Wasaga Beach Club leadership has informed that ice storm damage on the Wasaga Beach Club trail was minimal and the trails remain open.
A caution reminder – All trail users should remember that even though the trails themselves are clear there may still be risks in forested areas due to overhead broken branches or leaning or weakened trees due to the ice storm. Hike with caution and watch for overhead and nearby hazards, especially if there is a strong wind or wind gusts. All trail users must accept personal responsibility for their own safety.
As per our announcement of April 3, 2025, following the ice storm of March 29/30, the entire 500 km long Ganaraska Hiking Trail was officially closed. Meanwhile, our club volunteers have been busy assessing and restoring their sections of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail and as a result of their hard work, we hope to be able to “open” up some sections very soon. Stay tuned for further announcements, hopefully by this coming weekend.
Our volunteers have already cleared a lot of the fallen debris, put caution tape around some dangerous hazards and/or created a small reroute, all this in an effort to make the trail “passable”. Trail Closed signs are being installed on those sections of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail, which are still considered impassable, or where we have not been able to even start or complete any restoration. In the most affected areas, such as many of the Simcoe County Forests in Oro Medonte, salvage efforts are scheduled by the landowner. These logging operations may last well into the summer, but will open up the forest access roads, and make it easier for our volunteers to access the trail for restoration efforts.
As we cannot enforce physical closure of trail access, we ask that persons traversing the trail be guided by the following principles:
As is always the case, even under normal circumstances, HIKE AT YOUR OWN RISK. It remains the individual’s own responsibility to decide what their own risk tolerance is.
There are still a lot of overhead hazards such as tree branches hanging above the trail, or leaning trees near the trail, which we plan to deal with in due time. Several of our volunteers have taken chainsaw training to help tackle the situation.
Consider the wind. Higher wind speeds and gusts can dislodge the overhead hazards or topple leaning trees.
Leave a hike plan with someone (i.e. where you plan to hike, when expected back, etc.)
Hike with a buddy
Enjoy the hiking season, but stay safe out there!
Frieda Baldwin
President, Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc.
On Saturday April 26, 2025 Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association will be offering a Safe Hiker course for members and non-members. The course is built on the Hike Ontario Safe Hiker course, but will include other topics such as information about safe hiking after the ice storm, protecting from ticks, carpool etiquette, planning for a hike, navigation tools, What3Words, what if you get lost/injured, weather, etc.
Following the course, there will be a 1 to 1.5 hour hike on the beautiful Tiffin CA property. Both the course and parking are free on April 26.
Address: Tiffin Centre, 8195 8th Line of Essa, Utopia, Ontario on Saturday April 26 at 12:30. Park in the large parking lot by the green Administration building and proceed past that building via the covered boardwalk to the Learning Centre.
To sign up for the free course, enter your name and email on the following link. Your email will only be visible to the instructors and will be used in case of a change or cancellation. Safe Hiker Course Registration
At the Annual General Meeting on May 9, the Volunteer and Trail Maintenance Awards were announced for 2023.
Volunteer of the Year– IRENE BELL
This year we recognize Irene Bell for her contributions to the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc.
Back in 2014, she and Shirl McArthur formed a 2 women’s team to take over the Club Presidency of the Wasaga Beach Ganaraska Hiking Trail club, but in the last few years, Irene continued on her own until 2022.
She not only made sure the Wasaga Beach section of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail was in good shape, but with her volunteers they created a new route along the Collingwood to Barrie rail trail. She made sure there was a hiking schedule for members and organized many local social activities for club members.
As the president of the local Wasaga Beach club, she attended the board meetings of the GHTA Inc. for the last 9 years and contributed valued input to our discussions. She also acted as the GHTA rep to Ontario Nature, and as such was GHTA’s sounding board on all things nature related.
Well done Irene! We herewith would like to show our appreciation by presenting you with the Volunteer of the Year Award for 2023. Thank you for your past contributions. Irene, we all enjoyed working with you, you are an excellent ambassador for hiking, and we wish you all the best for the future.
Trail Maintenance Club Award– PINE RIDGE
Following a Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc board decision in the fall of 2022 that the building of bridges is now allowed, the Pine Ridge Club of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc is among the first to implement the new policy and is therefore being nominated for building new bridges over tributaries of the Ganaraska River:
On December 2, 2022, 5 Pine Ridge Hiking Club members (Jimmy Edwards, Stan Muldoon, Jay Sherwin, John Ambler and bridge designer Ted Van Netten) installed a new 20′ bridge between 4th and 5th lines of Hope Township, at km 12, on the property of Gord and Judy Austin.
A further 2 bridges are currently being built at km 8. This project is being spearheaded by property owners Bill and Penny Harris with several PRHC members contributing numerous hours of volunteer labour. We are also appreciative of a $1730 donation from an anonymous donor to fund the bridge.
