On May 16, 2019 a reroute for a section of the GHTA Mad River Club trail was blazed near Glencairn, getting 2 km of the trail off of Webster Road and Centre Line Road. Our thanks to Sharon and Steve Striegl for allowing the new route on their property at 9230 Webster Road. The new trail section provides a pleasant hike beside tree nursery fields and through forested areas. The property has an interesting history, as described below by Sharon and Steve. “The property was purchased in 1961 by George and Gertrude Striegl. At the time, it was one of over 200 tobacco farms in the region. The Striegls retired in 1975 when the current owners and 2nd generation of tobacco growers, Steve and Sharon Striegl, grew tobacco until 1988. At that time, the property was one of only 4 tobacco farms left in the area. The property has been leased to Somerville Nurseries where it has been planted in X-mas trees (Fraser Fir, Balsam Fir), ever since.” The attached files provide a marked up version of map #24 from the Guidebook, a satellite image of the new route, and a topo map of the new route. The GHTA very much appreciates the generosity and support from Sharon and Steve for allowing this trail section to be established on their property. – John John Sloan Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Director Trails and Landowner Relations / Barrie Club President jjcsloan@gmail.com / 705-715-6994
In the ‘Trail Changes’ section of the website you will find details of a change in the Barrie trail at the east end (where it meets the Orillia trail). We have eliminated road walking as you head west from Line 6N in Oro-Medonte and replaced it with some very nice forest paths all the way to Line 5N. Details and maps are provided in the ‘Trail Changes’ section.
The Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. mourns the passing of one of its most active and dedicated trail volunteers. Peter Verbeek was the long time trail director for the Ganaraska Hiking Trail (also the secretary for some years) and a real connaisseur of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail, and especially of the Wilderness Section in the Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands. We are very thankful for his many contributions and for introducing so many people to the joys of hiking. May he rest in peace. Last fall, at the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail, we also recognized Peter for his many contributions to the Ganaraska Hiking Trail. Frieda Baldwin President, Ganaraska Hiking Trail Inc. 705-245-1005
Peter Verbeek
JULY 6, 1930 � APRIL 17, 2019
Peter Verbeek (Petrus Bernardus Joannes Verbeek) With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Peter Verbeek on Wednesday April 17, 2019 at the age of 88. Born in Holland on July 6, 1930, he arrived in Canada on March 18, 1955 to begin a new adventure. His travels took him from Prince Edward Island, to Hamilton and then Toronto where he met and married Wyn. They settled in Scarborough, where they raised their family. Peter studied and became a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers and graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. His love of the outdoors led him to many canoeing and hiking adventures. Predeceased by his beloved wife Winifred (Thomson) of 53 years, dear father of Sandra Lebrun (Yannick) and Lisa Caster (Murray) and proud grandfather of Alex, Chelsea (Jake), Kaeli (Jon) and Andrew (Kara). Beloved son of the late Petrus and Maria Verbeek of the Netherlands, Brother of the late Elizabeth �Bep� Keijer-Ferguson (Gerard & Danny), Theodora �Thea� Van Der Heiden (Antonius), and Bernardus and survived by sisters Alida �Lia� van Houdt (Henk), and Bernarda �Bernie� Fens (Leo). He is survived by many cousins, nephews and nieces around the world. Peter was a proud 35 year employee/retiree of CIBC, previous member of the East York Outing Club, Ganaraska Trail Association, Ambassador of the Wilderness Trail, Wilderness Canoe Association, Bruce Trail Hiking Club and long term volunteer at Scarborough Hospital. This is the pearl at the end of the string, enjoy!
*** Words from Robert Campbell ***
I’m sad to hear about the passing of Peter Verbeek. Leader, Founder, Hiker, Friend, Father Figure.
I Remember back to my first Wilderness Crossover, which was the first one led as a group. Wayback in the early 90’s. The ferns were as high as my shoulders in places. We all followed Peter with a sense of security. The trail was marked but there was no trail under foot. At times Peter would have to point us in the right direction, even taking his compass out at times. We continued over the weekend towards Victoria Bridge making our way over the many beaver dams, most of which had no easy way across at this point. We all made it out with a sense of accomplishment, even the two at Loon Lake taken out by helicopter.
Over the years to follow, I continued to hike the Wilderness Section with Peter. I came to appreciate the area more and more and I could see what he seen and loved. I believe the trail wouldn’t have came to its present day glory without Peter there at the beginning. Thank you.
Rest in peace
Robert Campbell Co-President GHTA Wilderness
Laura and John Giffen (daughter and father) have offered to take over the leadership role for the Ganaraska Mad River Hiking Club as co-presidents. The Giffen family owns Giffen Farm and Giffen County Market in Glen Huron and bring a lot of enthusiasm and vision for promoting hiking in the area to the role. This is effective immediately, but I will remain involved as long as Laura and John feel is necessary. Welcome to both Laura and John and our thanks to both of them – they are a great addition to the Ganaraska team at both the club and association level.
