Monday, September 7, 2026

Dundurn Castle - Hamilton Harbour, Monday Sept 7 2026 @ 7:45

 It was the first hike of the 2026/27 season and we lucked out with blue skies and temperatures in the mid 20's. Ten hikers joined Ann on this 14 km urban hike along the Hamilton waterfront.


Thanks to Ivan, we were able to do a group selfie


There was lots to see in Cootes Paradise



Learning about some Hamilton history


And the best part....eating ice cream while watching the Labour Day parade!




Thursday, September 3, 2026

Morrison Creek, Thursday Sept 3 @ 8:30

It was the calm after the storm that brought about 50 mm of rain to Oakville. The trails were in remarkably good shape, but humidity levels were high. Seventeen hikers came out for this last of the summer hikes and no one complained about the extra hill we did:-)

The bridge picture



Doesn't take much to distract a group of hikers😆


Thank yous and upcoming hikes


Northern tooth fungus (aka white rot fungus) and jack-o'lantern mushrooms. We also saw a puffball mushroom.

And that ends the summer hiking season for another year.





Friday, August 28, 2026

14-Mile Creek, Thu 27 August, 8:30: E-E, ~7.0 km

 As the summer hikes wind down, 21 members followed Ann on a lovely morning, through the woods but not quite to grandmother's house. It was educational: We learned about poison ivy and its effects and spotted a gorgeous new flower on the trail that might be an escapee from a nearby garden. Michael made an appealing pitch for an epic creek-wading session next Monday. 

Are these people amused at the invitation to go wading in Bronte Creek? 

This is what can happen if you get too close to Poison Ivy. 

Poison Ivy: not just leaves of three, but pattern is revealing, as we learned from Anne Armstrong -- a pair together with short stems, and the third leaf on a longer stem. 

Pretty plant, odd name -- Pink Turtlehead. 

 

 

Thursday, August 20, 2026

East Bank, Thur Aug 20 8:45am

Leader John Burgers

The group of 17 included Yvonne and Dexter who had learned of Pathfinders from Sid. The weather was nearly perfect only the rising humidity kept us from decending into the valley floor. We made a slight extension by including the top loop so ended with a distance of about 8.4 km. Thank you to Richard for the great job keeping the group together and announcing bicycle traffic from the rear.

Pathfinders on the East Bank excluding Valley floor
Pathfinders on the East Bank excluding Valley floor