cavity trees) with characteristics that provide valuable habitat for wildlife. Wildlife trees may contain spike, fork or broken tops, cavities, loose bark, large platform limbs and brooms. In Ontario, at least 50 species of birds and mammals rely on snags. Many species of trees make for good snaps, but large conifers such as cedar, fir, larch, and pine, tend to rot more slowly than do deciduous trees such as alder, birch, and cherry. Large deciduous trees such as cottonwoods, big-leaf maples, and oaks can last many years as snags. While alive, large deciduous trees tend to develop cavities in their bulky live and dead branches and trunks.
• Invasive Species – could be an invasive tree species (i.e., Scots pine, Buckthorn, Norway Maple) or identification of invasive pathogen (i.e., Emerald Ash Borer, butternut canker, beech bark disease)

1. Upload photos to iNaturalist.ca and add them to the Bruce Trail Project. New to iNaturalist? When loading pictures on iNaturalist, take clear pictures of and upload as many features of the tree as are available to help with ID – bark, leaves/needles, pinecones or seeds, overall structure of the tree, etc. Tag photos with “PBTC Tree Badge” for easy reference. Not registered for the Bruce Trail Project? Visit https://development.brucetrail.org/what-we-do/#iNaturalist for details.
2. For one specimen tree in each of the five categories record the following:

• Deciduous 

• Common name
• Leaf category: opposite, alternate, simple, compound, pinnate, palmate, lobed, toothed, margins

• Coniferous

• Common name
• Leaf category: Short needles in opposite pairs or whorls of 3, needles in bundles or 2, 3 or 5, needles in tufts of 10 or more on dwarf shoots or single on long shoots

• Mast Tree

• Name of fruit/ seed

• Wildlife Tree

• Wildlife habitat characteristic (spike, fork or broken top, cavity, loose bark, large platform limbs or brooms) and name species that may use habitat

• Invasive Species 

• Common name of tree or pathogen

1. Once you have accumulated 25 species, and your entries have been verified on iNaturalist, and you have recorded the characteristics of five specimen trees, you may obtain your badge. Instructions for obtaining the badge will be available on the PBTC website at https://www.pbtc.ca/badges after the badge is launched.

Mt Nemo Walkers Line

Hosting Club: Iroquoia
Category: Good Companions
Location (Google Maps): Mt Nemo Conservation Area
Walkers Line

Hike Leader(s): Jill Parratt Click here to contact Hike Leader(s)

Pace: Medium – 3 to 4 km/hr
Terrain: Moderate – Some hills and/or some poor footing
Distance: 7-8 km

Description

Meet at 9:15 for a 9:30 start.

Take Bruce Trail to Escarpment ladder. Very rocky and steep just before ladder.

Hike Bruce Trail and Mt Nemo trails.

Either register at Conservation Halton or pay for parking at parking lot.

Poles are recommended

Jill Parratt