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Yesterday's Trips:
Moon Falls
April 1st to 2nd, 2000 - 8 Trippers
By Mary Louise (Reported by Davie Arama)
The day began early Saturday at 9:00 am in the parking lot on Marine
Rd., 11 km west of Hwy #69. A robust hike saw us back packing 7
km through the bush but well worth the trek -- the views were breathtaking!!
Added to this was the sighting of a red hawk (thanks to Dave's eagle
eye) and the agile beavers swimming along the shoreline. To navigate
the trail and to keep track of where we are and where we were going,
David sharpened our skills by working with a map and compass.
We arrived at our campsite about 2:00 pm. Once our tents were set
up, we took advantage of the remaining daylight by exploring the
area including admiring the mighty falls. What a difference spring
run off makes as the falls thundered over the rocks. Supper consisted
of pasta, bannock, marshmallows and cappuccino. Dusk saw us serenading
the stars. The sky clouded over about 9:30 pm, and an east wind
blew in a rainstorm that poured rain about 3:00 am, lasting until
11:00 am.
We were all up and about by 7:00 am. Breakfast was a leisurely 2-hour
event, despite the rain, consisting of hearty pancakes devoured
inside a cave. Once we broke camp, with the skies clearing, we spent
a full day improving our orienteering skills with map and compass
and a hiking.
The weekend was capped with a hearty dinner at a local restaurant
in MacTier and congratulations all round on what a great time. |
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Hiking the Trails
in the Spring - Everything you need to know
By Mary Louise
As the seasons change, so do the things we need to do when hiking
the trails. Being prepared for unexpected spring showers means
having a waterproof breathable jacket and pants on hand or pack
a poncho. Don't forget about your backpack - have a waterproof
covering or be sure that your gear is wrapped in plastic. Keep
an extra pair of warm socks and liners in your pack as well as
plastic bags to cover your feet just in case you get a soaker.
The trail itself is often very muddy. Wearing boots that are waterproof
is a necessity. Better still, are boots that have a rubber cellular
structure (covering foot area) and deep lugs to keep from sliding.
As tempting as it is to hike off the trail to avoid muddy sections,
its not a good practice because it tramples down the new growth
and widens the trail.
The trails can also be flooded or washed out by spring run-offs
(yup, there really has been run-offs further north!!). Having
a trekking stick is a helpful to keep your balance and stablize
your footing as you navigate the rocks and logs to get across
these sections. Both can be very slippery. And, you always want
to know how deep the water is!
A word of caution about slippery surfaces -- wooden bridges and
boardwalks are extremely slippery when wet especially if your
outer-soles are muddy. You can take a nasty fall, so use your
trekking stick and take it slow.
Spring also brings in a beautiful array of wildflowers that are
quite exquisite. These flowers have a short life span before the
precious sunlight is lost to the leaves of the trees and brush.
Some early spring flowers include:
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