Hike 8 : Winter Walk in the Woods – Adam Dopko Access to McDui Dr. Access
Bruce Trail in the Winter
The weeks and months had rolled by since our last hike on the Bruce Trail. Weather, commitments and reasons had begun to sound more like excuses striving to avoid walking in the slushy snows of early spring. So in early March we decided it was time to get going again ! As such we made plans to hike with Lenora and her furry companion Mackenzie. We would first meet at our destination for the day parking one car at the McDui Dr. access trail in Stoney Creek and then proceed back to the Adam Dopko side trail in Grimsby to begin trekking. Given that we have spent so much of the winter sitting at desks we again opted to limit our hike to a shorter distance of about 10 km. Ultimately it would turn out that this decision to to keep our day on the trail shorter was wise, since we were all rather tired by the end of it - I guess winter did nothing to help us stay in shape!
Despite being March this hike would turn out to be a winter walk in the woods as we had recently enjoyed a late season dusting of snow throughout southern Ontario. Over the years we have known March’s which have been blazing warm pushing everyone into shorts early in the year and we have experienced March’s that have kept the world blanketed in late season snowfalls. Each annum seems to be its own surprising everyone as to what will happen with the result being that one simply has to accept what is given and keep on going.
Woolverton Conservation Area
Returning to the Adam Dopko Access Trail we began by venturing up the escarpment, which given the wintery conditions and icy pathways was challenging. Regardless, we soon rejoined with the main Bruce Trail and continued west through Woolverton Conservation Area below the ridge of the Niagara Escarpment.
For several kilometers while walking we hiked following the line of the escarpment but where neither at the bottom nor the top. Instead much of our path navigated midway along a flat stretch through the dense forest, over wooden bridges and along property lines. Despite this "midway trekking" we nonetheless were occasionally afforded incredible views of Grimsby and Lake Ontario as well as being able to see a number of the nearby residential subdivisions, regional vineyards and agricultural fields.
At times the path meandered through several properties with large houses on them reminding us of the generosity of so many property owners to allow the public access to nature and the trails. For this we are enormously grateful for the permission property owners continue to give allowing hikers to enjoy the region!
Side Trails, Seasons, and Exploration
Continuing on the Bruce Trail proceeded westward through the barren winter forest of Woolverton passing both the Cline Mountain Rd and Lewis Rd Access Trails. While the region around us was magical being covered in freshly fallen snow there is little doubt that – in the summer – this stretch must be a lush and welcoming forest giving way to an entirely different perspective for those who hike it. Today is the first time that I can really appreciate comments from other BTC hikers who advocate re-trekking sections at different times of the year. To fact, to encourage this, the Bruce Trail sections each offer different badges for those who hike in summer, fall and winter (and even for those intrepid souls who undertake night hikes)!
The BTC also promotes the trekking of all of their side trails by offering recognition and patches for the completion of the blue blazed pathways in each section.
In addition to which many of the
clubs also offer crests promoting discovery, exploration, and birding! You have
to love a group that promotes returning to nature and rediscovering a region
again and again! There is such a need for organizations like the BTC to encourage nature connectivity and exploration in dynamic ways!
Moving on, the trail soon had us crossing Fifty Road which climbed to our left steeply upwards to the top of the Niagara Escarpment and downward toward Lake Ontario to our right. As we proceeded we soon encountered yet another series of snow filled stairs which made for challenging navigation. Here I must admit that there was little to suggest that either our upward scrambles or downward slithers on the day’s accents and descents were in any manner dignified. Indeed, despite our time spent hiking none of us seemed to have gained the knack for maintaining any sense of composure in these situations. The best I can claim is that we were able keep moving forward by whatever means possible.
Frozen Waterfalls
After crossing McNeilly Rd we passed below the Vinemount Conservation Area and found a small artistically frozen waterfall. Vinemount C.A. is one of a series of nature sanctuaries managed by the Hamilton Naturalists Club and serves as protected meadow and through which the Dofasco 2000 Trail passes. This area is known for its excellent birding opportunities and as a critical area for butterflies. Here and in the surrounding regions Upland Sandpipers, Peregrine Falcon, Bobolink, and Short-eared Owls have been recorded.
We soon trekked past the the Jones Rd Access Trail finding another small frozen water fall. Next the trail passed out of Vinemount C.A. and a short while later we neared the edge of a local subdivision in the town of Stoney Creek. Though Stoney Creek was for many years an independent city this area is now considered part of the larger amalgamated Hamilton region and has a long and interesting history.
Indigenous Cultures and American Loyalists
The region originally inhabited by the First Nations was later explored by French Canadian Fur Traders and settled by American Loyalists following the American Revolution. The origin of the area’s name – Stoney Creek – is commonly held to be a reference to the rocky local waterway though some feel it may be a reference to Edmund Stoney, an early European settler to the region. During the War of 1812 this area was the site of the Battle of Stoney Creek in 1813 during which British forces overwhelmed the invading American forces in a surprise night attack. Their victory here is considered an important turning point in the protection of Upper Canada. In recent decades the region has steadily grown from an agricultural centre into becoming a residential suburb as the Greater Toronto and Hamilton city centres have rapidly expanded.
Reflecting on a Winter Walk in the Woods
Having reclaimed our parked vehicle yet another of our treks on the Bruce Trail had come to a conclusion. Exhausted we set off for our usual post-hike coffee and treats while chatting about the day’s trek. By the time we had warmed up we had concluded that the stretch from Grimsby to Stoney Creek along the Bruce Trail was wonderful - especially given the winter scenery around us and was enjoyable given that there was almost no road walking involved! At the outset we each found this section to be a bit difficult for a number of reasons. The recent snowfall had, in places, made the pathway hard to find. In addition to which the light snow cover often obscured or hid many of the rocks and crevices in the escarpment meaning that we had to spend much of our time watching our step rather than being given the opportunity to look around while walking. While we found the hike along the mid-range parts of the escarpment somewhat unenthusiastic we were grateful, given the wintery conditions, that we were not on top of the exposed Niagara Escarpment as one can easily image that such a trek would be much tougher amid the cold winds of the season.
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Date: March 5, 2016
Distance: 4.7 - 15.7km
Duration: 9:30am - 2:30 pm (5 hours)
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