Blue Mountains and Beaver Valley Sections - Series #1: May 20-22, 2025.

 Blue Mountains and Beaver Valley Sections - Series #1: May 20-22, 2025.

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Day One - Blue Mountains Section - Lavender (0.0 km) to 9/10 Side Road Nottawasaga (14.1 km) - May 20, 2025.

Hiking With Friends' first spring series to the more northern sections of the Bruce Trail found us congregating in Collingwood this past week to enjoy three hikes, one in southernmost part of the Blue Mountains, and two more in the Beaver Valley. The conclusion of these three hikes would lead to something great, but to start with, we had to go Lavender on day one, and walk northward to the parking at 9/10 Side Road Nottawasaga...how did that go for us?...well actually, it went just "hikingly" thank you...

Our well organized and merry band has dropped some cars and headed to the "dead center" of Lavender, on the edge of town, and you probably haven't even finished your morning coffee yet...there's myself, Georgia, Faryde, Catherine V, Rita, Josie, Lesley, Ivan, Steve K, Barbara (H.C), Rhonda, Sandra, Catherine C, Laura, and Peter...Georgia's bicycle, which she will be utilizing later as a personal blue side trail shuttle transporter, lies in wait...

  

It's a great start to what will surely be a great day on the Bruce Trail...we roll by the famous Cock & Hen house, and turn into the forest proper, and it's simply lovely...

It's spectacular hiking conditions, with cool temps, a light breeze, and sunlight cascading down through the new greenery of the awakening forest...

There are lots of nice natural elements on the route to appreciate, and fortunately, the virtual absence of bugs allows us to enjoy them without any discomfort...

Our descent into the valley brings us to the bridge crossing at Noisy River...

Leaving the bridge means starting up the biggest hill of the day, an absolute beast that leads up to the road and the park boundary...Ivan is just looking for peace and quiet...although we had witnessed post ice storm damage somewhat further south in Caledon earlier this year, there is an an astonishing amount of post destruction mayhem in this area...it was the epicenter of the storm...

We escape the forest for a while and stroll through some lovely meadows...

To relieve some of the 'stress and exertion' of the hiking we have been doing, we decide we need to relax and refresh by a beautiful babbling brook...what could possibly make the day any better?...

Answer: Barbara's homemade cookies...

We are making good progress and there are only a few kilometers to go...and preciously few hills...there are two strenuous days still ahead, and it sounds like this will be the nicest day of our three, so we bask in the sunshine and appreciate every step of the way...

Today's hike has been a blast...this is such a nice area and we have been blessed to have seen it at its late spring best...it helps put balance back in your life...

And look how we get to cap it off!..in an "appetizing" precursor to a soon to be achieved personal goal, we fete Rhonda on her completion of the Blue Mountains section...you think that smile is big?...just wait and see...

Back at the Black Bellows for a beautiful banquet...(we missed you Andrew and Donna)...

End of Day One

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Day Two: Beaver Valley Section - Metcalf Rock (27.9 km) to Side Road 7B (43.5 km) - May 21, 2025.

Day Two has arrived for the HWF group and it brings a trip to the east side of the Beaver valley and a top ten Bruce Trail hike in my mind...we will travel, much like yesterday, about 16 km, but today we start near Metcalf Rock (which you don't actually see on this route west) in the Kolapore Highlands, and we will head to the parking area on Side Road 7B, just before Old Baldy...

So there's a few changes to our roster today as 3 hikers will be continuing their work in the Blue Mountains Section...we do welcome 2 replacement hikers so there's myself, Andrew (back from an unanticipated trip, and back in his rightful H.C position, thanks Barbara for subbing in yesterday!), Barbara, Rhonda (T minus 2), Catherine V, Catherine C, Rita, Lesley, Steve R (making a cameo appearance on his Sir-Hike-a-Lot rebound tour), Georgia, Josie, Faryde, and Ivan...the forecast of  precipitation for southwestern Ontario appears to not include Beaver Valley so we have an cool, overcast, but dry day ahead...

Early on, there's a pretty decent descent into Mill Creek valley...it has often been muddy and slippery in the past, but today it is in very good shape...thank goodness for the dry conditions!

It's a grand bridge they have across Mill Creek and we use it to our advantage for a photo that "sticks" in your mind...

The next amazing natural wonder we get to appreciate is the imposing sight of Pinnacle Rock...a behemoth whose immensity is hard to capture on film...

 There's a cool climb after the big rock and it's all smiles at the top on what has been a great start to our day...

Just a few spectacular views of the surrounding landscape to further excite our visual senses...

After leaving the park, Sir Hike-a-Lot becomes momentarily confused as to which road he should take, but this handy sign helps keep him on track...

We enjoy a small piece of road walking before entering a rolling meadow just north of Fox Ridge Road that is part of another important BTC protected area...there's a quick stop for refreshment before we head out for the second half of our journey...

At the end of Fox Ridge Road, there's a steep climb back up the escarpment and eventually we arrive at McCluskey's Rock, another very cool area that transports you back in time...although unfortunately I didn't feel any younger after being there...

