News

QE2 and Our Partnership with Ontario Parks – An Appreciation

Posted on by Heather Briant

The end of one year and the beginning of another is traditionally a time for reflection. In that vein, it is noteworthy that the Wilderness Club of the GHTA enjoys a special and treasured relationship with the Ontario Parks staff that manage the Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park (“QE2”) – the park that encompasses about 95% of the Wilderness section of the Ganaraska Trail. With an area of 33,505 hectares, QE2 is the second largest park south of Algonquin Park with 100 habitat types and is a vast biological engine renowned for its rock barrens, and beaver fens. Hikers and canoeists can enjoy a true wilderness experience in QE2 that is not typically available so far south in the province.

The flavour of a true wilderness experience is nicely captured by the lead article of the Winter 2023 GHTA newsletter (https://ganaraska-hiking-trail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GHTA-Newsletter-Winter-2023-online-compressed-version.pdf) in which Kate Kostandoff describes a 3-day/2-night “cross-over” hike through the interior of QE2 completed in October. Later in the newsletter is an amusing epic poem penned by Ruth Patterson in the style of Robert W. Service. These appreciative contributions illustrate the significance of QEII to the hiking community in general and to the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association in particular, while underscoring the importance of the work undertaken by the Parks staff.

Looking back over the past 12 months, the following is a top-of-mind random sampling of highlights for 2022:

* The seasonal floating footbridge over Montgomery Creek installed by Ontario Parks in collaboration with the GHTA continues to be a great success, much appreciated by Ganaraska members as well as the general public.

* Park Biologist Phil Careless was a big hit with his enthusiastic participation as a panelist in the Wilderness Club’s overnight Zoom call hiking clinic in September.

* Trail maintenance, thunder boxes, visitor monitoring & management: we at the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association appreciate the effort it takes to manage QEII, and we know there is a lot of work behind the scenes, much of which we are only vaguely aware.

New Bridge in Pine Ridge Section

Posted on by Heather Briant

The Ganaraska Trail follows a former railway between the 4th and 5th lines of Hope Township.  Most of the trail is pretty well level, but there is one spot where the railway crossed a creek.  The old trestle bridge had been taken out years ago and hikers needed to navigate two sagging, slippery cedar logs to get across that creek. There was a 25’ horizontal cedar tree next to the logs for holding on to. To make matters worse, the trail down to the bridge and up the other side was steep and treacherous.

On December 2, 2022, life got easier for trail hikers and dog walkers.  5 Pine Ridge Hiking Club members installed a new 20’ bridge a short distance downstream from the old crossing.  Both access trails were moved and hand-shovelled to be easier to traverse.  Congratulations to Jimmy Edwards, Stan Muldoon, Jay Sherwin, John Ambler and bridge designer, Ted Van Netten.

2022.11.29 – Barrie Main Trail Re-route south of Baldwick Lane near Minesing Wetlands

Posted on by John Sloan

A section of the Barrie main trail near the Minesing Wetlands runs across property owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). We have just finished working with NCC representatives to reroute our trail on their property to avoid foot traffic on some ecologically sensitive areas and also to avoid some areas where the invasive garlic mustard has been found. If you are hiking southbound from Baldwick Lane the trail changes when you come to the first stile. Previously you would have gone right (west) across the open field but now you veer slightly left. The new trail is actually quite nice, going through cedar forest, over some small streams, and along a ridge providing great views of the open fields looking towards Minesing Wetlands. The new trail is fully blazed and ready to use. It is very important to stay on the trail through this section as garlic mustard can be found close to the trail and it is important not to spread it by carrying seeds on your boots. Both Ondago and our website downloadable maps will be updated in the near future.

2022.11.29 – New Side-trails on Barrie Section

Posted on by John Sloan

On June 6 of this year we announced changes to the Barrie main trail between the parking lot on Gill Road and the Midhurst Community Centre. Due to a new landowner request we had to move a portion of this trail onto Gill Road. There are now two new side trails to recapture some of the best features of the trail section that had to be moved. From the Gill Road parking lot, the Bear’s Creek side trail provides a 3.6 km loop that goes over a picturesque creek and runs along an interesting (and hilly) ridge beside the creek. In the middle of the forest the Heather Dalton Memorial side trail provides a 1.3 km loop (also with hills) that has multiple tree mounted memorial displays for a local person that loved to hike the trails in the area. Ondago has been updated and our website downloadable maps will be updated soon. Try them out.

