Backpacking on the Ganaraska Trail - Wilderness Section

Update!

Steph has brought to my attention that the end point I had chosen for this trip, Victoria Falls, does not open until May 1st. This closes off the possibility of doing any sort of thru-hike. As a result I am switching the itinerary to an in and out hike. We will still start at Moores Falls but instead of moving camp twice we will hike in and set up a base camp. The next day we will day hike and the last day we will come back out the way we came in. On the bright side this will eliminate the need for a shuttle back to the start point.

The Ganaraska Trail extends 500 KM from Port Hope on Lake Ontario to the Bruce Trail near Collingwood. About 60KM is the "Wilderness Section" traveling through Queen Elizabeth Wildlands Provincial Park. This sections is described by the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Guidebook as being "rugged and in places strenuous". The Park offers a diverse eco system with very little development. Camping will be "At Large" and I hear there are many flat spots to be found. Perfect conditions for people to get out and stretch their legs.

The plan is to start at 10AM Friday in Moore Falls, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from Kitchener. We will hike for three days and two nights. Camping is where we find a good spot. Water is whatever we find along the way. Normally I would have like to push all the way through to Sadowa but apparently the trail is flooded in the last stretch so we will be ending our hike 45KM later at Victoria Bridge unless someone can tell me of a safe route and good parking in Sadowa. At Victoria bridge people will be shuttled back to Moore Falls for the drive home. It will be a fairly long shuttle, about 1 hour each way, so attendance may be limited by the number of drivers available.

If you have the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Guide this route is covered on maps 12-15.

People who attend this trip should have prior experience backpacking and be comfortable hiking on their own. If you would like to borrow any equipment, have anything you would like to share (save weight!), need a ride, or have a ride to offer please mention it in your RSVP.

The $1 reservation fee will be applied to your gas money or returned to you on the trip. This is to keep "no shows" from using up all the slots on the trip.