Bruce Trail End to End

Niagara - Grimsby (83.3 km) to 30 Road (76.1 km) -

Jan. 13th, 2022.

Hello again and Happy New Year to you all! Hiking with Friends, End to End on the Bruce Trail, is back after a holiday break and excited to return to the pathway that gives us so much pleasure (and, admittedly, aches and pains) in these stressful times.

Based on the current surge in cases, and in recognition of provincial guidelines, our hiking protocol needed to be somewhat amended to start the new year such that smaller multiple groups (i.e. less than 10) would travel separately on the trail and, more significantly, our typical "end to end" methodology would be amended to "end to end and back to the original end which was the starting end" which seems like a cumbersome way of saying "there and back" to avoid our usual car pooling/positioning game plan.

Nevertheless, the important consideration is that we are outdoors, braving the elements, and experiencing a few hours of fresh air, exercise, and camaraderie.

So...our route this week, as shown above, took us from the parking lot of the Lions Community Pool in Grimsby eastward to 30 Road, for a distance of 7.2 km, AND the return, for a total distance of (you did the math already), 14.4 km.

Here is our bird's eye view of the route, which we completed in 5 hours. There was a decent amount of climbing; 490 meters worth to be exact. Bear in mind that the topographical profile above includes the return trip so, in essence, the left side mirrors the right side if you mentally draw a line down the centre of it. Every rise shall become a fall, and every fall...a rise.

Our first group of hikers to set off included Arpi (who is standing dangerously close to Steve's new Tesla), Steve (who is likely keeping an eye on Arpi), Annette (welcome back!), Sandra, Marleen, Doug (contributing photographer), and Brian.

Our second group is ready to go...including myself, Michael, Catherine, Rhonda, and, wait...what...Steve again? He actually waited behind to allow a delayed hiker, Ron B., to arrive and join up with. Such is the life of the leader. (But he has a really nice new car, so there's that...).

So our little group hit the trail, and tackled the immediate uphill climb.

Meanwhile, up ahead, Doug is recording a descent faced by Marleen and Arpi as they make their way.

Sandra, Brian, and Annette enjoying the trail, which was a combination of frozen mud, snow/ice, and rock on this day. Icers would come into play, as we shall see later.

Our group was humming along as well...a bit of a dreary day weather wise, with overcast skies likely not affording any views of the lake shore.

Catherine wisely defers to a tractor trailer as we approach, and ultimately cross, Mountain Road.

Rhonda dons her icers in anticipation of several frozen sections ahead. Brian and Arpi provide the prudent evidence of this move...

Michael chooses (wisely) to skirt a particularly bad section...

While ice can be dangerous, it can also provide beauty, as evident in this small frozen waterfall we encountered...

Let's check in with the group ahead again...and look where we found them...in a bridge picture!..Thanks Doug!

Wait...is that them up ahead?..are we catching up?

Yet another frozen stream bed...

We climb the rocky steps up to Ridge Road and the first group is now well in sight...a quick addition in my head (while still hiking no less) tells me that six plus four is ten so we can technically join them for the trail ahead...

Rhonda and Catherine in full on, head down, climbing mode...

Up on Ridge Road for a short stretch of pavement walking...

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This small section of trail seems to have been appropriated by the "Bruns"...not sure if that is some Gaelic pronunciation of "Bruce" but couldn't find any reference on Google so likely just a nearby homeowner...albeit with excellent woodworking skills...

Doug and Sandra examine a trail dedication signpost...

Another short stretch of asphalt as we pop out onto Ridge Road, turn left onto Park Road South, and then head back into the woods...

Lots of damaged trees this winter...we have had some very windy weather of late...here is one of the fallen soldiers...

We pass by another...hopefully there is some regeneration going on here...

Probably the iciest stretch we encountered all day...(Brian and I had popped up to Ridge Road but realized we weren't quite done yet which is why we are going down in the bottom left photo while the others are coming up)...

We reach (frozen) Thirty Mile Creek and a perfect spot for Elevensies...the info board provides a handy place to hang a couple of packs while we rest and refuel...

Not sure how to interpret the expressions of those top three hikers?..

While the others rested, Doug and I, in the interests of making sure that the official "Garmin" record of our route would accurately reflect the title of this blog, traversed the grueling, frozen muddy, ankle twisting, final 100 meters to reach 30 Road (as verified by this selfie)...we are sure that, although not verbally recognized by the rest of our group, our effort was highly praised and gratefully appreciated...you're welcome...

This sign reminded me of a special Christmas gift I received from my elder daughter...a Bruce Trail Conservancy membership!..I feel an even greater attachment to this great resource now...

OK...nothing left to do but go see the "other side of the trees" on the way back as we retrace our steps and find out what that "up" looks like when it's "down" (and vice versa)...