This trail was Maria’s favourite trail in the park. She would walk it with her parents when ever she came. The trail was eventually named after her after she succumbed to cancer.
You can do this cache using a Wherigo player or you can visit each sign along the trail and match the deceptions with the tree names below.
| A) |
Old Smoothy - Wanted for impersonating an elephant leg. |
|
Leaves: |
Simple, alternate; straight veined, each vein ending in a large tooth. |
| Fruit: |
Prickly, reddish-brown husk; 2 edible nuts inside, each with 2 sides. |
| Twigs: |
Slender; buds long, sharp-pointed and brown; buds stick out from twig. |
| Bark: |
Smooth, grey, and resembles the leg of an elephant. |
| Trivia: |
The fresh fruit from this tree is very high in protein and can be roasted. |
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| B) |
Sweet Tooth - Wanted for having such syrupy-sweet sap. |
|
Leaves: |
Simple, opposite; 5 lobes have only a few wavy teeth; notches rounded at bottom. |
| Fruit: |
Keys in pairs on slender stalk; matures in autumn. |
| Twigs: |
Reddish-brown and shiny; buds opposite and sharply pointed. |
| Bark: |
Dark grey with long vertical ridges that curl outwards on one side. |
| Trivia: |
This tree just happens to be Canada's national tree. |
| |
| C) |
Give Me Five, Clive - Wanted for having needles in bunches of five. |
|
Leaves: |
In fives, 5 to 12 cm long, needle shaped, slender, flexible and soft to touch, bluish-green. |
| Cones: |
Up to 20 cm long, many scales, usually in 5 spiral rows. |
| Twigs: |
Hairless and orangey-brown. |
| Bark: |
Thin, smooth, greyish green when young. Older trees have darker, more scaly bark with ridges 2 to 5 cm long. |
| Trivia: |
This tree is eastern Canada's largest tree. |
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| D) |
Flossie Flatneedle - Wanted for staying green all year. |
|
Leaves: |
Narrow, flat, and soft. Dark green. Each leaf has a tiny stalk. |
| Cones: |
Hang from the ends of branches. Very small with rounded scales. |
| Bark: |
Reddish brown on young tree becoming darker and cracked on older trees. Small dead branches stay on the lower trunk. |
| Trivia: |
The leaf from this tree is high in vitamin 'C' and was made into a tea by aboriginal peoples. |
| |
| E) |
Diamond Dennis - Wanted for having so many diamond shapes in its bark. |
|
Leaves: |
Compound, composite; usually 7 oval leaflets without teeth; dark green above and very pale underneath; leaves are hard to reach. |
| Fruit: |
Flattened, linear-winged keys that extend well below seed. |
| Twigs: |
Stout, light-brown, hairless; buds blunt, reddish-brown, 4-sided. |
| Bark: |
Light grey, furrowed into firm irregular ridges that give a diamond-shaped surface pattern on the bark. |
| Trivia: |
Aboriginal peoples placed the leaves in their moccasins for protection against snakes. |
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| F) |
Squirrelly Shirley - Wanted for attracting so many squirrels. |
|
Leaves: |
Simple, alternate; separated by "V" -shaped notches; lobes have thin tips. |
| Fruit: |
Reddish-brown fruit with scaly cap. |
| Twigs: |
Cluster of buds at tip of reddish-brown twig. Buds are sharp, pointed, and shiny. |
| Bark: |
Long, flat ridges at base of tree gradually become smooth and grey towards top. |
| Trivia: |
The leaves and fruit from this tree are poisonous to sheep and cattle. |
| |
| G) |
Big Leaf Bertha - Wanted for having such big leaves. |
|
Leaves: |
Simple, alternate; large heart-shaped with toothed edge; one side of leaf lower than other. |
| Fruit: |
Round and woody with brownish hair attached to a long leaf-like structure. |
| Twigs: |
Yellowish brown; buds are stout, lopsided and reddish-brown. |
| Bark: |
Dark, greyish brown broken into many long, narrow, flat-topped, scaly ridges. |
| Trivia: |
Aboriginal peoples boiled the bark of this tree to apply to burns and sores to ease discomfort. |
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| H) |
Thema Thinstrip - Wanted for having thin strips of bark that often peel off. |
|
Leaves: |
Simple, alternate; some veins fork near leaf edge; sharply toothed. |
| Fruit: |
A cluster of inflated fruit sacs on a short drooping stem. |
| Twigs: |
Slender, dark, reddish-brown; buds pointed and spreading from the twig. |
| Bark: |
Rough, brownish, shreddy; narrow vertical strips. |
| Trivia: |
Historically the tough, string wood from this tree was used to make spokes, axels, and hand tool handles. |
To calculate the location of the geocache container, perform the following math.
This cache was placed under direct supervision of park staff. Please use the provided trails and visit this geocache only during park hours.