This amazing crevice provides a steep gateway back to the top of the ridge...

Legs and minds are tiring, but we push up through the chasm and look forward to the last stretch of forest for the day...

We arrive at the iconic sign where the "north on the trail" arrow actually points south...Rhonda has been to all these places over her Bruce Trail odyssey, and her smile belies her anticipation of what tomorrow will bring...

As usual, the dropped cars are a welcome sight after a challenging yet rewarding day on the pathway we love...this hike requires effort, but we have been rewarded with some beautiful sights and sounds and emotions that you can't duplicate anywhere else...one more day to go on this trip, and it promises to be epic!

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Day Two: Blue Mountains Section - Devil's Glen (29.4 km) to Side Road 9/10 Nottawasaga - May 21, 2025.

Meanwhile, in a case of "different courses for different horses", three HWF members spend their day back over in the Blue Mountains Section, travelling 15 km from Side Road 9/10 Nottawasaga northward to Devil's Glen ski hill...how did they fare in their quest?...let's have a look!

Laura, Peter, and Steve K are ready to hit the trail as the former 2 look to fill in another piece of their E2E journey, and Steve has graciously offered his support for the day...

Much like our larger group over in Beaver Valley, this trio seems to be enjoying a great day on the trail...this is a challenging course and rest and refueling is critical to a successful walk in the woods...

It's been a successful and rewarding day for these two (and Steve) as they tick off another box on their Bruce Trail "to do list"...it was a devil of a hike, but they had the "ski-hill" to pull it off...

A little advanced celebration later that evening for the "All About Rhonda" tour...

End of Day Two

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Day Three: Beaver Valley Section - 3rd Line (100.5 km) to Blantyre (116.7 km) - May 22, 2025.

Hiking With Friends has generally been pretty fortunate with the weather gods over the course of the past many years that we have been travelling north to do these multi-day hikes...we have experienced a lot of sunny days with ideal hiking conditions...today will not be one of those unfortunately. But the steady drizzle and cool temperatures that have arrived will in no way dampen our spirits as, once again, we are proud to escort another long time member of our group to the conclusion of her End to End journey...we will gladly walk 17 km in the rain through forests, along gravel roads, up hills, and beside open meadows to see Rhonda achieve Bruce Trail immortality...

It's been the better part of 8 years but Rhonda has stayed focused in the midst of a busy family and work life to keep plugging away at getting her E2E completed...and today that will happen.

And here she is with the 13 other hikers that will witness her great achievement...myself, Josie, Andrew (H.C), Barbara, Sandra, Lesley, Georgia, Rita, Rhonda (peeking out, being shy about her impending fame), Catherine C, Steve K, Faryde, Catherine V, and Ivan...it's poncho city today as the skies release their moisture upon us...all...day...long.

The Siegerman Access Side Trail takes us to a small bridge that denotes our merging with the main trail, and across which (after the requisite photo) leads to a rather early challenging climb up a stony, muddy, stream bed...

You can either look up the definition of "dreary" in the dictionary, or just look at these photos to get a sense of what it means...but we soldier on because well, that's what we do...especially when there's an important goal to achieve...

Our return to the forest leads us to the quite impressive and high volume Webwood Falls, in the nature reserve of the same name...there are some unique paving blocks to be found on this section of trail as well...

Our pace is steady, just like the falling rain..."how long will my feet stay dry?" is a question on many of our minds...

 There are some challenging spots and slippery rocks but for the most part, the trail is holding up well...

Just when we needed it the most, there is a sign from God, or at least somebody's local workshop, giving us the directive we needed..."Follow the Bruce Trail"...it's what Rhonda has been doing for many years, and it's about to pay off with an emotional reward...

It has been three challenging days of hiking, covering almost 50 km, but the smiles are appearing on tired faces in anticipation of  reaching the finish line...

And here she is!..the last few steps and another Hiking With Friends milestone as Rhonda, after almost eight years of effort, becomes an official Bruce Trail End to Ender...Congratulations!

Those aren't tears, just the raindrops running down our cheeks...it has been a day of epic weather, but Hiking With Friends has safely and successfully brought another one of its own to the finish of a great personal achievement...and it's time to celebrate...

...and Rhonda has her "sacred spot" on the Bruce Trail forevermore.

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Day Three: Blue Mountains Section - Standing Rock (42.4 km) to Devil's Glen (29.4 km) - May 22, 2025.

Meanwhile...back in the Blue Mountains Section, there was more industrious hiking taking place by our smaller, second group as they picked up another piece of the B.T pie by way of travelling 13 km from the parking on Eagle Crescent near Standing Rock in the Nottawasaga Provincial Nature Reserve to Devil's Glen ski hill...

 It's a team of four today with Laura, Dom, Peter and Nancy...they are suitably attired and ready to hit the trail...

Despite the inclement weather, it is smiles all round as they slide southward in the Singhampton neighborhood...

They put this hike in their books and although they held up to the elements, Laura was less than impressed with her new rain jacket from MEC that didn't work "as advertised" and subsequently found its way back to the returns desk...not HWF approved...

End Of Day Three

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