Iroquoia Km 58.5 to Km 67.6 - 15 January, 2015

Hikers: Helgy, Anne, Case and Steve
Guest Hiker:  John G., John N., Annie, Mike

Leader:  Karen

Section and Distance:  Iroquoia Km 58.5 to Km 67.6

Weather:  Hazy and Cold with minimal wind.

Actual Distance hiked:9.4

After positioning the cars we started the hike at the Sydenham Lookout.

We hiked the Sydenham Lookout Side Trail back to the main trail and followed the road into a small subdivision to reach Romar Drive and followed it to the end.  We then entered the Royal Botanical  (RBC) Gardens Rock Chapel Nature Sanctuary which parallels the escarpment brow and then crossed a narrow concrete bridge.  We continued along the escarpment edge past a lookout with a view of Hamilton and Burlington Skyway Bridge to parking lot at Rock Chapel Road.

We continued north beside Rock Chapel Road to a bridge across Borer's Creek and then turned right into another RBC property with views of Borer's Falls.

We passed a viewpoint of Cootes Paradise and the City of Hamilton.  We then descended the escarpment via a wooden stairway and entered a wooded area of the Hamilton Conservation Authority.

We continued through woods and across a deep valley to Valley Road.  We crossed the road and entered another RGC property and continued to Patterson Road.  After crossing the road, we climbed the escarpment and followed its brow for 1.4 km.  We descended via a series of wooden steps to reach Old Guelph  Road.

We crossed the road and descended concrete steps and turned left to the tunnel under Highway 6.   We turned left and and climbed more concrete steps and after several turns passed the ruins of an old homestead.

We continued through woodlands and emerged at the lip of a restored quarry site and then turned a few times to cross a bridge at the Upper Quarry Cascade.   Several other trails crisscross the trail as it traverses an area of valleys and ridges.  We then crossed the railway and descended the ridge to Snake Road where we had left our cars.

We retrieved the other cars, stopped and Tim Hortons and drove home.