My B&B host followed me and helped me drop my car at the end of the first day's hike and then drove me back to my starting point at the BT parking lot at the 45.4km mark of the Blue Mountain section.
The Pretty Valley Provincial Park and general area was originally settled 160 years ago by Scotsman who came by foot and ox cart into the valley. It was, as it is even today, very rugged country. It was rumoured that they settled here because the hills reminded them of Scotland. The settlements in the valley lasted without much change well into the 20th century as far as poor roads and no electricity. Today most of the area is government owned through the Provincial Park. Here are some pictures from the first section of the trail as it steeply ascends and then descends to the 47.1km mark.
From here the trail turned up hill and steeply climbed the escarpment following and crossing a stream until the trail met the John Haigh Side Trail at the 49.1km mark. Here I took the side trail, as about 300m along the trail you reach the "highest elevation on the Bruce Trail" - 540 meters above sea level.
The trail then headed northeast and north along the Osler Bluff, a high and prominent section of the escarpment that allows for incredible views out over the farmlands and to Collingwood and Georgian Bay. Towards the north end of the bluff the trail detoured around the Osler Bluffs Ski Club, a private ski club that was established in 1949. The Osler Bluff's Ski Club is located at an optimum part of the escarpment that receives lots of natural snow and boasts the highest vertical drop in Ontario - 743 feet. Here are some pictures from this section.
The trail then headed west through the Petun Conservation Area following the edge of the escarpment. 350 years ago the Petun or Tionontata First Nations peoples lived in villages of longhouses along the escarpment between here and Craigleith. In 1649 Seneca warriors killed most of the Petun. After years of wandering, looking for a new home, the survivors were offered land in today's Kansas and Oklahoma where some descendants still live today. Just prior to and after the trail crossing the 2nd line at the 54.2km mark, the trail is pretty technical climbing up, over and around large rocks and through tight crevices. Here are some pictures from this area.
The trail continued through woods and fields and then turned north along 3rd line coming out onto Highway 19 at the 56.7km mark. The trail then turned right and followed Highway 19 for 2 km. It was at about this point in the hike, due to a later than planned start, that I began to worry about getting to my car before it got dark. It was almost 4pm with the sun dropping and about 2C and I still had a couple of kilometers to go - so I pushed on with as much speed as I could.
The trail turned left and headed north through woods and crossing streams and steadily climbing back up the escarpment. Finally the trail came out on the 12th Sideroad at the 60.1km mark. From here I walked about 500m up 12th Sideroad to where I parked my car. As I arrived it was just past dusk and the snow flurries were getting heavier. I did have a headlamp with me but it would have been a bit tougher trying to hike the last section in dusk or dark. Here are some pictures from this last section of the trail.
A rickety, old bridge that you had to hike down under, through the stream and around!
From here I headed back to my B&B. I stayed with Carol at the Wild Apple Hill B&B. Carol is a wonderful host with a very beautiful house and accommodations and she serves a wonderful breakfast. The house sits prominently on the escarpment, just below the Osler Bluff with views out over the farmland to Collingwood and Georgian Bay. Below is the view from the breakfast table! Highly recommended for anyone looking for a B&B in this area! Here is her website www.bbcanada.com/8755.html
The following morning my B&B host followed me out to help drop off my car at the end of my day's hike and then drove me down to my start at the 60.1km mark. Since my hike was after the November 1 cut-off date, the main trail between the 60.1km and 63.8km mark was closed and I had to go further down the escarpment and take the Mission Road Side trail. This side trail headed north and after 2km came out on Scenic Caves Road. The trail followed Scenic Caves Road back up the escarpment past the Scenic Caves Nature Adventure facility. Here are pictures from this section.
This Scenic Caves facility today has hiking along with various Eco Adventure activities including tree top walks, zip lining (800m long with 300m of drop) and a suspension bridge (126m long and 25m above the valley floor). This parcel of land has been privately held for many years and includes part of the escarpment where the famous Scenic Caves are located. The distant history and stories of these caves is fascinating. The Petun village of Ekarenniondi was located near the caves. Stories were told by the nearby Huron's of this sacred place 8 leagues distant from their villages. Near the caves stood a prominent rock which the stories said marked the path to the Village of the Souls. Nearby there was a cabin belonging to Oscotarach who would look eastward towards approaching souls and he would draw away their memories so they could cross to the after-life unencumbered. Since the days of the explorer and missionary Jean de Brebeuf, based on these stories, people have explored this area looking for this legendary crossing place. It is proposed today that the stories refer to an area of the Scenic Caves you can hike through today. Very neat story!
From this Scenic Caves area the trail followed the escarpment along the top of the The Blue Mountains Ski Club and it was along this stretch of trail that the Blue Mountain section ended and the Beaver Valley section of the trail began. The first ski hills on the escarpment in this area began as a result of timber cutting - young adults would ride snow sleighs down these clear cut areas of the escarpment. The Blue Mountain Ski Club was formed in 1935 by a Czechoslovakian name Jozo Weider. Mr. Weider, who also recognized the abundance of the hard pan clay in the area, started the Blue Mountain Pottery Company which was famous for beautiful pottery. The ski resort today is huge and boasts a vertical of 722 feet and is the 3rd busiest ski resort in Canada. Here are pictures from along this section of the escarpment including a shot of the "half-way point" of the Bruce Trail, the Craigleith Ski Club, through to about the 2.3km mark of the Beaver Valley section.
The original Blue Mountain Ski Lift and story!
The "half-way" point of the Bruce Trail - about 445km travelled and about 445km to go!
From the 2.3km mark the trail dropped very steeply into a valley and then climbed steeply back out of that valley along a ridgeline up to prominent lookout at the 3.6km mark. Here there was a memorial plaque for Len Gertler along with a small bench with a wonderful view out off the escarpment over Georgian Bay. Len Gertler, in the 1960's, researched the important need for development controls to protect the Niagara Escarpment. Although cold and windy at this spot, I sat and had my lunch and enjoyed the view and the solitude!
The trail then dropped down and then steeply climbed back up onto the escarpment beginning a circular route around a forested headland know as the Len Gertler Memorial Loree Forest. The trail led through woods and fields and past the top of the Georgian Peaks Ski Club. The following pictures were from this section of the trail including a neat picture taken from the escarpment looking out over clouds and a snow storm out over Georgian Bay.
The trail came out on the 21st Sideroad at the 8.4km mark and then continued south and southeast through some woods and farm fields. Here are some pictures from this area.
Finally, getting pretty cold and tired at this point of the day, the trail turned west along the 18th Sideroad and I arrived at my car around the 11.0km mark.
Definitely a bit more challenging hike these past two days due to the trail conditions and the weather but still an incredible hike!
Completed: 455.2km