John Sloan
Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association
Director Trails and Landowner Relations / Barrie Club President
On January 15 the Barrie Club posted a caution about using our trail behind the Simcoe County Museum because of logging operations in the area. We have received notice that the logging operation is completed so the trail is open for our enjoyment once again. Please remember the trail here is now slightly different that the Guidebook map because of reforestation work. Instead of crossing Hwy #26 near the junction with Hwy #27 and going behind the museum, we now enter the museum property using their driveway before heading west towards Springwater Provincial Park. The new trail is well marked and blazed.
Along the Hydro Cut between Devil’s Lake and Black Creek
Today was the first GHTA Wilderness Club hike of spring 2019 – Devil’s Lake to Moore Falls via the “Queen’s Corridor”; and the first BBQ steak of the year – thanks Joshua! Oh, and thanks to the snowmobilers who packed down a number of sections of the now defunct, overgrown hydro cut – “Queen’s Corridor”. We didn’t really need our snowshoes despite at least a foot and a half of snow.
Looking south on Black Creek
The morning chilled us with its -16C temperatures and wind chill (28k/h with gusts to 35k/h). The combination of the forest and valleys protecting us from the wind, a clear, bright sunny day and my “manopause” had me in an unzippered jacket, baseball cap and no gloves in no time.
Along the main trail, heading down to a creek crossing
The hard water was still safe-at least where we were, even though we saw lots of open water on the drive in this morning. Today will probably be our last outing on it until next year. I’ll miss the refreshing reverse perspective of looking up the cliffs and slopes into the forest vs. the view downward towards the water. As well as the bonus of zero elevation change which is always a pleasure. I’m sure everyone would agree: Robert, Ted, Kathy, Lorry, Simone Joshua.
Taking a shortcut across a beaver pond after ensuring the ice was safe to travel on
Early February 2019, Bruce Trail and Ganaraska hikers enjoyed a winter get-away at Killbear Provincial Park. Two groups of approx. 40 people each filled up the staff lodge, and took full advantage of everything Killbear Provincial Park has to offer in winter. Cross country skiers loved the 9 km track set trail, and snowshoers hiked all over the park. The scenery was fabulous, with lots of picture taking opportunities. In addition to snowshoeing and skiing, or a simple walk down the park road, the groups enjoyed campfires, games, delicious potlucks, and even a beginner Square Dance lesson on a rainy afternoon! Looking forward to our 10th anniversary visit next February!
Wow, another GHTA Wilderness Club member representing! Congratulations Miranda on completing the entire trail. Here is her account of her fantastic journey:
Hello there, I am happy in sending my logs
for my E2E badge. I wasn’t sure where to start but I will do it telling the
best thing that happened to me in the trail.
Every time I think on that day I want to cry
of excitement as a little girl in the wilderness section. We were only four
hikers and I was the ahead when I saw the big, puffy gorgeous bear. I’m pretty
sure he was more scared than me but that moment is imprinted in my head forever
since I stayed still and couldn’t take a picture of it.
Pine Ridge section, spring 2018
One of my first hikes ever was in Ganaraska Wilderness
in 2017; it was an 8 hours hike with high humidity and thousands of mosquitoes
but worth to try and since then I haven’t stop hiking. First I finished the
Bruce trail then the Oak Ridges Moraine because I was anxious about the stories
about the wilderness so I prepared and organized the hikes meticulously for
safety of everyone.
Midland (my 10 years old son)
Close to Victoria Bridge at the end of our backpacking journey
The backpacking in the wilderness section was
the hardest one since it was one of the hottest humid days in September. I
became dehydrated with symptoms like vomiting, migraine and dizziness I thought
I wasn’t going to make it but the next day I was the strongest one while the
others were struggling with the heat. In the other hikes on the Ragged and
Montgomery trail we loved the autumn colours and I had a moment of silence in
front of the rock remembering Doris, the hiker who died years before. I know in
my heart she was doing what she loved, hiking.
Ragged Rapids Loop
There are other memorable hikes along the
trail like the last one in the Mad river section with deep snow and strong cold
winds. We loved Creemore town and feared its smallest jail, better not
misbehave in that place 😉
Western Cairn/Devils Glen
Creemore Town
The Wasaga section had a couple of beautiful
spots like in the Nordic area where we saw loons and we observed the sand dunes
but our phones and camera were dead due to the cold temperatures and we
couldn’t take pictures but one, we did 31km on that day.
