Peninsula - Richardson Access Trail (87.5 km) to Cape Chin North (111.1 km) - May 25,2022.

 It is Day 2 of our second of three,3 day hiking trips to the Peninsula and, as I am learning, we are set for the "big one"...a 21 km walk that will show us what the Cape Chin area has to offer...can it rival previous views and provide as much visual glory as our other peninsula hikes?...the answer, as it turned out, was that, and even more...

This 7 and a half hour trek involved a decent 315 meters of climbing...most of it small bits and pieces as the elevation profile suggests (looks a bit like an audio file)...I took this lower angle screen shot of the bird's eye view to give more perspective as to where we were on the peninsula.

Cars get dropped up north...the "who is staying - who is going" routine plays out...and we assemble at the Richardson Access Trail parking lot, where memories of the "Group of 7", of which I was a member, being abandoned the previous evening and forced to navigate 5 lonely, unknown kilometers back to our cabins before the sun set and we would have had to sleep by the road, come flooding back...I push aside the trauma, and focus on capturing an even larger group this morning...everyone has returned, but we now have the experience of Ann G to add to our roster...she has driven up to join us and we welcome adding her humor and good spirit to our great group of friends...

It looks like we are in order and after 350 meters, we join the main trail and start our B.T journey...after our 2nd hike experience last trip (refer to the Hope Bay blog), I am a little nervous, but the weather is cooler, there's more shade from the trees, and the trail is really quite good...am I being too optimistic?

We set a good early pace, take an adjustment break, and continue on...the sunshine and coolish temperatures bringing smiles to our faces!..

I get a rare chance for a "hiker profile" pic, and in what I think is a personal record, manage to capture all 12 of my fellow hikers in a single frame!..

Once again, the weather is cooperating...and we are blessed with an early morning walk through a meadow in all its spring glory...

We have entered the Smokey Head- White Bluff Provincial Nature Reserve...I think we are in the White Bluff area overlooking Whippoorwill Bay...

We spent some time at the White Bluff lookout with a view of Lion's Head Bluff across the water...

Back on the trail, Steve exhibits the proper technique of taking a stride...

A rope aided descent takes us down the escarpment a ways...

Some playful antics between hiking friends...

...and then all mirth is lost as we encounter another scene of..."death by blaze"...

The great views just keep coming...looking out, or down, brings its own perspective of beauty...

The hike is going well...we know we are in it for the long haul, but so far the trail has been kind to us...Brian scopes out a potential Christmas tree...we think it's past its best before date.

We move through the forest with occasional stops to allow regrouping...

Another spectacular rocky outcrop provides a great picture spot...we are kings and queens of the world!..

We arrive at the Smokey Head lookout...now dedicated to an important contributor to the trail...the Cape Chin beach is down to the north...that would be a cool place to visit...

But first, we move inland for a bit, and we then find ourselves in what can only be described as an enchanted forest...with trilliums in full bloom as far as the eye could see...it was magical!..

Thousands of white,red, and purple flowers carpeted the forest floor...our timing was perfect...a little slice of heaven on earth...

Eventually, we left the trillium sea behind and moved toward Cape Chin South...

A short bit later, we popped out onto this magnificent stone beach...it went without saying that this is where we spend some time for snacks, rest, and reflection...

If anyone was to ask if we made a sacrifice for our Elevensie's that day, I would tell them that, well, "we took one on the Chin"...

A few stone skips later, the hand made sun dial indicated that we must be on our way...a truly memorable stop on a continually fascinating journey...

There's a definite spring in our step as we start off for the second half of our adventure...

A woodpecker's version of "The Scream"?..

We cross Cape Chin South Road and leave the provincial park...

More hard work is rewarded with...you guessed it, more great views...Georgian Bay in all its majesty...

Catherine makes a new friend, and then some of us test out the nice furniture that a local has provided for weary hikers...

The wind has picked up as we reach Cape Chin...

Behind the bluff is an abandoned residence that we suspect might have been purchased by the Conservancy...

Always nice to know that you're going in the right direction...

Cape Chin North proves to be as spectacular as the South...we are overlooking Dyer Bay now...

Brian does his best Phantom of the Opera impersonation using a piece of the landscape...

We exit the forest onto Cape Chin North Shore Road for a couple of kilometers...we can sense the end is near...

But first, one last stretch of forest to contend with...this is obviously a freshly hewn portion of the trail...there were many small stumps and lots of debris to either side...not much conversation on this section...it was head down and push for the finish.

We made it!..all in all, this was one of the most rewarding, satisfying hikes I have experienced yet...it had a little bit of everything...the conditions were ideal (no bugs!) and our group did a fantastic job supporting each other...it really is a pleasure to hike with these friends!..

Steve does our debriefing...hopefully we passed!..at least we all knew it was now time to...

The End