This event is a 12++km hike through the Ministik Lake Bird Sanctuary following unmarked quad trails (and occasionally just game trails or nothing at all) through the northeast corner of the sanctuary. Leaves will hopefully still be turning colour and falling gently upon us, and mosquitoes will just be a distant memory.
Saturday, October 10, 2015 New Date!
I expect the hike to take approximately 6-8 hours at an estimated pace of 2 km/h (plus or minus a lot), allowing lots of stops for birdwatching (cough) or whatever.
The plan:
- Optional. We meet at Hwy 21 Restaurant at
8:00am 8:30am for a trucker's breakfast. We leave spare vehicles here (plenty of room), and depart by 9:15am 9:45am.
- We drive to the north trailhead
(~9:30) (~10:00), and leave one or more vehicles there.
- We
drive to the east trailhead (~9:45), count heads, do a quick pep talk, and start walking!
- To avoid losing people, we stay together on the trail (eg, within sight), except by arrangement otherwise. This means that if you're in front of the pack and don't see the designated leader when you turn around, stop and wait. (If you're waiting a long time, you screwed up.)
We have a 1st lunch break somewhere past the "crossroads".-
We have a
2nd lunch and sign the event logbook beside the old fireplace (at posted coordinates), which is not too far from the end of the hike.
- We arrive, tired but happy, at the north trailhead (5pm or so) and give each other high fives.
- We retrieve cars from the east trailhead, and all go home.
The preparation:
This is a wilderness hike, and there's no easy exit from the middle portion. Cell reception is dubious.
Be prepared for any weather. This means bringing waterproof clothes even if the forecast is sunny and warm (forecasts can change) and sturdy footwear, preferably waterproof. Bring plenty of water to drink, especially if you expect to be huffing and puffing, and something for lunch.
Those are the bare essentials; I trust you already have some hiking experience and know what you'll need to ensure you have an enjoyable and safe day. I'm happy to answer questions, and there's a discussion about the event here.