At Caledon Village Place. 10:00 am 1:00 pm: Hike

Transcription

1 Caledon Comment Vol 48A No 4 Winter ANNUAL WINTER HIKE & POTLUCK SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9 At Caledon Village Place E2E 4 Hikes Headwaters 10:00 am 1:00 pm: Hike Meet in the parking lot at Caledon Village Place at 9:45 a.m. for an enjoyable hike suitable for all ages. Refreshments & snacks to follow at the Centre 2:00 p.m. Slide Show Presentation and Talk One pilgrim s journey on the Camino Frances, Camino de Santiago, Spain 2:30 p.m 3:30 p.m. Social Hour With lots of time to bid in the Silent Auction and check out the merchandise. 3:30 p.m. - Fine Dining - Bring a potluck dish to share. Please check your basements & closets for items to contribute to our silent auction Bring the ingredients list for your potluck dish, so diners can allow for allergies, etc. Bring a gift worth about $1 for our gift exchange. Social Convener: Greg Huffman or kidogo@sympatico.ca Caledon Village Place is located at Hurontario St. (Hwy 10) on the east side, just south of Charleston Side Road (#124).

2 PRESIDENT & BTC DIRECTOR Jean Kerins VICE PRESIDENT Vacant SECRETARY Robert Gillespie TREASURER Andree Zeritsch HIKE COORDINATOR Marilyn Ross TRAIL COORDINATOR Joan Richard MEMBERSHIP/ CORRESPONDENCE Brenda Tipper LANDOWNER RELATIONS Carol Sheppard FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR Vacant EXECUTIVE LAND STEWARDSHIP Dave Moule (home) (farm) PUBLICITY Louise Carberry VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Colleen Darrell SOCIAL CONVENER Greg Huffman PAST PRESIDENT Janice McClelland DIRECTORS AT LARGE Peter Leeney Diane McKenzie Gary Hall Support Volunteers WEBMASTER David Lamb ARCHIVIST Helen Billing ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Louise Porter, TUESDAY HIKE COORDINATOR Rob Martin EDITOR, CAL E-NEWS Kristina Zeromskiene EDITOR, CALEDON COMMENT Jan Smith-Bull Isabel East Side Trail Re-Naming Now Official On September 29 th, pleasant sunshine complimented the first hike on the newly renamed Isabel East Side Trail, formerly the southern part of the Glen Cross Side Trail. Fall colours were just beginning to fill the Hockley Valley as Albert McMaster's group of hikers officially recognized the changeover. Isabel East was a long-time volunteer for both the Sydenham and Caledon Hills clubs. Please see the Bruce Trail website for trail change map and details. First Official Hikers on the Isabel East Side-Trail Cal E-News is our club newsletter that keeps members up to date on major club activities between editions of The Caledon Comment. If you are interested in receiving Cal E-News, contact: calenews@caledonbrucetrail.org TYPE Nearly 500 subscribers and growing! ADVERTISING RATES Business Card (3.5 x 2.0) $30 DEADLINE FOR THE SPRING EDITION: January 1, 2013 Send copy by to: caledoncomment@caledonbrucetrail.org Opinions expressed in Caledon Comment are not necessarily the views of Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club unless stated as such. Advertisements do not necessarily imply endorsement by Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club or The Bruce Trail Conservancy. Send address changes to The Bruce Trail Conservancy at PO Box 857 Hamilton, ON L8N 3N9 Caledon Comment is the quarterly publication of CALEDON HILLS BRUCE TRAIL CLUB one of the nine member clubs of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Please visit Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club s website at Winter Spring Quarter Page (3.75 x 5.0) $60 Column (3.0 x 9.0) $70 Half Page (7.5 x 5.0) $85 Full Page (7.5 x 9.5) $145 HST will be added Terms: Cheque with order Cheque must be made payable to: The Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club

3 Notes from the President <<< Jean Kerins I am now well into my third year as President of the Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club, and I am just as amazed today as I was on the first day on the job, of the incredible commitment of a core group of volunteers who build and maintain trails and do all the other necessities to ensure we have a trail in a conservation corridor that we all can enjoy. For example, you may wonder how producing a newsletter of club activities benefits the organization or why highlighting our past, present and hoped for future successes helps. Let me assure you, if there was no club membership to promote the virtues of having the trail and creating a conservation corridor, then there would be no fundraising successes, no land acquisitions, and no preservation of the land for future generations to enjoy. Who would know that the BTC exists and who would know what it is trying to achieve without the strong grass roots presence of local clubs in local communities. If you enjoy being out on the Bruce Trail, if you believe in the dream of securing a conservation corridor containing the Bruce Trail, please let us know by showing your support at one of our many club events in the coming months. Participate in a social activity, a hike or a fundraiser! Participate with like-minded members in your community and in your club. I guarantee you will have a great time! Trimble Trail Reno <<< Joan Richard During the third week of August, Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), a Bruce Trail landowner in the Caledon Hills section, undertook a major revamping of the Trimble Side Trail on the part of the trail that overlooks Forks of the Credit Road. The Trimble Trail is a very busy section and travels steeply up from the road. Erosion has been an on-going problem. A new product called Envirolok was used. Essentially bags were filled with soil and used as a retaining wall. Plantings will conceal the wall in the future. Some steps and a boardwalk were also rebuilt by CVC. CVC used community youth, as well as their maintenance staff, for the project. We thank CVC for their commitment to repairing an important side trail in our network. Envirolok Bags Make a New Retaining Wall - photo by Joan Richard 3 Winter

4 Focus on a Partner - Karen Lomath <<< Carol Sheppard One of the contributing factors to a successful Bruce Trail Day is cooperation with our partner organizations, which in Caledon's case is the MNR staff of the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. It is an absolute joy to work with Mike Toutant, Assistant Supervisor of our local park system, and Karen Lomath, Resource Technician and Park Warden. Karen gets the park ready for Bruce Trail Day by ensuring that the grass is cut and facilities are clean. Plenty of picnic tables are always on hand for guests to relax at during the event. Karen has 12 years of park administration experience under her belt and also works at the Mono Outdoor Education Centre. Organizing children's nature themed activities is her specialty. On Bruce Trail Day, the kids always enjoy her contributions to our hands-on nature & craft table. Karen, who always seems to be laughing and smiling, drops by throughout the day to touch base with our volunteers. Mike and Karen's support is one of the reasons our Bruce Trail Day is such an enjoyable event. Photo by David Lamb Terry Fox Hike <<< Gary Hall On Sunday, Sept 16th, 9 BTC hikers participated in a Terry Fox hike from Palgrave to Glen Haffy. Pictured here at the official start of Palgrave Rotary's Terry Fox Run are (L to R): Albert McMaster, Bruce Smith, Doreen McMaster, Palgrave Rotary Club Terry Fox Run Co-ordinator Tom Fuller, Linda Amos, Gail Douglas (kneeling), Christy Carson, Bob Douglas, Ross Carson and Gary Hall. We Love Hikers! Daily fresh produce Excellent selection of meats Fresh baked buns and breads Store-made deli sandwiches and hot table Only a 4-minute walk south of the Caledon Trailway on Airport Road in Caledon East Find historical articles and reflections in every issue of the Caledon Comment until 2017, as our club celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Bruce Trail! Winter Spring

