We started at the Kilbride Public School at the 98.8km mark and headed north from the school into the woods. Came across a fast flowing stream and a snow drift!!
This wouldn't be the last time we saw snow and ice this day.
The trail crossed Derry Road and headed north through some beautiful woods in the Yaremko-Ridley Park.
At the 102.5km mark we came across some large ponds. The Bruce Trail maps referred to these as the historical Calcium Pits. We saw a beaver or muskrat swimming through one of the ponds.
After I got home I tried to find some information on these Calcium Pits - not much to find other than someone else's blog that mentions that the high calcium content of the soil and silt (called marl) attracted a company in the early 1900's who dug the calcium rich mud from this area to use for a "bug spray". The pits filled with water resulting in the ponds we see today.
After crossing Twiss Road, the trail headed back into the woods and climbed the escarpment through some picturesque rocky areas where there was still ice and snow in the rock crevices.
Lots of spring flowers sprouting up as we hiked.
After crossing Guelph Line we entered Crawford Lake Conservation Area. Crawford Lake is a Meromictic Lake. This type of glacial lake is deeper than the surface area and as such, the deepest parts of the lake remain undisturbed. Low oxygen levels at these depths mean that silt and sediment is preserved.
It was a nice trail through the conservation area including this tree where a woodpecker had been very busy.
We continued along the edge of the escarpment looking south towards Mount Nemo where we finished our last hike of 2013. Lots and lots of gliding turkey vultures!
We continued along the edge of the escarpment until we got to the Nassagaweya Canyon. This is a deep valley that was created by glacial run off and over the millenniums these streams carved out this "canyon". The valley actually cuts off part of the original escarpment from the main escarpment. This large separated area that includes Rattlesnake Point and Kelso is known as the Milton Outlier.
At the 108.7km mark of the trail we descended to the valley floor, hiked along the valley and then climbed back up the eastern slope of the valley onto the Milton Outlier part of the escarpment.
Once on top of the escarpment we headed east for 1km to hit our rendezvous point at Appleby Line and Steeles Avenue.
My wife picked us up a this point and drove us back to our starting point to pick the car.
Another wonderful day of hiking!
Completed: 192.8km
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