Sat, Jul 4 2015 - Ganaraska Trail, Ragged Rapids Loop (Wilderness Section) (View Original Event Details)
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It was a fun and sunny day for three eager hikers willing to drive a long distance away from Toronto seeking to spend some time in the wilderness. There were some minor detours along the road to get coffee and find the rural road that would take us to our destination. We had the chance to see a deer along the road just before arriving toVictoria Bridge, where we took few moments to enjoy the scenery before starting our hike.
Very early on the trail, we were delighted with vistas, which were not included in the original plan. The vegetation was so overgrown in many parts of the trail that the path had been engulfed, and markers and blazes were hidden by tall plants and tree branches. This called for keeping our eyes scanning around all the time, looking for the next indication of where to go. At some point, it felt like we were dancing: few steps forward, turn your head up and down, side to side, scan; few steps to the side, turn your head up and down, side to side, scan; turn your body around, and repeat…
The Ragged Rapids side-trail offered great vistas along the Black River, and very luxurious vegetation. Very soon we learned that bushwalking was the only way to go in many sections: we could see the markers on some tree trunks, but the trail was engulfed by vegetation; so we had to open our way through tall plants, low tree branches, and fallen trees.
We crossed a very tall beaver dam (it looked like a very impressive piece of engineering), and eventually arrived at Black Fly Junction, connecting to the main trail. From there, we headed west for a kilometer or so, before heading back east to Black Fly junction and then to Victoria Bridge through the main trail. We were looking around for a place to have lunch, and we learned that the name of the junction was totally appropriate. So we decided to keep walking away from that area, until black flies stopped being the central focus of our attention.
The last stretch on the main trail was on rocky, open areas. The fun of “finding the next blaze” kept going, as those were usually located on rocks, on the ground, surrounded by vegetation, which could only be seen from a couple of meters away.
The last treat from the Wilderness Section came from spotting a fox along the side of the road.
We decided to wrap up the day by stopping for dinner along the highway before getting back to Toronto later in the evening.
Overall, it was fun hiking this trail, and the great disposition of the group
made it more enjoyable. It was a very long day, but totally worth it.
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