5 Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Day 2012 = Success! <<< Louise Carberry Weather check Food check Hikes check Information booth check Children s Activities check The weather can change at the last minute, but this time it was in our favour. The clouds cleared and the sun shone creating intense colours within Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. 135 hikers signed up for the frequent guided hikes led by our cheerful leaders. The hot dogs and sausages sold out! The information booth was a hive of activity selling calendars, trail maps and other odds and ends. All the volunteers were busy parking cars, signing up enthusiastic hikers the youngest being a set of 3 month old twins out for their first taste of the Bruce Trail. We had new hikers training for a planned climb on Kilimanjaro in December of this year; lapsed members who were rethinking their decision as they missed the camaraderie of group hiking, families with children, and dogs, and some visitors from overseas who came with friends. This was my first experience of volunteering for this event and I am already looking forward to participating next year. A big thank you to all who participated and all the volunteers who helped out. A special thank you to "The Shed" for donating coffee for the volunteers and to "ecocaledon" who donated the use of two tents for the day. Check out their website, Photos by Joan Richard Little Builders with Dave Sarginson Colleen Darrell at the Kid s Table Germany and Austria Steeped in history, traditional, romantic, a land to inspire your dreams. Plenty of spirit and wonders of nature. Immerse yourself and resurface feeling newborn. It is said that walking is the quickest way to improve your health. SO OFF WE GO! We will visit and explore a holiday paradise of unique diversity and endless opportunities. The Rhine and Mosel River, accompanied by steeply sloping vineyards, castles, towns and villages, romantic and cosy valleys for winelovers, mountains for hikers. Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, world famous, inspired by Richard Wagner and the German sagas, it, and the surrounding country site, a feast for the senses of incomparable beauty. The Romantic Road is one of Germany's most popular tourist routes with its many medieval towns, one after the other, like beads on a chain. See where NASA sent its Apollo 14 astronauts to train for their 1970 space mission. The group will also be special guests and take part in the 4 day Historical Wall Festival. City of Markham Officials will join us in Noerdlingen, Bavaria. We will visit Salzburg, Austria, Mozart's birthplace and the places where the filming for The Sound of Music took place. It's no easy task describing overwhelming beauty. Can a photograph convey the fragrance of a herb meadow? Can a sentence possibly express the magic of the Alpenglow? We will get acquainted with the native flora and fauna. We also tour the Bavarian Alps and will bring back memories to last a life time. All of this and much more available for the lowest possible trip cost. For information of this incredible journey starting AUGUST please call Heinz at: or alohah@idirect.com 5 Winter

6 2012 End-to-End < < Joan Richard The 2012 End to End took place on a blustery Thanksgiving weekend, October 7, 8 and 9. Over 30 hikers set out on the 2 day challenge, which means they hiked 35 km a day. Another 45 hikers took part in the 3-day event which spread the 70 km over 3 days. In the end, 27 people received the 2- day badge and 35 received the 3-day badge. While the fall colours badge is quite lovely, the sense of accomplishment is really worth quite a bit more. Even those who did not hike everyday had a great time with well-stocked checkpoints and lots of pleasant company. Caledon did not disappoint, as the colours were gorgeous. While throngs of people clogged the roads in the area, our hearty band of hikers enjoyed the scenery on foot as it was meant to be. Thank you to all who took part as hikers, sweeps, marshals, checkpoint volunteers, and of course especially to Peter Leeney for keeping us all on track with his quiet graceful manner, even when we did our best to rile him. - photos by Joan Richard End of 2nd Day for 3-Day Hikers Still Smiling After 70 KM Comfortable Hiking Holidays 1 (866) info@letshike.com OPEN HOUSE You re invited! See photos, hear commentary, learn about our new and exciting adventures, and maybe even win a door prize! Sunday, January 6 at 3:30 pm Crescent School Auditorium 2365 Bayview Ave, Toronto (one light north of Lawrence Ave. East on the east side of Bayview) Free parking! Corfu Zermatt Kenya Amalfi Coast Peru Israel Turkey Ireland Slovenija & Croatia New Zealand Iceland Camino de Santiago SWISS SKI HOLIDAY January 26 to February 2, 2013 The Matterhorn awaits! Come on a Comfortable Skiing Holiday to one of the most famous resorts in the world Zermatt, Switzerland. The region is home to four different interconnected ski areas with over 350km of ski runs, including the longest at an astonishing 14km! We ll also ride the highest altitude mountain railcar in Europe (which offers breathtaking views of the Italian, French & Swiss Alps), and even ski right over the border to Italy. You haven t truly skied until you ski Zermatt! ISRAEL March 9 to 23, 2013 Fascinating and complex, Israel offers immense diversity. Hike the lush vineyards of the Golan Heights & the deep canyons of the Judean Desert, plus the famed Jesus Trail from Nazareth to the Sea of Galillee. We shall visit Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Masada, Bethlehem and Tel Aviv, and although this holiday is not religious by design, we cannot help but be immersed in the dominant role it has played for centuries. CORFU, GREECE May 12 to 25, 2013 This Greek island is the perfect combination of European flare and tranquil sea-side living. Hike to the heavens to visit holy monasteries and trek in shade of ancient olive groves. We promise - you will never tire of the deep, deep blue of the sea that surrounds you. Opa!. Winter Spring

