TRAIL TALK 401
The Maitland Trail Association maintenance crew along with some other volunteers, did a great job removing packed snow from many boardwalks in the Maitland Woods, to make it safer for walkers on the February 6th Candlelight walk.
Both the Maitland Woods and the Hullett Sugar Bush trails are popular with dog walkers. However, there is a problem with dog poop being left on the trail. This is not so bad in winter when it becomes frozen solid, but after the spring thaw, the poop leaves a terrible mess on the trails. Please use a poop bag, and failing that, at least remove the poop off the trail.
I hope you were out on the trails on Monday morning February 2nd. The trees and shrubs were covered with frost and the sun was often shining. The whole scene was spectacular in the morning, but if you left your walk until afternoon the frost had all disappeared.
On Wednesday February 4th nine of us hiked in the Sugar Bush.
We explored part of an open area, that was accessible without snowshoes as a wide tracked vehicle had made tracks in the area, where we could see that deer had been quite active and I saw one deer leaping away in the distance. Talking with others in the group, Doug saw three deer, Rick saw two deer and luckily Koda did not see any.
I am sure many readers are welcoming the warmer temperatures now, although temperatures are still forecast to be below freezing , they are not expected to be below -10 oC for at least a week. One problem I find with the milder temperatures is that often what was a nice level snow packed trail, becomes very uneven as hikers punch through the surface and leave boot sized hole. This is particularly bad if there follows snow or drifting snow and you unexpectedly slide into the hole. In these conditions I use snowshoes, or if walking stop, and make a larger indent in the trail so it is less of a booby trap for others.
Events:
Monday February 16th 1 pm -2 pm Bayfield River Valley Trail Association (BRVTA) Family day hike at the Stanley Complex at Varna.
Saturday February 28th Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser for the homeless. The main Goderich event is being held in the Goderich square with a check in at 4 pm and start at 5 pm for a 2 or 5 km walk. For a more energetic walk I will lead the team Maitland Trail Hikers at 2 pm on a local trail for one hour to 1 ½ hours depending on the weather. The location will be decided nearer the date. Please support one of the teams with a donation.
Tuesday Trompers meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday to hike for about an hour. If you wish to be on this email list, send an email to mta@maitlandtrail.ca
Midweek hikers meet at 9 a.m. and hike for 1 ½ to 2 hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact Patrick Capper at pcapper99@gmail.com
LIFE hikers meet every Friday for a hike of about 1 1 /2 hours, with a choice of pace, striders moving a little faster than the strollers. The hikes now start at 9a.m. and can be joined through One Care.