Wasaga Beach
Wasaga Section / Nottawasaga area
Wasaga Provincial Park / Sand Dunes
Barrie section was funny since we started our
day with positivism and enthusiasm but a muddy pothole swallowed my leg
together with my snowshoe, hehehe we went back home for the first time after an
incident like this one.
Hiking along the lake in the Orillia section
was wonderful, I’m thinking in coming back at some point in spring or summer
time.
Orillia Section
I want to confess that my reason to start
hiking was to overcome my illnesses and find peace in my soul and mind.
Victoria Bridge, fall 2018
When I
started my journey I was a ‘victim of domestic violence’. I wanted to run away
but instead I asked for professional help. During my hospitalizations my
therapists noticed I loved walking and wondering in the city for hours and
capable of doing 30km every day. I was advised to find a group in the MeetUp so
I could meet people and I found the hiking group there.
Now,
I’m not longer a victim, I’m a survivor. After more than a decade I left the
abusive environment, a decision that I took while hiking. Sauntering in the
trail cleared my mind and I drastically change the turn of my life.
I
am free to do what I like at the same time helping those who join me in my
group for whatever reason they are hiking. Mental illness is invisible and as a
survivor I can tell you I learned to fake my happiness very well but hiking
brought me peace.
For
now, our next trail is the Grand Valley and Avon trails and then I’m hoping
there will be another trail to put my feet on the ground while I’m trying to
live my present.
Thanks
to all the volunteers and members from the Ganaraska trail association that made
it possible for us to hike safely. Especial thanks to Glynn, John, Carol, Tom,
Frieda and Louis for responding back to my emails and phone calls.
A
special thanks to Troy who was my partner-in-crime in every single hike;
without him this wouldn’t be possible.
Thanks
to my closest members in the Hiking Team GTA: Jean & Frank, Jeremy, Selena,
Natalie, Paul, Tanya, Neha, Garima, Alex, Tony, Jonathan, Gerry, Sandi, Naira, and
many more.
Congratulations to Jen & Frank, GHTA, Wilderness Club members who have recently completed the Ganaraska Trail End-2-End. Enjoy their description of their journey:
Frank and I hiked the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim in 2011. Machu Picchu Inca Trail, Peru in 2014 and the Mount Everest Base Camp, Nepal, in 2016. Additionally, we also finished the Bruce Trail E2E in September of 2018.
We asked ourselves; where do we go next?
We hiked Ragged Rapids Loop in the Wilderness Section with Glynn in the summer of 2016 to prepare for our EBC trip. That hike impressed us so we decided to complete the Ganaraska Trail E2E. We proudly became GT Wilderness Club members in October 2018.
Miranda and Troy started the GT E2E in the spring of 2018 where we joined them in September 2018. The very first GT hike we did together was the Crossover in Wilderness Section. It was hot and the humidity was high. Eight hikers joined and none of us were experienced backpackers. The hike was extremely hard for all of us. Some members experienced heat exhaustion and some even experienced vomiting. We were unable to get to Loon Lake campsite as planned, but Wolf Lake campsite was the most beautiful campsite that I had ever camped at. We toasted Frank’s birthday with coffee and hot chocolate that night. We crossed over 19 beaver dams and worked as a team to encourage one another. We were really happy when we made it to the parking lot before dark. Troy, Alex and I shared a small can of Coca-Cola at the end. That was the best Coca-Cola that we had ever tasted!
It took us 24 hikes to finish GT E2E. We hiked in 38 degree weather with high humidity in the fall and minus 23 degrees before windchill in the winter. We hiked in knee deep mud in the Barrie Section and knee deep snow in the Mad River Section. We hiked one of four biggest wetlands in the world. In heavy rain, under hot sun, miles and miles on train tracks and fast highways we hiked. Frank managed to drive our car into the ditch in Victoria Harbor. 17 KM hike turned out to be a 29 KM hike in Tiny Trail. We repeated the same question over and over, “Where is the blaze?” We often missed the blazes, traced back to the last one and got back to the trail. I set up the hiking schedule and we went hiking accordingly, regardless of the weather conditions. Nothing could stop us. We faced many challenges during our journey, but we knew what doesn’t break you, only makes you stronger.
There are so many people that we need to thank for helping us finishing GT E2E. First is our extraordinary hike leader Miranda who planned and led the hikes. Second, is Troy who was with us all the way and never ever complained. Third, is all the hikers along the way. My friends Doug and Colleen carpooled us to Wasaga Beach; the land owner Tom, carpooled us into Mad River and the Midland Section president Marc, shuttled us on one of the coldest days of the year.
It was bittersweet when we did our final GT E2E hike on Feb. 2, 2019. I truly did not want the hike to end. GT is unique in its own way and I will treasure the memory of GT in my heart forever.