7 Hiking Schedule Winter <<< Marilyn Ross NOTES TO HIKERS Please arrive 15 to 20 minutes before departure time. Bruce Trail map and kilometre references are taken from the 27th edition of the Bruce Trail Reference. Always carry your Ontario Health Card. Carry an adequate amount of water and food. If you have to carry an autoinjector or other medical device, make sure someone on the hike knows about it. Unless stated otherwise, hiking boots are required and no dogs are allowed. Hike Levels (Easy, Moderate, or Strenuous) are assessed by a combination of pace, distance, and terrain. Hike Pace Leisurely 3 km/hr or less Medium about 4 km/hr Fast about 5 km/hr A word about winter hikes: Hiking in the winter can be very enjoyable allowing you to get out in the fresh air without bugs or humidity and get some exercise in a fun social environment. Check out the new options for Thursday and Friday hiking. Unless stated otherwise, no dogs are allowed on the group outings, and hiking boots are required. In winter, it is important to dress in layers. Get a good pair of icers and bring them every time. Some of the hikes may also use snowshoes. A hot drink may be more suitable than cold water. Give it a try, and see for yourself. SATURDAY December 15: Toronto Section, Speyside & Limehouse, Map 12 A 15km loop hike at a moderate pace. Bring snack/lunch. A flask of soup is ideal. Depart: 10:00 a.m. from the parking lot at the end of Sideroad 17. Directions: Take Hwy 25 north from the 401, through Speyside, turn right onto 17 Sideroad, and park at the end. We will hike Access Trail, a portion of the Vanderleck Sidetrail, the Canada Goose Sidetrail, and the main trail. Leader: Bob Humphreys , walk2tobermory@gmail.com. SUNDAY December 16: Toronto Section, Scotsdale Farm, Map km moderate level loop hike at a medium pace. Bring icers in case of icy conditions. Bring water snacks/lunch. Depart: 9:30 a.m. at covered bridge on Gordon St. in Guelph to carpool to Scotsdale Farm. Or meet the group at Scotsdale Farm parking lot at 10:15am We will hike the main trail & side trails of the Bruce Trail. Please register in advance with hike leader before midnight on Dec 15th Leader: Susan Atkinson: formerbrit@hotmail.com. TUESDAY January 1: Toronto Section, Hilton Falls Conservation Area, Map 11 A 3 hr loop hike for New Year s Day. Bring icers for possible icy conditions. Bring water and lunch/ snack. Dogs permitted with a leash and owners stoop and scoop. Depart: 11:00 a.m. from the parking lot at the Conservation Area. Parking fee applies. Directions: Take Hwy 401 west to Hwy 25 and go north to Campbellville Rd (Sideroad 5) and go west to conservation area. An opportunity to keep that New Year s resolution to get more exercise. Leader: Bob Humphreys, walk2tobermory@gmail.com SATURDAY January 5: Mississauga An easy 8 km 3hr there and back hike on flat, gravel at a leisurely pace. Drop-outs anytime. Icers required. Suitable for new hikers and families. Depart: 10:00 a.m. from Erindale Park parking lot. Directions: Main parking lot of Erindale Park on the north side of Dundas St approx. 200m East of Mississauga Rd. A there and back hike along the scenic Credit River. Joint outing with the Toronto club. Leader: Tessa Shelvy before 9:00 pm mapletrees16@yahoo.ca SUNDAY January 6: Mississauga, Culham Trail, Mississauga An easy level 6-8 km, 2hr, there and back hike, on flat terrain, at a leisurely pace. Hiking boots suggested. Hike suitable for new hikers. No drop-outs. Pre-registration required. robert.gillespie@sympatico.ca to register by January 5, On the morning of January 6, before 7 a.m., an will be issued to all registered, confirming the walk is proceeding or cancelling if winter weather makes driving hazardous. Depart: 10:00 a.m. from the parking lot at south end of Erindale Park. (Continued on page 8) Hikes may be added or changed after the Comment goes to print. Check the website, for the most up-to-date hike listings. 7 Winter

8 Hiking Schedule (Continued from page 7) Directions: Entrance to south parking lot is off north side of Dundas Street just east of where the Credit River goes under Dundas Street and east of the intersection of Mississauga Road and Dundas Street. This is an informal winter urban park walk to get some exercise and make new friends. The distance and time will be determined by the weather and trail conditions. After the walk there will be an optional refreshment stop. Leader: Robert Gillespie SATURDAY January 12: Iroquoia Section, Crawford Lake, Map 11 A 3 hr hike at a moderate pace. Bring water and lunch/snack. Bring icers. Bring snowshoes if conditions warrant them. They can be rented at the Crawford Lake visitor centre. Depart: 10:00 a.m. from Crawford Lake parking lot. Parking fee required. Directions: Take 401 to Guelph line and go south to Conservation Road. Turn into the Crawford Lake Conservation Area, parking in the outer lot. We will hike the main and side trails. Depending on snow conditions we shall either hike or use snowshoes. Leader: Bob Humphreys , walk2tobermory@gmail.com. SATURDAY January 19, Dufferin Highlands Section, Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, Map 19 A 3 hr moderately paced hike. Bring icers and snowshoes. Dogs permitted, but must be leashed, and owners scoop the poop. Bring water and snack/lunch. Depart: 10:00 a.m. from the outer parking lot of the Mono Community Centre. Directions: Take Hwy 10 north from Orangeville, turn right onto Dufferin County Road 8, and 2 nd Line E.H.S., to Mono Centre, GPS co-ordinates:- N W Come and enjoy a hike on sections of the main and side trails. Depending on the snow coverage we shall hike or use snowshoes. Optional stop afterwards for refreshments. Leader: Bob Humphreys , walk2tobermory@gmail.com. SUNDAY January 20: City of Toronto, Leslie Street Spit, Tommy Thompson Park A 10 km. 4 hr leisurely paced there -and-back hike on flat terrain. No dropouts. Icers strongly recommended. Dress in layers and be prepared for icy conditions. Bring water and lunch. Depart: 10 a.m. from the foot of Leslie Street. Directions: From Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway, continue east on Lakeshore to Leslie St., then south on Leslie to Unwin Ave. and Tommy Thompson Park. Winter is the perfect time to walk the Leslie Street Spit with binoculars and/or camera to view and photograph winter birds or just enjoy a winter stroll. Pub stop afterwards. Leader: Gary Hall (Before 9 pm) garyhall@rogers.com SATURDAY February 9: Dufferin Highlands Section, Boyne Valley, Map 20 A 3 hr loop hike. Bring icers and Winter Spring snowshoes. Dress in layers and bring water &/or hot drink and lunch. Dogs permitted, but must be leashed, and owners scoop the poop. Depart: 10:00 a.m. from the parking lot on the right side of County Road 19. Directions: Parking lot is one km north of Highway 89 in Primrose. A double loop hike that will take in the Boyne Valley Side Trail, and the Primrose Side Trail, along with the stretch of the Main Trail through Murphy s Pinnacle. Depending on the snow coverage we shall hike or use snowshoes. Leader: Bob Humphreys, , walk2tobermory@gmail.com. SATURDAY February 16: Toronto Section, Scotsdale Farm, Map 13 A 3 hr moderately paced hike. Bring icers and snowshoes. Bring water or hot drink and lunch, snack. Dogs permitted, but must be leashed, and owners scoop the poop. Depart: 10:00 a.m. from parking lot at Scotsdale Farm. Directions: Take Trafalgar Road north from Highway 401 to just past Georgetown, After Trafalgar Rd splits, then turn right and meet at the parking lot. This is a beautiful area to hike at any time of the year, but especially so in winter. We will hike on sections of the main trail and the Great Esker Side Trail. Depending on the snow coverage we shall hike or use snowshoes. Leader: Bob Humphreys walk2tobermory@gmail.com. (Continued on page 9) Hikes may be added or changed after the Comment goes to print. Check the website, for the most up-to-date hike listings.

