Iroquoia - Mount Nemo (Lower parking lot 87.3 km) to Blind Line and Britannia Rd. (95.9 km) - Jan. 27th, 2022

Hello, and welcome to this week's blog, the one that captures the exploits of the "Hiking with Friends" group as they stroll up and down the Bruce Trail with the goals of maintaining fitness, enjoying nature, and getting to know each other better...there certainly could be no better ambition in life, could there?

Our escapade this week centered around the well known Mount Nemo Conservation Area north of Burlington. (Fun fact: Did you know that the name Mount Nemo was chosen after the residents of the nearby village centered around a newly opened post office could not agree on a suitable moniker and deferred to one that recognized the high elevation of the escarpment on which their homes were built and "Nemo" the Latin term for "no one".)

Although the highlighted route on the map above suggests that roughly 8.6 km of lineal trail was covered (based on our "end to end" ethos), our actual hike did, in truth, require 14.78 km of walking; a consequence of our current adaptation to Covid induced protocol. I would describe this route as a "loop/there and back" hybrid.

This bird's eye view of our track might give you a better impression of "where the heck did these guys go, anyway?"...Starting in the main parking lot, we joined the main trail along the edge of the escarpment , down the cliff to the Walkers Line parking lot, back up the escarpment (note the big dip in the topographic profile), hooked up with a side trail to get us back the main parking lot, and then set out southeast along Colling Road, right on Blind Line, up to Britannia Road, and returned via those same two roads to the main parking lot. All clear now?.not so much?..well, let's recapture the journey in pictures and print, and perhaps that will help!

A couple of "preparation/milling about " shots as icers were donned and morning salutations exchanged. Conditions were MUCH better than last week, with overcast skies, temperatures around minus 8 degrees, and just a slight chilly wind.

Eleven hardy hikers are assembled and ready to do business. Myself, Michael, Brian, Catherine, Doug (contributing photographer), Laura, Arpi, Marleen, Sandra (contributing photographer and sweep), Steve (leader), and Barbara.

I am very happy to say that, after the extreme challenges we faced last week down in the Niagara section, the trail today was in excellent shape and our disposition greatly improved as a result. Today would help reaffirm our appreciation of winter hiking at its finest.

We soon hooked up with the main trail and assumed a single file...almost two weeks after the huge snowstorm we experienced, the forest is still covered in a pristine white blanket...very few, if any, exposed rocks or roots and the footing is excellent. There are definitely benefits to travelling in more utilized environments.

There were lots of gentle ups and downs, but no serious ascents or descents...for now...

We take our first break of the morning...we have a very steady pace going...a nice feeling after last week's slog...

Everyone has come dressed for the elements...I'm sure they're all smiling beneath those scarves!..

We are soon back to the business at hand...and the terrain starts to become a bit more challenging, but, as if often the case, more beautiful as well...

Hey...there I am!..a blogger in the woods...

Yes folks...we have a view today...the first in several weeks. Sandra and Catherine enhance it with their beautiful smiles...

This view reveals the easy winner of "house of the week"...

We arrive at the official Mount Nemo lookout location...this is the highest elevation we will achieve today (103 meters).

Laura and Arpi pose for this postcard picture...Rattlesnake Point can be seen in the distance (between their heads).

 With our appetite for beautiful vistas satiated, we get back on the trail...

What could this sign possibly portend?..

And we stride on...the sun is trying to make an appearance...which would only brighten an already beautiful morning...

Now this sign is definitive...we have a technical descent ahead of us...Doug approaches it in the reverse mode...

*DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS DESCENT WITHOUT ICERS" the sign should read (at least at this time of year)...

Arpi celebrates getting through the most difficult section...

Others follow...including myself, our confidence buoyed by the success of our predecessors...

We continue on down to the Walkers Line parking lot...

...and encounter a couple of friendly dogs on the way...

Shadows are now being cast by the low winter sun...

We reach the parking lot and take a well deserved break...we know that the next portion of our day will be a little "uphill"...

And so it goes...back up the escarpment...

Harder going down, or up?...hikers discuss amongst yourselves...

All those that did go down returned safely...that's the important point...

And just in time for "Elevensies"!..

Catherine and Sandra explore a quite large shelter...

We begin our return on this loop portion...

...and pass by another "lean to" in the woods...

A wide side trail provides a chance to walk abreast and a direct path back to the main parking lot...

A unique looking outhouse got some use...

...and apparently has been popular with some birds as well...

Having completed the "loop" portion of our hike, we left the conservation area and crossed Guelph Line to follow Copping Road...the trail follows the fence line of Nelson Quarry, and having been far less utilized in recent days, was more reminiscent of last week's conditions that we would have liked...also, the wind was picking up as flurries began to fall...

Some hikers opted for the more secure footing of the actual road...

Having been the only (ahem) hiker to stick it out on the entire stretch of actual trail, I rejoined the waiting others at the corner of Blind Line...

The snow was falling a little harder as we proceeded up windswept Blind Line...desolate fields lined the road...

Several horse farms also line this stretch...

The end of our "there" meant we just had to do "and back" and we were done...

"Somebody's watching you"...we reflect on a challenging but rewarding day...

We arrive back at the main parking lot...a great winter hike (especially compared to last week)...14.8 km completed in just over 4 hours...not a bad pace (the road walking helped)...

Nothing left but to warm up the cars, remove our boots, and look forward to a hot shower...thanks for spending some time with us on the trail...if you weren't there, hopefully it felt like you were (minus the aches and pains!)...see you next week!..

The End