Fall Hunting Season

Posted on by Heather Briant

Be Safe Be Seen: Hikers should be aware that hunting is taking place all year round, but is especially busy during the fall between early September and mid-December.  The exact dates vary across the Ganaraska Hiking Trail as it passes through different Wildlife Management Units.

To be safe, hikers should:

– Know when it is hunting season in the area you will be hiking in. Consult this website for exact information:

https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-hunting-regulations-summary

– Wear bright colours, preferably hunting orange

– Put bright colours on your pets and keep dogs on a leach

– Avoid hiking at dusk and dawn, i.e. typical times when hunters are in the forest

– Stay on established trails and avoid bushwhacking

– Make noise, so hunters know you are nearby

And finally, note that hunters and trail users both have the privilege to pursue their chosen outdoor recreation. Therefore, be courteous and respectful of all outdoor enthusiasts, hunters and non-hunters alike. Do your part to share the woods safely and respect each other and the land we share. 

More information is available on 

https://www.nvca.on.ca/Shared%20Documents/Be%20Seen%20Be%20Safe%20Pamphlet.pdf

Frieda Baldwin, President

2022.09.27 – Logging Operation Affecting Barrie Trail Now Complete & Trail Is Open

Posted on by John Sloan

On 2022.07.23 we made the announcement posted below. As of today the Simcoe County Forestry map does not show any activity logging operation in this area. There will likely need to be some clean-up and re-blazing (to be done asap) but the trail is open – enjoy.

Previous Announcement: We have received notice from the Simcoe County Forestry organization that logging has started in the Orrock Creek South tract. This means that there is an unusable section of the Barrie trail between Old Second South and Gill Road, as shown in the attached map. Hiking in this area from either the Old Second South parking lot or the Gill Road parking lot would still be possible, but it would be necessary to turn back as soon as the logging operation signs are reached (do not hike in the signed area even if the logging operation isn’t active when you get there). The duration of the logging operation isn’t known, but a future posting will announce when the trail is fully open again.

2022.06.05 – Barrie Trail Change Notice

Posted on by John Sloan

Effective immediately, a section of the Barrie trail running south from the Gill Road parking lot (KM 24.9 on the Ondago and Trail Guide maps for the Barrie Club) is no longer available. A private landowner has acquired property that had our trail running through it and has asked that we discontinue hiking on the property. The trail now runs south from the Gill Road parking lot on Gill Road for about 1.5 KM and then re-enters the forest. The new route is 0.3 km shorter than the previous trail (2.3 km versus 2.6 km).

The following map shows the change. Our Trail Guide and Ondago mobile app will be updated in the near future.

Kawartha Hikes resuming June 8

Posted on by Heather Briant

We are pleased to advise that we will be resuming our Spring 2022 Hike Schedule on Wednesday, June 8th. As clean-up from the May 26th storm continues around the region, we may need to change the occasional venue. In those circumstances an email will be sent to all Kawartha Club members advising of the updated hike details. If you are not a member of the Kawartha Club but would like to join us on a hike, please contact the hike leader as a courtesy and to confirm the hike location.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Kind Regards,
Janice BrownWednesday Hike CoordinatorGHTA – Kawartha Club

Attention – Ganaraska Forest Closed Due to Storm

Posted on by Heather Briant

GRCA is requesting that you communicate the following messages out to your members and networks while stressing the seriousness of the situation. 

  • On Saturday May 21, 2022 a massive storm system caused significant damage to the Ganaraska Forest and its entire trail network (West Central and East Forests are all effected).
  • The current situation in the Ganaraska Forest is very serious and extremely dangerous.
  • The GRCA and Police are strictly enforcing the closure of the Ganaraska Forest and NO ACCESS is being granted until furture notice
  • The Ganaraska Forest is extremely dangerous with hazard trees and significant blockages throughout the entire trail network of the Ganaraska Forest (West, Central and East Forests).
  • Please respect any form of barriers and signage that is blocking access and DO NOT cross these barriers. 
  •  
  • All Special Events are cancelled for the foreseeable future. No new applications will be accepted.
  • Updates will be provided through the Ganaraska Conservation Facebook page, www.grca.on.ca and www.ganaraskaforestcentre.ca.
  • Staff are currently assessing the entire Ganaraska Forest trail network and Trail clearing work is underway.
  • As assessment and trail clearing continues, recovery plans are being created.
  • Thank you for your support, and patience during this trying time.

Ed Van Osch 

Forest Recreation Technician, Provincial Offences Officer  

Ganaraska Forest Centre 

RR1 Campbellcroft, Ontario 

L0A 1B0 

905-885-8173 ext. 325