9 Hiking Schedule (Continued from page 8) Thursday Hikes Anyone who is interested in hiking on Thursdays from Dec 6- Feb 28 should Albert at: no later than noon on the Tuesday prior to the Thursday hike. Albert will you with the Thursday hike details by 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday prior to the hike. These hikes will often require icers or possibly snowshoes if there is enough snow. Friday Hikes Friday hikes will vary in length depending on the weather. These hikes may be snowshoe hikes or hikes where icers are required. Hikes will be posted on the web site at friday.html at least 2 weeks prior to the hike. To join us on these hikes you must register online at friday.html for the hike you would like to go on or send an to fridayhiking@caledonbrucetrail.org by noon on the Thursday prior to the hike. If the weather is poor and the hike leader determines there is a need to cancel the hike, he/she will e- mail all those who have registered for the hike of this cancellation, by 10:00 p.m. on the evening before the hike, so you must check your e- mail. If you don`t receive an the hike will be a `go`. Tuesday Hikers Program <<< Rob Martin Tuesday Dec 4: Toronto Section, Limehouse Conservation Area, Speyside, Map 12 An easy 9 km hike of two loops (about 3 hrs) in the Limehouse area at a medium pace on mostly level terrain. Icers are recommended, or snowshoes if warranted by snow conditions. Bring water and snack. Depart: 9:30 a.m. from the baseball diamond parking lot on the Fifth Line of Halton Hills just southeast of Limehouse. Directions: Follow Trafalgar Road north of Georgetown and turn left (west) on 22 Sideroad to the Fifth Line. Turn left across the Railway Bridge and head about 0.25 km southeast to the parking area on the east side. We will take the Limehouse Access Trail to the Main Trail (km 20.5) then take the Black Creek Side Trail to Limehouse village. We will walk through the historic village then complete another loop north of the village before returning to the start via the Main Trail and the Hole in the Wall. We will take time to look at the lime kilns. If the trail is too icy we can bypass the Hole in the Wall. Leader: Hamish Duthie: evenings hduthie@uwaterloo.ca Tuesday Dec 11: Caledon Section, Albion Hills, Palgrave, Map 17 A 12 km easy, car shuttle hike (4hr) at a moderate pace on variable terrain. Drop-out at 7 km. Icers may be needed. Bring water and lunch. Depart: 9:30 a.m. from Palgrave Forest parking lot off Duffy's Lane. Directions: Go 11 km north of Bolton on Highway 50. Turn West on Patterson Sideroad. Continue west one concession to Duffy's Lane, then north on Duffy's Lane for about 2 km. Parking lot will be on right about 500 metres north of the point where the Palgrave Side Trail crosses Duffy's Lane. From the meeting point, we'll car pool to Old Church Road and Duffy's Lane. The hike will proceed north on the Humber Valley Heritage Trail to the Caledon Trailway, then east on the Caledon Trailway to Palgrave where we will pick up the Oak Ridges Trail through Palgrave and into Palgrave Forest. In Palgrave Forest, we'll hike a short distance on the Palgrave Side Trail as well as some of the trails in Palgrave Forest. Refreshments afterwards. Leader: Gary Hall garyhall@rogers.com Tuesday Dec 18: Caledon, Albion Hills A 9 km car shuttle hike on mostly flat terrain at a medium pace. Icers may be needed. Depart: 10:00 a.m. from Royal Ambassador Event Centre parking lot. NOTE later start time. Directions: The centre is 4.3 km north of King Rd. on Innis Lake Rd. We will shuttle to Duffy s Lane and Old Church Rd, then walk through part of Albion Hills CA to the Caledon Trailway which we will follow back to our starting place for a leisurely lunch at the elegant Consulate Dining Lounge overlooking Innis Lake. Please let me know by Sunday night if you will be staying for lunch. Leader: Barbara Euler before 10 p.m. bjeuler@rogers.com (Continued on page 10) 9 Winter

10 Hiking Schedule (Continued from page 9) Tuesday January 8: Toronto Section, Scotsdale Farm, Map 13 An easy loop hike of 10 km (about 3 hrs) at a medium pace on variable terrain. Icers recommended, but take snowshoes if snow conditions are suitable. Bring a drink and snacks. Depart: 9:30 a.m. from the Scotsdale Farm parking area. Directions: The entrance to Scotsdale Farm is 1.5 km north on Trafalgar Rd. from Hwy 7 (passing the hamlet of Silver Creek) and on the east side of Trafalgar Road. The hike will start at Scotsdale Farm and include the Bennett Heritage Side Trail, passing the beautiful Snow's Creek and Silver Creek, taking us back through forested escarpment territory on the main Bruce Trail. In total it will be approx 10 km and if conditions are good we can do the Great Esker Side Trail adding another 3.8 km to the total. Take hiking boots + icers, but if we get snow be prepared for snowshoes. Leader: Hamish Duthie: hduthie@uwaterloo.ca Tuesday January 15: Caledon Section, Palgrave Forest, Palgrave, Map 17 A km easy loop hike (4hr) at a moderate pace on variable terrain. Drop-out at 6 km. Icers strongly recommended. Bring water and lunch. Depart: 9:30 a.m. from Palgrave Forest parking lot off Duffy's lane. Directions: Go 11 km north of Bolton on Highway 50. Turn West on Patterson Sideroad. Continue west one concession to Duffy's Lane, then north on Duffy's Lane for about 2 km. Parking lot will be on right about 500 metres north of the point where the Palgrave Side Trail crosses Duffy's Lane. We'll hike the Palgrave Side Trail west to Humber Station Road, return to Palgrave Forest via Humber Station Road and Finnerty Sideroad and finish by following various trails in Palgrave Forest. Refreshments afterwards. Leader: Gary Hall garyhall@rogers.com Tuesday January 22: Caledon Hills Section, Palgrave Side Trail, Map 17 Moderate pace, mainly flat hike, 10.2 km. 3 hours. No drop-outs. Bring water and lunch/snack. Icers required. Depart: 9:30 a.m. from the parking area on the south side of Coolihans Sideroad at Glen Haffy Road. Directions: Coolihans Sideroad intersects Airport Road 2 km north of Charleston Sideroad. We will park on Coolihans Sideroad at the intersection with Glen Haffy Rd. (km 38.0) then shuttle south to the trail head in the Palgrave Conservation Area on Highway #50 just north of the village of Palgrave. We will hike the entire Palgrave Side Trail back to Coolihans Sideroad. Leaders: Bob & Gail Douglas, (evenings before 9 pm) hiking@stn.net Tuesday Jan 29: Burlington, A 8 km loop hike on mostly flat terrain at a medium pace. Hiking boots suggested. Hiker Courtesy Reminder As a courtesy to oncoming traffic, especially on narrow country lanes and roads, please walk as close to the left edge as possible. Some of the cars you encounter may be local landowners - please respect their right to pass. Winter Spring Icers may be needed. Depart: 10:00 a.m. from the Discovery Centre at Spencer Smith Park (parking fee). Directions: Lakeshore Rd. west of Brant St. A walk along the Waterfront Trail. Nice views over the lake. We will finish in time for lunch at the Pepperwood Bistro. Leader: Barbara Euler before 10 p.m. bjeuler@rogers.com Tuesday Feb. 5: Caledon Section, Alton Area, Map 15 Moderate level loop hike km on variable terrain, at a medium pace. Dropouts possible at half way. Bring water and snack. Bring icers. Refreshments afterwards. Depart: 9:30 a.m. from Alton library and park on Station St. Alton. Directions: Alton is south of Orangeville on Hwy 136. Station St. is off Main St. Leader: Albert McMaster before 9 p.m. dnmcmaster@bell.net Tuesday Feb. 12: Caledon Section, Forks of the Credit Area, Map 14 A moderate 10 km loop hike at medium pace on variable terrain with no drop-outs. Icers required. Bring water and lunch/snack. Depart: 9:30 a.m. from the road- (Continued on page 11)

