News

2025.05.29 – Simcoe County Forest Salvage Operations Affecting Ganaraska Hiking Trail

Posted on by John Sloan

The extensive damage to many of the Simcoe County Forest tracts means that the Simcoe County Forestry team is proceeding as quickly as they can with logging operations to salvage downed trees and harvest what they can while they are in the forest. Today we received the following message from SCF.

“Just wanted to send a note regarding the ongoing salvage operations within the County Forest. Our storm impact map has been updated to reflect tracts that are currently, or soon to be, conducting salvage operations.

As a reminder these tracts are not safe in current state even if some trails have been cleared, our forest access roads remain inaccessible for EMS if they were ever needed.

Up to date mapping can be found here: Impacted County Forest Tracts

As usual once an operation starts we will post “No Entry” signs at the entrances and send communications as well as update our public mapping to show “Active Operations”.

The map accessed through the link above shows all forest tracts that are affected. The listed tracts that affect the Ganaraska hiking trail specifically are as follows:
Arbour Tract – Orillia Club trail (Trail Guide Map #21)
Oro Tract – Orillia Club trail (Trail Guide Map #21
Strachan Tract – Orillia Club trail (Trail Guide Map #20)
Rathburn Tract – Orillia Club trail (Trail Guide Map #17)
North Barr – Barrie Club trail (Trail Guide Map #21)

2025.05.29 – Wasaga Beach Club Trail Ice Storm Status Update

Posted on by John Sloan

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.

2025.05.29 – Mad River Club Ice Storm Status Update

Posted on by John Sloan

The Mad River Club leadership has declared that clean-up from the ice storm is complete and the trail is considered to be open (Trail Guide Maps #24, #25 & #26). Note that there is 11 km of trail running east from Angus that remains closed for reasons other than the ice storm (rail trail conversion work by the county). Be aware that sections of the Mad River trail go through wet sections.

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.

2025.05.24 – Oro-Medonte Trail Ice Storm Status Update

Posted on by John Sloan

The Ganaraska Oro-Medonte Club has advised that their trail is now open end-to-end (Maps #21 and #33 of the Trail Guide map series). Our thanks to the hard work of all the volunteers that helped to clear the trails.

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.

2025.05.24 – Kawartha Club Trail Status Update

Posted on by John Sloan

The Ganaraska Kawartha Club leadership team has advised that their trail is open from the south end (KM 0.0 marker on Map #5 of the Trail Guide map series / Crosswind Road) to KM 54.6 where the trail leaves the Victoria Rail Trail (Trail Guide Map #11). Conditions on the trail going north from this point to Monck Road (the north end of the Kawartha Club trail section) will be verified in the near future.

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.

Ice Storm Restoration Update

Posted on by Campbell Britton

 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.

2025.05.15 – SCF Logging Operations Affects the Barrie trail in North Barr Tract

Posted on by John Sloan

2025.05.29 Update – Notification has been received that logging operations in North Barr have been completed but it may be a few days before the No Entry signs are removed to allow complete removal of the harvested logs and to give the County some time to clear up the trails. Please continue to comply with the direction on all posted signage.

We have received notification from Simcoe County Forestry that logging operations will start immediately in SCF North Barr Tract. The Barrie Ganaraska trail runs along the north edge of this tract along Horseshoe Valley Road and remains available, but there are many hiking trails inside the tract that will be unavailable while logging operations are active. Please comply with all signage about area closure and logging operations. An update will be provided when notice is received that logging operations are complete.

2025 Volunteer of the Year – Bill Zeran

Posted on by Campbell Britton

Over the years Bill Zeran has held various leadership positions within the GHTA and the Pine Ridge Hiking Club including:

  • Member of the GHTA Executive (2014-2018) as Recording Secretary and later on as Secretary-Treasurer
  • Member of the GHTA Risk Assessment Committee;
  • President of the Pine Ridge Club (2018-2012);
  • Hike Leader at Pine Ridge since 2014; and
  • Member of the Pine Ridge Maintenance Committee (2017-the present).

Through all of these commitments Bill has demonstrated a positive and friendly demeanour which endears him to those around him. Bill’s smile and sense of humour are contagious. The Vice-President at Pine Ridge during Bill’s time as President stated how much he valued Bill’s mentorship. With the ongoing support of his spouse Rita, Bill is also involved with a number of other volunteer programs especially within their local church community. Bill’s family roots are steeped in service to others.

Pine Ridge Club representatives Cynthia Warn and Stan Muldoon receiving Bill’s plaque in his absence. 

Congratulations and thank you Bill! We couldn’t have done it without you.

2025 Volunteer of the Year – Simone Latham

Posted on by Campbell Britton

We are highly appreciative of the contributions Simone Latham has made to the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. as our Treasurer since 2018, a valued member of our GHTA Executive, as a Certified Hike Leader for the Midland club, and as a great friend. 

Simone joined the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. in 2011, and in 2012 soon after encouraged a team of 4 GHTA members to walk the 100 km Oxfam event in 48 hours. It was a very hot weekend, but we all made it in 42 hours, and only lost several toe nails in the process. However, she really enjoyed hiking and became a great hike leader.

As a member of the GHTA Executive, her skills and past experience with other not for profit and charitable boards, as well as with procedures and policies, helped us streamline & automate our GHTA processing for payments, bookkeeping, expense reimbursements, etransfers and many other administrative changes. We also thank her for the amount of time she gave us to find a suitable replacement, and get our processes documented and streamlined to pass on to our new Treasurer. 

Simone Latham receiving 2025 Volunteer of the Year

We wish her all the best in her retirement as treasurer from the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc, and will miss her as a great team player and friend. 

Safe Hiker Course April 26 at Tiffin Centre for Conservation

Posted on by Campbell Britton

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