11 (Continued from page 10) side parking on the Forks of the Credit Rd. at Dominion St. Directions: Forks of the Credit Rd. runs west from Hwy. 10, south of Caledon Village and north of Brampton. We will hike the Trimble Side Trail, through Belfountain Conservation Area to Caledon Mountain Rd. to the Ring Kiln Side Trail and back to the cars. There will be some hilly sections and some road walking. Refreshments afterwards. Leader: Albert McMaster before 9 pm. dnmcmaster@bell.net Tuesday Feb 19: Toronto Section, Scotsdale Farm, Map 13 A moderate level 9.4 km loop hike at a medium pace on varied, rocky terrain. (Drop-out at 6 km possible.) Hiking boots recommended. Note: weather or trail conditions may necessitate icers or snowshoes. Bring lunch & water. Depart: 9:30 a.m. from parking lot of Scotsdale Farm. Directions: Take Trafalgar Rd north from 401. Just west of Georgetown, Trafalgar Rd meets Hwy 7. Turn left onto Hwy 7 west. In 3.5 km, turn right onto County Rd # 3 (in the direction of Ballinafad) - this is actually the extension of Trafalgar Rd. heading north. In 1.5 km turn right into the long driveway entrance to Scotsdale Farm. Turn left at end of driveway to parking lot. We will hike a combination of main trail and side trails. Leaders: Janice McClelland & Don Blok janicedon86@gmail.com Tuesday Feb 26: Toronto Section, Limehouse Area, Map 12 A loop hike of 8 or 11km depending on weather and trail conditions on rocky terrain at a medium pace. Icers or snowshoes may be appropriate. Depart: 9:30 a.m. from Limehouse Ball Park. Directions: Fifth Line, south of Sideroad 22 A varied hike using parts of the Black Creek, Canada Goose and Brown Benton Side Trails along with the Main Trail. Pub lunch in Georgetown. Leader: Barbara Euler before 10 p.m. bjeuler@rogers.com SPIRIT TREE ESTATE CIDERY A food-lover s destination located in a unique straw-bale building. Award-winning sweet and hard ciders. Wood-fired stone oven artisan bakery. Ontario cheeses & preserves, homemade soups & quiches. The perfect place for a light lunch or snack while hiking the Bruce Trail Boston Mills Road (located on the Bruce Trail) Between Creditview Road & Mississauga Road, Caledon Winter

12 An Introduction to Your Publicity Director <<< Ross McLean Louise Carberry became the Publicity Director for the Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club in Our Publicity Director has a key role in getting out the word about who we are and what we do. Louise remembers some early adventures along the Niagara Escarpment such as a canoe trip from Dyer s Bay around Cabot Head (and she recalls the trip ending with a delicious dessert of peaches and brandy which she describes as a lethal combination.) Then in 1982 she was given a gift membership in the Bruce Trail and started hiking on occasional weekends. The next year with a small group she hiked the Bruce Peninsula over one week, camping at Lion s Head and Cape Croker. She remembers a beautiful sunny week and the views over Georgian Bay and the size and number of the carp that swam close to shore. When she retired in 2010, Louise met Joan Richard; both were members of the Trakkers Ski Club. Joan told Louise about the CHBTC and the Tuesday Hikers. She attended the 2010 AGM to check out the club and wrote her name on the willingness to volunteer form. She became a Trail Captain in the Hockley Valley and joined the mid-week Trail Blazers work team. Last summer Louise was pruning trees at Hockleycrest. Jean Kerins asked if she would like to become more involved, as she had noticed Louise at different events. She had been active on the Board of her Ski Club and had found that working with a small group of volunteers was fulfilling. Her response to volunteering with the Bruce Trail has been positive; she relates that I was amazed at the many different roles required to keep the club viable. Over the past year, she has been impressed with the dedication and commitment of everyone. When asked about favourite memories of her Bruce Trail work, Louise relates the story of trail maintenance on the hottest day of the summer of 2010 when the crew was rerouting a section near the Hockley Valley resort and building a boardwalk. What she remembers was how everyone worked cooperatively, discussing what needed to be done and how. Louise remembers how satisfying it was to be part of a group and feeling a sense of accomplishment. Her greatest satisfactions from her Bruce Trail work are ones to which most veterans can relate: The physicality of trail maintenance appeals to me. When I get home, I m beat and feel I have worked at something really important. I like to walk my section and enjoy the views over the valley. Being alone in the woods is very soothing to the soul. Louise in her new role as publicity director for the club comments that "I m challenged in finding the best way to garner publicity for our club. If I had read the job description, I might have hesitated to accept this position." When asked about her vision for the Bruce Trail in ten years time, Louise responds that she would like to have 75% of the Trail secured. It is frustrating to realize that in 50 years, we still have such a long way to go. It seems like a simple goal, to have a hiking path for everyone to enjoy. The complexity of assembling land, constant trail rerouting to allow for new property acquisitions, organizing and training hike leaders, revising the guides and networking with all the interested players requires patience and skill. She concludes: I hope I can help communicate this to others in our community. The Caledon Hills Club is fortunate to have such vision and energy in its volunteer resources. It is on the strength of such volunteers that our future success will rest. Winter Spring Louise Carberry

13 Stewardship News: Gravel Pit Restoration Continues <<< Dave Moule The BTC property known as Humber Heights, located just east of the intersection of Airport Road and Mono 7 th Line, used to be a gravel pit. And now, more than 20 years after it was closed, it is still almost devoid of woody vegetation. It is just a really hostile site for establishing trees: very well-drained gravelly subsoil, almost no topsoil, a brisk wind seemingly always blowing across the open ground, and a choking herbaceous groundcover consisting of grasses, goldenrod, and Crown vetch. BTC volunteers have done previous plantings on the property with limited success. But we keep trying! On Tuesday, Sept. 11, a corporate volunteer group from OMERS came to the site and were welcomed by BTC ecologist Adam Brylowski, along with club volunteers Dave Moule and Norm Randle. The weather was warm (but not hot) and sunny an ideal day for outdoor work. Over the next 3 hours, the group of about 50 OMERS employees planted 365 trees of a wide variety of species, selected for their ability to colonize open field sites. The trees were in one gallon or two gallon pots, and first had to be transported from the roadside to the planting site about 400 metres to the east. After planting, the trees were mulched with wood chips to help retain moisture and control competition from the surrounding groundcover. When the work was done, OMERS supplied a tasty lunch on site, and then the group was bused over to our Hemlock Ridges property, where Adam led a guided interpretive hike. This was an excellent day for all concerned. The OMERS employees seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves, and the BTC got a really good planting done on a difficult site. To top it off, OMERS paid for everything, and gave the BTC a donation of $2500 at the end of the day. You can t beat that! OMERS Group Adam Brylowski of BTC Demonstrates to OMERS Workers 13 Winter

14 Trailside Café Located in Caledon East, beside the Caledon Trailway on Airport Road. Free Wi-Fi Visit us at Gelato and Italian Yogurt Bar Espresso Bar and Hot Table Internet Cafe Gourmet Italian condiments and foods Licensed by LCBO A great place to gather after a walk on the trail Drive through available To contact call: Winter Spring

15 Caledon Club President Wins BTC Volunteer of the Year <<< Janice McClelland One of the highlights for Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club members attending the Bruce Trail Conservancy Annual General Meeting in Collingwood in September was the presentation to our Club President, Jean Kerins, of the prestigious BTC Volunteer of the Year Award. Jean did not know that the Club had nominated her for the award so she was totally (and happily!) surprised when she was announced as the winner. The Club nominated Jean due to her many volunteer activities this past year at both the Club and BTC level. As a matter of fact, the recognition of Jean s talents went beyond the BTC Volunteer of the Year Award because, before the AGM was over, Jean was also nominated for and accepted the volunteer position on the BTC Board of Directors as Vice President, Programs for the overall BTC. In accepting the BTC Volunteer of the Year Award, Jean, who is never quite lost for words, thanked the team of Caledon volunteers who helped initiate and make the activities that she worked on a success. The BTC Volunteer of the Year Award covers the one year period from April of the previous year. In case (like me!) you need a little help in remembering some of the activities that Jean worked on over the last year within the Club here are a few of the highlights - Around April 2011, Jean tirelessly organized an E-waste collection in Caledon that raised $1800 for the BTC, in the fall she helped flag a trail reroute at the Badlands, in December she helped to sell Christmas trees - with teabags warming her toes - to raise funds for the Club, in early Spring 2012, cheerfully assisted on the clean up of a newly acquired property that will eventually take the main trail off Airport Road, led an introductory hike for beginning hikers to help build Club membership and organized and chaired our well attended 2011 Club Christmas potluck and record setting Club AGM in April While behind the scenes she has worked tirelessly on developing job descriptions for all the club volunteer roles to make succession easier, liaised with Conservation Authorities and municipal representatives to complete trail improvements, and encouraged a letter-writing fundraising project, started earlier by herself, which earns grant money for club initiatives. Jean also regularly uses her charms to lure new volunteers into the fold. Who can forget the Club April Annual General Meeting where, with over 100 members present, Jean presented Dr. Philip Gosling, one of the founders of the Bruce Trail, with a local artist s depiction of a photograph of the first hike. From the point at which this thinking outside the box idea of a painting was suggested, Jean gave her full moral and organizational support to the plan. The presentation of this remarkable painting made a heart warming start to our 5 anniversary years. You may not know that at the BTC level, (where Jean is the Caledon representative on the BTC Board of Directors) in the past year Jean promoted the option for automatic renewal of memberships that now makes it easier to re-new membership, initiated discussion on making the Club Communications Committee meetings more productive and brought concerns to the Steering & Strategic Planning Committee regarding geo-cachers going off trail and potentially jeopardizing the security of our trail. Jean followed through with initial research to springboard the development of an appropriate BTC policy on geo-caching. We cannot thank you enough Jean for providing reliable, thoughtful leadership sprinkled with a healthy sense of humour. You indeed deserve the BTC Volunteer of the Year Award. Jean Accepting Her Award 15 Winter

16 Ross McLean Receives Diamond Jubilee Medal <<< Jean Kerins Recently, Ross McLean, a long time, hardworking volunteer and ambassador of our club, won one of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medals. This is a new Canadian medal given out this year to 60,000 volunteers that have made a significant contribution to a particular province. Ross received his medal on September 12th. Congratulations Ross you have certainly earned it! What better way to tell you why Ross deserved this honour than to let you read my letter supporting the nomination: It is my pleasure to write this letter in support of the nomination of Mr. Ross McLean for the Diamond Jubilee Medal in Ross has been a vibrant, dedicated and action-oriented volunteer for the Bruce Trail Conservancy for over 30 years. In the time that I have known Ross (since 2004) I have personally witnessed the results of his dedication and determination. Ross s love for the environment and the creation of a conservation corridor through Ontario containing the Bruce Trail is the driving force behind his volunteering. He is committed to securing the corridor and stewarding the land so that future generations will have access to nature at its best in Ontario. But I must confess that my real appreciation for Ross s endeavours is the impact he has had on so many volunteers in the Bruce Trail Conservancy. When Ross puts his mind to a project, large or small, he is unstoppable, and will not rest until it has been completed to his satisfaction. Sometimes he must find a way to muster a few volunteers and sometimes more than a hundred volunteers are needed to open new trail, plant tree seedlings, correct erosion problems, build a new structure, or whatever else might require special attention. Somehow Ross has done it time and again over the years and in doing so, he has helped to create today s Bruce Trail, a facility that is used by an estimated 400,000 people each year. Where others might fail, Ross has an uncanny ability to gather volunteers for a project, and at the end of the day, every participant feels that they have made a difference in the world. The hundreds of volunteers that Ross has mentored over the years, including me, have all benefitted from his capable, caring and enthusiastic leadership style. Ross is equally comfortable working with groups of school children or with senior citizens when it comes to caring for and improving the Bruce Trail conservation corridor. He recognizes leadership talent among the volunteers and takes the time to nurture that talent to ensure a strong succession of caring volunteers into the future. He puts words into action. Then, at the end of the day, he takes the time to record the events for posterity. He has the ability to make people go the extra mile with his infectious enthusiasm and good humour. Ontario is a better place because of people like Ross McLean. He respects and cares for the land and the people he shares it with. He has been, and continues to be, a role model for hundreds of volunteers. He makes good people better. Ross McLean (on right) Receives His Medal Winter Spring

17 17 Winter

18 Caledon Hills Loppet While last year s warm weather and lack of snow meant that we had no Loppet, nor any snowshoeing at all throughout the winter, this year we re going to try again, and hope that Old Man Winter will be on our side. Things will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with both snowshoers and XC skiers heading out over the hills and meadows surrounding Hockleycrest Farm. The longer course will be about 8 km in length, with a drop-out available at about 5 km. Then we ll have a hot chilli picnic lunch! Anyone completing either the 5 km or 8 km distances (on either skis or snowshoes) will receive the Caledon Hills Loppet badge. Please note: if the weather has been favourable, then ice skating on the back-yard rink will also be available - bring the kids & grand-kids. DATE: Sunday February 3, 2013 TIME: 9:30 a.m. LOCATION: Hockleycrest Farm, Airport Road, east side of the road 4.4 km north of Hwy. 9 COST: $10 per person payable when you arrive PRE-REGISTER: with Dave Moule salydave@sympatico.ca ( ) NOTE: THIS EVENT WILL BE DEPENDENT ON WEATHER AND SNOW CONDITIONS. IF SNOW CONDITIONS ARE NOT SUITABLE OR SAFE, THE EVENT WILL BE CANCELLED OR POSTPONED. of club volunteers, events and the trail WANTED: Old Photographs Our archive has very few photographs from the last 47 years. What do you have in your basement? Do you have slides? Loose photos? Albums? Or digital photos of some aspect of our past? As we look forward to celebrating our 50 years as a club, we would love to have copies of your old photos, especially if you have photos of people working or walking on the trail. A bonus for our history would be the names of anyone in the photos! If you can scan them and them, that would be wonderful (please scan at 300 dpi for photographs or 600 dpi for slides; an image size of 1-2MB would be great). If you have photos and no way of scanning them, please contact: Helen Billing ( or helen.billing@arconeng.ca) Please patronize our Advertisers They help bring you the Caledon Comment Winter Spring

19 Procyon Walk For Wildlife < < Joan Richard On a beautiful Saturday in August, CHBTC hike leaders Albert McMaster and Joan Richard assisted at the Procyon Walk for Wildlife event at Hockley Valley Provincial Nature Reserve. Procyon Wildlife Veterinary and Rehabilitative Services is a charity that operates in the Beeton area: rescuing, caring for and returning to the wild, injured or orphaned animals such as raccoons and squirrels. Procyon held the walking event followed by lunch at the Black Birch as a fundraiser. Helping out at this event was a great way to introduce the Trail to people who had never been on it, who did not usually go out walking or hiking and who thrilled at the beauty we take for granted in the Nature Reserve. Albert provided commentary on the history and the flora that was greatly appreciated by all. We were able to show off the new bridges as part of the work of our favourite charity to an interested group, who commented on how clean the trail was; a satisfying comment to hear. For more information on Procyon Wildlife, check out their website: SUSQUEHANNOCK LODGE and TRAIL CENTRE Hiking in the Highlands of North Central Pennsylvania New Years Dec. 28-Jan.1, 2013 Time to ourselves after the hectic season. Outside every day and a little longer by the fire place. Easter Mar. 29-Apr Welcome Spring on the trails. We will look for signs of spring along the way. Ed promises a Polish Easter dinner. The Lodge is located in Potter County, Pennsylvania, 2.5 hours south of Buffalo. There is no agriculture or industry in the area, just great trails. Daily hikes of 10 to 15 km are led through hardwood forest, many beside mountain streams. Our lodge provides comfortable accommodation & excellent meals for $60.00 semi-private or $70.00 private U.S. per day per person. These outings have proven to be popular with the lodge filling up quickly. For more information, including driving directions, please see or contact Greg Vincent at or gvincent@golden.net. For reservations call Carol Szymanik at Albert Telling Stories on the Trail - photo by Joan Richard Photo courtesy of Procyon Wildlife 19 Winter

20 50th Anniversary ~ Celebrating our history in your words and pictures Tom East memories by Jean Kerins Dr. Tom East passed away on Sunday July 15, 2012 at the age of 90. Tom was one of the true pioneers of the Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club and the Bruce Trail Conservancy. He was the second President of the Caledon Hills Club, serving in the role from 1966 to He was a pioneer in trail maintenance in the 1960 s and he continued to volunteer in our club s annual Fall Colours end-to-end event and to participate Tom East presents the Isabel East Award to Robert Gillespie, June in club social events until his passing. It photo courtesy of Louise Carberry could be possible that he never missed an Annual General Meeting over the past 48 years. Tom regularly attended our annual December Pot Luck and the annual Volunteer Picnic at Belfountain Park. At our most recent Volunteer Picnic held on June 3 rd 2012, Tom was on hand to present the Isabel East Award to this year s winner. The Isabel East Award was established in honour of Tom s wife who predeceased him in Tom was also on hand in June for the designation of the Isabel East Side Trail which will be adjacent to the Tom East Side Trail (so designated in the 1980 s). These two side trails will create lovely hiking loops in the Hockley Valley Nature Reserve. The list of Tom s roles and accomplishments with the Bruce Trail is a long one. Of special note is the fact that he was an honorary member of the Bruce Trail Conservancy, President of the BTC (then BTA) from 1969 to 1973 and founder of the BTC's Escarpment Preservation Fund. The BTC also created the Tom East Trail Development Award in his honour. Next time you are out on the trail take a moment to remember Tom East. We owe him a huge debt of gratitude for the work he did to establish the trail we enjoy so much today. He will be missed. A Reflection on Tom East by Dr. Philip Gosling Like many others I was quite upset by the news of Tom East`s passing which was so sudden. Only a week or so before we had talked on the phone about sharing transport to the Toronto Bruce Trail 50th event. Tom and I often worked together in the early days when the trail was being built. One time in particular comes to mind when we were trying to find a way down the escarpment at Credit Forks. We followed the road allowance northwards by compass bearing and to our disbelief we found the only pathway down the steep cliff to the road below. It is now called the devil`s pulpit, a feature on the Bruce Trail. Tom was also deeply committed on the first Bruce Trail Guide books. He is sadly missed. Tom and the Escarpment Photo courtesy of Vivian East Winter Spring

21 Thomas William Russell East: A Man Who Walked - By Vivian East My father loved to walk. Growing up in England, he explored the British countryside at every opportunity. We have many pictures of him scrambling over rocks by the seaside and meandering along country lanes on his summer holidays. As a father, he spread his love for walking and exploring by involving my sister, Anthea, and me in many aspects of the Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club. We always spent a portion of our summers while we were in high school helping to create side trails or new sections of the main trail when landowners gave permission. We were trained to see litter and pick it up and notice when a blaze was obscured or if a newly fallen branch blocked the trail. My Dad built stiles and he taught us the importance of respecting the property of those generous farmers who shared their land with others. So, hiking was not just hiking for us teenagers we had a role to play. We also went to the annual meetings and got great pleasure from meeting new people on the organized hikes, especially when they were other young people. Through the meetings, I became aware of all that goes into such an endeavour the discussion and compromise before decisions can be made, dealing with government and land-owners, fundraising, mapping out routes, recording and publishing all the important information, raising awareness, recruiting new members, advertising and on and on. It must have been during these meetings that the talents of a certain single woman caught my father s eye. Isabel was a consummate recorder of information and a tireless and enthusiastic worker. I don t know the details of the precise moment they met, but the day my Dad introduced us to her is etched in my memory. It was the weekend of the AGM of the BTA, as we used to call it. It was the way they were dancing together at the party that night that made Anthea and I look at each other quizzically to see such a sight. We soon got over our shyness about it and were very excited to see my father so happy. After that, the two of them became quite a force in the Caledon Hills club. In our minds, Isabel, my Dad and the Caledon Hills club were inextricably linked. Now that they have both passed away, I am sure they must be sorely missed by the older members as they are by us. The legacy of their names lives on in the side-trails and awards. But the true legacy is their huge contribution to the phenomenon that has come to represent conservation, love of nature and the joy of walking through our wonderful countryside. My father was a physicist and electronics engineer and I was proud of his accomplishments in his chosen field. However, I knew only a little about what he did professionally because he was unable to share a lot of it - he dealt with classified information that was highly technical. However, he did talk about the trail and the Caledon Hills club a lot clearly, it was what gave him the most satisfaction. My father passed on to me his reverence for nature and commitment to preserving our environment. His tireless striving to find the best way to do things was an inspiration to me and many others. He will not be forgotten. Isabel And Tom East 21 Winter

22 50th Anniversary ~ Celebrating our history in your words and pictures First End-to-End: Excerpt from October 1967 Caledon Comment - End to End Hike, 14 th & 15 th October 1967 A party of sixteen (six men, six women and four boys) set out from Mono Centre at the north end of the Caledon Hills Section of trail on the Saturday morning. These people came from the Caledon Hills, Toronto and Iroquoia Clubs. By seven o clock that night, all had safely arrived at the Horseshoe Inn at Cataract, having hiked twenty miles in less than ten hours. After eating and sleeping well, the same party were ready for the second day s hike, except for one man who had to drop out because of an injured knee. The twelve miles to Terra Cotta were completed by 3 p.m. on Sunday, and all felt better for their long walk. A special badge will be issued to them. Also from the October 1967 Caledon Comment Facts and Figures The Caledon Hills section of the Bruce Trail extends from the Mono Centre in the north (where it connects with the Dufferin Hi-Lands section) to the gate of the Terra Cotta Conservation Area in the south (where it connects with the Toronto section). It is 32 miles [51.5 kilometres] long, and contains 47 stiles (in active use) and 11 bridges. CURRENT FACTS AND FIGURES by Joan Richard In 2012, the Caledon Hills section starts at the stile at Creditview Road into the Badlands property and runs for 72 km to Mono Centre. (The main trail in 1967 was 32 miles which is 51.5 km.) We also enjoy 54 km of side trails. While I don t have a number of stiles and bridges/boardwalks at hand, I do know that we installed 10 new boardwalks of various lengths in CHBTC still hosts a 2 day and 3 day end-to-end event every Thanksgiving weekend. Excerpt from 1970 Caledon Comment - Hiking the Bruce Trail by Winter That's not an original title it's borrowed from Harvey Currell's column; in the Toronto Telegram of December 20 th. Harvey and Tom East walked along our new section of trail south of the Hockley Valley Road one Sunday in December. Harvey's description is a delight, and we quote part of it for the benefit of you unlucky people who don't see the Tely: "We climbed the hills that form the south rim of the Hockley Valley and divide the watersheds of the Nottawasaga and Credit Rivers. The Nottawasaga flows north into Georgian Bay: the Credit south to Lake Ontario. "It was hard walking, through more than a foot of heavy wet snow. Labouring up those hills, I felt far removed from the world of warm cars and effortless travel. "Distance took on a new meaning; a mile of trail became an enormous length, totally unrelated to the mile I can cover in a minute in my car on a highway. Caledon Comment - December 1979, Drawing by Steve Lewis Winter Spring "But people who travel all their miles in cars or jet liners don't experience the satisfaction I had of stopping on a summit for a moment's rest and looking back across the broad and beautiful valley with rail fences strung like black necklaces across the snow; of seeing the woods on the far rim of the valley grow dim and misty as a snow squall, moved over them from the north. "After a hard climb we stopped to eat lunch, perched on a cedar fence at the edge of a beech and maple wood where a woodpecker was busily tapping. The coffee and sandwiches were the best I'd tasted in months." (Harvey Currell is Associate Editor at the Telegram. He has been a Bruce Trailer since early days.) Harvey s column prompted some 40 people to write to Jean Ward for information.

23 Tom East - BTA President Excerpt from 1969 November Caledon Comment Tom East was elected President of the Bruce Trail Association at a meeting of the Board of Directors following the Annual General Meeting on October 4th. Tom has served on the Board for several years, and has been very active in Bruce Trail work in many ways, besides being president of the Caledon Hills Club. He has worked at laying out and building a good many miles of trail; contacted landowners; was chairman for some time, and is still an active member of the Trail Guide and Maps Committee; he helped organize the Hike Leadership Course last spring. Tom has a Ph.D. degree in Physics, and works for Raytheon Canada Limited in Waterloo, who manufacture radar equipment. Congratulations and best wishes to Tom. Message from Elmer Cserhalmi As you know from the report on the Annual General Meeting of the Association, Tom East has been elected President of the B.T.A. Owing to his new duties Tom has resigned as President of our club, which has left me the no mean task of trying to fill his shoes. When Tom became President in 1966 our northern club boundary was Highway 10, and from there the Trail was built to No. 5 Side Road, about 14 miles. Under his leadership we not only finished the trail to Terra Cotta but took over the Orangeville Club, and as a Centennial rush project built another 13 miles of Trail. Among Tom s other achievements: we built the first circular route on the Trail, and two years ago we started the Landowners Night, an event which has apparently become an annual feature not only at our club but at a number of other Bruce Trail clubs as well. We wish the best of luck to Tom, and promise our wholehearted support in his difficult task. Because difficult it is. Thoughts of Tom East, by Ross McLean The Bruce Trail rightfully acknowledges its four founding fathers, but I have always felt that one more was left out. Although he was not there at the moment of conception, Tom East became involved soon afterwards and kept that loyalty right up until his death this past July. Tom was the second president of the Caledon Hills BTC and one of the early presidents of the Bruce Trail Association. He left a legacy on which we are still building today to create a protected Escarpment which is open to all. There are two concepts for which Tom will be most remembered: 1. When the Trail was created in the 1960 s, there was no concept of land ownership by the BTA. When Tom assumed the presidency, the rallying cry was that snowmobiles must be stopped on the Trail. Tom, however, recognized the real threat which others could not see: that excessive land development pressures on the Escarpment would inevitably destroy its riches. He suggested that we start an Escarpment Preservation Fund, and there is a famous story of Ray Lowes as BTA secretary opening the mail on the first day of the campaign and declaring It s pouring in!!! One of the early acquisitions was Anthea s Waterfall at the west end of the Beaver Valley section, purchased in memory of Tom s daughter who had been killed tragically in an accident. 2. It was Tom who more than anyone else first conceptualized an optimum route. In many areas, after the Trail opening in 1967, people thought that their job was done. Tom recognized that the focus should now be on the improvement of the route so that the Trail could truly showcase the beauty of the land. The first definition of optimum route came out of committee dialogues with Niagara Escarpment studies. Then in the 1980 s, the Caledon Hills Club donated the Tom East Trophy to the BTA, to be awarded annually to the club which has made the most significant gain in the quest to relocate sections of Trail onto the optimum route. Today that award, given annually at the BTC AGM, is the most proudly contested of all the BTC trophies. In the protection of the Niagara Escarpment and in the achievement of a Trail on the Optimum Route, the legacy of Tom East will remain for generations yet unborn. 23 Winter

24 All-Natural Christmas Trees for Sale Don t miss a single Club event! Save these Dates: Christmas Tree Sales - weekends in December 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (while quantities last) Winter Hike & Potluck - Dec a.m. - 5 p.m. Caledon Hills Loppet - Feb. 3 9:30 a.m. CHBTC Night at Theatre Orangeville - April 3 7:00 p.m. CHBTC Annual General Meeting - April 7 Volunteer Appreciation Picnic - June 2 Be sure to check your club s website for all the latest news, club events and hike listings. Scotch Pines, up to 9 feet tall, planted and tended by volunteers from the Caledon Hills Club. Never sprayed with any form of pesticide - No chemical fertilizers have been applied. Cut-your-own - $30 per tree, regardless of size. There will also be a few freshly pre-cut trees available. All proceeds go to the Bruce Trail s program to secure, protect and maintain a continuous conservation corridor containing the trail, along the Niagara Escarpment. Also available: natural decorating materials, such as white pine and cedar boughs, grape vine wreaths, and red osier twigs, all at bargain prices. Where: Hockleycrest Farm, No on the east side of Airport Road (Dufferin County Rd. #18), 4.4 km north of Hwy. 9 at Mono Mills When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in December, while supplies last. Trees are limited, come early to get the best selection. Warm your hands by the fire while you sip warm apple cider! Thank you for your support! For further information, call Dave Moule: Weekdays Weekends Bruce Trail Conservancy Mission Statement The Bruce Trail Conservancy is a charitable organization committed to establishing a conservation corridor containing a public footpath along the Niagara Escarpment, in order to protect its natural ecosystems and to promote environmentally responsible public access to this UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve Thank you to all who have gone green - you re helping the club put more funds to trail building and maintenance, by taking your Comment electronically! Return undeliverable copies to: The Bruce Trail Conservancy P.O. Box 857, Hamilton, ON L8N 3N9 Winter Spring